Speed. The automobile was basically invented because of it. Or at least because we wanted more of it. Comfort, design style, luxury, these are all subjective things, but speed can be measured, compared and bragged about to your friends.
Automotive history is filled with record-breaking cars that pushed the boundaries of what was possible at the time, paving the way for others to follow. Sometimes they showed the world that a luxury car could be both blisteringly fast and comfortable, on other occasions they simply shattered our idea of what speed meant.
Our list here celebrates some of the fastest and most influential factory drag cars from the last eighty years.
Jaguar XK120 (1948)
- 160 horsepower
- 0-60mph 10-seconds
The Jaguar XK 120 was Jaguar’s first new model after WWII and combined stunning design with a level of performance that marked it out as the fastest production car in the world. The 120 in its name referred to the top speed in mph. Sure, your Prius could smoke one without trying these days, but 76 years ago, nothing could come close.
Production continued until 1961, where the final XK150 models were producing up to 260 horsepower and capable of hitting 60mph in around 7.0-seconds.
Mercedes 300SL (1955)
- 240 horsepower
- 0-60mph 9.0-seconds
In 1955, the 300SL sports car showed the world just what Mercedes could do and set a few records in the process. It featured innovative gullwing doors, fuel-injection (a first for a road car) and a very advanced 3.0-liter inline-six motor that allowed it to achieve over 160mph. This made it the fastest production car of the time.
A roadster version followed in 1957, it made do without those distinctive gullwing doors, but it did get an upgraded rear suspension that helped improve handling at the limit.
Jaguar E-Type (1961)
- 265 Horsepower
- 0-60mph 6.8-seconds
To those who may have thought that the XK series had been the result of more luck than skill, Jaguar reinforced its status as one of the world’s best automotive manufacturers with the release of the Jaguar E-Type.
Early versions used 3.8- and 4.2-liter inline-sixes and could match the performance of rivals that were nearly twice the price. The final Series 3 models became more luxury focused and were fitted with torquey 5.3-liter V12 motors.
Ferrari 500 Superfast (1964)
- 400 horsepower
- 0-60mph 6.0-seconds
You know it’s going to be fast when it says it in the name, and the Ferrari 500 Superfast certainly didn’t disappoint. While it was certainly one of the quickest cars of its day, what set it apart was its ability to be both indecently rapid and comfortable on long cross-country journeys.
This dual personality made it stand out from just about any rival back in the ‘60s, and while cars like the Jaguar E-Type and Aston Martin DB5 could emulate its comfort, neither would see where it went when the traffic lights turned green.
Lamborghini Miura (1966)
- 345 horsepower (380hp for LP400S versions)
- 0-60mph 6.7-7.0-seconds
When the mid-engined Miura was revealed to the world in 1966, the simmering rivalry between Ferrari and Lamborghini turned into a fully-fledged forest fire. The Miura wasn’t just a fast new sports car, it was the first to be referred to as a ‘supercar’.
Mounting its 3.9-liter V12 was a radical departure from the norm, giving it sharp handling and looks that still make people drool. It also helped the Miura accelerate off the line with more traction, making it once of the quickest accelerating cars of its day.
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (1967)
- 435 horsepower
- 0-60mph 4.8-seconds
The original Corvette launched in 1953 took a while to get into its performance stride. By the time the second-gen model had arrived, it was a very different and far sportier machine. The most powerful versions came fitted with big-block V8s that produced up to 435 horsepower.
For the ultimate in drag racing performance, you could spec your 1967 ‘Vette with a 427-cubic inch (7.0-liter) V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission.
Dodge Charger R/T Hemi (1969)
- 425 horsepower+
- 0-60mph 5.5 to 6.0-seconds
The ‘60s was the start of the golden era for muscle cars. We could fill an entire list with some of the all-time greats like the Pontiac GTO, Chevelle SS and many more. The Charger R/T Hemi was one of the quickest.
Like its contemporaries, it used a big capacity that could develop the tire-shredding torque required to heft its bulky bodyshell off the line. If you wanted more power (you didn’t) or better handling (you did), then you could add countless factory and aftermarket upgrades to make your Charger unbeatable in a drag race.
Aston Martin V8 (1969)
- 305 horsepower+ (Series 3)
- 0-60mph 5.7-seconds
If you were in the market for a fast grand tourer in the ‘70s, there were plenty to pick from. But, if you wanted to combine comfort with sportscar crushing acceleration, then only the Aston Martin V8 would do.
Several versions were sold throughout the extended production run, but the Series 3 models equipped with a manual transmission were the ones to have if ultimate speed was a priority. Thanks to the powerful 5.3-liter V8 motor, the only thing this Aston Martin couldn’t pass was a gas station.
De Tomaso Pantera (1971)
- 325 horsepower
- 0-60mph 5.5-seconds
The De Tomaso Pantera may sound like the name of a rock band from the ‘70s, but it was the name of a sportscar featuring Italian design and American running gear. It came together in a stunning package that delivered a sucker punch to the establishment thanks to the fitment of a big old 5.8-liter Ford V8.
It remained in production for 21 years, receiving ever more outlandish stylish, and De Tomaso continued using variations of the Ford V8 until the very end.
Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer (1973)
- 340 horsepower
- 0-60mph 6.1-seconds
By the late ‘60s Ferrari had made a name for itself producing fast and luxurious front-engined V12 sports car. But, as the 1970s got into full swing, it was time for a change, and it came in the shape of the Berlinetta Boxer.
This was the firm’s first mid-engined sports car and used a flat 12-cylinder layout – derived from the Ferrari Formula 1 program. The result was a car that could take on the latest crop of supercars in both outright speed and handling.
Lamborghini Countach (1974)
- 370- 449 horsepower
- 0-60mph 4.5-5.9-seconds
Replacing the Miura must have been one of the toughest jobs in the automotive world, but Lamborghini somehow managed to do it with the stunning Countach. The LP400 launched in 1974 was the match of any contemporary Ferrari or Porsche.
It remained in production for 16-years, becoming quicker and madder with each update. Whether you prefer the purity of the early cars, or the jet-fighter styling of the latter models, any Countach offers thrilling performance.
Porsche 911 Turbo (930) (1975)
- 256 horsepower (Gen 1)
- 0-60mph 4.9-seconds
Well into the 1970s, if your sports car didn’t have a V8 (or V12) under its hood, then clearly you weren’t serious about speed. The Porsche 930 put that theory on its head when it arrived to the party with a small flat-six 3.0-liter engine.
What made it special was the turbocharger bolted onto it. This gave it serious mid-range acceleration, allied with equally serious turbo lag in the early cars. Nevertheless, the formula was constantly refined and optimized, turning the 930 into a drag racing weapon that few rivals could match.
Ferrari 288 GTO (1984)
- 395 horsepower
- 0-60mph 5.0-seconds
Up until 1984, the hallowed GTO name had only been applied to one other Ferrari road car, the 1960s 250 GTO. This new model couldn’t have been more different. With twin-turbos and, styling cues borrowed from the stunning 308, it became an instant classic.
Acceleration off the line was vicious, and the 2.9-liter V8 was designed to handle way more power, producing up to 650 horsepower in racing trim. It also formed the base of the magical F40 which arrived a few years later in 1987.
Porsche 959 (1985)
- 444 horsepower
- 0-60mph 3.6-seconds
Like the 288 GTO, the Porsche 959 was the result of a need to produce a series of road cars for hom*ologation purposes. It too, was intended to enter the infamous Group B racing series. It featured all-wheel-drive, twin-turbos and active suspension. A formula that was decades ahead of its time.
The AWD traction and rear weight bias allowed the 959 to launch off the line quicker than any other factory car had done before.
Dodge Viper (1991)
- 400 horsepower
- 0-60mph 4.5-seconds
The Viper was a mad, old-school style sports car released at a time when most other manufacturers were developing small capacity hi-tech vehicles. Chrysler didn’t care, they wanted a modern-day Cobra that would leave everything else in its dust and put a big smile on the driver’s face in the process.
Trusting that cubic capacity cures all ills, an 8.0-liter V10 was squeezed under the Viper’s hood. This delivered the desired performance to give those dainty little imports a good look at the Viper’s taillights in every drag race.
McLaren F1 (1992)
- 627 horsepower
- 0-60mph 3.2-seconds
It’s not often that a production car breaks acceleration and speed records by accident, but that’s just what the iconic McLaren F1 did. Designed to be the purest driving road car ever, Gordon Murray and his team focused on getting the performance/handling/usability ratio just right.
It turns out that this required fitting a 627 horsepower BMW-sourced V12 to a car weighing just 2,500 pounds. They may not have been chasing ultimate performance figures, but once British magazine Autocar had done testing it, the McLaren F1 broke every production car record by such a massive margin that it took almost 15 years until it would be bettered.
Audi RS2 Avant (1992)
- 311 horsepower
- 0-60mph 4.7-seconds
The RS2 was jointly developed between Audi and Porsche, with the sports car manufacturer taking care of the suspension and brakes. Audi fitted its crazy 5-cylider turbocharged engine in the front, cranked up the boost and then fitted quattro all-wheel-drive.
The result was initial acceleration off-the-line that would embarrass most supercars, and enough space inside for the family and a couple of pets. Modern day equivalents continue to serve up searing pace with family-friendly practicality.
BMW M5 (1998)
- 394 horsepower
- 0-60mph 4.8-seconds
A four-door sedan is not the sort of thing you’d expect in a list of fastest factory drag cars, but the E39 generation BMW M5 certainly deserves its place here. Thanks to the BMW Motorsport developed 4.9-liter V8, it was practically as quick as a contemporary Ferrari F355 but came with an extra pair of seats and a whole lot more luggage space.
Its performance figures may have long been eclipsed, but it remains one of the all time greats, and one of the reasons why supercar-baiting sedans exist today.
Bugatti Veyron (2005)
- 987-1,183 horsepower
- 0-60mph 2.6-seconds
The car that toppled the McLaren F1 off its perch was the Bugatti Veyron. This time the aim was most definitely to build the fastest car in history. Thanks to a 987 horsepower 8-liter 16-cylinder powerplant fitted with four turbos, the Veyron became the fastest accelerating car ever tested to that point.
It also had the highest top speed, highest price and quite likely the highest fuel consumption ever. Modern hypercars can certainly match and even beat its once record breaking figures, but the Veyron did it first.
Nissan GT-R 35 (2007)
- 473 – 592 horsepower
- 0-60mph 2.7-3.2-seconds
While the Veyron was the choice of car for tech billionaires the world over, the Nissan GT-R 35 was the drag racing sports car champ that everyone else could afford.
It built on the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive layout that had worked so well for its predecessors, and introduced a dual-clutch transmission that gave it neck-snapping acceleration.
In 2009 it became the fastest accelerating 4-seater production car and almost 17 years since its launch, is still capable of embarrassing far pricier and newer supercars in a drag race.
Tesla Model S (2012)
- 691 – 1,020 horsepower -est.
- 0-60mph 2.0-3.1-seconds (Performance versions from 2012-2024)
EVs are everywhere these days, but the car that brought electric power into mainstream consciousness was the original Tesla Model S. Up until that point, if you wanted an EV your choices were limited to some rather pedestrian offerings like the Nissan Leaf.
The Model S added a dash of style, some cutting-edge tech and off-the-line acceleration that would have your granny screaming expletives a rapper would be proud of. The P85D was one of the first performance variants, and its 3.1-second 0-60mph time was good enough to embarrass most supercars.
Porsche 918 Spyder (2013)
- 875 horsepower
- 0-60mph 2.2-seconds
Along with the McLaren P1 and Ferrari La Ferrari, the Porsche 918 heralded the arrival of the hybrid hypercar. The combination of a high-revving naturally aspirated V8 and twin electric motors gave it a traction advantage off the line that made it the quickest of the three to 60mph.
Rimac Nevera (2021)
- 1,888 horsepower
- 0-60mph 1.74-seconds
When it comes to instant responsiveness and all-out acceleration, nothing can match an electric powertrain. The Rimac Nevera has demonstrated this in hundreds of YouTube videos where it has decimated just about every other production car. It is certainly the first in a line of mega-power electric hypercars, but as you will see next, gas-powered dinosaurs have one last roar left before they head off into the sunset.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 (2023)
- 1,025 horsepower (E85)
- 900 horsepower (91-octane)
- 0-60mph 1.66-seconds
EV power may be the future, but cars like the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon aren’t leaving before leaving an almighty cloud of tire smoke and a few acceleration records in their wake.
This is essentially a street-legal drag strip special, that requires E85 ethanol and a prepared drag strip to deliver its claimed record smashing acceleration figure. It will still put out 900 menacing horses when on 91-octane pump fuel, which should still be enough to see off most rivals at the lights.
