The first production car with a recorded speed was the 1894 Benz Velo that had a top speed of just 12 mph. Few verified records exist from that point until around 1950, when the Jaguar XK120 set a production car speed record of 124.6 mph (not to be confused with the tuned prototype that managed to hit 133 mph) From this point on, it became a trend for automotive publications to do their own top speed test. Even the venerable McLaren F1 was tested by Car and Driver, and in 2005 we got our first government-official speed record set by the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 and verified by German inspection officials in 2005. It was that moment when the official challenge between manufacturers kicked off, and since then there have only been a handful of cars up to breaking the record. This list covers the top 12 fastest cars in the world, ranked from slowest to fastest.

Updated March 2023: The automotive world is changing constantly, and every day there are more and more cars, some of which are built to break records. For example, just at the end of 2022, the Rimac Nevera became the fastest EV in the world, after it hit a top speed of 258 mph. This result also put it on the same list with the fastest supercars in the world, but it's not the only car that belongs on this list, and we've spilled the beans below with the 17 fastest cars in the world!

Related: The Fastest Electric Cars in the World

1 Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo - 248 mph

Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo
Saleen
Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo

The Saleen S7 is not only an old, very rare beauty, but also a very powerful and fast supercar. First announced back in 2000, the S7 was joined by the S7 Twin Turbo just a few years later. The model is powered by the same 7.0-liter V-8 engine upgraded with Garrett twin-turbochargers. As a result, the output is now 750 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. The S7 Twin Turbo can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds, from 0 to 100 mph in 5.9 seconds, and runs the quarter mile in 10.5 seconds. Top speed is 248 mph. Fun fact: if the car looks familiar, you may have spotted it along side Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty.

Engine

7.0-liter V-8

Horsepower

750 HP

Torque

700 LB-FT

0-60 mph

2.7 seconds

Top Speed

248 mph

Price

$555,000

Production

14 units

2 Aspark Owl - 249 mph

Aspark Owl

Limited to only 50 units, the Aspark Owl brings a lot of interesting features to the market. It is first Japanese full-electric hypercar ever and also the most powerful EV in the world: its four permanent magnet synchronous motors can produce a combined 2,012 horsepower. Built on a carbon fiber chassis that weighs only 264.5 pounds, the Owl is incredibly light, shockingly durable, and very fast. It can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 1.69 seconds and can hit a claimed top speed of 249 mph. All these amazing numbers happen, while also providing an all-electric range of 280 miles. The Aspark Owl is priced is approximately $2.8 million dollars - which doesn't exactly make it a bargain.

Powertrain

Four permanent magnet synchronous electric motors

Horsepower

2,012 HP

Torque

1,475 LB-FT

0-60 mph

1.69 seconds

Top Speed

249 MPH

Price

$2,800,000

Production

50 units

Related: 10 Electric Cars That Will Take Your Breath Away

3 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro - 250 mph

2018 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro at Geneva Motor Show.
Aston Martin
A front shot of a 2018 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019.

The Valkyrie AMR Pro is a track-only variant of the Aston Martin Valkyrie, and it was unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. The Pro model is powered by the same 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 engine found in the Valkyrie Road car, but it doesn't have the KERS system. Still, the V-12 is equally impressive and delivers a total of 1,000 horsepower. While this may not be as much as the standard Valkyrie, some weight-saving measures like ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber bodywork, carbon suspension springs, and Perspex windshield and side windows have made the Valkyrie Pro very fast: it can hit a top speed of 250 mph. The Valkyrie AMR Pro is limited to only 25 units, and all of them are already spoken for.

Engine

6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12

Power

1,000 HP

Torque

546 LB-FT

0-60 mph

2.5 seconds

Top Speed

250 mph

Price

$4,200,000

Production

25 units

4 McLaren Speedtail: 250 mph

McLaren Speedtail
McLaren
Front three-quarter view of the McLaren Speedtail on the track

The McLaren Speedtail, was introduced in 2019, and it's considered a spiritual successor to the iconic F1. But that's mostly because it features a three-seat layout with the driver's seat in the center. Unlike other cars on this list, the Speedtail is a hybrid, combining a twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 gasoline engine with an electric motor. McLaren says that the Speedtail is able to hit 250 mph, which makes it the company's fastest vehicle yet. However, the British firm has yet to release proof that the Speedtail is indeed capable of such speeds.

Engine:

Twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 hybrid

Horsepower:

1,035 horsepower

Torque:

848 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.5 seconds (estimate)

Top speed:

250 mph (claimed)

Price:

$2.2 million

Production:

106 examples

Related: The 10 Most Powerful EVs In The World Ranked

5 Bugatti Veyron: 253.8 mph

Bugatti Veyron
Bugatti
Front and side view of the Bugatti Veyron

The fourth Bugatti on our list, the standard Veyron, is the first production car that surpassed the 250-mph mark. And, it did it back in 2005 when it put an end to McLaren's long-standing record set with the F1 in 1993. The Veyron, equipped with an early version of the 8.0-liter W-16, hit a top speed of 253.8 mph on April 19, 2005. Its record stood for two years, but it was recaptured by the SuperSport version and then by its successor, the Chiron. This is the only Bugatti in our list that generates less than 1,000 horsepower. The W-16 used in the original Veyron cranks out 987 horses and 922 pound-feet of torque.

Engine:

Quad-turbo, 8.0-liter W-16

Horsepower:

987 horsepower

Torque:

922 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.8 seconds

Top speed:

254 horsepower

Price:

$1.7 million

Production:

178 examples

6 Koenigsegg Regera - 255 MPH

2015 Koenigsegg Regera
Koenigsegg
Front three-quarters shot of the 2015 Koenigsegg Regera

Based on the Koenigsegg Agera, the Regera is currently a performance beast. It is powered by a 5.9-liter V-8 twin-turbocharged combined with three electric motors that deliver a combined 1,500 horsepower. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and was built to break records. Back in 2019, the Regera showed it only needs 31.49 seconds to reach 249 mph. It was able to accelerate from 0 to 249 mph in just 22.87 seconds and gradually decelerated in 8.62 seconds. All this in a distance of 1,613.2 meters, though it should be noted that Koenigsegg claims the Regera can hit a top speed of 255 mph. Of course, not many will get the chance to test this, as the Regera will be limited to only 80 units, each with a price of $1.5 million.

Powertrain

5.9-liter V-8 twin-turbocharged + three electric motors

Horsepower

1,500 HP

Torque

944 LB-FT

0-60 mph

2.8 seconds

Top Speed

255 mph

Price

$1,900,000

Production

80 units

Related: The 10 Best Production Cars To Take Around The Nürburgring

7 SSC Ultimate Aero: 256 mph

2006 SSC Ultimate Aero
SSC
Shot of a 2006 SSC Ultimate Aero on the track

The Ultimate Aero is the car that briefly stole the record from the Bugatti Veyron. Until the Veyron Super Sport came to take it back. SSC set its record in 2007 with a twin-turbo version of the car. The Ultimate Aero hit a top speed of 256.1 mph somewhere in West Richland and held the record until 2010. The Ultimate Aero was discontinued in 2013 after several limited-edition models, but SSC is now working on a new contender for the world's fastest production car, the Tuatara. While the record car came with 1,183 horsepower and 1,094 pound-feet of tap, SSC increased power to 1,300 horses toward the end of production. It also switched the original 6.3-liter V-8 with a 6.9-liter engine.

Engine:

Twin-turbo, 6.3-liter V-8

Horsepower:

1,183 horsepower

Torque:

1,094 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.7 seconds

Top speed:

256 mph

Price:

$600,000

Production:

unknown

Related: 10 Hypercars That Push Performance to the Extreme

8 Rimac Nevera - 258 mph

Rimac Nevera
Rimac 
Front three-quarters shot of a Rimac Nevera with its doors open

The Rimac Nevera is one of the most impressive electric supercars in the world. It is powered by a quad-motor setup that delivers a total of 1,914 horsepower and 1,741 pound-feet of torque, numbers that currently make it one of the most powerful EVs out there. The Nevara can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 1.85 seconds, from zero to 100 mph in 4.3 seconds, and initial facts suggested it can hit a top speed of 256 mph - although owners are limited to a top speed of just 219 mph. But, in November 2022, with Miro Zrnčević, Rimac’s chief test and development driver behind the wheel, the Nevera hit a top speed of 258 mph - making it the fastest electric vehicle in the world.

Motor

Four electric motors

Power

1,914 HP

Torque

1,714 LB-FT

0-60 mph

1.85 seconds

Top Speed

258 mph

Price

$2,000,000

Production

150 units

9 Koenigsegg Agera R: 260 mph

Koenigsegg Agera R
Koenigsegg
Side profile shot of a Koenigsegg Agera R

The Agera RS may be the fastest of its kind, but the Agera R isn't far behind. Produced from 2011 to 2014, the Agera R featured the company's legendary 5.0-liter V-8 engine, capable of up to 1,124 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque. The Swedish firm used this car to set a handful of records for production cars in 2011, but these were eventually reset by the Agera RS. Although it didn't set a record for top speed, the Agera R was nearly as fast as the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at 260 mph. This benchmark places it in fifth place on our list and makes it the second Koenigsegg to make our top 10.

Engine:

Twin-turbo, 5.0-liter V-8

Horsepower:

1,124 horsepower

Torque:

885 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.7 seconds

Top speed:

260 mph

Price:

$2 million

Production:

18 examples

10 Bugatti Chiron: 261 mph

Blue Bugatti Chiron
Bugatti 
Front three-quarter shot of the Bugatti Chiron

The standard Bugatti Chiron made it on our list as one of Bugattis. Introduced in 2016 as a replacement for the Veyron, the Chiron retains the quad-turbo W-16 engine, but power was upgraded to 1,479 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque. The Chiron's top speed is officially limited to 261 mph, which is a bit below the Veyron Super Sport. On the other hand, the Chiron Super Sport tops the list with more than 300 mph, so we know there's plenty of potential under the hood.

Engine:

Quad-turbo, 8.0-liter W-16

Horsepower:

1,479 horsepower

Torque:

1,180 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.6 seconds

Top speed:

261 mph

Price:

$3 million

Production:

500 examples

Related: Top 10 Cars You Didn't Know Came with a Manual Transmission

11 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: 268 mph

Blue Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
Bugatti 
Front three-quarters image of the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport finished in blue

The Bugatti Veyron maybe 17 years old as of 2022, but it's still among the fastest supercars ever built. Actually, the record set by Bugatti in 2010 places the Veyron in this list with a top speed of 267.8 mph. This benchmark was achieved with a beefed-up model called the Veyron Super Sport. Bugatti built a special run of 30 cars called World Record Edition to celebrate the event, but these vehicles are limited to 258 mph to protect the tires. The Super Sport was also the most powerful version of the Veyron, with its 8.0-liter W-16 rated at 1,184 horsepower, 197 more than the regular model.

Engine:

Quad-turbo, 8.0-liter W-16

Horsepower:

1,184 horsepower

Torque:

1,106 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.6 seconds

Top speed:

268 mph

Price:

$2.7 million

Production:

30 examples

12 Hennessey Venom GT: 270 mph

Yellow Hennessey Venom GT
Hennessey
Front three-quarter shot of a yellow Hennessey Venom GT

The Venom GT was introduced in 2011 and remained in production until 2017. Despite the seemingly long run, only 13 cars were built. Based on the Lotus Exige, the extensively modified Venom GT features a twin-turbo, 7.0-liter V-8 engine under the hood. Based on General Motors' LS7 V-8, the unit pumps out up to 1,244 horsepower and 1,155 pound-feet of torque. The Venom GT hit its highest top speed in February 2014, when it reached 270.4 mph on Kennedy Space Center's shuttle landing strip in Florida. Although the speed was higher than the world record at the time, it did not qualify for the Guinness Book of Records because Hennessey's run was in a single direction. Also, the limited production run of only 13 cars went against Guinness rules.

Engine:

Twin-turbo, 7.0-liter V-8

Horsepower:

1,244 horsepower

Torque:

1,155 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.7 seconds

Top speed:

270 mph

Price:

$1.2 million

Production:

13 examples

13 Koenigsegg Agera RS: 278 mph

Koenigsegg Agera RS
Koenigsegg 
Shot of two black Koenigsegg Agera RS 

The most powerful version of the Agera, the Agera RS, became the world's fastest car on November 2017, when Koenigsegg hit an average speed of 277.9 mph. The record lasted less than two years, but the Agera RS still owns a handful of benchmarks, including acceleration from 0 to 200 mph, braking from 200 to 0 mph, and 0 to 200 mph and back to a full stop. Unlike Bugatti, Koenigsegg didn't build a limited-edition version of the Agera RS to celebrate the record, but the RS itself was limited to 25 examples.

Engine:

Twin-turbo, 5.0-liter V-8

Horsepower:

1,341 horsepower

Torque:

1,160 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.6 seconds

Top speed:

278 mph

Price:

$2.5 million

Production:

25 examples

Related: 10 Great American Cars People Forgot About

14 SSC Tuatara: 295 MPH

Black SSC Tuatara
SSC
Front three-quarter pic of a black SSC Tuatara with red highlights

It’s not uncommon to see the controversy surrounding top speed records, especially when it comes to breaking the once-mythical and downright impossible 300-mph barrier. It all started in October 2020 when the SSC Tuatara supposedly hit a high speed of 331 mph, which would have made it the fastest car in the world by a long shot. It took mere hours before people started pointing out discrepancies in the videos and, sure enough, what would have been a record-breaking run just couldn’t be verified. SSC is still anxious to prove that the Tuatara is the fastest car in the world, and it made a second attempt. Unfortunately, that second attempt wasn’t as good as the first, but it did set an official record of 282.6 mph, pushing the Koenigsegg Agera RS out of the second position, leaving the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ as the current fastest car in the world. Although there have been a lot of controversies surrounding the SSC Tuatara’s top speed in the past, it looks like we finally have a conclusion. The automaker decided to put it all to bed by attempting one other run and putting all skeptics to rest. While it’s not a 316 mph run – or even over 300 mph, for that matter - but it’s definitely better than the 282.6 mph. The Tuatara touched 295 mph, thus beating its own record and claiming the fourth spot on this list of the fastest cars in the world.

Engine

5.9-Liter Flat-Plane Crank V-8

Horsepower

1,750 horsepower

Torque

1,280 pound-feet

0-60 MPH

2.5 seconds (est)

Top Speed

295 mph (316 umph nverified)

Price

$1.6 million

Production

100 examples

15 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+: 304 mph

Black Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300
Bugatti 
Shot of a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300 sprinting on the track

The standard Bugatti Chiron is already among the fastest cars in the world with a top speed of around 261 mph, but the French firm wanted to set a new record, so it created an even more potent beast. Bugatti took the slightly more powerful engine from the Centodieci, rated at 1,578 horsepower (99 more than the standard Chiron), added longer gear ratios to the gearbox, and crafted a revised aerodynamic package that increases the car's length by almost 10 inches. The modified car hit a top speed of 304.7 mph. To celebrate the event, Bugatti built a production model based on the prototype called the Chiron Super Sport 300+. This car is limited to 30 examples, enough to validate the speed record with the Guinness World Records.

Engine:

Quad-turbo, 8.0-liter W-16

Horsepower:

1,578 horsepower

Torque:

1,180 pound-feet

0-60 mph:

2.6 seconds

Top speed:

304 mph

Price:

$3.8 million

Production:

30 examples

Related: Top 10 American Performance Cars

16 Hennessey Venom F5: 311 mph

Violet Hennessey Venom F5
Hennessey
Shot of a violet Hennessey Venom F5

Hennessey is known for its insane builds over the years, so the Texas-based tuner decided to give it a shot at making a car from the scratch. It came up with the Venom GT back in 2011 and stayed in production until 2017, although only 17 examples were built. But, it was in 2016 when we got to know that Hennessey is working on the GT’s successor, which is going to be even better than the model it replaces. In all honestly, the successor didn’t disappoint. Called the Venom F5, the supercar featured a brand new V-8 that churned out over 1,800 horses and close to 1,200 pound-feet of torque. All the oomph was routed to the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic. The tuner-automaker claims that the Venom F5 can sprint to 60 mph in under three seconds and will have a top speed of 311 mph! It has been improving in each of its runs, with the last one at NASA’s runway in Florida clocking 271.6 mph. But, Hennessey is not done yet and plans to reach its ultimate goal of 311 mph, so we won’t rule it out just yet. Do you think the Hennessey Venom F5 will be able to achieve the 311 mph milestone?

Engine

6.6-liter, twin-turbo V-8

Horspower

1,817 horsepower

Torque

1,193 pound-feet

0-60 mph

<3.0 seconds

Top Speed

311 mph

Price

$2.1 million

Production

24 examples

17 Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut: 330 mph

Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut
Koenigsegg
Side profile shot of a Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut

Just when you thought the Jesko was the ultimate machine from the Swedish automaker, it decided to come up with a hyper version of the supercar with the ‘Absolut’ suffix. The Jesko Absolut was revealed in 2020 and the company worked on its aerodynamics and high-speed road behavior to make it “unbelievably fast”. It boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.278, courtesy of changes like an extended rear hood, covered rear wheels, and a lowered suspension. It misses out on front-wheel louvers and the massive rear wings, whereas the front hood air ducts are also closed. The 1,600-horsepower, $2.8 million Absolut Jesko has a top speed of 330 mph. But but but, it must be noted that this is a theoretical top speed and the car hasn’t achieved it in reality yet. We could probably see it out in the open soon since the first model came out of the oven in May 2022. All said, we will definitely be disappointed if this turns out to be another Tuatara kind of a fiasco. But, for now, we’ll take Koenigsegg’s word for it and give it the crown for being the fastest car in the world.

Engine

5.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8

Horsepower

1,600 horsepower

Torque

1,106 pound-feet

0-60 mph

N/A

Top Speed

330 mph

Price

$2.8 million

Production

125 examples (Jesko)

FAQ

Q: What Is the Fastest Car In the World 2019?

The fastest car in the world in 2019 was the Bugatti Chiron Sport with a top speed of 261 mph. It beat out the Mercedes-AMG Project One with a rating of “at least 217 mph” and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ with a top speed rating of 217 mph.

Q: What Is The Fastest Car in the World 2020

Controversially, the SSC Tuatara was the fastest car in the world in 2020, a record that was set by combining a one-way run of 330 mph with a second run of 301 mph, averaging a Guinness-certified world record of 316 mph. However, this record’s validity has been called into question, so Koenigsegg Agera RS is still the official fastest car of 2020

Q: What Is the Fastest Car In the World 2022?

The Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut is the fastest car in the world in 2022, with a top speed of 330 mph. In all fairness, it is a theoretical figure and hasn't been tested in the real world yet, but we'll take Koenigsegg's word for now and hope to see it achieve this figure soon. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ still holds the official record at 304 mph

Q: What Is The Fastest Commercial Production Car In The World?

In 2021, Bugatti unleashed the Chiron Super Sport 300+, which set a new and verified record of 304 mph

Q: How Fast Is The Fastest Car In The World?

If you believe in unverified records, the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut is the fastest car in the world with a top speed of 330 mph. This is a theoretical top speed and hasn't been tested yet. However, in terms of verifiable records, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ holds the current record with a verified top speed of 304 mph

Q: What Is The Fastest Street Legal Car In The World?

The SSC Tuatara might not hold the fastest speed record, but it did manage to capture a verified two-run average of 282.9 mph, making it just a bit faster than the Koenigsegg Agera RS.