The 10 fastest cars in the world is always a fun list to compile, because the common denominator of each entry is speed, and speed also happens to be the coolest and most exciting force a moving object can produce. Right now, the car industry is amidst a speed renaissance of sorts, in which new technologies are either replacing old technologies or finding ways to coexist with them. A perfect example of this is the power unit in the Mercedes-AMG Project One, which borrows a compact six-cylinder engine and amplifies it beyond belief with electric motors and hybrid power systems. As we near the year 2020, the automotive landscape will be all about finding speed with new propulsion systems and energy management.
To earn a spot on this list of the fastest cars in the world, the speed demons had to be 2018 year models or newer, currently be in production, and be street legal. Since we couldn’t measure the tops speeds ourselves, we only took into consideration manufacturer-claimed speed figures and not other measurements gathered by publications, owners, or various dubious Reddit forums.
This year’s list has the usual high-priced suspects: Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ferrari, McLaren. But we’ve also got some pleasant surprises and lesser-known contenders that may shock you with their high level of performance right out of the box—and their more affordable price tags.
Here are the ten fastest production cars in the world you can buy right now.
10. Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye: 203 MPH
The Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye was recently introduced as the ultimate incarnation of Dodge’s famous Challenger Hellcat, but now it’s powered by the same maniacal Hemi engine that summons to life the sinister Dodge Demon. Under the throwback “dual-snorkel” hood lies a 6.4-liter supercharged V8 that cranks out 797 horsepower and 707 pound-feet of torque and rockets this 4,500-pound Detroit brawler from zero to 60 in just 3.4 seconds. Top speed: 203 mph. In order to break the 200-mph barrier, this rear-wheel-drive coupe uses the largest factory supercharger of any production car—2.7 liters versus 2.4 liters, and 14.5 psi of boost pressure that allows both dual-stage fuel pumps to take full advantage of the increased 6,500 rpm limit. And speaking of fuel, the Redeye’s high-output V8 gulps 1.43 gallons of fuel per minute at full throttle, which is enough to drain the fuel tank in little less than 11 minutes.
9. 2019 Bentley Continental GT: 207 MPH
Don’t let the Continental GT’s magnificently supple design fool you: Bentley has endowed its sleek coupe with serious muscle. After two generations of soft and often understated mega-luxury coupes, the third-generation Continental GT ups the ante with a zero-to-60 time of just 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 207 miles per hour. That’s 0.2 seconds quicker to 60, and four miles per hour faster overall than the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye—despite weighing 447 pounds more. The new W-12 TSI engine is an enhanced variant of the 6.0-liter block that was originally designed for the Bentayga, the Crewe-based brand’s first SUV, although this one produces a robust 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque feeding all four wheels courtesy of a dual-clutch eight-speed transmission.
8. McLaren Senna: 208 MPH
The name Senna strikes a powerful chord among motor racing aficionados, and McLaren aimed to honor the late great Brazilian and the race team’s many Formula 1 victories with its newest track-focused machine. The McLaren Senna shatters expectations with a top speed of 208 mph. Throughout the late ’80s and ’90s, Ayrton Senna was a ruthless racer and a controversial overtaker, but he was also a globally recognized humanitarian and a man with a nearly religious following in Brazil. Senna was a complex man, and this McLaren’s intricacies reflect that: The body is made entirely of carbon fiber, and its 67-piece, spaceship-like aero kit takes more than 1,000 hours to assemble by hand. The $1 million supercar delivers a savage driving experience and neck-breaking speed courtesy of its 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine and 789 horsepower, which can propel this ultra-exclusive Brit from zero to 60 in a blinding 2.7 seconds.
7. Porsche 911 GT2 RS: 211 MPH
Dubbed “the widowmaker” by generations of Porsche purists, the rear-wheel-drive GT2 RS is a pinnacle of the 911 lineup as well as the fastest and most capable Porsche outside of the now-defunct 918 Spyder. Lift the enormous carbon fiber rear wing to expose the hand-assembled 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder boxer, from which the deranged folks at Stuttgart have managed to extract 700 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. To put that into perspective, that “small” boxer delivers 184.21 horsepower per liter while only having to carry 3,241 pounds, compared to the 104 horsepower per cylinder of the 4,497-pound 2019 Bentley Continental GT. Add a lightning-quick seven-speed dual-clutch transmission on top of all that mechanical wizardry and the result is a zero to 60 time of just 2.7 seconds (identical to that of the McLaren Senna), and a top track speed of 211 miles per hour.
6. Aston Martin DBS Superleggera: 211 MPH
The new Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is a sexy new Brit that can reach a top speed of 211 miles per hour and rocket from zero to 60 in 3.2 seconds and, after that, all the way to 100 in 6.4 seconds. That sort of speed is thanks to the 715 horses found in the 5.2-litre, twin-turbo V12 powerhouse under the Superleggera’s chiseled hood. In fact, only three other Aston Martins have reached the 700 club: the $3 million Aston Martin Valkyrie, the limited-edition One-77, and the track-only Vulcan. At a starting price of $304,995 in the United States before optional equipment, the DBS Superleggera doesn’t offer the most bang for the AM buck, but it’s easily the most stunning vehicle of this year’s bunch.
5. Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: 212 MPH
The 212-mph Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 continues the American tradition of building world-class performers at just a fraction of the cost of the Europeans. The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is built on a base model that starts at just $30,000; similarly, the entry-level variant of the $121,000 Chevy Corvette ZR1 Coupe starts less than $60,000. So what do you get for an additional $61,000? It turns out a whole lot, but most importantly a 6.2-liter supercharged American V8 that produces an astonishing 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque. Those figures are enough to lap the Virginia International Raceway 1.3 seconds faster than the Ford GT, which beats the ZR1 in terms of top speed by four miles per hour. Lucky ZR1 owners can choose from two different aero settings depending on their track-day needs or personal preference. No wonder ‘Vette aficionados refer to it as “The King.”
4. Ford GT: 216 MPH
Unlike the two other Americans on this list, the Ford GT didn’t get the Blue Collar memo. As a result, this low-to-the-ground supercar starts at an eye-watering $450,000, but its 216-mph top speed and dazzling eye candy profile almost justify the hefty price. Inspired by one of Le Mans’ most famous racers, the Ford GT is a perfect example of when a major company like the Blue Oval puts its brightest minds to work. The project was begun but an unofficial (and initially unsanctioned) team of devoted Ford designers, engineers, and aerodynamicists, who created a car that’s truly stunning to behold—whether it’s speeding past or standing still. Interestingly enough, the GT is powered by a variant of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine that’s found in the Ford F-150 pickup truck and other utilitarian vehicles (and, for a time, in Chip Ganassi’s IMSA cars). But only the GT’s engine variant can summon 647 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque, allowing it to go from zero to 60 in just three seconds.
3. Lamborghini Aventador SVJ: 217 MPH
The new Lamborghini Aventador SVJ adopts the Italian automaker’s famous “Jota” moniker, which adds another layer of hardcore-ness to the already racy SV trim by calling on the spirit of the powerful Miura P400 Jota from the ’70s, which was designed to meet the FIA’s “J” class rulebook. This new Raging Bull comes to life via a 6.5-liter, 48-valve V12 that carries 4.42 pounds with each of its 759 horses. As a result, the SVJ can deliver a zero to 60 time of 2.8 and reach a maximum speed of 217 miles per hour. However, while Lamborghini’s ALA 2.0 active aerodynamics system can maximize cornering grip and allow the SVJ to dance through all of the Nurburgring’s tricky corners and set a record time of 6:44.97 minutes, the massive rear wing most likely robbed it of a few miles per hour at the top end of the spectrum, making us wonder how fast this bull could really go if it were a tiny bit slipperier.
2. Mercedes-AMG Project One: “At Least” 217 MPH
It’s not common for an automaker to release estimated performance figures, but in the case of Mercedes-AMG, they’ve simply stated that its new hypercar, the Project One, can reach a maximum speed of “at least” 217 miles per hour. Could it reach 220, 225 or maybe even 230? Given the Formula 1-derived hybrid power unit it’s not completely far-fetched, but that’d simply be speculation. F1 star Lewis Hamilton assisted in the development of the Project One and even drove the first model shown to the world’s media at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 2017. The rear-engine, all-wheel-drive rocketship is powered by a 1.6-liter V6 gasoline engine that’s assisted by a plug-in hybrid system and four electric motors, which, according to the automaker, can propel the nearly $3-million Silver Arrow from zero to 112 mph in just six seconds. Could the Project One overtake the almighty Chiron? Time will tell…
1. Bugatti Chiron Sport: 261 MPH
The Chiron Sport’s top speed of 261 miles per hour quite literally overwhelms every machine listed here, and that’s exactly what Bugatti set off to accomplish with its ferocious yet luxurious land missile. The Chiron Sport is powered by the same 1,479-horsepower [ED. NOTE: Whenever I read that stat, I lol], 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine as the “regular” Chiron, but it weighs 40 pounds less and is therefore just a tad faster. How did Bugatti shave those 40 pounds? Carbon fiber windshield wiper arms, a carbon fiber intercooler, and lighter suspension components and wheels. How much faster is it? We don’t know, because Bugatti hasn’t gotten around to test it, since both the Chiron and Chiron Sport are electronically limited to 261 miles per hour in ‘Top Speed’ mode. However, Bugatti claims that the Chiron Sport is a whopping five seconds faster around the Nardo mega-oval, which is doubly impressive considering the performance gains have been made purely on weight reduction. (For the record, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sports set the production-car top-speed record of 268 miles per hour back in 2010.)