Nowadays, seeing a fast car on the street is a normal thing, not like in the past when they were s rare that people stopped and stared. Each car manufacturer has developed more than one model or version with a powerful engine and a lot of other upgrades to keep the performance standard up. Unfortunately these cars have a higher maintenance cost and, of course, a higher price to start with, but if a person wants power and speed, he or she will have to make a sacrifice.
Fast cars are technological jewels, being created to satisfy all types of customers, from day-to-day drivers that simply love power to drag racers or professional racing drivers that know how to handle any car on the circuit. The adrenaline pumping through one’s veins when pressing down the throttle pedal and hearing the exhaust come to life cannot be compared to anything.
It is also a known fact that speed and fast cars can also take lives in some situations. According to Global Cars Brands, there are two famous names that should be remembered in this case: Ayrton Senna (“Racing, competing, it’s in my blood. It’s part of me, it’s part of my life”), the legendary Formula One Racer, and Paul Walker (“If one day speed [takes] me, don’t cry, because I was smiling”), the famous “Fast and Furious” actor.
20 Race Driver: McLaren F1
With a top speed of 241 mph, the McLaren F1 is known to have been the world’s fastest car at a point, according to Speed Vegas. Some of the greatest features of this car are represented by a 6.1-liter BMW M V12 engine, the carbon-fiber body, the center driver’s seat and the gold-lined engine bay.
The first McLaren road car had quite a remarkable performance by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1995.
The producer was well known for its successful Formula 1 and Can-Am series race team. However, there came the moment when McLaren made the attempt to take on Porsche and Ferrari with their MP4-12C model.
19 Race Driver: Koenigsegg CCR
With a “world’s fastest” title achieved in 2005 on the Nardo Ring in Italy for its 242 mph top speed, the Swedish supercar Koenigsegg CCR is still considered one of the fastest cars, according to Global Cars Brands. Even if it is an earlier generation made by Koenigsegg, it was the first production car that was able to beat McLaren and its eight consecutive years as the fastest production vehicle on the market. Under the hood, there is a 4.7-liter V8 engine that delivers 806 horsepower with 920 lb-ft of torque and a sprint from 0 to 62 mph in only 3.7 seconds.
18 Race Driver: Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
The Saleen S7 Twin Turbo is known to be one of the fastest cars on the streets because of its 248 mph top speed, according to Speed Vegas. The legendary car was produced between 2000 and 2009 and it represents the first mid-engined US supercar.
With its 750 horsepower engine it can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.8 seconds and it needs 10.5 seconds to reach a quarter-mile.
The amazing performance, exotic styling and the most important tuning potential are only a few of its qualities. The past still offers a great deal of interesting supercars to choose from.
17 Race Driver: Tesla Roadster
Tesla managed to become a real player in the automotive industry through its first Tesla Roadster sports car. It was developed based on the well known Lotus Elise and it had quite an impressive performance back then. Despite the same name, the second-generation Roadster cannot be compared to the former one. First of all, it is an Electric Vehicle (EV) that can reach 62 mph in only 1.9 seconds, can sprint from 0 to 100 mph in 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 250 mph. In addition, the CEO of the company has mentioned that this impressive vehicle will also have a range of 620 miles, according to Speed Vegas.
16 Race Driver: SSC Ultimate Aero
This mid-engine sports car was produced by Shelby SuperCars, now known as SSC North America. The Ultimate Aero model has managed to keep the Guinness World Records “world’s fastest production car” title for three whole years, from 2007 until 2010 when the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport appeared. Under the hood, a 6.3-liter twin-turbo V8 engine can be found.
It delivers an impressive amount of 1,287 horsepower and 1,112 lb-ft of torque.
The known top speed is 256 mph, with a distance of only 1 mph from the GT9-R. According to Speed Vegas, this car can easily reach 200 mph in less than 16 seconds.
15 Race Driver: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
1998 was the year when Volkswagen had bought the Bugatti brand and the principal goal was to develop the fastest production car that would exist in the world, according to Speed Vegas. The first Veyron came in with 1,000 horsepower and a quad-turbocharged W16 engine. Unfortunately, it was dethroned eventually by the SSC Ultimate Aero. Their response was the Veyron Super Sport with 1,200 horsepower and a top speed of 268 mph (recorded on the Volkswagen test track). This supercar has received the “world’s second fastest production car” title from the Guinness Book of World Records, but even if it was not the fastest, it still is a wanted supercar.
14 Race Driver: Bugatti Chiron
Another Bugatti that makes history with its top speed of 261 mph. The Chiron represents the successor of the incredibly fast Veyron, which James May, one of the Top Gear presenters, compared to an automobile equivalent of a Concorde, according to Speed Vegas. The new supercar was unveiled at a distance of 10 years from its predecessor, but it was a blast because the Chiron is considered a king among all the supercars in the world. With only 500 units produced and a price tag of $2.6 million per piece, the Chiron is quite hard to obtain by any person who dreams of owning it.
13 Race Driver: Hennessey Venom GT
The Hennessey Venom GT was created based on an upgraded Lotus Exige, with a 7.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that delivers 1,244 horsepower and 1,155 lb-ft of torque. The car can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in only 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 270 mph, according to Global Cars Brands.
This beast is not only powerful, but it also has a stunning exterior design and a dazzling interior.
One can purchase the Hennessey Venom GT at a price of $1,2 million. It is cheaper than the Koenigsegg Agera R and the only difference of power between them is the top speed: the Venom is slower with only 8 mph.
12 Race Driver: Koenigsegg Agera RS
The Koenigsegg Agera RS is considered the fastest car in the world, with a top speed of 278 mph that was verified by the Guinness Book of World Records, according to Speed Vegas. In order to record the official top speed, Koenigsegg had to ask the Nevada Department of Transportation to close and secure a portion of 11 miles of Route 160 (between Las Vegas and Pahrump). Having in mind that this was a public road, the record is fair enough. The Swedish supercar with its 1,160 horsepower managed to reach 284.55 mph on the first run and during the second 271,19 mph. The average was 277.9 mph.
11 Race Driver: Hennessey Venom F5
The Hennessey Venom F5 is known to have a top speed of 301 mph, according to Speed Vegas. Unfortunately, they did not confirm this figure with the Guinness Book of World Records and this is one reason why it cannot be considered the fastest car, yet. The Venom F5 has a 2,950 pounds carbon fiber chassis and a 7.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 1,600 horsepower. A very interesting fact about this car is that it can go from 0 to 249 and back to 0 mph in only 30 seconds. If Hennessey manages to set a new world record, this car will be the fastest one that ever existed.
10 Toddler: Audi R8 V10 Plus
When the first Audi R8 has appeared on the streets, everyone was thrilled and amazed of it. It was one powerful car, but since then, the technology has evolved a lot and the new R8 V10 Plus has a lot more to offer.
With a 5.2-liter V10 engine (that can also be found on the Lamborghini Huracan) that delivers 610 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, this Audi can reach a top speed of 205 mph, according to The Drive.
The R8 V10 Plus is more rigid and stiffer than the outgoing model because of the aluminum and carbon fiber Audi Space Age platform.
9 Toddler: Porsche 911 Turbo S
Porsche has a wide history of race cars and it has offered a lot of amazing models through the years. The cosmetic refresh of the astonishing last-generation 911 Turbo S can be considered a stunning and incredibly fast car, despite the known clinical efficiency of the German brand, according to The Drive. With its 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six that delivers 580 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque it has got a top speed of 205 mph. The most interesting feature of this car is the Sport Response button that maintains both turbos spinning in any circumstance by priming the transmission and opening the throttle a little to increase the airflow.
8 Toddler: Dodge Viper SRT
The 2017 edition of the Dodge Viper SRT was not that different from the one delivered in 2016. It only had a four-channel anti-lock brake system in addition to the normal options. However, 2017 was the last year of the Viper, after 25 years of production (some say that it could come back as soon as 2020), according to The Drive. Dodge Viper is not an elegant ride, it actually has the transmission of a truck and it is quite hard to handle, but a car enthusiast can always manage to drive such a beast if he or she really desires to. It is known that this model is a truly capable street-legal race car with a top speed of 206 mph. Under the hood it has got an 8.5-liter aluminum V10 engine, naturally-aspired, that delivers 645 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque.
7 Toddler: Bentley Continental Supersports
In 2017 Bentley unveiled the Continental Supersports model and claimed the “fastest four-seat car in the world” title for it. The new car has a top speed of 209 mph, more than the Audi R8 V10 Plus and the Porsche 911 GT3 (199 mph). Even if it weights over 5,000 pounds and can be called a living room with four wheels, the Continental Supersports is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine that delivers 700 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque, according to The Drive. Along with the fastest four-seat car title, it is also considered the fastest Bentley ever made.
6 Toddler: Ferrari 812 Superfast
With a top speed of 211 mph, the new Ferrari 812 Superfast is powered by the most powerful engine mounted on a road-going Ferrari until now, a naturally-aspired 6.5-liter V12 unit that delivers 789 horsepower and 530 lb-ft of torque.
The dual-clutch gearbox fitted on the car is faster than the super-fast one placed on the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.
The new model can reach 62 mph in less than three seconds and it is considered the last naturally-aspired version before Ferrari turns the attention over a new turbocharged unit. With a huge history of super-fast cars, Ferrari is a brand that will never lose its customers.
5 Toddler: McLaren 720S
Beginning with the first F1 model from the 1990s and continuing with the second one that appeared in 2011, the MP4-12C, McLaren has quite an interesting history until this new model that sets a new trend. Powered by a 4.0-liter V8 engine (a bigger engine in comparison with the former 650S model) that delivers 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque, the McLaren 720S has got a top speed of 212 mph and a price of $288,475, according to The Drive. This car can reach 62 mph in only 2.8 seconds and 124 mph in 7.8 seconds. The insane aerodynamic of the 720S also helps it achieve the above mentioned top speed.
4 Toddler: Ford GT
Ford GT is best known for its Le Mans dominating history and it also has the reputation of the toughest US car that has been made for decades and also of a proper international sports car racing dominance nowadays, according to The Drive. With a price of $450,000, the GT has a lot to offer. Under the hood one can find a 3.5-liter V6 engine developed by Ganassi Racing for Ford’s Daytona Prototype. The unit delivers 647 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque with a top speed of 216 mph. The upgrades package also offers active aerodynamics, an FIA-approved roll cage and an anti-lag system. A true masterpiece of technology and history altogether.
3 Toddler: Lamborghini Aventador S
Lamborghini has always been a remarkable super car producer. The stylish, super-fast and aggressive models from the Italian car maker can never be judged in a bad manner, not in a million years. The new Aventador S stands up to the Lamborghini name with an upgraded 6.5-liter V12 engine that delivers 740 horsepower and 509 lb-ft of torque along with a top speed of 217 mph.
The beast can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.9 seconds.
Another interesting feature is represented by the four-wheel-drive steering system through which the rear wheels are pointed in the same direction of the front rubber at high speeds and in the opposite one at low speeds.
2 Toddler: Aston Martin One-77
The British manufacturer has accomplished another very important assignment, since the development of the James Bond cars. They have managed to create the fastest Aston Martin ever built. Under the hood lays a 7.3-liter V12 engine that delivers 750 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque with a top speed of 220 mph, according to Global Cars Brands. There were only 77 units produced, but the high-tech performance and the astonishing looks of the car make it a perfect choice for a fast car. The One-77 model can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in only 3.5 seconds and it also offers a quite remarkable design, mainly because it is an Aston Martin.
1 Toddler: Zenvo ST 1
Developed in 2009, the Zenvo ST 1 is the first hand-made high-performance supercar created by the Danish company. With a top speed of 233 mph and a sprint from 0 to 62 mph in approximately 3 seconds, the ST 1 has got a price tag of $660,000. Under the hood, Zenvo has placed a 6.8-liter V8 engine that delivers 1,104 horsepower and an amazing amount of 1,050 lb-ft of torque, according to Global Cars Brands. Even with those huge numbers, any driver can figure out such a car if he or she already knows how to drive. Except for the Formula 1 cars and the other models that were created strictly for racing, any sports car can be driven by a normal driver.
Sources: GlobalCarsBrands.com, SpeedVegas.com, TheDrive.com