Comparing claimed speeds of the "fastest car(s) in the world", especially in historical cases, is difficult as there is no standardized method for determining the top speed, nor a central authority to verify any such claims. The current title Guinness World Records holder, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, was certified for the average top speed achieved on a two-way run, registering 431 km/h (268 mph). While only 5 of the World Record model were made out of a total of 30 Super Sports, the other 25 Super Sports will all also achieve this speed with the limiter turned off. Guinness, after a review by a panel of experts, consider this not to be a modification and thus it is eligible for this list.
In 2014, a Hennessey Venom GT was recorded as exceeding 270.49 mph (435.31 km/h), but as the run was in one direction only, and only 16 cars out of a planned total of 29 have been sold, it does not qualify under the Guinness Book of Records or this list's criteria as the world's fastest production car.[1][2]
Contents
[hide]List rules[edit]
Further information: List of automotive superlatives and List of fastest production cars § Notes for editors
Post 1945 only[edit]
This list is also limited to post World War II production road cars. The Benz Velo as the first petrol driven car is the only exception.Production car definition[edit]
For the purposes of this list a production car is defined as:- being constructed principally for retail sale to consumers, for their personal use, and to transport people on public roads (no commercial or industrial vehicles are eligible);
- having had 20 or more instances made by the original vehicle manufacturer, and offered for commercial sale to the public in new condition (cars modified by either professional tuners or individuals are not eligible); and
- being street-legal in their intended markets, and capable of passing any official tests or inspections required to be granted this status.
Measurement of top speed[edit]
To establish the top speed for cars at least since the 1990s the requirement is, in addition to the above, an independent road test with a two-way run. The mean of the top speed for both runs is taken as the cars top speed.[3][4]Fastest production vehicles[edit]
| Year | Make and model | Top speed of production car | Number built | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1894 | Benz Velo | 12 mph (19 km/h)[5] | 1200 | First production car |
| 1947 | Healey Type 2.4 | 110.8 mph (178 km/h)[6] | 100 | Tested by Autocar in 1947 |
| 1949 | Jaguar XK120 | 124.6 mph (201 km/h)[7] | 12000 | Some publications cite the XK120's timed top speed as almost 133 mph / 214 km/h in 1949."[8] The XK120 that achieved this speed was a tuned prototype, not a production car. The production car reached 124.6 mph (201 km/h). |
| 1955 | Mercedes-Benz 300SL | 140 mph (225 km/h)[9] | 1400 | Tested by Road & Track. |
| 1958 | Aston Martin DB4 | 141 mph (227 km/h)[10] | 1110 | Tested by Autocar magazine in 1961. |
| 1959 | Aston Martin DB4 GT | 152 mph (245 km/h)[11] | 75 | Tested by Autosport in December 1961. |
| 1963 | Iso Rivolta Grifo A3/L 327 | 161 mph (259 km/h)[12][13] | over 400 | Tested by Autocar.[14][15] |
| 1965 | AC Cobra Mk III 427 | 165 mph (266 km/h)[16] | >20 | Tested by Car & Driver. Top speed described as observed |
| 1967 | Lamborghini Miura P400 | 171 mph (275 km/h)[17] | over 750 | Tested by Motor. Over 750 units build in 1966-1973 period, which includes P400, P400 S and P400 SV models. |
| 1968 | Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona | 174 mph (280 km/h)[18] | about 1400 | Tested by Autocar.[19] |
| 1984 | Ferrari 288 GTO | 188 mph (303 km/h)[20] | 272 | Tested by Auto, Motor und Sport in 1985. |
| 1986 | Porsche 959 | 195 mph (314 km/h)[21] | 337 | Tested by Auto, Motor und Sport in 1987. The 197 mph (317 km/h) top speed was recorded by the 959 Sport only 6 of which were ever made. The rest of the 337 units production run (1986-1989) were 959 Touring version that topped at 195 mph (314 km/h). |
| 1987 | Ferrari F40 | 202.687 mph (326.193 km/h)[22] | 1315[23] | Tested by Quattroruote. Claimed top speed 201 mph (323 km/h).The last Ferrari to be approved for production by Enzo Ferrari himself. |
| 1991 | Bugatti EB110 GT | 209 mph (336 km/h)[24][25] | 95 | Tested by Auto, Motor und Sport. |
| 1992 | Jaguar XJ220 | 212.3 mph (342 km/h)[26] | 281 | Driven around the Nardo test track by Martin Brundle for Autocar. Brundle achieved 217.1 mph (349.4 km/h) with catalytic converter removed and, as Nardo is a banked circuit, this gives a theoretical straight-line top speed of 223 mph (359 km/h). |
| 1993 | McLaren F1 | 240.1 mph (386 km/h) | 106[28] | At factory rev limit, it reached 231 mph (371.8 km/h) at Nardò (oval) test track. It still remains the world's fastest naturally aspirated production car in terms of top speed.[29] Sans-rev-limiter, it was able to reach a top-speed of 240.1 mph (386.4 km/h).[30] |
| 2005 | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 | 253.81 mph (408.47 km/h) | 300 | Recorded and verified by German inspection officials.[31] |
| 2010 | Bugatti Veyron Super Sport | 267.857 mph (431 km/h) | 30 | Out of the initial production run of 30 there were 5, named the Super Sport World Record Edition, which had the electronic limiter turned off, and were capable of 267.857 mph (431.074 km/h). All others were electronically limited to 257.87 mph (415.00 km/h). The record attempt of the Super Sport World Record Edition was driven by Pierre-Henri Raphanel and was verified by Guinness World Records. |
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