10 Speed Record Holders

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Cars have always been getting faster and faster.. and faster. But how fast will the laws of physics allow road cars to go?

With top speed records come the ultimate bragging right: “We make the fastest car in the world”. Its the ultimate spec in top trumps, more than horsepower or price. Here are the last 10 record holders for the fastest production car.

 Ferrari 288 GTO 

188 MPH in 1985

Ferrari created the 288 GTO to participate in Group B, but the series was cancelled before they could enter. As a result, the successor to the much acclaimed 250 GTO never competed in a race series. It did have credentials; undoubtably it is one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever made, and the fastest car in the world for a period before the 959 took it’s place. Although Ferrari’s claim of 190 was never proven, it did manage 188 mph in the hands of Auto, Motor und Sport magazine.

Porsche 959 
195 MPH in 1986

Like the 288 GTO, Porsche made the 959 to go rallying in Group B. Homologation required 200 road cars, resulting in the 959 we have today. During its production, it was the most technologically advanced supercar there was. AWD was unheard of on a sports car before. The 959 set the precedent for technology combined with motoring; hadn’t it been for the 959 we wouldn’t have  the likes of the Bugatti Veyron today. 

Ferrari F40 

201 MPH in 1987

The Ferrari F40 was many things- it was the last car overseen by Enzo before his death. It is regarded by many as the ultimate drivers’ car with no electronic aid or luxuries to speak of. It is also the first road car ever to break the 200 mph barrier; nothing to write home about in 2012, but an achievement beyond belief in 1987.

The F40 was the complete opposite of the Porsche 959. The Porsche was a technological masterpiece whereas the F40 had little more than a set of pedals, a gearstick and an enormous turbocharged V8.

Bugatti EB110 GT

209 MPH in 1991

You couldn’t accuse the Bugatti EB110 of being boring- it had a V12 engine with no less than four turbo chargers producing 603 bhp. In 1991! Michael Schumacher even owned one. On it’s debut year, Auto, Motor und Sport magazine clocked it at 209 mph, making it the fastest production car of the time. Despite this, sales never really took off as the world was in the middle of a recession, and Bugatti went bankrupt.

The EB110 has never really gotten the recognition it deserves.

Jaguar XJ220 

217 MPH (banked circuit) in 1992

Like the Bugatti, the XJ220 is largely a forgotten supercar. Customers wanted a V12 and AWD when they placed orders- the production car got a turbocharged V6 with two wheel drive. Even so, racing driver Martin Brundle took it to 212 mph on the famous Nardo track, Italy. After removing the catalytic converters and increasing the rev limit to 7900 rpm, the XJ220 maxed out at 217.  It was calculated that the car would have exceeded 223 mph on a straight road, hugely impressive for 1992.

Mclaren F1 

241 MPH in 1998

The Mclaren F1 is legendary, in part due to the fact that it held the top speed record for seven years (over a decade if you consider it began production 5 years earlier). When Mclaren began producing the car, they expected it to top out at 231. It would be five years until Andy Wallace piloted the XP5 prototype to 241 miles per hour with a higher rev limit.

During the test, Wallace humorously observed: “It will not go faster than 391 (kmh).. but still, 391 is quite fast, isn’t it?”

Even today, 20 years later the Mclaren F1 remains the worlds  fastest naturally aspirated car.

Koenigsegg CCR 

241 MPH (banked circuit) in 2005 

When the CCR came out in 2005, Christian Von Koenigsegg suspected his car could break the mighty Mclaren’s 7 year reign. So in February he and a group of Koenigsegg engineers reached 241 mph on the banked Nardo circuit, matching the top speed of the Mclaren F1. Like the XJ220 before it, it would have been faster on a straight but unfortunately, the Bugatti Veyron came and broke the record a mere two months later, shattering the CCR’s chance to be king.

Bugatti Veyron

253 MPH in 2005

The Bugatti Veyron could accelerate to 62 in 2.5 seconds, and keep going till 253 mph.

It is a first in the automotive world, not because it can reach an insane speed, but because it does so with ease, and immense comfort for the driver. It has a cabin upholstered in leather, airbags, air conditioning,  and an automatic gearbox.

The Veyron is such a car that anyone could hop in and max it- provided with enough space of course, because at top speed you’ll be covering the length of a football pitch every second. 

SSC Aero

256 MPH in 2007 

SSC beat the Bugatti Veyron in 2007 by 3 mph. The SSC Aero had come a long way from it’s conception, where the first few were built on space frames made for Pontiac Fiero based Lamborghini replicas. It has a Corvette C5R race car engine producing over 700 hp. For the top speed run, SSC had a 12 mile section of highway closed in Nevada.

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport 

267 MPH in 2010 

Volkswagen AG spent 6 years designing the Veyron, so you could understand why they were slightly miffed when the Aero SSC broke their record after two years and only three mph. They didn’t hang around  for long though, as three years later they gave the world the Veyron SS. It has 1200 bhp and a slightly redesigned  all carbon fibre body. A Bugatti test driver managed to do 267 mph, but they are limited to a meagre 259 at production to prevent the tires from disintegrating.

Koenigsegg Agera R 

273 MPH in 2012/13?

The Koenigsegg CCR never really got it’s chance to shine, but the Agera R should change that. An even more powerful version of the already insanely fast Agera, the R has never been tested to top speed. Koenigsegg say it could theoretically reach 273 mph and there’s no reason to doubt them- the Agera R already holds the acceleration record, going from standstill to 186 mph in 14.5 seconds. given time, this could be the fastest car in the world. Koenigsegg will have to hurry though- If rumours are correct, Bugatti will be
introducing a 1600 hp Veyron at the Frankfurt motorshow in 2013.



First Published: 15/12/12

Location: The Supercarkids Magazine (Issue 4, p36-41)

Top Cult Cars

Sometimes, manufacturers make really good cars. Then, some manufacturers make great cars. Cars that are so good, they become an icon. Cars that are revered for generations. These are cars that have their own cult-like fan base.

To list every one would require the space of a novel, so we’ll only look at an arbitrary few. For the same reasons, I’ve decided not to include TV/movie cars. (I apologize in advance to fans of Knight Rider, Magnum P.I, Dukes of Hazzard, Bullitt, Back to the Future..you see my point.). So without further ado:

Jeep

You know how sometimes a brand becomes so popular, it becomes the product? Like how the hoover is a make of vacuum cleaner, not a synonym of it. Well the Jeep is another example. How often have you heard someone who doesn’t know much about cars refer to any 4X4 as a Jeep? It’s not hard to see why. As a cheap, sturdy means of transport with off road capabilities, they have been everywhere, be it the battlefields of WW2 or the suburbs of Philadelphia.

In its 70 year history it has appeared in many forms- From the 1941 Willys MA, designed just for the US Army, to the Grand Wagoneer which was the longest produced vehicle in the USA.

Jeeps are used by people from all walks of life. They’ve been police cars, fire engines and desert buggies. Parts are simple, vastly available and reliable so its no surprise that there are so many old ones still on the road. Those who use them love them, therefore it’s not uncommon to see them personalised.

If you are baffled by the status they enjoy, don’t worry. It’s a Jeep thing. You wouldn’t understand.

Ford Mustang

If ever there was a car that represented an entire nation, it was the Ford Mustang, the king of muscle cars. It was cheap, sporty and incredibly popular with sales topping 680,000 units in its first year alone, a record which has never been beaten.
Gran Torinos, Barracudas and Pontiac GTOs all came and went, but the Mustang was the muscle car that outlived them all. In its 50 year history, it has existed in six generations with numerous body styles and special editions, yet the basic recipe remains unchanged: cheap, powerful and rwd.

But the Ford Mustang was more than just an iconic car. It is part of American culture. It symbolizes the live and let live attitude of the 1960s America, when the economy was booming, music was good and times were a’ changin. You can’t get more American then that.

Mustang owners love their cars. The fan base is huge, with owners from all backgrounds. Be it a 16 year old restoring his first classic or a 60 year old who has owned his for 40 years, there’s a Ford Mustang for everybody.

Mclaren F1

The Mclaren F1 ticks all the right supercar boxes. It held the record for fastest road car for 12 years. It proved hugely successful in motor sports, winning its debut at Le Mans. It has an engine bay lined with gold and to this day, it remains the fastest naturally aspirated road car in the world.

The Mclaren was designed to be the world’s finest drivers’ car; a goal that many agree was achieved. The driving experience is not hampered by electronic aids or outdated technology- it is simply man controlling machine. It even has a central driving position like an F1 car.

The Mclaren is even practical by supercar standards. It seats three, has good outward visibility and adequate luggage space. Mclaren still maintain each car, even though production ended 14 years ago. It’s exclusive too – only 62 road variants were made at a price of one million dollars. Today a Mclaren F1 will cost you more than 4 times as much. Unsurprising really, considering the legend it has become.

Lamborghini’s Flagships

Lamborghinis always have been the quintessential supercar. Each model is a hyperbole, the ultimate poster car. They’ve never had the highest figures or prestige, but have always been the most outrageous. Lamborghinis have always been about excitement, which is what makes them great.

Ferrucio Lamborghini started his own car company when dissatisfied with Ferrari’s customer service. A few years later Lamborghini made the Miura, and though the interior was cramped and uncomfortable, it was the fastest and most ornate car in the world.
Then came the Countach which was difficult to drive and slower than rivals, but looked like a spaceship. It had doors that swung upwards and massive wings. It was the ultimate expression of defiance, It was the same case with the Diablo and Murcielago- not the fastest in their category, but certainly the most flamboyant.

That is what Lamborghini does right. It captures the heart of your inner child, and is why everybody loves them.

Nissan Skyline

The Nissan Skyline is the Ford Mustang of Japan. It is a favourite of JDM enthusiasts. Whichever competition you can think of, chances are a Skyline has won it, making the car very popular with the drifting and tuner culture. The models that are loved most are the R32s to R34s.
They are relatively for the performance they offer, and highly tunable. The current generation, the R35 is competitive with cars that cost 3 times as much and with more power.

Whereas there have been many great tuner cars, none have really stolen the show like the Skyline has.

The above are just a few of the great cars throughout the decades. There is no checklist for what makes a car popular. Some are a one model wonder, others last decades in production. They can be the stuff of dreams or extremely affordable.

What is certain however, is that cult-cars are not just confined to motoring circles- some become well known enough to represent an entire culture: these are the great cars that no doubt have a place in the history books.


First Published: 05/12/12
Location: thisweekinmotors.com