What is the fastest you have ever gone while driving? For many of my friends who drive like they are being chased by the Grim Reaper, they claim to have touched 200 mph at some point or the other. As for me, it’s probably just about 160 mph on the highway. For those who don’t drive, but have at least been driven on a highway, your driver was probably going at a range of 120 – 160mph. Cast your mind to one of those journeys and picture how fast you were going, pretty fast right? Well, below is a list of the top 10 fastest cars in the world. The top speed numbers of these hypercars make those mentioned earlier seem like child’s play. We’ll start with the 10th fastest and work our way up to the top. Let’s dive in!
10. Pagani Huayra – 238 mph
This hypercar has leaves for side mirrors—of course not literally, but the Huayra’s side mirrors are shaped like leaves. Borrowing its engine from the Mercedes AMG tier division, it has a twin-turbocharged V12 engine that makes 730 hp which allows it to top off at 238 mph. Named after Huayra-tata, a Quechua wind god, the car is mainly made up of carbo-titanium, a composite of carbon fibre and titanium alloy, to keep its weight down. It also has an active aero system that helps it glide through air effortlessly.
9. Mclaren Speedtail – 250 mph
If there was a beauty standard for cars, the Speedtail would definitely be one of the reference points. Built with a rear that curves like that of a fish, the Speedtail is purpose-made to harness every bit of aerodynamics. Its windows don’t even wind down completely and its tires have special covers, all in a bid to maximise its aerodynamics.
With all of these features, the Speedtail has a top speed of 250 mph that it makes from its 4.0- litre, twin-turbo V8 engine producing 1,050hp. The speedtail effortlessly comes in 5th place from the bottom without even trying. McLaren was more concerned about looks than power and yet they produced a record-beating damsel. Additionally, its interior is set up so that the driver seats in the central position, with one passenger seat on either side of them. It takes this design from the original McLaren F1 that dominated motorsports in the 1990s.
8. Aston Martin Valkyrie – 250 mph
In third place from the bottom is the Aston Martin Valkyrie. If you are a James Bond fanatic, then the words Aston and Martin are definitely not new to you. However, the Valkyrie is nothing similar to the basic Aston Martin vehicles used in the movies. The Valkyrie is a track-focused beast of a hypercar that eats up lap times for lunch.
Making 1,140hp from its 6.5-litre V12 hybrid powertrain, the Valkyrie has a top speed of 250 mph and sprints from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Although the Valkyrie looks like an F1 vehicle, it is completely road legal and can be used daily to commute.
7. Koenigsegg Gamera – 250 mph
The second, but not the last Koenigsegg on this fast list is the Gamera, which defies the laws of hypercar impracticality. Many hypercars, if not all, are two-door coupes that can barely fit its two passengers. However, the Gamera is a sedan-like hypercar that can comfortably seat four passengers.
For a supposed four-seater family hypercar, the Gamera is not family-friendly at all with a top speed of 250mph. It achieves such horsepower numbers with its hybrid powertrain that comprises a 5.0-litre V8 engine accompanied by one electric motor that makes a combined 2,300 hp, making it one of the most powerful production cars.
6. Hennessey Venom F5 – 272 mph
At first glance the name Hennessy may ring a bell, probably because of the Hennessy Cognac company. However, both companies have no ties. The Hennessey I’m talking about is an American hypercar that holds the position for the sixth fastest car in the World.
The Hennessey Venom clocks out at about 272 mph, thanks to its 6.6-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that makes a whooping 1,800 hp. Remember what I said earlier about how many of us travel at an average of 120mph? Now imagine travelling at twice that speed, with 32 mph of jara speed. That is how fast the Venom F5 is and we have barely scratched the asphalt of speed.
5. Koenigsegg Agera RS – 277 mph
When it comes to top speed numbers, simply leave it for Koenigsegg. This is why in a list of ten cars, Koenigsegg comfortably takes three out of the ten slots. Heads up, one of the top three cars on this list is also a Koenigsegg. The Koenigsegg Agera RS makes use of a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that makes 1,341 horsepower. The Agera makes almost 500 hp less than the aforementioned previously talked about Hennessey Venom F5, which means that it should be slower right? But what the Koenigsegg loses in speed, it gains in lightness, all thanks to its carbon-fibre tube chassis. The Agera RS has a top speed of 277 mph and an acceleration time of 2.8 seconds from 0-60 mph.
4. Rimac Nevera – 285 mph
The only fully electric vehicle on the list, the Rimac Nevara is one of those cars that beats the allegation that electric cars are only quick and not fast. The Nevara is just as quick as it is fast, going from 0-60 mph in only 1.9 seconds, which is absolutely mind-blowing. The Croatian product also has a top speed of 285 mph that it achieves from 2000 horsepower from its four electric motors that power each of its four wheels. Simply put, the Nevera is a big win for electric cars.
3. SSC Tuatara – 295 mph
Just like its mysterious name, the SSC tuatara is quite a mystery, as only about 50-100 units were ever made, making it very rare. SSC itself stands for Shelby SuperCars. The SSC is North American made and has a top speed of 295 mph. Unknown to many, the car held the Guinness World Record for the fastest car for three years, before the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport snatched it in 2005.
2. Bugatti Chiron Supersort 300+ – 304 mph
Is it even a fastest car list if at least one Bugatti is not on it? Bugatti is constantly trying to prove themselves in the automotive world. Whenever their world’s fastest title is snatched, they work tirelessly to snatch it right back. The Supersport 300+ is Bugatti’s attempt to try and take back the title from the current world’s fastest car, which I will introduce in a second. The Supersport 300+, just as its name suggests, was specifically produced to break the 300 mph barrier with its quad-turbo 8.0-liter W-16 engine that produces 1,600hp. With all that power, the Bugatti is propelled from 0-60 mph in 2.4 seconds and has a top speed of 304 mph.
1. Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut – 310 mph
Taking the crown as the world’s fastest car is the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut. The rival to the Bugatti Chiron 300+, topping the table, it reaches a top speed of 310 mph, a mere 6 mph more speed than the Bugatti. The king of speed achieves such a blistering speed thanks to its twin turbocharged V8 engine with 1,280 horsepower.
The Jesko Absolut has held the record for the world’s fastest car for just about a year, with some sources claiming that the Bugatti Chiron Supersport 300+ has already dethroned it.
With the constant battle for speed, I would not be shocked that the world’s fastest car title has truly been snatched. Supercar companies are always trying to prove that they have the best engineering, and what better way to prove it than clinching a world title. Which of the ten fastest cars is your favourite? Mine is the Chiron Supersport 300+, what about you?
