The greatest hypercars in history

The hypercar world is about to get even more exciting.

Porsche 959 (1986)

It was the world’s most technologically advanced car when it arrived in 1986, but numerous delays meant that the Group B series in which it was supposed to compete, had been banned by the time the 959 arrived. Flat out it couldn’t quite manage the double ton (197mph was the top speed), but with its four-wheel drive, twin-turbo flat-six and limited production run (337 were built) we’d say the 959 is more than worthy a kick-off for this this story.

We recently drove it again: "And then you hit 4800rpm. Which is where the big turbo cuts in. At once, you realise that, up until now, the car has been barely trying. It doesn’t press you back in your seat: it slams you rearward... By 2019 standards, this 959 is a startlingly quick machine. In 1986, it must have felt like an artillery shell."

Ferrari F40 (1987)

Ferrari claimed that the F40 was capable of 201mph, making it the first production car capable of topping the double ton. In period nobody independent of Ferrari got it above 199mph – but it’s such a bonkers car with its twin-turbo 478bhp V8 that we’re letting it into our hypercars club anyway. Because let’s face it, you would, wouldn’t you? It was the last car founder Enzo Ferrari signed off before his death in 1988.

Our verdict at the time? “On a smooth road it is a scintillatingly fast car that is docile and charming in its nature; a car that is demanding but not difficult to drive, blessed as it is with massive grip and, even more importantly, superb balance and manners.”

Ruf CTR (1987)

As an independent manufacturer, Ruf isn’t classed as merely a tuner and for a while its CTR “yellowbird’ was the world’s fastest car with its 211mph top speed.

The Porsche flat-six was enlarged to 3,367cc and boosted by twin turbos to give a conservative 469bhp along with 408lb ft of torque – enough to take the CTR from 0-62mph in just 3.65 seconds.

Vector W8 (1989)

Gerry Wiegert founded Vehicle Design Force in 1978, the same year in which he showed his first (non-running) prototype. It would be another decade before his first car was ready for sale (the W8) and while the claims were bonkers we’ve included it here because it was such an iconic machine at the time. Wiegert claimed vital statistics were 625bhp and a 242mph top speed.

Bugatti EB110 (1991)

Nobody could accuse Romano Artioli of being short of ambition when he relaunched the Bugatti brand in 1991. The result was the quad-turbo V12-engined EB110 which boasted 550bhp in standard form or 604bhp in Supersport guise; the latter could achieve a claimed 216mph. Just 139 EB110s were built before the company went bust in 1995.

But not luckily before we drove it: "“Think of the fastest car you’ve ever sat in and remember the time when you accelerated hard to get past a couple of slow-moving caravans; however fast that felt, double it and you’ll get some idea of how fast this car is."

Jaguar XJ220 (1992)

Shown in concept form with a V12 engine and four-wheel drive, by the time the production car appeared it featured a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 and rear-wheel drive. Buyers sued but the 540bhp XJ220 was still capable of 217mph, making it the world’s fastest production car when it went on sale. 

We drove it again recently. Our conclusion? "Whatever the rights and wrongs of the spat between Jaguar and its customers all those years ago, the one innocent party standing in the middle was the XJ220. In the right conditions it remains a superlative driving tool, a total sensory experience you’d need a McLaren F1 costing ten or twenty times more to substantially better or, at the very least, the relatively common F40."

McLaren F1 (1994)

Even more exclusive than it was initially intended to be, the F1 was the first and last hypercar of its kind. Lighter and much less complex than most of the breed, just 106 examples of the F1 were built, including racers. Its BMW-sourced V12 was rated at 627bhp to give a 240mph top speed. That’s impressive now, but in 1994 it was just insane.

We've just driven it again, on the 25th anniversary of our roadtest of the car, the only comprehensive one ever done. Our conclusion? "The F1 is as remarkable today as a relic of a time long past, a historical artefact no less, as it ever was as the game-changing supercar from all those years ago."

Ferrari F50 (1995)

After the twin-turbo V8 F40, the naturally aspirated V12 F50 was far more civilised, and much rarer too. Just 349 were made, compared with 1,311 F40s. Ferrari claimed 202mph and 0-100mph in just 8.5 seconds, courtesy of the 513bhp V12.

Our verdict on the F50 at the time? “The glory of the F50 is that it can embody the grand prix experience while still being the 200mph model that any half-competent driver can truly punt with huge pleasure and complete confidence.”

Pagani Zonda (1999)

It’s not often that a car maker changes the landscape with its first product, but that’s exactly what Pagani achieved with the Zonda. Between 1999 and 2011 there was a bewildering array of variations on the Zonda theme, all made in tiny numbers.

Fruitiest of the regular models were the 760 series built for special clients, each car featuring a 750bhp 7.3-litre V12. Top speed was 185mph.

Ultima GTR (1999)

The Briton Lee Noble set up shop in 1983 building the Ultima. Back then it was fitted with a Renault 30 engine and gearbox but by 1999 things had progressed.

Ted Marlow had taken over the company and he launched the GTR complete with a Chevrolet V8 offering up to 1000bhp. With a kerb weight of just 990kg (2178 lb), performance was always going to be exhilarating; how does 231mph and 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds grab you?

Spyker C8 (2000)

Considering how few cars it’s made, the number of C8 derivatives that Spyker has offered is utterly baffling. All feature an Audi-derived 4.2-litre V8, usually in twin-turbo form to give around 200mph.

Whether or not it should be on this list is debatable, but it’s an intriguing machine so it can stay.

Lamborghini Murcielago (2001)

With even the basic 572bhp Murcielago capable of 206mph, this V12 monster is definitely worthy of the hypercar tag – never mind the sexed-up editions that came later such as the 211mph LP 640-4 or the 214mph LP 670-4 SV.

Our verdict at the time? "This is a car that demands respect it at all times, principally because physics dictates that when things do let go there’s a terrifying amount of mass behind your shoulder going walkabout. Lose the Murciélago in a high-speed corner, and you’re going to be spinning into the next county."

Ferrari Enzo (2002)

The first production car to be fitted with ceramic brakes, the 660bhp Enzo featured a normally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 and was developed with plenty of input from Michael Schumacher. Just 400 were made, each one capable of 0-100mph in 6.6 seconds with a top speed of around 220mph.

Our verdict on the Enzo at the time? “The engine power doesn’t feel enormous because there’s no real second step to the punch. Great gobfuls of torque from low down mean the acceleration is constant all the way: constantly awesome that is”.

Ascari KZ1 (2003)

With its BMW-sourced 4941cc V8 tuned to give a mere 500bhp, the Ascari KZ1 might seem like small fry compared with some of the cars here, but it could manage 201mph along with 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds, and in 2003 when it arrived, that was pretty swift. Later came an evolution of the KZ1 – the 625bhp A10.

Our verdict? "Make no mistake, the KZ1 is one of the finest-handling supercars of this or any generation. No Ferrari made today steers as well as this, no Porsche can match its superlative blend of ride and refinement. "

Porsche Carrera GT (2003)

Most of the cars here were sold out before the first production example was even built, but the Carrera GT was unusual in that Porsche set a limit of 1,500 examples and pulled the plug after just 1,270 had been made. In the middle was a 603bhp 5.7-litre V10 that gave an official top speed of 205mph along with 0-124mph in just 9.25 seconds.

Bristol Fighter T (2004)

Just nine examples of the 525bhp Bristol Fighter were built, each featuring a tweaked 8.0-litre V10 appropriated from a Dodge Viper; the car was claimed to be capable of 210mph. A 628bhp Fighter S was also offered, while a 1,012bhp 225mph Fighter T was announced in 2006, but none of these were built before Bristol shut up shop in 2011.

Maserati MC12 (2004)

Ferrari Enzo too common for you? Then how about one of its cousins instead, a Maserati MC12? Much more exclusive with just 50 cars built, the MC12 shared its 6.0-litre V12 with the Enzo. Tuned to give 620bhp the Maser wasn’t quite as quick as the Ferrari, but with a 205mph top speed and the ability to do 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds it wasn’t unbearably slow.

What did we think of it in 2004? "Until you’re truly familiar with it, or foolishly brave, you’ll end up thinking that you could have gone faster, but without really knowing by how much."

Bugatti Veyron (2005)

Until the arrival of the Veyron in 2005, 220mph was an impressive top speed for a hypercar. Then this 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16-engined machine appeared with its 253mph vmax and threw everything into disarray. And just in case this wasn’t extreme enough, the 1,184bhp Super Sport arrived in 2010 with a 268mph verified top speed. Our verdict at the time? "As an engineering achievement that means it will remain unrivalled for years to come, and possibly forever."

Gumpert Apollo (2005)

It’s already a dozen years since the Gumpert Apollo arrived, with its twin-turbo Audi-sourced 4.2-litre V8. Gumpert claimed up to 690bhp and a top speed of around 220mph, but disaster struck in 2012 when the company filed for bankruptcy.

Saleen S7 (2005)

Engineered in the UK but named after American company founder Steve Saleen (best known for his tuned Mustangs), the S7 was fitted with a twin-turbo 7.0-litre V8 tuned to give 750bhp and a claimed 248mph.

Possibly all pie in the sky but who cares? The S7 looked sensational, was undoubtedly ludicrously quick and seriously exclusive too.

Koenigsegg CCX (2006)

You’ll be doing well to keep up with Koenigsegg’s back catalogue, it’s so convoluted. The original CC prototype morphed into the CC8S which became the CCR then the CCGT.

After this came the CCX which was by far the most widely produced model; a massive 29 units were built. All were capable of around 240mph; the CCX was claimed to be able to achieve 245mph thanks to its 795bhp twin-supercharged 4.7-litre V8.

SSC Ultimate Aero (2006)

Shelby Supercars put the cat among the pigeons when its Ultimate Aero TT scooped the Guinness World Record in 2006, for the world’s fastest production car, at 256mph.

That was faster than the Veyron, which is why Bugatti retaliated with the 268mph Super Sport. The Ultimate Aero TT was fitted with a 1,183bhp 6,345cc V8 borrowed from a Corvette C5.

Lamborghini Reventon (2007)

If the Murcielago is worthy of a place in this list, so must the Reventon be. After all, the Reventon is a reclothed Murcielago LP 640 but with a lot more exclusivity – just 21 coupés and 15 roadsters were built. With its carbon fibre construction the Reventon could get all the way to 221mph.

Our verdict in 2007? "The raucous V12 is one of the most endearingly brutal powerplants in circulation today and there’s enough performance on offer here to throw the Reventon to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds. In the wet, full throttle can spin up all four wheels, even in fifth gear."

9ff GT9-R (2008)

If you found a 444bhp Porsche 997 GT3 RS a bit tame, 9ff was happy to build you something a bit more potent. The GT9 and its successor the GT9-R came with up to 1,120bhp and could supposedly manage 257mph with 0-62mph in just 2.9 seconds.

Keating TKR (2009)

First seen as the Barabus TKR-1 at the 2006 British Motor Show in London, the Keating TKR has been clocked at 260mph already, so it’s no slouch. Its twin-turbo 7.0-litre GM LS7 V8 is claimed to develop 2,002bhp; Keating’s next mission is to crack 340mph with its Bolt.

Zenvo ST1 (2009)

The roster of Danish hypercars is pretty limited. In fact it runs to just one, and that’s the Zenvo ST1. Priced at €660,000, featuring a 1,104bhp 6.8-litre V8 and claimed to be able to run all the way up to 233mph, the ST1 is exclusive too, with production limited to just 20 examples.

Jaguar C-X75 (2010)

The C-X75 probably shouldn’t be on this list because in theory it was merely a concept car. But Jaguar seriously considered putting it into production and several were built, which is good enough for us. The petrol-electric hybrid hypercar was a technical tour-de force, co-developed with the Williams F1 team, but the recession that started in 2008 did for it. It later starred in the Bond film Spectre, albeit there powered by a conventional 5.0-litre supercharged V8.

Lexus LFA (2010)

Lexus showed its first LF-A concept as early as 2005, but it wouldn’t be until 2010 that the production car was unveiled. It was worth waiting for though; with a 552bhp V10 in the nose the LFA was viciously fast if not quite engaging enough to drive. Just 500 examples were built. Top speed? 203mph.

What did we think of it? "In 30 years’ time, we’ll remember the LFA’s engine as one of the greatest powerplants in existence."

Noble M600 (2010)

In this company the M600 doesn’t seem all that impressive. It started at less than £250,000 (around US$400,000 at the time) and power came from a twin-turbo Volvo V8 that generated ‘just’ 662bhp. But the tractability, performance, agility and handling are such that pretty much all rivals were knocked into the shade. Oh, and the M600 could also do 225mph.

Aston Martin One-77 (2011)

With a 750bhp 7.3-litre V12 and a carbon fibre monocoque the One-77 couldn’t really fail to be indecently rapid; Aston Martin claimed a 220mph top speed and a 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds. Just 77 examples of this £1.15m hypercar were built, and today are worth rather more.

Hennessey Venom GT (2011)

Lotus has built its fair share of fabulously fun cars over the years, but nothing worthy of inclusion here. However, by the time Hennessey has worked its magic on an Exige, a 265mph slingshot is the result. It’s all courtesy of a 1,451bhp 7.0-litre V8 that also produces a pretty handy 1,287lb ft of torque.

Koenigsegg Agera (2011)

Taking over where the CCX left off, the original Agera boasted some impressive specs, such as a 940bhp twin-turbo V8. Then Koenigsegg ramped things up and we got the 1,140bhp Agera R, the 1,341bhp One:1 and the 1,160bhp Agera RS. All are claimed to be capable of around 270mph.

The Agera RS held the production car speed record for a while; it hit 277.8mph in November 2017 in Nevada.

Lamborghini Aventador (2011)

The Murcielago was the last Lamborghini to use the famous V12 that had been introduced way back in 1963. The Aventador featured an all-new 6.5-litre V12 rated at 690bhp – although this jumped to 740bhp with the arrival of the LP 750-4 in 2015. The top speed of both cars was pegged at around 217mph.

Our verdict? "Compared with the Murciélago it replaces, the Lamborghini Aventador is as a supercomputer to an abacus."

Pagani Huayra (2012)

Faster and more attractive (if somehow less extreme-looking) than the Zonda, the Huayra was always going to be built in limited numbers; Mercedes-AMG agreed to supply only 100 V12s. Despite this there’s been a raft of special edition Huayras; the standard car packs a 720bhp punch and can supposedly do 238mph while the 20-off Huayra BC is even more powerful at 740bhp.

Ferrari LaFerrari (2013)

We all thought Ferrari would find it hard to improve on the Enzo, then it came up with this – a 950bhp electrically assisted sculpture. Just 500 were made for Ferrari’s most important clients. Top speed? A claimed 217mph.

We said: “In many ways LaFerrari feels as natural and easy to drive as a 458 Italia. Its responses may be massive, its grip vast and its performance envelope borderline insane, but it also feels surprisingly, well, normal in the way it drives”.

McLaren P1 (2013)

The hybrid P1 might be a stupendously impressive car but in many ways it can’t compare with the far rarer F1 of two decades before. Just 375 P1s were made, each powered by a 727bhp twin-turbo V8. If that sounds lame fret not; there was also a 176bhp electric motor on hand to spice things up – and the P1 was most definitely a very spicy car. McLaren quoted a 217mph top speed.

Our verdict? "We know that if we had 100 cars, there would be many days when only a P1 would do. You can’t ask for more than that."

Porsche 918 Spyder (2013)

Successor to the Carrera GT, the 918 Spyder was one of the holy trinity of petrol-electric hypercars launched in 2013, alongside the Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1. Less powerful (875bhp) and heavier than its rivals the Porker might have seemed a non-starter, but it was anything but. With both its conventional and electric engines whirring together it could muster a top speed of 211mph.

Arrinera Hussarya (2016)

Polish hypercars are few and far between but it’s fair to say that on looks alone this (claimed) 217mph road-going missile deserves to be here. However, we’ve yet to see a working machine so maybe it’ll happen and maybe it won’t – a steady stream of delays doesn’t inspire confidence...

Bugatti Chiron (2016)

Coming up with a sequel to the Veyron was never going to be easy but it’s fair to say that the Chiron is a worthy successor, with its 1479bhp W16 engine. It was restricted to 261mph, but Bugatti later released the Chiron Super Sport 300+, and this car hit a world record speed of 305mph in 2019. 

We drove the Chiron in 2017: "Bugatti’s test driver tells me the car is still accelerating notably when it hits the 261mph limiter. So you lift off when you’re afraid, at which point it whistles and exhales a volume of air like the tube has blown off a bouncy castle. And so do you."

Apollo Arrow (2016)

Remember Gumpert and its Apollo? Well this is what became of the company after it rose from the ashes. Now in new hands and renamed Apollo, the Arrow features a 1,000bhp 4.0-litre V8 that’s supposed to be able to catapult the car from 0-62mph in a blindingly quick 2.9 seconds. We’ll see.

Koenigsegg Regera (2016)

We’re wondering what Koenigsegg is going to do to top this one; a petrol-electric hybrid car with a faintly ridiculous 1,479bhp and 1,475lb ft of torque that can do 150-250kmh (93-155mph) in a gut-wrenching 3.9 seconds. Production will be capped at 80, which is a massive run for Koenigsegg. Claimed top speed is 255mph.

Rimac Concept One (2016)

It may run solely on electricity but that doesn’t make the Rimac Concept One any less worthy of a place here. After all, it’s got 1,073bhp, can do 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds and is reputedly capable of 221mph. But without any wailing V8 soundtrack.

But in this story, it’s hugely significant: the first all-electric car that can reasonably be termed a hypercar. It will not be the last.

SSC Tuatara (2017)

When your first car is capable of 256mph you’ve got to come up with something pretty special for a sequel, and that’s exactly what SSC has done with its Tuatara which is set to enter production soon.

The carbon fibre missile is set to feature a 1,350bhp 6.9-litre twin-turbo V8 that should spear the car all the way to 276mph.

McLaren Senna (2018)

Revealed in December 2017, the Senna pays homage to the late Brazilian F1 legend Ayrton Senna who won all three of his championships with McLaren. Largely based on the McLaren 720S, it features that car’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, yet at 1198kg (2636lb), weighs 239kg (526lb) less, with increased maximum power to 789bhp. Top speed is estimated at 211mph.

All 500 of its production run have been sold, and deliveries started in late 2018. A track-only Senna GTR version features a power boost to 814bhp, and aerodynamics that deliver 1000kg (2200lb) of downforce at 155mph.

Aston Martin Valkyrie (2019)

This new hypercar features a 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine from Cosworth, good for around 1000bhp, augmented by a hybrid system from Rimac. Deliveries are due to start in 2019, and 150 units are planned for a price of US$3.2 million or £2 million in the UK.

If this is not enough, you will also be able to buy a AMR Pro version (pictured). This will be a track only weapon with a recalibrated hybrid system that will belt out over 1100bhp, which could see the car exceed 250mph.

Only 25 of these will be made, costing US$1.2 million (£1 million) more than the standard model.

Mercedes-AMG Project One (2019)

Unveiled by Lewis Hamilton at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show, the numbers behind this concept car are amazing – and not just because they are very large. For starters, the car comes with a rather small sounding 1.6-litre V6 hybrid engine – but it’s related to the one Hamilton drives every other Sunday on the F1 circuit – and will deliver over 1000bhp.

A 0-124mph time of 6.0sec off to a top speed of over 218mph is promised. When it reaches production the car will cost around £2.4 million and US$2.4 million in America, and AMG has received 1100 requests from credible customers for the 275 units that will be built.

McLaren Speedtail (2019)

It’s all go over at McLaren headquarters. Not content with launching the Senna, in late 2017 McLaren unveiled its new three-seater hypercar, named Speedtail, and and this time it really will be a follow-up to the legendary McLaren F1.

Production will also be limited to 106 – the same number of cars built as the F1. It’s aiming for a 250mph top speed and has a twin-turbo V8, augmented by hybrid power. The car will cost around £2 million (US$2.8 million), but it’s already sold out.

Koenigsegg Jesko (2020)

Unveiled at the 2019 Geneva motor show, the Jesko is the Swedish company’s replacement for the Agera RS. Headlines are a power output of up to 1578bhp, up to 1000kg (2200 lb) of downforce and a targeted top speed of 300mph.

Only 125 will be produced, with prices set to start at just under US$3 million (£2.29m) before local taxes.

Purists will be happy – there’s no electric high-jinks here; just a good old fashioned V8 engine with a forged crankshaft and twin-turbochargers and an all-new air injection system to cut down on lag.

1262bhp is on hand when running on regular 95-octane petrol, and up to 1578bhp when benefiting from the extra cooling effect of E85 ethanol. Peak torque is 1106lb ft.

Rimac C_Two (2020)

Rimac’s follow up to the Concept One was first seen at the 2018 Geneva show, and promptly nearly sold out of the 150 it intends to make.

0-60mph is promised in an almost unworldly 1.85 seconds, 0-100mph in 4.3 seconds. It uses a 120kWh lithium battery and develops 1888bhp and 1696lb ft of torque, and Rimac claims a top speed of 258mph; the Croatian firm – now part-owned by Porsche – says that it can perform two laps of the Nürburgring at full power “with negligible drop in performance.”

Under presumably more normal conditions, you’re looking at a range of 404 miles on the NEDC cycle, and it can be charged to 80% capacity in less than 30 minutes. Its price has been set at €1.7 million – roughly £1.5 million or US$2.2 million.

Pininfarina Battista (2020)

This extraordinary electric hypercar was also unveiled at the 2019 Geneva show. The Battista has a separate motor for each wheel that, collectively, deliver up to 1900bhp and 1696lb ft of torque.

Pininfarina says that will be good enough for a sub-2sec 0-62mph time, 0-186mph in under 12sec and a top speed of around 217mph.

The powertrain is mostly shared with the Rimac C_Two, but Automobili Pininfarina CEO Michael Perschke was keen to emphasise the technical differences between the two.

150 examples will be built, and already over 30 firm orders have been received. Price? Around US$2 million (£1.5 million) apiece.

Aston Martin Valhalla (2022)

The Aston Martin AM-RB 003 is the firm’s incredible new hypercar with McLaren P1-aping performance levels. It was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva motor show, and is co-developed with Red Bull Advanced Technologies in Milton Keynes. In production guise it’s good for 998bhp, and 999 will be built.

McLaren W1 (2024)