There is no such benchmark of automotive success as producing (or driving!) the fastest car in the world. It’s a title that manufacturers have vied over for decades. The records have inched their way upward as cars have gotten sleeker and lighter, and speedier.
There is a newer version of our ranking. Check our list of the fastest cars in the world this year to see the latest ranking.
The formula for the fastest racing car in the world is an elusive one. Pedigreed, historic auto manufacturers are currently optimizing production cars to be ever faster, eking out top speeds that are mere kilometers per hour faster than their competition. In 2020, it seems that the golden threshold of ~480kph (300mph) will be beaten by not one but as many as five brands.
Delving into the makes and models which are racing towards that milestone yielded fascinating discoveries. Not only are auto manufacturers using the finest materials and most meticulous measurements and techniques, but they’re also partnering up with aerospace industries and innovating new engines with every updated production vehicle.
11. Rimac Nevera C Two
“Electric” and “hypercar” aren’t usually words heard in the same sentence, except in the form of Rimac Nevera C Two. Powered by a 120kWh battery pack, the Nevera uses four electric motors in a way never seen before to reach top speeds other electric cars could only dream of.
But that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, as everything about the Nevera was designed to push boundaries. “A Nevera is extremely powerful and charged by lightning,” says the company, which seems fitting with its 0-62 mph speed of 1.85 seconds.
And, to ensure you can safely hit those ridiculous speeds, the car comes with 13 cameras to help optimize and enhance each driver’s on-track performance in real-time.
| Top speed: | 258 mph / 415 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 1.85 seconds |
| Price: | $2.4 million |
| Website: | www.rimac-automobili.com |
10. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is one of the oldest supercars around, but it’s still one more than worthy of those record-breaking top speeds. A car that set the benchmark even higher both for Bugatti as well as other contenders in the hypercar world, the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport was one of the greatest technological challenges ever known in the automotive industry.
The 16.4 Super Sport was the final design from the Veyron batch, a car that excelled itself in every way, shape, and form possible, before finally putting the Veyron name to bed. Elegant, stylish and truly one of a kind: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport promises to retain its name in history for the foreseeable future.
| Top speed: | 267 mph / 431 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 2.5 seconds |
| Price: | $2.4 million |
| Website: | www.bugatti.com |
9. Hennessey Venom GT
On Valentine’s Day in 2014, John Hennessey of Hennessey Performance declared an end (for a time, anyway) to his feud with Bugatti. After years of sparring, the American car manufacturer saw his Venom GT seize the World Record for Fastest Car on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center runway.
The car took two full years to engineer and develop. 29 were made; the manufacturer has only let them go for approximately 1.2 million apiece.
The supercar itself is gorgeous, with sinuous curves and a sleek body. Featuring an ultra-light carbon-fibre chassis, the Venom GT almost reads feline, as if it’s a black panther poised to leap forward at any second.
And leap, it does: The Venom GT reached a top speed of a then-unprecedented 270mph or 434 kph. While performing its World Record tests, it achieved an acceleration of 0-100kph or 0-60 mph in 3.05 seconds.
| Top speed: | 270 mph / 434 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 3.05 seconds |
| Price: | $1.2 million |
| Website: | www.hennesseyspecialvehicles.com |
8. Koenigsegg Agera RS
The Koenigsegg Agera RS was designed to be seen and to be heard, a supercar that took the challenge of beating world records into its hands with a sleek design to match. A boundary-pushing beast of a vehicle that manages to successfully tick all the boxes, it’s a strong contender for one of the world’s most impressive cars.
The Agera RS was handcrafted only 25 times,10 of which were pre-sold before the first showing. The company reported that this was its fastest-selling model, and it remains one of the rarest out there.
Its most alluring feature? The 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 generates 1176 horsepower and 940 lb-ft of torque in standard form. And it’s made almost entirely in-house, something relatively unheard of in the industry.
| Top speed: | 277.8 mph / 427.2 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 2.8 seconds |
| Price: | $2.5 million |
| Website: | www.koenigsegg.com |
7. C zinger 21c
Unlike some supercars which stick to traditional methods and designs, the C zinger 21c was built for the 21st century. A car propelling itself far into the future in every way possible, its lap-record-shattering performance is just one of the many things it boasts of.
Carbon fiber construction, a bespoke hybrid powertrain, extreme downforce, and more ensure this car knows its stuff both inside and out. This is a car powered on both electricity and gas, supplementing its forces with an 800-volt electrical system, similar to those spotted on recent Formula 1 cars.
Sure, it won’t quite hit those maximum speeds on electricity alone, but it’s powerful enough to travel a moderate distance without using gas.
| Top speed: | 281 mph / 432 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 1.8 seconds |
| Price: | $1.7 million |
| Website: | www.czinger.com |
6. Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+
Bugatti has been a storied name in luxury hypercars for years, naturally. The intensely upgraded quad-turbocharged W16 that powers the Chiron upgraded the speed of this iconic speed added some brawn to the beauty – with the result that, now, Bugatti has not one, not two, but three places in our ranking of the fastest cars of 2022.
While it may no longer be the absolute fastest car out there (we’ll get to that envied title in a minute), Bugatti’s Chiron Super Sport 300+ has a claim to fame that will be chronicled in history books and awed conversations for years to come: It was the very first car to cross the then-unheard-of barrier of 300 mph (or 483 kph).
It still represents a flawless balance between form and function, aerodynamics, and aesthetics. With an acceleration from 0-100 kilometers per hour (0-60 mph) in 2.4 seconds, this Bugatti certainly has speed and style, all at the same time.
| Top speed: | 300 mph / 483 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 2.4 seconds |
| Price: | $3.89 million |
| Website: | www.bugatti.com |
5. Bugatti Bolide
After the success of the Chiron Super Sport, Bugatti went back to the drawing board. The innovative, historic auto house needed to one-up itself; but how can one do that when the Super Sport 300+ was already, seemingly, perfection on wheels?
The answer? Simple.
Enter: an 8.0L W-16 motor. 1825 horsepower. A stunning 1364 lb-ft of torque.
Clearly, this car is going places.
Bugatti’s Bolide is a lightweight hypercar that showcases the true extent of Bugatti’s range in terms of beauty, power, and innovation. Using the same bespoke engine from the storied Chiron line, but with more turbos to amplify the effect, the Bolide will truly show the world what the W-16 motor is capable of.
It’s also light, futuristic (powder blue paint sits sparingly on its exposed carbon-fiber frame), and tiny: The Bolide only stands 39.2 inches off the ground. Its claimed top speed is 310mph or 498 kph; it can do 0-60mph (0-100kph) in 2.17 seconds.
| Top speed: | 310 mph / 498 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 2.17 seconds |
| Price: | $4.7 million |
| Website: | www.bugatti.com |
4. Hennessey Venom F5
Next in the lineup of Hennessey’s record-breaking vehicles is another in John Hennessey’s Venom line: the F5. The name is a reference to the very fastest type of tornado – a natural force that the Hennessey emulates with its immense power and incredible speed.
Under the hood of the Venom F5 is an American-made twin-turbocharged engine; the result? Nearly 2,000 horsepower. This gives the Venom F5 precisely what it needs to reach a top speed of 484 kilometers per hour (301 mph). Its acceleration is equally impressive, as it can accelerate from 0-100kph or 0-60mph in less than two seconds.
Built to help Hennessey smash a world record it had previously broken with the GT, the F5 was amped up in style, exclusivity, price, and speed. Only 24 were made. The sticker price was 1.6 million dollars. The bright yellow carbon-fiber shell? Instantly iconic.
| Top speed: | 301 mph / 484 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | < 2 seconds |
| Price: | $1.6 million |
| Website: | www.hennesseyspecialvehicles.com |
3. Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut
Thus far, it may seem that the race to determine the fastest car of 2022 has been mostly between two auto manufacturers: Bugatti and Hennessey. That makes sense. They’re both impeccably pedigreed houses, producing incredible cars just packed with raw power.
But! That doesn’t mean they’ve got this race.
Introducing: the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut – a hypercar that ups the ante by an astonishing almost thirty miles per hour. For a long time, if anyone wondered what the fastest car in the world was – it was definitely this car.
Swedish auto manufacturer Koenigsegg introduced this vehicle to set a new world record. As such, they updated the engine from their other popular supercar, the Agera RS; they invested in more precise handling, and they made this car lighter and more aerodynamic for optimal performance.
However, this car isn’t just about speed. There’s pleasure built-in as well, with the type of climate control, infotainment, and head/leg room that usually gets glossed over when it comes to the fastest cars in the world.
The Jesko Absolut reaches a top speed of 330mph (or 531kph); the manufacturer has not released acceleration information – but with that type of top speed, it’s sure to be impressive.
| Top speed: | 330 mph / 531 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 2.6 seconds |
| Price: | $3.4 million |
| Website: | www.koenigsegg.com |
2. SSC Tuatara
What’s faster than 330mph, you might wonder?
Simple answer. 331mph.
North America-based SSC has built a beautiful supercar that’s simply packed with the latest and greatest in automotive innovations. In October 2020, in Nevada, on a seven-mile stretch of road, Shelby SuperCars confirmed that their fastest supercar had reached an eye-watering speed of 331mph – or over 530kph.
Unfortunately for those who see themselves zipping around their favorite cities at this breakneck pace, this car isn’t quite road-legal: It uses a camera system, instead of mirrors, to help with steering.
With 1750 horsepower, a custom, all-alloy, flat-plane-crank 5.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 motor, and a $1.9M price tag, the SSC Tuatara perhaps didn’t need a speed record, as well, to be completely distinctive. Of course, it certainly doesn’t hurt.
The SSC Tuatara boasts an acceleration of 0-100 kilometers per hour (0-60mph) in 2.5 seconds.
| Top speed: | 331 mph / 530 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 2.5 seconds |
| Price: | $1.9 million |
| Website: | www.sscnorthamerica.com |
1. Devel Sixteen
We’ve come to it: The fastest car of 2022, an almost unheard-of amount of power and speed from the Devel Sixteen – a car that seeks to smash all of the current records it faces. With a claimed top speed of 347mph (or 550+kph), the Devel Sixteen stares down the next speed standard: 350 miles per hour.
First debuted years ago, the Devel Sixteen boasts stats that have had the automotive world whispering, mystified, as we wait for production: It has an incredible 5,007 horsepower, an 81mm Quad Turbo 12.3L V16 engine, and a general ‘inquire for price’, intriguing aura constantly surrounding it. This car is certainly one to keep an eye out for again in 2022, as what we do know about it signals that it’ll be the car to beat if its stats are confirmed.
Devel is also working on a large utility vehicle at the moment. Take a look at our round-up of the best luxury SUVs of the year if you need something right now though.
*The Devel Sixteen remains in development at the time of publishing this ranking. The brand’s claimed top speed hasn’t been confirmed yet. We will update this article as soon as more information is available.
| Top speed: | 347 mph / 550 kph |
| 0-60 mph: | 1.8 seconds |
| Price: | $1.6 million |
| Website: | www.develmotors.com |
