Fast cars
Encyclopedia
This is a progressive history of the world's fastest street-legal production car over the years (as opposed to concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....

s or modified car
Modified car
For the American oval track automobile racing series, see Modified racingThe term modified car is given to any vehicle that has been altered from its original state; most commonly with aftermarket components...

s).

Comparing claimed speeds of the "fastest car(s) in the world", especially in historical cases, is difficult due to there being no standardized method for determining the top speed, nor a central authority to verify any such claims. The current title holder, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, was certified as such by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...

 for the average top speed achieved on a two-way run, registering 431 kilometre per hour.

Fastest Production Cars

Year Make and model Top Speed Comment
1949 Jaguar XK120
Jaguar XK120
The Jaguar XK120 is a sports car which was manufactured by Jaguar between 1948 and 1954. It was Jaguar's first sports car since the SS 100, which ceased production in 1940.-History:...

124.6 mph (200.5 km/h) An adapted version reached 136 mph (218.9 km/h) by Jaguar tester Ron "Soapy" Sutton. 12000 were produced from 1948 till 1954.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Mercedes-Benz 300SL
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced in 1954 as a two-seat, closed sports car with distinctive gull-wing doors. Later it was offered as an open roadster...

140 mph (225 km/h) Claimed top speed 161 mph (259.1 km/h). In 2005 modified car reached 150 mph (241.4 km/h). 1400 were produced from 1954 till 1957.
1961 Jaguar E-type S1 3.8
Jaguar E-type
The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1975. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing established the marque as an icon of 1960s motoring...

152 mph (245 km/h) As tested by Autocar. Different versions of Jaguar E-Type were produced from 1961 till 1975, reaching total number of over 72000 units.
1963 Iso Rivolta Grifo A3/L 327 161 mph (259 km/h) Tested by Autocar. Over 400 units produced from 1963 to 1974.
1966 Lamborghini Miura P400
Lamborghini Miura
The Lamborghini Miura was a sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1966 and 1972. The car is widely considered to have begun the trend of high performance, two-seater, mid-engined sports cars...

171 mph (275 km/h) Tested by Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....

. Over 750 units build in 1966-1973 period, which includes P400, P400 S and P400 SV models.
1968 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
Ferrari Daytona
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4...

174 mph (280 km/h) Tested by Autocar.About 1400 units made in 1969-1973 production run.
1984 Ferrari 288 GTO
Ferrari 288 GTO
The Ferrari GTO is an exotic homologation of the Ferrari 308 GTB produced from 1984 through 1986, designated GT for Gran Turismo and O for Omologato .- Background :...

188 mph (303 km/h) 272 produced from 1984 till 1986.
1986 Porsche 959
Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by Porsche from 1986 to 1989, first as a Group B rally car and later as a legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring that a minimum number of 200 street legal units be built....

197 mph (317 km/h) The 197 mph (317 km/h) top speed was recorded by the 959 Sport of which 6 were ever made. The rest of the 337 units production run (1986-1989) were 959 Touring version that topped at 195 mph (313.8 km/h).
1987 Ferrari F40
Ferrari F40
The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupé sports car produced by Ferrari from 1987 to 1992 as the successor to the Ferrari 288 GTO. From 1987 to 1989 it was Ferrari's fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car...

202.687 mph (326.193 km/h) As tested by Quattroruote
Quattroruote
Quattroruote is an Italian automobile magazine established by the Marchigian entrepreneur Gianni Mazzocchi in February 1956, for the "average driver"...

 magazine. Claimed top speed 201 mph (323.5 km/h). 1311 produced in 1987-1992.
1990 Lamborghini Diablo
Lamborghini Diablo
The Lamborghini Diablo is a high-performance mid-engined sports car that was built by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1990 and 2001. It was the first Lamborghini capable of attaining a top speed in excess of . After the end of its production run in 2001, the Diablo was replaced by the...

202 mph (325 km/h) Tested by Road & Track
Road & Track
Road & Track is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, and is published monthly. The editorial offices are located in Newport Beach, California.-History:...

. Overall production of all types reached 2884 in the 1990-2001 period.
1992 Jaguar XJ220
Jaguar XJ220
The Jaguar XJ220 is a mid-engined supercar produced by Jaguar in collaboration with Tom Walkinshaw Racing as Jaguar Sport between 1992 and 1994. It held the record for the highest top speed of a production car , until the arrival of the McLaren F1 in 1994...

213 mph (343 km/h) A speed of 217.1 mph (349.4 km/h) was recorded by Jaguar in 1992 by Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle
Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012....

 at Nardo
Nardò Ring
The Nardò Ring, is a high speed test track located near the town of Nardò, Italy, in the southern region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce....

 (oval) test track. 281 were made in 1992-1994.
1993 McLaren F1
McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car...

231 mph (372 km/h) Production run of 107. At factory rev limit, it reached 231 mph (371.8 km/h) at Nardo
Nardò Ring
The Nardò Ring, is a high speed test track located near the town of Nardò, Italy, in the southern region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce....

 (oval) test track. In March 31, 1998, with the rev limiter disabled, it reached 240.1 mph (386.4 km/h). It still remains the world's fastest naturally aspirated production car.
February 28, 2005 Koenigsegg CCR
Koenigsegg CCR
The Koenigsegg CCR is a mid-engined sports car manufactured by Koenigsegg. It briefly held the world speed record for a production car and is currently the fourth fastest production car in the world, behind the Bugatti Veyron, SSC Ultimate Aero and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.-Overview:Debuting...

241 mph (388 km/h) Recorded at Nardo
Nardò Ring
The Nardò Ring, is a high speed test track located near the town of Nardò, Italy, in the southern region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce....

 (oval) test track and verified by Guinness World Records.
April 19, 2005 Bugatti Veyron
Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of . The original version has a top speed of...

253.81 mph (408.47 km/h) Production run of 300. Recorded and verified by inspection officials.
September 13, 2007 SSC Ultimate Aero TT
SSC Aero
The SSC Ultimate Aero is an American-built mid-engine supercar by Shelby SuperCars. The higher-performance limited production version previously held the Guinness Book of World Records record for being the fastest production car in the world , with a recorded speed of...

256.18 mph (412.28 km/h) Production run of 24, built between 2006 and 2007. Recorded and verified by Guinness World Records officials.
June 26, 2010 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of . The original version has a top speed of...

267.856 mph (431.072 km/h) 30 to be built, of which 5 will be capable of this top speed. Top speed of customer cars will be electronically limited to 415 km/h (257.9 mph). Recorded and verified by Guinness World Records officials.

See also

  • History of the automobile
    History of the automobile
    The history of the automobile begins as early as 1769, with the creation of steam engined automobiles capable of human transport. In 1806, the first cars powered by an internal combustion engine running on fuel gas appeared, which led to the introduction in 1885 of the ubiquitous modern gasoline-...

  • Land speed record
    Land speed record
    The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...

  • List of automotive superlatives
  • List of Top Gear test track Power Lap Times
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