The first production car with a recorded speed was the 1894 Benz Velo which had a top speed of just 12 mph. Few verified records exist from that point until around 1950 when the Jaguar XK120 set a production car speed record of 124.6 mph (not to be confused with the tuned prototype that managed to hit 133 mph). From this point on, it became a trend for automotive publications to do their own top speed test.

Even the venerable McLaren F1 was tested by Car and Driver, and in 2005 we got our first government-official speed record set by the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 and verified by German inspection officials in 2005. It was that moment when the official challenge between manufacturers kicked off, and since then there have only been a handful of cars up to breaking the record. This list covers the top 32 fastest cars in the world, ranked from slowest to fastest.

UPDATE: 2024/04/06 15:24 EST BY MOSES KAROMO

The automotive world is changing constantly, and every day there are more and more fast cars. Automakers can't help but try to upstage each other in any way they can. Therefore, we have updated this entry with five more fast cars from automakers worldwide.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including HotCars, TopGear, Car And Driver, and MotorTrend.

Fastest Cars In The World

32 Gordon Murray T.50

Top Speed: 226 MPH

Years after designing the record-setting McLaren F1, Gordon Murray left the British automaker and formed Gordon Murray Automotive, intent on building a worthy successor to the McLaren F1. Though not as fast as the F1, the Gordon Murray T.50 has deservedly earned the title of McLaren F1 successor. From the engine to the design, the T.50 is an engineering masterpiece, a bona fide Gordon Murray creation.

Specifications

Motivated by the lightest ever V-12 ever fitted to a production car - a high-revving Cosworth-tuned mill - the T.50 shoots to 60 MPH in under three seconds. Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber and a minimalist interior, the T.50 is very light, about 331 pounds lighter than the F1. It tops out at 226 MPH, but could theoretically go faster with tweaks to the transmission.

31 B Engineering Edonis

Top Speed: 227 MPH

B Engineering Edonis is one of the more obscure vehicles on the list. It's based on the Bugatti EB110 Super Sport from the 1990s but with a heavily-redesigned exterior and interior. The carbon-fiber chassis was a complete carry-over from the EB110 SS, but the engine and drivetrain were reworked. Bugatti's 3.5-liter V-12 grew to 3.8 liters and the quad-turbo setup was slapped for a twin-turbo one.

Specifications

The all-wheel-drive system was ditched, meaning power now only went to the rear wheels. The B Engineering Edonis has a claimed top speed of 227 mph (365 km/h), but the highest top speed achieved in real life was 222.4 mph (359.6 km/h). The 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time was said to be 3.9 seconds, which is almost 0.8 seconds slower than the all-wheel drive EB110 SS.

30 Bugatti EB110 SS Dauer Lightweight

Top Speed: 230 MPH

The 1991 Bugatti EB110 commemorated the 110th anniversary of Ettore Bugatti - the brand's founder. The brand itself struggled on numerous occasions, and in the 1990s, it was owned by Romano Artioli. The EB110 was the only Bugatti made under his ownership. After the company went bankrupt, the German tuner house, Dauer Sportwagen, bought all Bugatti assets, including the remaining cars that were never assembled.

Specifications

Dauer further developed the EB110 SS, creating five models that were entirely made of carbon fiber. The engine was also tweaked, so it now produced 705 horsepower. The 0 to 60 mph time was identical to the regular EB110 SS, but the top speed was now 230 mph (370 km/h). Jochen Dauer even claimed that 250 mph (402 km/h) was possible, but that was never verified.

29 Mercedes CLK GTR Super Sport

Top Speed: 232 Mph

The 1990s and 2000s were when some pretty insane homologation specials emerged. Among them was the Mercedes-Benz GT1 racing car. The CLK GTR was a race car for the road that featured a mid-mounted, M297, V-12 engine. Homologation requirements stated that the car needed to share body parts with mass-produced models, which is why the front and rear lights came directly off the more mainstream, Mercedes CLK C208.

Specifications

The interior also resembled the more sedate grand tourer, but that's where the similarities ended. A total of 28 examples of the Mercedes CLK GTR were built. Those include 20 coupes, six roadsters, and two prototypes. Only five CLK GTRs received AMG's Super Sport package, which was the car's most powerful, road-going version.

28 Bugatti Divo

Top Speed: 236 MPH

Despite drawing its powertrain and chassis from the Chiron, the Divo has a unique identity. It isn't just another Bugatti derived from the Chiron. Its menacing outer shell, for instance, with its aero bits and aggressive demeanor starkly contrasts with the Chiron's sleek exterior. The unbroken curved line that encompasses the Chiron's cabin is pushed up on the Divo to create room for lower-body aerodynamic elements.

Specifications

The Divo is also lighter and features a wider rear wing that produces more downforce and doesn't retract fully into the bodywork. Bugatti gave the 40 Divo customers a carte blanche to customize their car. Options included interior upholstery, custom exterior and interior parts, and bespoke paintwork. Therefore, it's highly likely that every Divo made is unique.

27 Pagani Huayra R

Top Speed: 238 Mph

Pagani is one of the younger supercar makers, but it has already proved, on numerous occasions, that it shouldn't be taken lightly. The Modena-based company produces some of the most exquisite and capable high-performance vehicles we have ever seen, and it's safe to say that none of Pagani's models are slow.

Specifications

Among the fastest Pagani supercars, the Huayra R currently holds the crown. Instead of the regular car's twin-turbo V-12, the track-only R variant relies on a high-revving V-12 with the same displacement of 6.0 liters. As always, the engine comes from AMG, which can rev to 9,000 RPM in this case. Another unique feature of the Huayra R is that the high-revving V-12 is mated to a six-speed manual.

26 McLaren F1

Top Speed: 240 Mph

McLaren F1 is the brainchild of famed engineer and racing driver Gordon Murray. The South African inventor left no stone unturned in his strife to create the ultimate supercar. Every aspect of the McLaren F1 was over-engineered, and every part had a dual purpose. The BMW-derived V-12 engine was specially developed for the British mid-engine supercar and is so balanced it did not require a flywheel to operate smoothly.

Specifications

The McLaren F1 is as analog as it gets and comes exclusively with a six-speed manual. Gordon Murray did not pursue any top speed record with the F1, but after testing a developmental prototype called the XP5, they clocked an average speed of 240.1 mph (386.4 km/h), with the highest of the three attempts being 243 mph (391 km/h). To this day, the McLaren F1 is the fastest production car with a naturally aspirated engine and manual transmission.

25 W Motors Lykan Hypersport

Top Speed: 245 MPH

If you can't quite remember where you saw the Lykan Hypersport, allow us to remind you: It's the car Vin Diesel used to hop, skip, and jump across skyscrapers in the UAE in Fast And Furious 7. W Motors is a UAE-based company that earned global fame by releasing the Lykan Hypersport, the first supercar developed in the Middle East.

Specifications

And what a car it was. Featuring excesses like diamond-encrusted headlights and an outlandish design, the Lykan Hypersport demanded attention even before the driver fired up its RUF-tuned 3.7-liter twin-turbo mill. Considering that it was W Motors' first attempt at building a supercar, the company produced a fantastic machine capable of beating cars from established European automakers. Abu Dhabi Police added the Lykan Hypersport to its fleet, making it one of the fastest police cars ever.

24 Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo

Top Speed: 248 mph

The Saleen S7 is not only an old, very rare beauty, but also a very powerful and fast supercar. First announced back in 2000, the S7 was joined by the S7 Twin Turbo just a few years later. The model is powered by the same 7.0-liter V-8 engine upgraded with Garrett twin turbochargers. As a result, the output is now 750 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque.

Specifications

The S7 Twin Turbo can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds, from 0 to 100 mph in 5.9 seconds, and run the quarter mile in 10.5 seconds. The top speed is 248 mph. Fun fact: if the car looks familiar, you may have spotted it alongside Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty.

23 Aspark Owl

Top Speed: 249 mph

Limited to only 50 units, the Aspark Owl brings a lot of interesting features to the market. It is the first Japanese full-electric hypercar ever, and also the most powerful EV in the world: its four permanent magnet synchronous motors can produce a combined 2,012 horsepower.

Specifications

Built on a carbon fiber chassis weighing only 264.5 pounds, the Owl is incredibly light, shockingly durable, and very fast. It can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 1.69 seconds and can hit a claimed top speed of 249 mph. All these amazing numbers happen while also providing an all-electric range of 280 miles. The Aspark Owl is priced at approximately $2.8 million, which doesn't make it a bargain.

22 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro

Top Speed: 250 mph

The Valkyrie AMR Pro is a track-only variant of the Aston Martin Valkyrie, and it was unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. The Pro model is powered by the same 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 engine found in the Valkyrie Road car, but it doesn't have the KERS system. Still, the V-12 is equally impressive and delivers a total of 1,000 horsepower.

Specifications

While this may not be as much as the standard Valkyrie, some weight-saving measures like ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber bodywork, carbon suspension springs, and Perspex windshield and side windows have made the Valkyrie Pro very fast: it can hit a top speed of 250 mph. The Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro is limited to only 25 units, and all of them are already spoken for.

21 McLaren Speedtail

Top Speed: 250 mph

The McLaren Speedtail was introduced in 2019, and it's considered a spiritual successor to the iconic F1. But that's mostly because it features a three-seat layout with the driver's seat in the center. Unlike other cars on this list, the Speedtail is a hybrid, combining a twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 gasoline engine with an electric motor.

Specifications

McLaren says the Speedtail can hit 250 mph, making it the company's fastest vehicle yet. However, the British firm has yet to release proof that the Speedtail is indeed capable of such speeds.

20 Bugatti Veyron

Top Speed: 253.8 mph

One of the many Bugattis on our list, the standard Veyron, is the first production car that surpassed the 250-mph mark. And it did it back in 2005 when it ended McLaren's long-standing record set by the F1 in 1993. The Veyron, equipped with an early version of the 8.0-liter W-16, hit a top speed of 253.8 mph on April 19, 2005.

Specifications

Its record stood for two years, but it was recaptured by the SuperSport version and then by its successor, the Chiron. This is the only Bugatti on our list that generates less than 1,000 horsepower. The W-16 used in the original Veyron cranks out 987 horses and 922 pound-feet of torque.

19 Koenigsegg Regera

Top Speed: 255 MPH

Based on the Koenigsegg Agera, the Regera is currently a performance beast. It is powered by a 5.9-liter V-8 twin-turbocharged combined with three electric motors that deliver a combined 1,500 horsepower. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and was built to break records. Back in 2019, the Regera showed it only needs 31.49 seconds to reach 249 mph. The Koenigsegg Regera set a new world record for homologated production cars 0-400-0 km/h (0-249-0 MPH) at just 28.81 seconds and 0-250-0 mph at 29.60 seconds.

Specifications

It accelerated from 0 to 249 mph in just 22.87 seconds and gradually decelerated in 8.62 seconds. All this in a distance of 1,613.2 meters, though it should be noted that Koenigsegg claims the Regera can hit a top speed of 255 mph. Of course, not many will get the chance to test this, as the Regera will be limited to only 80 units, each with a price of $1.9 million.

18 SSC Ultimate Aero

Top Speed: 256 mph

The SSC Ultimate Aero is the car that briefly stole the record from the Bugatti Veyron. Until the Veyron Super Sport came to take it back. SSC set its record in 2007 with a twin-turbo version of the car. The Ultimate Aero hit a top speed of 256.1 mph somewhere in West Richland and held the record until 2010.

Specifications

The Ultimate Aero was discontinued in 2013 after several limited-edition models, but SSC is now working on a new contender for the world's fastest production car, the Tuatara. While the record car came with 1,183 horsepower and 1,094 pound-feet of tap, SSC increased power to 1,300 horses toward the end of production. It also switched the original 6.3-liter V-8 with a 6.9-liter engine.

17 Rimac Nevera

Top Speed: 258 mph

The Rimac Nevera is one of the most impressive electric supercars in the world. It is powered by a quad-motor setup that delivers a total of 1,914 horsepower and 1,741 pound-feet of torque, numbers that currently make it one of the most powerful EVs out there.

Specifications

The Nevara can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 1.85 seconds and from zero to 100 mph in 4.3 seconds. Initial facts suggested it can hit a top speed of 256 mph - although owners are limited to a top speed of just 219 mph. But, in November 2022, with Miro Zrnčević, Rimac's chief test and development driver behind the wheel, the Nevera hit a top speed of 258 mph - making it the fastest electric vehicle in the world.

16 Koenigsegg Agera R

Top Speed: 260 mph

The Agera RS may be the fastest of its kind, but the Agera R isn't far behind. Produced from 2011 to 2014, the Agera R featured the company's legendary 5.0-liter V-8 engine, capable of up to 1,124 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque. The Swedish firm used this car to set a handful of records for production cars in 2011, but these were eventually reset by the Agera RS.

Specifications

Although it didn't set a record for top speed, the Agera R was nearly as fast as the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at 260 mph. This benchmark places it high on our list and makes it the second Koenigsegg to make our top 10.

15 Bugatti Chiron

Top Speed: 261 mph

The standard Bugatti Chiron made it to our list as one of the Bugattis. Introduced in 2016 as a replacement for the Veyron, the Chiron retains the quad-turbo W-16 engine, but power was upgraded to 1,479 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque.

Specifications

The Bugatti Chiron's top speed is officially limited to 261 mph, which is a bit below the Veyron Super Sport. On the other hand, the Chiron Super Sport tops the list with more than 300 mph, so we know there's plenty of potential under the hood.

14 Bugatti Mistral

Top Sped: 261 MPH

To wave goodbye to the W16 engine that had graced some of the iconic cars of the early 21st century, Bugatti decided to build the Mistral, an open-top version of the Chiron. However, developing the Mistral wouldn't be as easy as chopping the roof off a Chiron. The French automaker wanted the Mistral to embody the ethos of past Bugatti roadsters, so it drew inspiration from the open-top Bugattis like the 1934 Type 57.

Specifications

A challenge that Bugatti had was producing a fast open-top car that would meet safety regulations and maintain Bugatti's design philosophy. To get it right, Bugatti designed the Mistral as a new car. Their efforts paid off: the Mistral is one of the fastest and prettiest roadsters ever made - a fitting way to retire Bugatti's W-16 engine.

13 Zenvo TSR-GT

Top Speed: 263 MPH

The Zenvo TSR-GT was the last Zenvo built on the TS platform. Billed as a grand-touring version of the TSR-S, it featured a twin-turbo V-8 producing 1360 horsepower and an aerodynamic profile meant to reduce drag. Notable elements included aerodynamic wheel covers like the ones seen on F1 cars and a smaller, fixed, rear spoiler.

Specifications

More power plus reduced drag equaled a top speed of 263 MPH, easily making the TSR-GT the fastest Zenvo TS variant. It also made the TSR-GT one of the fastest V-8 production cars ever built. The three TSR-GTs produced were sold to three lucky buyers at undisclosed prices.