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Speed matters, especially when it comes to the fastest cars in the world.
And now, finally, the 300mph barrier has been broken by a (slightly modified) production Bugatti Chiron, and smashing the speed record in the process.
British sportscar veteran, Le Mans winner and official Bugatti tester, Andy Wallace drove to an astounding 304.773mph at the VW Group’s secretive Ehra-Lessien test track in Germany. Time, then, to take a look at all the fastest produciton cars there's ever been. Autocar has driven nearly all of these cars, so we’ll throw in our driving observations along the journey:
Slideshow story - click the right-hand arrow above to continue:
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Lamborghini Huracan Performante (2017-Present) - 201mph
The track focused Huracan Performante is the first on the list. Lapping the Nordschleife in 6:52:01 min the Performante set a new production car lap time. The 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine now makes 631bhp and 442lb ft of torque which is 29bhp and 29lb ft more than the Huracan which made 602bhp and 413lb ft of torque.
Our Verdict: “The Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA) logo on the front splitter, tells you that this Huracán is the real deal in terms of active aero.”
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McLaren 675LT (2015-2017) - 205mph
A development of the McLaren 650S, the Longtail has a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that produces 666bhp and is 100kg (220 lbs) lighter than its donor model.
Our verdict: “Don’t want one only because the 675 LT is quick. The difference you’ll note from behind the wheel is not necessarily how much faster you’d be going than in a 650S, but how much more fun you’re having while you’re doing it.”
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Aston Martin V12 Vantage S (2013-2017) - 205mph
It may be the last first generation Vantage, but what a way to go. Barely longer than a Volkswagen Golf, the compact V12 Vantage S packs a 5.9-litre 565bhp punch.
Our verdict: “In a digital world, this mega Vantage is refreshingly analogue and its raw, aggressive nature is boldly apparent, just as Aston Martin intended.”
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Audi R8 V10 Plus (2012-2015) – 205mph
Audi’s snarling range-topper featured a 610bhp V10 and will do 0-60mph in 2.7sec. Our verdict: “From a standing start the traction is phenomenal. With no turbos to wait for, the engine pulls instantly, but its intensity builds all the way through the rev range, its note deepening while simultaneously rising, as only V10s do. At some point you become aware of a flash of red on the dash telling you you’re about to hit the 8700rpm limiter, so it’s time to change up.”
The R8 was replaced by a new generation model in 2015, and the top-of-the-range R8 V10 Plus has since been replaced by the R8 V10 Performance, but its official top speed remains the same.
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Bentley Continental GT Speed (2007-2010) - 206mph
With a kerb weight of 2320 kg (5104 lbs) the Bentley is comfortably the heaviest of all the cars featured in this story. Luckily, to shift all that bulk the car features a 6-litre twin-turbo W12 producing 633bhp and 620lb ft of torque. The car hit 206mph in 2015 while testing on the Stuart Highway in Australia. A new-generation Continental GT went on sale in 2018, but that car's ‘Speed’ variant hasn't arrived yet.
Our verdict: “The updated Continental GT Speed is everything you'd expect: it's fast, luxurious and immensely gratifying.”
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Aston Martin DB11 AMR (2018-Present) - 208mph
Aston Martins’ grand tourer, the DB11 gets a boost in performance by the Aston Martin Racing endurance programme. The twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 now makes 630bhp which is 30bhp more than the original 600bhp. 0-62mph times are 3.7secs which is 0.2secs faster than the original time of 3.9secs.
Our verdict? "It’s charming and capable in the corners, effortless and elegant on the straights. In short, everything you’d ever hope for from an Aston GT."
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Ferrari GTC4Lusso (2016-Present) - 208mph
The GTC4 started life as the FF, which was the first four-wheel-drive Ferrari. This 2+2 features the same 6.3-litre V12 as the F12, turned down to 680bhp. Our verdict: “This is the only place you can get four seats, a decent boot and a naturally-aspirated V12 engine that revs over 8000rpm, and which is all wrapped in a quirkily appealing body.”
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Porsche 918 Spyder (2013-2015) – 210mph
The Spyder is powered by a naturally aspirated 4.6-litre V8 good for 608bhp, with two electric motors giving an extra 279bhp for a total of 887 bhp. Our verdict at the time: “Accelerating in gears, through gears, on the road and on a circuit, the 918 Spyder has nothing to fear from any other cars in its class.”
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Ferrari F12tdf (2015-2018) – 211mph+
The F12 Berlinetta clearly wasn’t insane enough for Ferrari’s bigwigs, so they decreed that it be given a power boost from 730bhp to 770bhp, and a suffix taken from the old Tour de France road race (for cars, not bikes). The result is an absolute lunatic, with a 6.3-litre V12 up front and power delivered the rear, with a deliriously happy driver sitting in between.
Our verdict: “There is loads to love here. The cabin, the noise, the performance, the responses right up to the limit are all exceptional.”
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Ferrari 488 Pista (2018-Present) - 211mph
Fitted with the most powerful V8 to come out of Maranello, the 488 Pista is lighter and faster than the standard 488 GTB. The 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 pumps out 711bhp, which is 51bhp more than the 660bhp made by the 488 GTB. The 488 Pista also shares a lot of its components with its race spec brother, the 488 Challenge.
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Porsche 911 GT2 RS (2018-Present) - 211mph
With a 3.8-litre turbocharged flat-six engine which makes 690bhp in a car weighing just 1470 kg makes no sense. But the GT2 RS is meant to be a bit ridiculous and that is what it does best, that is after the blistering lap times it sets. Our Verdict: “If you have a passenger, make it one you know well or one you dislike enough – because, at 70mph, you have to shout over the GT2 RS’s din”
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McLaren Senna (2018-Present) - 211mph (Estimated)
Stepping up to the McLaren P1 is a big task in itself, but the McLaren Senna is up for the task. Powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 making 789bhp and 590lb ft of torque, the Senna is the most powerful McLaren till date. The Senna weighs in at 1198kg, making it the lightest McLaren after the iconic McLaren F1.
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Ferrari 812 Superfast (2017-Present) – 211mph
Replacing the F12 Berlinetta, the new 812 Superfast is the new super-GT from Maranello. The front-engined 6.5-litre V12 makes a staggering 789bhp and 529lb ft of torque. 0-124 mph takes 7.2secs making this, for now, the fastest series production Ferrari ever built.
Our verdict: “One minute, you are telling everyone that 800 metric horsepower is utterly ridiculous in a road car, and the next you’re shifting out of third at the 8900rpm limiter.”
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McLaren 720S (2017-Present) – 212mph
Replacement to the 650s, the 720S becomes the first car to replace a model in McLaren’s line-up and it was the first of 15 new-generation models promised by CEO Mike Flewitt by 2022. The engine is now a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 made from a host of new components and producing 710bhp (720PS, geddit?) and 568lb ft of torque.
Our verdict: “It’s not just air ducts concealed in the car’s flanks; the door handles are tucked away there as well. They’re proper handles now, completing the move from sliders to orthodoxy.”
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Lamborghini Centenario (2016-2017) – 217mph+
An Aventador spin-off, this V12 from 2016 delivers 759bhp at a cost of £1.6 million each (US$2.1 million). Just 40 were made, in commemoration of centenary of the birth of Lamborghini’s founder. We got a ride in one at 2017’s Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb: “We carry so much more speed through the flowing rights and lefts than I reckoned possible.”
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Lamborghini Aventador S (2017-Present) – 217mph
The top speed for all Aventador models is identical, so although the super-mental SV variant is sold out, you can top out at just the same velocity in the standard and still-quite-insane model. A naturally aspirated, 690bhp 6.5-litre V12 does all the necessary thrusting to get you up to 217mph with all the drama that Italy can muster.
Our verdict: “If you crave a theatrical and memorable supercar experience, absolutely buy one. Drama is what the Aventador S does best.” The SVJ variant has recently arrived, but still with the same top speed.
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McLaren P1 (2013-2015) – 217mph
Mclaren’s plug-in hybrid hypercar, whose twin turbo 3.8-litre engine delivers 727bhp combined with an electric motor producing 176bhp giving total power of 903 bhp. 375 were made. Our verdict: “McLaren has created a car that is as joyful and as faithful to throw around a circuit as a kart.”
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Ferrari LaFerrari (2013-2015) – 217mph
Part of the great hypercar trio of 2014, just as fast as the P1 and with a much sillier name. Our verdict: “LaFerrari has been engineered to allow most people to drive it at the limit easily.”
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Jaguar XJ220 (1992-1994) - 217mph
The history of the XJ220 was hardly easy – originally billed with a V12, it emerged with a twin-turbo V6 instead into the teeth of a horrendous recession. But it was undeniably fast, and hit 217mph all the way back in 1992.
We drove the car again in 2012. Our verdict: “It is time the XJ220 took up its position as one of the great supercars of its or any era. For any other fate to befall it would be to perpetuate a travesty of justice that should never have occurred in the first place.”
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Aston Martin One-77 (2009-2012) - 220mph
Just 77 examples of this car were built, and it featured a 7.3-litre V12 that produced 750bhp, and the press could not officially drive it until all of the cars were sold. Our Steve Cropley rode in one in 2012. His verdict:
“The car is a complete surprise to me, for its sheer single-mindedness. The noise is dominant; the ride is always at least firm. Your handling of the car must always be dominant, never apologetic. I had expected this Aston, strictly for squillionaires, to be a classic old gentleman’s GT, hugely potent but, above all, polite and refined. But this is not the case. The Aston One-77 is raw.”
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Lamborghini Veneno (2013-2014) - 221mph
With just five produced, whether the Veneno of 2013 counts a production car or not is a fair question, especially as it’s based on the Aventador. It was also extremely expensive, costing €3.12m each (US$3.3m), and features a 6.5-litre V12 producing 740bhp.
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Noble M600 (2011-Present) – 225mph
Hewn from carbonfibre in deepest, darkest Leicestershire, the M600 is powered by a 4.4-litre Judd V8 with a mere 650bhp – puny compared with some of its rivals. But it’s old school, lightweight, without so much as ABS to sully its purity, and it’s exceedingly fast. Our verdict: “Cars like the M600 that handle well on track and ride properly on the road are few and far between.”
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Zenvo ST1 (2009-2016) - 233mph
Danish company Zenvo started producing ST1s in 2009, and 15 were built. They cost in the region of £750,000 (US$1.13 million). It features a turbo- and super-charged 6.8-litre V8 engine that delivers 1104hp. Unfortunately one caught fire when being tested for the BBC’s Top Gear. Our verdict: “You can't fault the performance but you're going to have to really want a Zenvo to justify the substantial price tag.”
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Zenvo TS1 GT (2017-Present) – 233mph
Revealed at 2016’s Geneva Motor Show, the TS1 is an evolution of the stylish ST1. Electronically limited to 233mph, it’s available to order now from the Danish manufacturer for £1.2 million, and is powered by a twin-supercharged, 5.9-litre V8 with 1085bhp.
Our verdict? "The progressive, linear power delivery is completely addictive, meanwhile, the rate of acceleration building to a panic-inducing rampage as the motor charges towards the 7700rpm redline."
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Pagani Huayra BC (2017-Present) - 238mph
Named after the initials of Pagani’s first customer, the BC is powered by a Mercedes-AMG 6-litre twin-turbo V12 that delivers 740bhp at 6200rpm alongside 738lb ft of torque at 4000rpm. Only 20 were made.
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McLaren F1 (1993-1998) - 241mph
Best known for Formula 1 team, it remains astounding that McLaren delivered its first production can with such astonishing aplomb, and broke various taboos at the same time, not least making it a three-seater. Powered by a 6.1-litre BMW V12, It also remains notable that the F1 reached its huge top speed all the way back in 1998.
Our verdict: “To drive, the F1 was no less than extraordinary, and in its own way it was a lot more of a benchmarksetter then than even the P1 is today. There are, after all, quite a few astonishingly fast cars around today, but in 1994 there was nothing remotely close or even similar to the F1.”
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Koenigsegg CCR (2006-2010) - 242mph
The CCR hit 242mph at the Nardo circuit in Italy in 2005. It features a modified Ford 4.6-litre V8 that produces 806bhp and 680lb ft of torque at 5700 rpm.
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Saleen S7 Twin Turbo (2000-2007) - 248mph
Though not as famous as most of the cars here, this is unfair as the car was well engineered, primarily in the UK, and used high-end materials and components throughout. It features a twin-turbocharged 7.0-litre Ford V8 that produces 750bhp and 700lb ft. A kerb weight of just 1338kg and sleek aerodynamics further help it to dispatch the 0-60mph sprint in a claimed 2.8sec, and, if you’ve room, Saleen claims the S7 will touch 248mph.
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Koenigsegg Regera (2016-Present) – 248mph+
Koenigsegg has been quietly and earnestly churning out massively fast monsters for decades, but the Regera adds a touch of luxury missing from previous machines. It’s still an absolute barnstormer though, with a hybrid powertrain containing a twin-turbo, 5.0-litre V8 and three electric motors, which combine to produce more than 1500bhp. Although a top speed hasn’t been revealed, Koenigsegg reckons it’ll hit 248mph in 20 seconds. So, at least, that.
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McLaren Speedtail (2019 Expected) - 250mph+ (Estimated)
The new McLaren Speedtail will be the fastest car the firm has produced, with a 250mph top speed that will eclipse the legendary 243mph of the F1 – and the firm says it will also be a true driver’s car.
The new machine is the latest in the Woking marque’s Ultimate Series and is the spiritual successor to the 1992 F1, featuring a similar three-seat cockpit with a central driving position. The Speedtail will be produced in a limited run of 106 models, matching the production run of the F1. All have already been sold at a cost of at least £1.75 million plus taxes each. We've yet to see it on the road, but we can't wait to have a drive.
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SSC Ultimate Aero (2006-2013) - 256mph
America’s SSC’s Ultimate Aero featured a 6.3-litre twin-turbo V8 good for 1287bhp. It cracked 256mph in 2007, with no electronic driver aids. Our verdict: “The Ultimate Aero is more powerful and potentially faster than a Veyron, while costing less than half as much. And since when did all-American muscle have to dress up like posh European caristocracy?”
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Hennessey Venom GT (2011-2017) – 266mph
As fast as it is, it’s a heavily modified Lotus rather than its own thing. In our humble opinion. But still, it holds the record for fastest-ever convertible production car, which isn’t bad going at all.
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Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (2010-2011) – 268mph
The Veyron Super Sport was previously the holder of the official world production car speed record. Our verdict: “The Veyron Super Sport redefines what's physically possible in a car with numberplates.”
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Koenigsegg Agera RS (2011-Present) - 278mph
Swedish driver Niklas Lilja recorded a two-way average speed of 277.9mph in the Agera RS at Pahrump, Nevada. The car features a 5-litre 1040hp twin-turbo V8 engine.
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Bugatti Chiron (2016-Present) – 305mph
We always suspected that Volkswagen would have a crack at beating its own record with its Bugatti Chiron before too long, and with its Ehra-Lessein test track in Germany, with its 5.4-mile straight (twice as long as most airport runways), it had the place to do it in. At that location, British sportscar veteran and official Bugatti tester Andy Wallace drove 304.773mph in September 2019.
The Chiron’s “near production” spec included an additional safety cell, aerodynamic changes and a taller seventh gear, as well as a 1578bhp version of Bugatti’s quad-turbocharged 8-litre W16 engine taken from up from the 1479bhp of the ‘standard’ car. Autocar believes that the mechanical changes will be incorporated into a celebratory limited-edition model.
Exceeding 300mph also relied on specially constructed Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres designed to handle the enormous forces of such speeds; at the record velocity each was turning 4100 times a minute, or 68 times-per-second. Each tyre was X-rayed before it was selected for use to ensure that none of the radial bands was touching each other; while this doesn’t matter at even the Chiron’s normal governed speed, it could have created heat.
Wallace also admitted that the enormous gyroscopic effect of wheels rotating so quickly became a challenge at ultra-high speeds. “At 200mph you can barely feel it, but at 300mph it’s absolutely enormous,” he told Autocar after the run, “it’s felt mostly on the front wheels and therefore the steering, like a spinning top when it starts to move it wants to continue to move.”
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Hennessey Venom F5 (2020 Expected) – 305mph+?
With the desire to build the fastest road-legal car motivating car makers since the dawn of motoring, America's Hennessey plans to hit back at the Chiron's record with its Venom F5. The new car uses a custom-built 8.0-litre twin-turbo V8 which Hennessey claims that it would produce 1600hp (1578bhp) which sticks to John Hennessey’s words which are “being the fastest really matters”. We shall see how long Bugatti hangs onto its record.
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