The fastest cars currently made by every major car maker

This list details the quickest cars in each of these car makers’ ranges, whether it’s the one with the highest outright top speed or the car that accelerates the fastest. The list is arranged alphabetically:

Unlike most of its rivals in the fast saloon trade, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t bother with a nannying limiter at 155mph. Instead, the Italian outfit lets the Giulia run out to its natural maximum where engine power can no longer overcome the forces of resistance. With 510bhp at its disposal, the Alfa is not the most potent four-door performance saloon, but it does have the best power-to-weight ratio in its class, which helps.

Alfa also has the limited edition GTAm that has 540bhp and is 100kg lighter than the standard 2.9-litre V6-engined GTA. There are no performance figures for this as yet, but it’s a safe bet it will better that 191mph top speed and 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds.

It’s safe to assume the 1160bhp Aston Martin Valkyrie will have a higher top speed than the DBS, but the low volume Valkyrie is sold out now. This leaves the sleek V12-engined DBS as the quickest current Aston production car with a top end of 211mph.

A twin-turbo 5.2-litre V12 motor lies at the heart of the DBS, producing 715bhp for that ultimate speed and also providing 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds. In the rarefied world of superfast front-engined GT cars, the Aston holds sway over rivals from Bentley and Ferrari, which can both only manage a meagre 207mph flat out.

You don’t have to be Tintin to deduce the R8 is where to look for the fastest model in Audi’s line-up. Even with the various RS cars in the range, it’s the mid-engined, V10-powered R8 that offers the biggest hit of velocity with its 205mph top whack.

You need to choose the R8 V10 Performance model over the standard rear-wheel drive R8, which can only scrape its way to 199mph. The Performance model’s 5.2-litre motor lives up to the name with 611bhp and delivers this to all four wheels. It also helps to dispatch 0-62mph in 3.1 seconds.

There’s something wonderfully incongruous about a luxury coupe like the Bentley Continental GT Speed being able to waft in total comfort and also dish up a top speed of 208mph. That top end is a by-product of using the turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 in this fastest version of the GT that has 650bhp on hand to also give 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds.

As much as the huge top speed of the Continental GT Speed, it’s the in-gear acceleration that astounds its drivers. There’s a mighty 664lb ft of torque to overcome the Bentley’s considerable 2273kg weight, while the crisp bark from the engine when it’s pressed into full action reminds you this is a luxury car with bite.

Up until very recently the fastest BMW was the M5 CS, capable of 190mph. No longer; it’s been usurped by the new M4 CSL. It’s the first use of the hallowed CSL name for nearly 20 years, and it’s assigned to this stripped-out M4 variant that costs £129,000 and just 100 (out of 1000) will come to the UK. It’s straight-six belts out 542bhp and 479lb ft of torque, yielding a 0-62mph time of 3.7sec.

When it was first launched, Bugatti was a touch coy about the top speed of the Chiron. The company quoted a maximum of 261mph, which would be more than sufficient for most companies, but then the Chiron was following in the wheel tracks of the Veyron that posted a best of 267.8mph in Super Sport guise.

Bearing this in mind, it was only a matter of time before the French automaker gave the Chiron similar treatment and in 2019 the Chiron Super Sport 300+ was unveilled. With 1578bhp on hand, it didn’t take too long for the Chiron Super Sport 300+ to show its real legs and the car, slightly modified, recorded a world record-setting 305mph top speed with speed legend Andy Wallace at the helm. This made Bugatti the first production car manufacturer to break the 300mph barrier.

Previously only available with a 3.0-litre V6, the Cadillac CT5-V never filled the void left by the now discontinued 550bhp CT6-V. The latter came equipped with a true to form 4.2-litre twin-turbo V8 which saw the model achieve 0-60 in 3.8 seconds. Whilst the 355bhp CT5-V offers reasonable performance, it doesn't quite offer up the drama or presence we've come to expect from a true 'V' series Cadillac. With the recently released CT5-V 'Blackwing' derivative now forming part of the lineup however, you can instead opt for a Cadillac saloon which now offers up to 668 hp from a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 that feeds power to the rear wheels alone.

Needless to say, the CT5-V Blackwing takes performance that little bit more seriously, with the 0-60 mph sprint happening in just 3.4 seconds and a top speed registering at around 200mph. Whilst these are some strong numbers, the CT5-V Blackwings real party piece is the 6-speed manual transmission that comes as standard, although we expect most CT5-V Blackwing customers will opt for the less frantic and more manageable 10-speed automatic.

If you want to democratize serious speed, point drivers in the direction of the Corvette C8 Z06. Always the affordable sports car for buyers in the USA, the mid-engined C8 Z06 follows suit from the base C8s mid-engined layout, albeit with a few dynamic enhancements for added effect. If there were any quibbles about this, a 195mph top speed in a car that costs less than a reasonably well-equipped Porsche Boxster in its homeland soon silenced them.

The Z06's 6.2-litre V8 has been reworked to produce a supercar-troubling 661bhp and 460lb ft of torque. Whilst this is still sent solely to the rear-axle, 0-60mph takes just 2.6 seconds; GM is being coy about a top speed for the Z06 thus far, but many estimate it to be 195mph, 11mph up on the standard model. If the base C8 is anything to go by, the all-new Z06 could cause quite an upset on the supercar scene.

Featuring a 6.2-liter HEMI V8 engine, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody is one of the most powerful GT production cars in the world. With only 10 hp less than the Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the 797 hp Hellcat Redeye is among the fastest production muscle cars in the world, based on top speed.

In the current muscle car boom in the USA, quarter mile times are just as important, if not more important, than outright speed. When judging the Hellcat Redeye against the Super Stock across a quarter mile drag strip, the Redeye crosses the finish line in 11.1 seconds, over half a second after the Super Stock. The top speed of the Super Stock, however, is restricted to 168mph due to it running on road legal drag tires from the factory.

Traditionally, the quickest Ferraris have been powered by sonorous V12 engines, but even the firm’s appropriately named 812 Superfast cannot better the SF90 Stradale. The SF90’s hybrid powertrain produces a maximum of 986bhp, with 770bhp of that from the petrol V8 and the rest from its three electric motors.

Put all of that to its best possible use and the SF90 has a top speed of 211mph, comfortably eclipsing the Superfast’s 207mph. The Stradale also uses its considerable might to give 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds, yet this is a Ferrari that can offer 154g/km of CO2 emissions, zero emissions electric driving and 39.2mpg combined economy. That really does play with your mind. The Ferrari 812 GTS can also do 211mph.

The GT may be Ford's fastest car, but with 647bhp it's not the most powerful; that award goes to the Mustang-based Shelby GT500, good for 750bhp. But the GT is much lighter and more aerodynamic. The Ford GT comes with a twin-turbocharged V6 engine, and the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox ensures that 0-60mph is covered in 3.0 seconds. The standing quarter mile is dealt with in 10.8 seconds, 0.2 seconds slower than the GT500 but comfortably in Dodge SRT territory.

Hennessey is a name familiar to those who follow top speed records and the Venom F5 has been designed with one aim: to be the fastest car on Earth. That means a top speed of 311mph is the mark for the F5, which works out at a very neat, rounded 500km/h for any European competitors keeping an eye on the US outfit.

Powering the F5 is a Hennessey-built 6.6-litre Fury V8 engine. It has twin-turbos to develop 1817bhp, while the car’s overall weight has been kept to 1360kg to give a power-to-weight ratio of 1.34bhp per kilogram. The carbon fibre body has been designed with low aerodynamic drag in mind to help the F5 to its top speed. As a nod to that previous king of top speed, the McLaren F1, the F5’s engine bay is lined in gold leaf to manage the extreme engine heat when running flat out.

Honda has raised the maximum speed bar in the hot hatch sector to an amazing 169mph with the Civic Type R, but it’s the NSX that is the Japanese firm’s fastest four-wheeled machine. As you’d expect of a company that values technical innovation more highly than mere bragging rights, the NSX comes with a hybrid powertrain.

The 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine is assisted by three electric motors in the NSX, giving 573bhp in total to see the mid-engined marvel to a top speed of 191mph. This sort of power and electric motor assistance also means the NSX can tick off 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds. The NSX has gone off sale in the UK, but Americans can still order a NSX Type S run-out special, badged Acura in that market. Its top speed is also 191mph.

The only thing missing from the Jaguar F-Type R is the now-defunct SVR’s no-limits top speed. Where the SVR in coupe form could top out at 200mph, the R Coupe has an electronic muzzle put on it at 186mph. Otherwise, you get the same 567bhp supercharged 5.0-litre V8 motor under that shapely bonnet.

Even if the R Coupe cannot match its SVR relative for top speed, it has not trouble equalling it for acceleration. From rest to 60mph takes 3.5 seconds in this F-type, making it comfortably Jaguar’s quickest car on sale.

168mph top speed is not that remarkable in this company , but what makes this entry noteworthy is it’s a family saloon from Kia. The Stinger comes with a 3.3-litre V6 turbo petrol engine that has 361bhp. Driving through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels, it’s enough to propel the Kia to 168mph.

This sort of speed makes the Stinger one of the best value fast cars out there, especially as it easily serves as an everyday family car when not going hard in the outside lane of an autobahn. The Stinger is also good to drive and covers off 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds.

The Jesko Absolut from Koenigsegg may sound more like a boutique vodka than a hypercar, but be in no doubt about this Swede’s intent. It has a top speed of 305mph, putting it right up there with high speed royalty. It uses all of Koenigsegg’s know-how about engine power to find 1280bhp from the 5.0-litre twin-turbo V8. This engine boasts the world’s lightest V8 crankshaft and the motor can rev to 8500rpm, and it can also deliver up to 1600bhp if it runs on E85 fuel.

However, the Jesko Absolut is about much more than outright power as Koenigsegg has honed the shape to have a drag coefficient of just 0.278 Cd. That compares to a BMW i8’s 0.26 figure and Koenigsegg has achieved this by removing the standard Jesko’s large rear wing. This reduces aero downforce from 1400kg to 150kg and allows the Absolut to cut through the air more cleanly. The figure for top speed is somewhat speculative  - but we know it's a large one.

You can never discount Lamborghini when it comes to trading top speed claims. Unlike the optimistic numbers bandied about for the Countach, the Aventador backs up its 220mph maximum with proof, with this final iteration of the Aventador being the most powerful Aventador ever made. To reach such giddy speed of 220mph is a 769bhp 6.5-litre V12 and it achieves this power without the need for super- or turbocharging.

If the Lamborghini’s V12 motor is one of the last of its type, there’s no denying how wonderful it sounds as it blasts the Aventador from rest to 62mph in 2.8 seconds. And there’s little let up as the engine keeps shoving the low-slung Lamborghini to its maximum of 220mph.

This Range Rover earns its Sport name by having the same 567bhp supercharged V8 engine from the Jaguar F-Type R slotted under its bonnet. The result is a 2.3-tonne SUV capable of 176mph flat out, which is some 21mph quicker than the 518bhp standard 5.0-litre V8 model. The SVR is also good for 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds to make it the fastest accelerating car in the Land Rover line-up.

The performance of the SVR has grown from when it was originally launched in 2014, when it came with 542bhp. Back then, its top speed was 162mph, which proves the latest SVR has properly been allowed off the leash.

For a car with styling that makes it look like it’s going Mach 3 when sat still, the Lexus LC’s 168mph may come as a minor disappointment for some. For others, it’s the way this Japanese alternative to the Porsche 911 gets there that is more important thanks to a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8.

The engine is the true gem of this car, revving to almost 9000rpm and sounding superb. It fires the LC from rest to 62mph in a claimed 4.7 seconds and it’s the quickest car in Lexus’ range. As well as these figures, the LC impresses with its 10-speed automatic gearbox and several drive modes to help you tailor it to your desires, but it’s still the engine and styling that leave the deepest marks. The LC500 also shares the claim of fastest Lexus with the RC F.

Cars from Lotus has tended to focus more on handling perfection and light weight rather than outright speed, yet there’s nothing incidental about the Evija’s 200mph maximum. That top speed is also a conservative figure as the battery-powered Evija has four electric motors generating a total of 1972bhp.

While this performance is up there alongside the best EV supercars, Lotus has not forgotten its core engineering principle and claims the Evija will be the lightest EV hypercar on sale with an all-up weight of 1680kg. That will also help with a claimed range of up to 215 miles on a single charge.

You would be forgiven for thinking the fastest Maserati is the MC20. The fastest Maserati title goes to the Quattroporte Trofeo. Powered by the most powerful V8 engine ever fitted to a Quattroporte, the 580 hp luxury saloon is propelled from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, and on to a top speed of 203mph.

Maserati has a tradition of building some of the world’s fastest saloon and sports saloon cars in the world. The Maserati Ghibli Trofeo can also reach the same dizzying 203mph with the same engine and 0-62mph is dispatched in 4.3 seconds.

The clue is in the name for this McLaren, so it’s more a matter of how fast the Speedtail was going to peak at rather than if it would be the fastest car in the firm’s present line-up. As it turns out, 250mph was deemed a fitting number and this is where McLaren set the limiter. Yes, that’s right, the Speedtail is reined in to a top speed of 250mph, so there is theoretically more to come.

That’s no great surprise when the Speedtail has slippery aerodynamics and a combined total of 1055bhp from its petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. Another important number with the Speedtail is McLaren will only build 106 of them, which is a nod to the total production of the original F1.

When Mercedes launches any of its AMG cars in a Black Series, you know the numbers are going to be wild. This is why the AMG GT Coupe Black Series has a top speed of 202mph, comfortably outpacing other models in the range. It also cracks 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds to out-accelerate its siblings with ease.

All of this is possible thanks to the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine being tuned to 720bhp. Part of this improvement process included swapping from the standard crank to a cross-plane item to allow for higher revs and race-bred pedigree. There are also larger turbos and 35kg less overall weight, despite the Black Series coming as standard with a track-ready roll cage.

The GP version of the Mini John Cooper Works has stood as the ultimate rapid Mini ever since the first was launched back in 2006. Now, the GP is the fastest and most powerful Mini yet made, packing a 302bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine to give a top speed of 164mph. It puts the Mini JCW GP up there with the likes of the Honda Civic Type R and Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy.

Despite its considerable power, the GP remains resolutely a front-wheel drive hot hatch, but it’s only offered with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Even so, it tips the scales at a reasonably low 1255kg and deals with 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds.

With the demise of the Aero 8, the standard bearer for outright speed from Morgan is held by the Plus Six. It may have looks that can be traced back to the 1950s, but there’s plenty of modern tech at work alongside a 3.0-litre BMW-built twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine. This unit produces 335bhp and is sufficient to power the 1075kg British roadster to 166mph all in.

The lightweight, powerful engine and rear-wheel drive set-up also aid the Plus Six to tick off 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds, so this it’s no slouch. Yet perhaps more than any car in this list, the Morgan is more about the experience than its outright speed, so it’s the instant throttle response that leaves the deeper, longer-lasting impression.

We could have picked several Nissan GT-R models and they would all come with the same 196mph maximum speed. The reason the Nismo gets the nod is because it boasts a bit more power and acceleration to take this benchmark performance car to its most extreme since it was launched in 2009.

The Nismo has 600bhp from its twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 engine to see it from rest to 60mph in 2.5 seconds according to Nissan, which betters the standard 550bhp model’s 2.9 second dash. Modified turbos help the Nismo achieve its power, along with improved aerodynamics to give more efficient engine cooling. It seems to be off-sale in the UK right now, but we hope it will return soon.

Choosing the most sensational element of the Pagani Huayra is kid-in-toy-shop tricky. However, the 238mph top speed certainly sets this Italian hypercar apart from almost all of its compatriots and other supercars on offer. That headline figure, though, comes courtesy of a German heart thanks the Huayra’s Mercedes-AMG 6.0-litre V12 engine with twin turbochargers and 720bhp. You could also choose the BC model with an extra 19bhp, though top speed remains the same.

Other details that fascinate about the Huayra are 0-60mph in 2.2 seconds and the fact the car is put together by a total workforce of 57 people at the factory. That’s not just those who work on your car, but the total number of employees, so the term ‘personalised’ has rarely been more apt.

It’s only right and proper the 911 Turbo S is the fastest car in Porsche’s range. The Turbo has stood for the ultimate in road-focused Porsches since the 1970s, even if more track-sharp models have occasionally eclipsed its performance. As it stands, the Turbo S Coupe is good for 205mph and deals with 0-62mph in 2.7 seconds when you use the Sport Chrono Package.

As always, the rear-mounted engine helps with traction off the line in the 911 and the Turbo S needs that assistance when delivering the full might of its 641bhp 3.7-litre flat-six motor. If you’d rather enjoy the Turbo S in Cabriolet form, it has the same top speed, though 0-62mph takes another 0.1 second.

The Renault Megane R.S Trophy-R 300 is not the fastest hot hatch money can buy, but it is the quickest car in Renault’s catalogue. It is quicker from a standing start to 60mph than the Honda, covering this in 5.6 seconds to the Honda’s 5.7-second time, so the Trophy-R is up there among the very best in this class.

The Trophy-R’s higher top speed than other Megane R.S models comes from its lighter weight and extreme focus on performance. This is a stripped back hot hatch with bigger brakes and sharper suspension. Go the whole hog with the options and you can even have carbon fibre wheels that reduce weight by 1kg per corner. 

The Golf R may sound like the ultimate Golf, but its top speed is eclipsed by the Golf GTI Clubsport 45. The Clubsport 45 is an anniversary edition of the Golf GTI, and they’re usually pretty special. Unlike other Golfs that are held back by the speed limiter the Clubsport 45 can continue accelerating you and your passengers to a mighty 166mph. The Golf R is still top dog in the 0-62mph sprint in 4.7 seconds compared to the Clubsport 45’s 5.6 seconds.

Despite not having four-wheel drive like the Golf R, the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine delivers 300 hp, which is the same as the previous generation Golf R and only 19 hp less than the current Golf R. The Clubsport 45 comes with an Akropovic titanium exhaust, which doesn’t add any more power but improves the exhaust note considerably from the muted standard item.

Volvo has thrown just about everything possible at the S60 T8 Polestar. Its 2.0-litre petrol engine is bother super- and turbocharged and it combines with an electric motor to produce a total of 399bhp. In a compact saloon, it would normally spell BMW M3-rivalling speed, but Volvo has capped the T8’s top speed at 112mph.

What puts the S60 in this list is its 0-60mph acceleration, which is the quickest in Volvo’s range. Make use of the T8’s full hybrid power as well as its all-wheel drive and you will see 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds. That’s swift in anyone’s book and the S60 is also able to return a combined fuel economy of 134.5mpg.