In a lot of ways, the automotive industry is a big game of numbers. From sales figures, to horsepower, to torque, to 0-60 times, to cargo space and just about everything else, every automaker competes with one another, hoping to squeeze even a single digit above the competition's number. Even though a lot of those numerical values are actually important, in the performance car world, horsepower gives you all the bragging rights.
In the real world, horsepower doesn't tell the whole story. Some sports cars don't have huge horsepower numbers, but feel all the better for it (see Mazda Miata or Honda S2000). Others, meanwhile, do an amazing job of handling their power and putting it down on the road. The fact remains; in the car world, and especially in the enthusiast corner, more horsepower simply equals better. Manufacturers build cars with varying power outputs, but only one model can be crowned the most powerful.
10 Audi: RS e-tron GT (637 HP)
Like most other automakers at the moment, Audi is fully invested into an electrified future. The first fruit of the labor was the e-tron SUV back in 2018. Also in 2018, Audi teased a four-door GT called, rather aptly, the e-tron GT. The production RS version of this GT is not just the most powerful production Audi currently, but also of all time.
Like other performance EVs, the RS e-tron GT uses a dual-motor setup with an 83.4 kWh battery pack. Despite the substantial weight figure and pretty sizable dimensions, the RS e-tron GT produces a maximum of 637 HP, allowing it to accelerate from 0-60 in a blistering 3.3 seconds.
9 BMW: M5 CS (635 HP)
If there's one thing that's always been missing from the BMW M5 lineup, it's a more extreme, even more track-focused version. With the current generation M5, BMW has filled that hole in the lineup with the very special M5 CS, marking the first time the CS badge has ever been used on the big super sedan. There's no other word; it's a powerhouse.
Underneath the amazing green paint job and the gold accents throughout, the signature 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 has been dialed up to develop 635 hp, making it the most powerful M car of all time, and not too far off from the BMW-engined McLaren F1. It still retains the M xDrive system and the Drift Mode, and it's reportedly the finest and most well-sorted super sedan of the moment.
8 Chevrolet: Camaro ZL1 (650 HP)
With the bonkers C7 Corvette ZR1 retiring a couple of years ago, the Camaro ZL1 remains the most powerful car in Chevy's lineup as of mid-2021, and before the high-performance versions of the C8 Corvette hit the scene. A while ago, the Camaro was known for being all about the looks, the speed and not much else. Chevy has made sure this preconception is completely erased, and the ZL1 delivers.
Under the hood is the supercharged 6.2-liter V8, taken straight from the C7 Corvette Z06, with no changes to the power output. That means a meaty 650 hp and 650 lb/ft of torque, paired to your choice of a 6-speed manual or a quick-shifting 10-speed auto. Thanks to GM's excellent magnetic dampers, the ZL1 is an absolute beast on the track, and handles its power way better than Camaros of old. Still want more track performance? There's always the 1LE package.
7 Dodge: Challenger SRT Super Stock (807 HP)
Back in 2015, Dodge set the world on fire with the release of the Challenger SRT Hellcat; a muscle car with 707 hp. Everyone thought that was crazy, but Dodge wasn't done there. In 2018, Dodge unleashed the absolutely insane Challenger SRT Demon. Although it used the same engine, it had 840 hp, no passenger seat as standard, and it could pull 9-second quarter mile times on drag slicks.
Demon values and production numbers make it very desirable, so for those who didn't get the chance to experience the Demon, Dodge has the answer; the Challenger SRT Super Stock. It's essentially the same as the Demon, minus the crazy drag racing options like the removal of the passenger seat, and the power has been dialed down... to "just" 807 hp.
6 Ferrari: SF90 Stradale (996 HP)
In 2013, Ferrari set the world on fire with the release of the badly titled LaFerrari; their fifth ultra-special supercar. It was the first hybrid Ferrari supercar, pairing the brand's incredible 6.3-liter V12 with a small electric motor and an F1-style energy regen system. The LaFerrari cost over $1mil when it was new, and market values have gone up since then.
But now, in 2021, you can experience Ferrari's incredible hybrid powertrain and engineering, albeit with a V8 engine instead of a V12, with more power at around half the price. The SF90 Stradale is the most powerful production Ferrari of all time, with a total system output of 996 hp. It's also the brand's first plug-in hybrid, which is undoubtedly a sign of things to come. If they're anything like the SF90 is, they're definitely worth waiting for.
5 Lamborghini: Aventador SVJ (770 HP)
Lamborghini does a lot of things very well. But, the one thing that they do better than just about everyone is building V12 supercars that literally make you gasp when you look at them. The Aventador replaced the legendary Murcielago back in 2011, and it still remains one of the most dramatic Lambos. Then again, pretty much every Lambo has been dramatic.
The theater dial was turned up to 11 in 2019, when Lamborghini unveiled the swansong to the Aventador; the SVJ. Everything Lamborghini learned from their special editions and race cars was put into the Aventador SVJ, which also made use of the ALA (Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva) system. With 770 hp, it's good that it's here.
4 Peugeot: 508 PSE (355 HP)
Now it's time for a cool car that North America simply doesn't get. Peugeot knows a thing or two about making performance cars, as they're responsible for some of the coolest hot hatchbacks of yesteryear. They also dominated LeMans in the late 2000s with a diesel-powered race car, the 908 HDi. With LeMans' WEC Hypercar class looming over the horizon, Peugeot's performance cars are coming back.
While they won't be building a road-going version of the race car, they did give the world something in consolation; the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered. A more left-field alternative to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C43 and BMW M340i, the 508 PSE teams a deceivingly small 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder with an electric motor, for a total system output of 355 HP, making it the most powerful production Peugeot ever.
3 Porsche: Taycan Turbo S (750 HP)
Ever since the original Mission E concept in 2015, everyone knew that Porsche's first full EV sedan would be awesome. But no one expected what ended up becoming the Taycan to be that awesome. From the gorgeous styling, to the acceleration, to the luxury, to the technology and to the way you can tell that Porsche made it, the Taycan deserves all of its praise and accolades.
Over the past couple of years, Porsche has slowly been rolling out less powerful and cheaper versions of the Taycan, but when it was first revealed, the Turbo S took center stage. While the setup is basically the same as the RS e-tron GT, the Taycan has more power; up to 750 hp, in fact.
2 Toyota: GR Supra (382 HP)
Set the BMW jokes aside for a moment. Ever since the Mk4 Supra was axed, fans all over the world have been begging for Toyota to bring back this iconic sports car. In early 2019, Toyota set the world on fire with the reveal of the all new, Mk5 GR Supra, built in conjunction with BMW, and using one of their I6 engines.
As well as looking great, the GR Supra turned out to be a pretty good car to drive. For the 2021 model year, Toyota is attempting to address some of the complaints related to this car. As well as the launch of the 2.0-liter model, the 3.0-liter gets more power; 382 HP, in fact. That's exactly one more horse than the outgoing Land Cruiser, making the GR Supra the most powerful current Toyota.
1 Volkswagen: Touareg V8 TDI (416 HP)
For the first two generations, the VW Touareg was sold in North America, but interest was basically non-existent. While VW blessed North America with the Atlas, the rest of the world got an all-new, third generation Touareg. A Touareg that, the moment you open the door, makes you ask "This is a Volkswagen?"
As of 2021, the Touareg is available with two V6 engines, one diesel and the other gas, as well as a regular Hybrid and the R. But, the horsepower throne belongs to the Touareg V8 TDI. It's the same engine used in the EU-spec Audi SQ7 and SQ8, which means 416 hp and a considerable 664 lb/ft of torque.