There’s a new Bugatti in town and rumours have it that a brave test driver is planning to use it to break the top speed record and establish it as the fastest car in the history of mankind. Simultaneously, Swedish firm Koenigsegg is also working on prepping its Jesko Absolut hypercar to break Bugatti’s records. It seems that humanity’s quest to go faster than ever on four wheels knows no bounds!
But where did it all start? Although automakers have tried to make their cars better since the early 20th century, it wasn’t until after the Second World War that auto engineers started to push the limits. The Jaguar XK120 proudly claimed to be the fastest car at the time of its debut in 1949 and other automakers took that as a benchmark to overcome.
In less than 80 years, the top speeds of the fastest cars have gone from 200 kph to 490 kph. And it will only be a while before mankind breaches the 500 kph barrier in a souped-up sports car.
As the world gasps at Bugatti’s latest venture into the hypercar territory, we take a stroll down memory lane and learn about the fastest cars that set new world records in their respective years. From the mighty Lamborghini Miura to the McLaren F1 and the recent Bugatti Chiron, you will find all these four-wheeled heroes in our list of the fastest cars to ever exist in the history of mankind.
The fastest cars in the world since the 1940s
Jaguar XK120
Launched in: 1949
Top speed: 124.6 mph (200.5 kph)
Soon after World War II ended, the British automotive industry was keen to make its mark across the world and Jaguar grasped the opportunity with the XK120. Meant to be a sports car for the wealthy and influential, the XK120 ended up being the fastest production sports car of its time, topping the speed charts at 124.6 mph (approximately 200 kph).
To make such wild top speeds happen, Jaguar employed its new 3.4-litre DOHC aluminium alloy inline six-cylinder engine, producing 160 bhp. This engine, along with the swoopy (read: beautiful) aerodynamics and the lightweight aluminium body panels, allowed this convertible to be faster than any other sports car of its time. Later versions of the XK120 traded the wooden frame for a steel-pressed body (retaining the aluminium body panels) and beefed-up engines to achieve even higher top speeds.
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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’
Launched in: 1954
Top speed: 150.7 mph (242 kph)
Within a few years of the Jaguar XK120, Mercedes-Benz revealed the 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ to the world at the 1954 New York Auto Show. The 300SL ‘Gullwing’ was a race car dressed up to be civil on the roads. Its 2.9-litre inline six-cylinder engine with mechanical fuel injection made 215 hp and coupled with lightweight aluminium body panels mated to a steel tubular chassis, the 300 SL managed to top the speed charts at 150.7mph (242 kph) as tested in 1955, thereby making it the fastest car of its time.
While the tubular frame was cutting-edge for its time, the 300 SL achieved superstar status with its Gullwing doors. Conventional doors couldn’t allow the driver and the passenger to get in and out of the car easily owing to the high-set tubular chassis elements on the sides. Mercedes had to resort to this upward opening Gullwing doors.
A 300 SL roadster was later released without the Gullwing doors and added a few practicalities like a useable boot.
Aston Martin DB4 GT
Released in: 1959
Top speed: 152 mph (245 kph)
Soon after the Germans nabbed the record, Aston Martin released a more powerful version of its DB4 Grand Tourer in 1959, called the Aston Martin DB4 GT. With a more aerodynamic profile and a powerful 3.8-litre inline six-cylinder engine making 302 hp, the DB4 GT was clocked at 245 kph in 1959, thereby making it the fastest road-legal production car of its time.
To achieve such levels of performance, Aston Martin shortened the wheelbase, removed the rear seats and made aerodynamic modifications to the front fascia. Only 75 specimens of the DB4 GT were made and in 2016, Aston Martin resumed production of this classic with the DB4 GT Continuation.
Iso Grifo GL 365
Launched in: 1963
Top speed: 161 mph (259 kph)
In 1963, Iso Rivolta, an Italian automaker, released its finest Grand Tourer with a Chevrolet 5.4-litre V8 engine under the hood. Although the Grifo was meant to be a power cruiser, the 300 hp Chevrolet V8 mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox managed to clock 259 kph top speed during an Autocar road test in the mid-60s.
The Iso Grifo was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone while its mechanicals were taken care of by ex-Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrini. This beautiful coupe was meant to compete with premium GTs from Ferrari and Maserati but not a lot of customers bought it. Future versions of the Grifo got a bigger 7.4-litre Chevrolet V8 and a 5.8-litre Ford V8 engine before the company shut down its operations after filing for bankruptcy.
Lamborghini Miura P400
Launched in: 1967
Top speed: 171 mph (275 kph)
Before the Countach, the Miura was Lamborghini’s fastest and most beautiful production supercar to hit the market. With a mid-mounted 3.9-litre V12 engine making 350 bhp, the mildly aerodynamic Miura was able to clock a top speed of 275 kph, thereby making it the fastest production car of its time.
The Miura broke the norm of Lamborgini making sedate Grand Tourers and set the groundwork for Lamborghini’s future supercars with its transversely mounted V12 engine, which was fused with the gearbox and the differential. Although the Countach stole all the limelight a few years later, the Miura remains a pretty and fast Lamborghini.
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
Launched in: 1968
Top speed: 174 mph (280 kph)
After the Miura set Italy’s heart throbbing, local rival Ferrari came up with the Ferrari Daytona – a radically shaped Grand Tourer that bucked the modern trends with its front-mounted rear-wheel drive layout. The 4.4-litre Colombo V12 engine with six Weber carburettors made 352 bhp and combined with aerodynamic exteriors, it managed to push the Daytona to a top speed of 280 kph, thereby making it the fastest car of its time (and beating the Lambo).
The Daytona wasn’t as pretty as the previous Ferraris but it didn’t compromise on luxury and comfort.
Ferrari 288 GTO
Launched in: 1984
Top speed: 188 mph (302 kph)
In the early 1980s, Ferrari was working on a racer for a road racing championship series that folded, leaving the Italian manufacturer scratching their heads. The management eventually decided to homologate it to road legal conditions and call it the Ferrari 288 GTO. Built unlike any other Ferrari (or motor car), the 288 GTO with its quintessential ’80s styling and a meaty 395 bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbo V8 set the motoring scene on fire. It broke the speed records for a production car at 302.5 kph – faster than any Lambo or Porsche the world has ever seen.
However, the Germans were working on something lethal.
Porsche 959
Launched in: 1986
Top speed: 197 mph (317 kph)
Porsche designed the 959 originally as a Group B All-Wheel Drive rally car and later homologated it into a road-legal version. The roadgoing 959 was one of the most technologically advanced supercars of its time and prioritised comfort while doing triple-digit speeds on the motorways. While it looked odd, the Porsche 959 with its 2.9-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine was able to reach a top speed of 317 kph, thereby making it the fastest road-legal car of its time.
The Porsche 959 eventually went on to verify its AWD technology and all the other features to make the iconic Porsche 911 faster and more relevant in the modern world. Ferrari, however, wanted to be the fastest road car maker and came up with F40 a few years later.
Ferrari F40
Launched in: 1987
Top speed: 202.6 mph (326 kph)
Similar to Porsche, Ferrari also had an almost finished FIA Group B rally car concept in its hands but after the rally series was cancelled, Enzo Ferrari commissioned it for the roads. Called the Ferrari F40, it used a powerful 2.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine making 471 hp. Combined with a unique chassis design, a mid-mounted engine layout and a lightweight carbon fibre body, the Ferrari F40 topped the speed records for road-legal cars at 326 kph.
Unlike the Porsche 959 though, the Ferrari F40 was a racer and hence, shed additional weight. The interior was a spartan cave and Ferrari wanted it to be a driver’s car rather than a sluggish GT. It was also the last car that Enzo Ferrari approved.
Bugatti EB110 SS
Launched in: 1991
Top speed: 221 mph (355 kph)
In the early ’90s, Bugatti arrived on the supercar scene with the EB110 GT – the French firm’s attempt at making the fastest production car. Revered by the auto community at the time for its advanced carbon fibre chassis, double-wishbone suspension and swanky aerodynamic design with active aero bits, the EB110 GT was meant to commemorate the 110th birth anniversary of the company’s founder, Ettore Bugatti.
With its 3.5-litre quad-turbo V12 engine making 553 hp, the EB110 GT went on to become the fastest car of its time. The EB110 Super Sport came six months later with a lightweight carbon fibre body and a beefier engine, clocking 221 mph (355 kph), taking down the Jaguar XJ220 off the pedestal.
F1 legend Michael Schumacher, among other prominent personalities, had a yellow EB100 SS but his publicity couldn’t save Bugatti from bankruptcy in 1995.
McLaren F1
Launched in: 1993
Top speed: 240.1 mph (386 kph)
The McLaren F1 invented the term hypercar and held on to its top speed record of 386 kph for close to a decade until the Bugatti Beyron smashed it in 2005.
A brainchild of legendary car designer Gordon Murray, the McLaren F1 was the pinnacle of 20th-century automotive engineering that focused on lightweight construction mated to a powerful engine. The 6.1-litre BMW V12 engine was naturally aspirated to produce 618 hp and mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The engine bay was lined with gold to deflect heat effectively and the F1-inspired centrally positioned driver seat allowed for more space inside than other conventional supercars.
The McLaren F1 may be obsolete by today’s standards but it still holds a special place in the hearts of automotive enthusiasts.
Bugatti Veyron
Launched in: 2005
Top speed: 253 mph (407 kph)
The Veyron took the baton from the McLaren F1 in 2005 for being the fastest road car the world has ever seen. Unlike the lightweight McLaren, the Bugatti Veyron was equipped with all creature comforts and luxuries. Critics said that this 407 kph hypercar was as easy to drive as an economical Volkswagen Golf!
When pushed, though, the 8-litre W16 engine making 1,001 hp mated to an AWD system could propel the car easily above 400 kph. The Veyron relied on active aerodynamics and specially designed tyres to make such speeds possible.
It was indeed the new hero of the early 21st century’s motoring scene and paved the way for faster cars in the years to come.
SSC Ultimate Aero
Launched in: 2007
Top speed: 256.18 mph (412 kph)
Soon after the Veyron established its records, Shelby Super Cars from North America came up with the ’90s-style hypercar meant to evoke driver skills. The SSC Aero Ultimate wasn’t as good-looking as the McLaren F1 but courtesy of its Chevrolet-sourced LS1 V8 engine, it managed to nab the fastest speed record for a production car from the Veyron in 2007. The Rear-Wheel Drive layout along with the carbon fibre and titanium materials helped the car to achieve such velocity.
However, Bugatti wasn’t done with the Veyron and came up with an answer in 2010.
Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
Launched in: 2010
Top speed: 267.8 mph (431 kph)
The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is one of the most iconic hypercars of the 21st century, partly due to its rakish colour schemes and partly due to its outrageous performance credentials.
Limited to just 48 units, the Veyron Super Sport’s W16 engine was upgraded to produce 1,200 hp. Coupled with the aerodynamic enhancements, the Veyron Super Sport clocked an average top speed of 431 kph. However, the production versions of the Veyron Super Spot had to be electronically limited to 415 kph to prevent the car from shredding its tyres.
Hennessey Venom GT
Launched in: 2014
Top speed: 270.49 mph (435 kph)
The Hennessey Venom GT grabbed attention for the becoming fastest car in 2014 under controversial circumstances. Built as a performance-enhanced version of the Lotus Elise sportcar, the Venom GT with its twin-turbo 7-litre LS7 V8 engine sourced from General Motors managed to reach a top speed of 435 kph.
However, the record run was made only in a single direction and since Hennessey only built 29 cars, falling short of the Guinness guidelines of 30, it never qualified for The Guinness Book of Records.
Koenigsegg Agera RS
Launched in: 2017
Top speed: 277.87 mph (447 kph)
In 2017, Koenigsegg took the Agera RS to a closed section of the highway between Las Vegas and Pahrump in a bid to test its top speed. After maxing out the Agera RS in both directions, the Guinness Book of Records held up its average top speed of 277.8 mph, the fastest any car had achieved. It also broke records for a 0-249 mph- 0 time as well as recording the fastest speeds on a closed public road.
Bugatti Chiron
Launched in: 2019
Top speed: 304.77 mph (490 kph)
After the Veyron’s record run was shattered by Hennessey and Koenigsegg, Bugatti attempted to nab the speed records with its newer hypercar – the Chiron. Unlike the Veyron though, this world record-spec Chiron was built differently from the standard car and had a couple of performance enhancements to break the 300 mph barrier.
The super Chiron lost all the additional weight and its active rear wings in favour of a streamlined rear section. The 8-litre W16 engine was upgraded to make over 1,500 hp but the gerabo and AWD systems were borrowed from the standard car. This specially prepped Chiron managed to hit a top speed of 304.77 mph (490 kph), thereby setting a new benchmark for other hypercars to best.
Bugatti also announced its withdrawal from the top-speed race after achieving this record. However, 2024 saw the successor to the Chiron with insane performance figures.
Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut
Launched in: 2020
Top speed: 330 mph (531 kph, claimed)
The Jesko Absolut was revealed in 2020 as the world’s fastest car with a theoretical top speed of 330 mph (approximately 531 kph). Based on the Jesko Attack, which focuses on generating additional downforce for track usage, the Jesko Absolut gets rid of the massive rear wing and the front splitter to reduce the downforce to 150 kg from 1,440 kg. With E85 petrol in the tank, the Jesko Absolut is rated to produce 1,600 hp without any help from electric motors.
Koenigsegg has yet to put the Jesko Absolut on the testing grounds for verifying its top-speed claims.
Bugatti Tourbillon
Launched in: 2024
Top speed: Above 300 mph + (over 482 kph) (Claimed)
Under the ownership of Rimac, Bugatti’s Tourbillon hypercar seems to set its eyes on breaking the records set by its predecessor. Out of the showroom, Rimac Bugatti claims that the Tourbillon can achieve over 300 mph of top speed and a future world record run could verify the claims.
Unlike the specially prepped Chiron, the Tourbillon relies on its new 8.3-litre naturally aspirated V16 engine and a combination of three electric motors to make a total of 1,775 bhp. Phew!
And despite throwing serious theoretical numbers at us, the Tourbillon sticks to Bugatti’s tradition of artsy design and exceptional attention to detail. The interiors look more exquisite than anything Pagani has ever made, especially with the clock-inspired speed gauges and the unique infotainment display arrangement!
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Bugatti)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The fastest car in the world right now is the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut with a theoretical top speed of 330 mph (531 kph)
The Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut can reach a top speed of 531 kph.
The Jaguar F-Type SVR is the fastest production Jaguar car with a rated top speed of 200 mph (321 kph)
