Every production car speed record
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In this article, we take a look at every production car that has broken the speed record.
Since the Second World War, there have been many big breakthroughs within the automotive industry. These developments have seen production cars surpass the 100mph, 200mph and 300mph speed barriers.
Manufacturers such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche and Bugatti have all been major players in pushing the limits of what cars can achieve with their innovations over the decades.
Definitions of what exactly qualifies as a production car vary, but essentially, it’s a car that can be legally driven on public roads. These vehicles are often identically mass-produced, however many of the models that appear on this list would have been made and sold in relatively small numbers.
Pedantic rules and regulations regarding how speed records should be measured mean that a few of history’s fast favourites miss out on a spot. Guinness World Records requires a two-way speed average so that tailwinds are taken into account.
1949 – Jaguar XK120
The Jaguar XK120 was the first production car to ever surpass 200km/h, which is around 120mph, hence its name. Despite being a car from the 1950s, the XK120 is actually the only car on this list which sold in large numbers. Around 12,000 units were moved during its run.
1955 – Mercedes-Benz 300SL
The XK120’s reign ended in 1955 when the Mercedes-Benz 300SL reached a top speed of 150mph.
An increased focus on aerodynamics was partly to thank for the slippery sports coupe improving on the previous speed record.
1959 – Aston Martin DB4 GT
The DB4, predecessor to the DB5 James Bond classic, became the fastest production car in the world as the ‘60s came around. More specifically, it was the GT variant that managed this feat by travelling 153mph.
1963 – Iso Grifo GL 365
The Italian Grifo topped the speed records charts by going 161mph. The Ferrari rival made use of American powertrains and components to help break new boundaries.
1965 – AC Cobra Mk III 427
The Anglo-American AC Cars built the Cobra 427 in 1965 which held onto its fastest car status for a short period after it reached 165mph.
1967 – Lamborghini Miura P400
The Miura P400 kickstarted a spell of Italian dominance when it travelled 171mph in 1967. The Miura set a new standard for sports cars with its sleek design and transversely mounted 3.9-litre V12 engine.
1968 – Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona briefly took the speed throne away from its rivals in ’68. The Daytona was a more conventional sports car than the Miura and could produce 352bhp to send it to 174mhp.
1969 – Lamborghini Miura P400S
The Miura returned two years after its first appearance with a new high-powered P400S derivative. The updated Lambo hit 179mph.
1982 – Lamborghini Countach LP500 S
It took 13 years until Lamborghini managed to break its own speed record. The iconic wedge-shaped Countach LP500 S achieved this by going over 182mph.
1983 – Ruf BTR
If the ‘70s was Lamborghini’s decade, then the ‘80s was Porsche’s. RUF, the German tuner and Porsche partner, broke the speed record by travelling 190mph.
1986 – Porsche 959
The 959 just fell short of the 200mph title by recording a top speed of 198mph in 1986. The vastly powerful 959 was packed with innovative tech and could go from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds.
1987 – Ferrari F40/Ruf CTR
It’s widely considered that the 472bhp Ferrari F40 was the first car to exceed the 200mph barrier. However, the RUF CTR beat this record by 10mph (213mph) shortly after to continue the German dominance of the ‘80s.
1993 – McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 breezed past 213mph and set a new 240mph record in 1993. The F1 stands as one of the most impressive cars on this list as it held onto its record for more than a decade. Furthermore, it had a gold engine bay and was the first production car with a carbon fibre body.
2005 – Bugatti Veyron
Bugatti, with help from Volkswagen, finally put an end to McLaren’s reign by accomplishing a top speed of 254mph in 2005. The Veyron had an incredible 1000bhp.
2007 – SSC Ultimate Aero
The American Shelby Supercars (SSC) had its 256mph speed record verified by the Guinness Book of Records in 2007. The Ultimate Aero raced from 0-60mph in just 2.78 seconds.
2010 – Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport
The Veyron returned to the top spot in its Super Sport guise. The French carmaker managed to record a 267mph top speed with the 1200bhp model which would hold onto the speed record for another 7 years.
2017 – Koenigsegg Agera RS
In 2017, the Swedish manufacturer Koenigsegg recorded a two-way average speed of 277mph. The new production car world record easily beat the efforts of the Hennessey Venom GT, whose 270mph record set 3 years prior is often not counted due to it being a single directional test run.
2019 – Bugatti Chiron
Bugatti became the first to produce a production car that could go over 300mph. The Chiron achieved a top speed of 304mph in 2019, however, many are quick to discredit Bugatti’s record because the run only took place in one direction. Nevertheless, 304mph is still extremely fast.
2022 – SSC Tuatara
If you’re not convinced by the Chiron’s 304mph attempt, then the Tuatara recorded an official 282.9mph top speed earlier this year. This comes two years after the manufacturer claimed they hit 331mph on a test run that couldn’t be validated.