What better juvenile debate topic is there than top speed? Bragging rights belong to the brand and the car with the highest speed. And when it comes to the fastest production cars, these four-wheeled missiles are the swiftest of all time.
In the pantheon of speed, the 10 fastest production cars of all time flirt with or even zoom past 300 mph
The McLaren F1. An unadulterated top speed legend which set a record of 240.1 mph back in 1998, years before many of the current Formula 1 drivers were born. The Brit even held its record for seven years. But records were made to be broken, and all 10 of these wild supercars have done just that.
Whether it’s a manufacturer claim or a cold-hard record run, these are the fastest production cars of all time.
Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut– 330 mph (Mfr claim)
Let’s get one thing straight: Koenigsegg merely claims the Jesko Absolut can, with aero work, hit an eye-watering 330 mph. It hasn’t actually achieved that benchmark quite yet. But the formula appears to be there.
There’s an E85-fueled 1,600-horsepower twin-turbocharged 5.0L V8 pushing the Jesko Absolut. The Swedish hypercar marque is likely to test the Jesko Absolut soon, especially considering that a Chinese EV recently laid down the fastest top speed run of any car on record.
Bugatti Bolide– 311 mph (Mfr claim)
Like the Jesko Absolut, Bugatti claims its science-fiction-looking Bolide can sprint right past the 300 mph mark on up to 311. But the Bolide hasn’t done the deed yet. Unlike the Koenigsegg, the Bugatti Bolide packs a monstrous 8.0L quad-turbo (yes, you read that right) W16 engine producing a stratospheric 1,578 horsepower on high-octane race fuel. Excessiveness is the name of the game.
Yangwang U9 Xtreme– 308.4 mph
In September, BYD-owned Chinese EV marque Yangwang pitted its striking U9 Xtreme (formerly the “Track Edition”) against the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg course in Northwestern Germany. And the results were nothing short of spectacular.
The quad-motor, 3,000-horsepower EV charged down the track, hitting 308.4 mph at its fastest. Right then and there, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme laid down not only the fastest top speed of any electric vehicle, but also the fastest run of any production car.
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport– 304.7 mph
In 2019, Andy Wallace, the very same man who set the McLaren F1’s 1998 top speed record, climbed into a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. His goal? Set yet another benchmark for other cars to covet and claw after. So he did.
Wallace coaxed the 1,600-horsepower W16-powered Chiron Super Sport to 304.7 mph. And while the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport isn’t at the top of the list of the fastest production cars in the world anymore, it was the first to hit that magical speed.
Hennessey Venom F5– Over 300 mph (Mfr claim)
You have Bugattis and Koenigseggs. But then you have Hennessey, a tuning company out of Texas. The mad Texans believe that the 1,817-horsepower, twin-turbo V8 Venom F5 can exceed the 300 mph mark. And if John Hennessey and company can do it, it’ll be the first American production car to do so.
SSC Tuatara– 295 mph
Another Yankee with a twin-turbocharged V8, the SSC Tuatara has been the root of some speed record controversy. Five years ago, the Tuatara “reached” 331 mph, establishing it as the fastest production car of all time.
But not so fast. Upon investigation, a GPS error voided the run. Since then, the 1,750-horsepower SSC Tuatara has hit a certified top speed of 295 mph, keeping it firmly in the top 10.
Koenigsegg Agera RS– 284.5 mph
Like the other gas-powered record holders, the Koenigsegg Agera RS needs high-octane fuel to unlock its highest potential top speed. So, one Agera RS owner filled it with E85 and pitted it against a stretch of secluded Nevada pavement.
The Agera RS’s two-way average during the top speed attempts was 277.8 mph. However, the test driver managed to get the car up to 284.5 mph during one of the tests.
Bugatti W16 Mistral– 282 mph
Another day, another Bugatti with a blistering top speed. But, unlike the Chiron Super Sport’s record, the Mistral made its stab at the record books sans top. Even with a less-than-slippery missing roof panel, the Mistral managed to hit 282 mph, the fastest run of any production car with an open roof.
Hennessey Venom GT (1st gen)– 270.4 mph
The first-generation Hennessey Venom GT may look like a Lotus with a body kit, but it’s all business. John Hennessey built the car to break records, and with 1,244 horsepower on tap, the GT had the might to do it. In a top speed run at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Venom GT managed to hit 270.4 mph. That’s some serious speed.
Bugatti Veyron Super Sport– 267.8 mph
The Bugatti Veyron was the first car to break the McLaren F1’s 240.1 mph record by hitting a staggering 253.8 mph in 2005. Five years later, the Veyron Super Sport was up to its namesake’s top speed antics once more. In testing, the 1,184-horsepower, W16 Super Sport hit 267.8 mph, establishing it as one of the fastest production cars of all time.
- Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut– 330 mph (Mfr claim)
- Bugatti Bolide– 311 mph (Mfr claim)
- Yangwang U9 Xtreme– 308.4 mph
- Bugatti Chiron Super Sport– 304.7 mph
- Hennessey Venom F5– Over 300 mph (Mfr claim)
- SSC Tuatara– 295 mph
- Bugatti W16 Mistral– 282 mph
- Koenigsegg Agera RS– 277.8 mph
- Hennessey Venom GT (1st gen)– 270.4 mph
- Bugatti Veyron Super Sport– 267.8 mph
