Production car speed record

A Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, the world's fastest road legal production car with a top speed of 415 km/h (258 mph).

Top speed (mph) by year

This is a list of the world's record-breaking top speeds achieved by a street-legal production car (as opposed to concept cars or modified cars). For the purposes of this list eligible cars are defined in the lists rules. This list uses the same definition as the List of automotive superlatives for the sake of consistency and because the term production car is otherwise undefined. The Benz Velo, as the first production car, is an exception.

Difficulties with claims

Comparing claimed speeds of the fastest production cars in the world, especially in historical cases, is difficult as there is no standardized method for determining the top speed and no central authority to verify any such claims. Examples of the difficulties faced were shown up in the dispute between Bugatti and Hennessey over which car was the worlds fastest.^[1]

Controversies

Hennessey Venom GT

Bugatti Veyron limiter removal

The current title Guinness World Records holder, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, was certified for the average top speed achieved on a two-way run, registering 431 km/h (268 mph). Bugatti made 5 Veyrons named the World Record Edition out of the initial production run of 30 Super Sports, all of which would be able to achieve this speed if the limiter was removed. Bugatti did not sell any with the limiter removed. Initially, when challenged by Hennessey, Guinness decided the Bugatti was ineligible because the test car was deemed as being modified. Bugatti sought a review of the decision and Guinness, after a review by a panel of experts, considered removing the limiter was not a modification and thereby making the car eligible for their publication.

Hennessey Venom GT one direction run

In 2014, a Hennessey Venom GT was recorded as exceeding 270.49 mph (435.31 km/h), but as the run was in one direction only, and only 16 cars out of a planned total of 29 have been sold, it does not qualify under the Guinness Book of Records or this list's criteria as the world's fastest production car.^[2][3]

List rules

Because of the inconsistencies with the various definitions of production cars, dubious claims by manufacturers and self interest groups, and inconsistent or changing application of the definitions this list has a defined set of requirements. For further explanation of how these were arrived at see the above link.

Post 1945 only

This list is also limited to post World War II production road cars. The Benz Velo as the first petrol driven car is the only exception.

Production car definition

For the purposes of this list a production car is defined as:

1. being constructed principally for retail sale to consumers, for their personal use, and to transport people on public roads (no commercial or industrial vehicles are eligible);
2. having had 25 or more instances made by the original vehicle manufacturer, and offered for commercial sale to the public in new condition (cars modified by either professional tuners or individuals are not eligible); and
3. being street-legal in their intended markets, and capable of passing any official tests or inspections required to be granted this status.

Measurement of top speed

To establish the top speed for cars at least since the 1990s the requirement is, in addition to the above, an independent road test with a two-way run. The mean of the top speed for both runs is taken as the cars top speed.^[4][5]

Record-breaking production vehicles

Year	Make and model	Top speed of production car	Number built	Comment
1894	Benz Velo	12 mph (19 km/h)[6]	1,200	First production car
1947	Healey Type 2.4	110.8 mph (178 km/h)[7]	100	Tested by Autocar in 1947
1949	Jaguar XK120	124.6 mph (201 km/h)[8]	12,000	Some publications cite the XK120's timed top speed as almost 133 mph / 214 km/h in 1949."[9] The XK120 that achieved this speed was a tuned prototype, not a production car. The production car reached 124.6 mph (201 km/h).
1955	Mercedes-Benz 300SL	140 mph (225 km/h)[10]	1,400	Tested by Road & Track.
1958	Aston Martin DB4	141 mph (227 km/h)[11]	1,110	Tested by Autocar magazine in 1961.
1959	Aston Martin DB4 GT	152 mph (245 km/h)[12]	75	Tested by Autosport in December 1961.
1963	Iso Grifo GL 365	161 mph (259 km/h)[13]	over 400	Tested by Autocar in 1966. A total of 412 Iso Grifos were built 1963-1974.[14]
1965	AC Cobra Mk III 427	165 mph (266 km/h)[15]	>25	Tested by Car & Driver. Top speed described as observed
1967	Lamborghini Miura P400	171 mph (275 km/h)[16]	over 750	Tested by Motor in June 1967. Over 750 units build in 1966–1973 period, which includes P400, P400 S and P400 SV models.
1968	Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona	174 mph (280 km/h)[17]	about 1,400	Tested by Autocar in 1971.
1974	Lamborghini Countach LP400	179 mph (288 km/h)[18]	158	Tested by Auto, Motor und Sport
1984	Ferrari 288 GTO	188 mph (303 km/h)[19]	272	Tested by Auto, Motor und Sport in 1985.
1986	Porsche 959	197 mph (317 km/h)[20]	337	Tested by Road and Track in 1987. The most common 959 Deluxe version reached 197 mph (317 km/h), the Sport version 198 mph (319 km/h). 29 were built in a performance-enhanced 515 hp sports version which reached 210.645 mph (339 km/h) tested by Auto, Motor und Sport at Nardo in 1988.[21][22]
1987	Ruf CTR	212.509 mph (342 km/h)[21]	29[23]	Tested by Auto, Motor und Sport at Nardò Ring in 1988
1993	McLaren F1	230 mph (370 km/h)[24]	64[25]	Without the rev-limiter, it was able to reach a top-speed of 240.1 mph (386.4 km/h).[26] It still remains the world's fastest naturally aspirated production car in terms of top speed.[27]
2005	Bugatti Veyron 16.4	253.81 mph (408.47 km/h)	300	Recorded and verified by German inspection officials.[28]
2010	Bugatti Veyron Super Sport	257.87 mph (415 km/h)	30	Out of the initial production run of 30, 5 cars were named the Super Sport World Record Edition. With the electronic limiter turned off all 30 were capable of 267.857 mph (431.074 km/h). When sold they electronically limited to 257.87 mph (415.00 km/h). Pierre-Henri Raphanel drove the unlimited car and its top speed was verified by Guinness World Records.[29][30][31]

See also

• History of the automobile
• Land speed record
• List of fastest production cars by acceleration - note that this list uses a different definition of a production car to both the list of fastest production cars and the list of automotive superlatives

References

1. Fastest production car world not exactly clear cut, George Kennedy, Boldride, September 3, 2015 retrieved 12 January 2016
2. Nunez, Alex (24 February 2014), "The Hennessey Venom GT is the world's fastest car; Hits 270 mph on tarmac reserved for astronauts", Road & Track
3. Hennessey Performance Engineering (24 February 2014), Aerodynamic Test Session Results in New Top Speed for Hennessey Venom GT (press release), HPE Design
4. http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/news/hennessey-venom-hits-270-mph-is-worlds-fastest-car Guinness two-way run requirement
5. http://www.fia.com/sports/fia-world-land-speed-records FIA two-way run requirement
6. Danielson, C. (12 September 2008). "eMercedesBenz Feature: The World's First Production Car, The Benz Patent Motor Car Velocipede Of 1894". eMercedesBenz.
7. Autocar. October. 1947. Missing or empty |title= (help)
8. Stoy, Andy (15 October 2012). "Worth the Wait". Autoweek 62 (21): 40–41. ISSN 0192-9674. But the XK120 was a post-war performance revelation, proving itself as the fastest production car in the world at the time.
9. Hodges, David; Burgess-Wise, David; Davenport, John; Harding, Anthony (1994). The Guinness Book of Car Facts and Feats (4 ed.). London: Guinness Publishing. p. 52. ISBN 0-85112-768-1.
10. "Mercedes 300SL Test". Road & Track. April. 1955.
11. "Autocar road tests 1842 Aston Martin DB4". Autocar. October. 1961.
12. "John Bolster Tests the Aston Martin DB4 G.T.". Autosport. December: 778. 1961.
13. "Autocar Road Test Number 2077". Autocar. 29 April. 1966.
14. Oleski, Frank; Lehbrink, Hartmut. 100 Jahre Sportwagen.
15. http://media.caranddriver.com/files/shelby-cobra-427shelby-cobra-427-roadster-road-test-nov-65.pdf Car and Driver magazine August 1965
16. "Sackey,Joe. The Lamborghini Miura Bible" (PDF).
17. Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona review – on the road at the Wayback Machine (archived May 6, 2007)
18. Auto, Motor und Sport 9/1978
19. Auto, Motor und Sport 7/1985
20. Road and Track July 1987
21. Auto, Motor und Sport 25/1988
22. Bernd Woytal (18 October 2015). "Ferrari F40 gegen Porsche 959: Nonplusultra-Supersportler der 80er - Auto Motor und Sport". auto motor und sport.
23. 1987 Ruf CTR "Yellowbird" 911 Turbo Driven, Car and Driver, November 2012, Jethro Bovington
24. Auto, Motor und Sport 12/1994
25. "McLaren F1 Owners Club Tour 2014 – Photo Gallery". Sports Car Digest. 21 July 2014.
26. "McLaren F1". Retrieved 17 January 2016.
27. "McLaren F1". Retrieved 17 January 2016.
28. "Bugatti Veyron". Retrieved 25 February 2011.
29. "FASTEST PRODUCTION CAR". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
30. "Veyron Super Sport hits 267 mph". topgear.com. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
31. "Guinness World Records statement: Fastest Production Car". Guinness World Records. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.

Further reading

• Wood, Jonathan (2005). The Ultimate History of Fast Cars. Parragon Publishing. ISBN 1-4054-5467-9.
• Brown, Langworth; Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (1998). Great Cars of The 20th Century. Publications International. ISBN 0-7853-2523-9.

Notes for editors

• Discussion and determination on the 20 car limit
• The most recent review of the 20 car limit

Cars excluded from the list together with basic reason

Make and model	Year	Claimed top speed	Number built	Reason
Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport	1946-1951	106 mph (171 km/h)	Unknown	No road test
Allard J1 and K1	1946-1948	92 mph (148 km/h) to 93 mph (150 km/h) with one source claiming over 100 mph (161 km/h)	151 K1's	No road test
Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato	1960	153.5 mph (247 km/h)	19	excluded because of number built
Barabus TKR	2006	270.0 mph (435 km/h)	unknown	crashed on record attempt - no record set
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 World Record Edition	2010	267.557 mph (431 km/h)	5	excluded because of number built - see discussion on this articles talk page. Out of the initial production run of 30 there were 5, named the Super Sport World Record Edition, which had the electronic limiter turned off, and were capable of 267.857 mph (431.074 km/h).
Dauer 962 Le Mans	1994	251.4 mph (404.6 km/h)	About 13	not enough built
Delahaye 135	1946-1954	100 mph (161 km/h)	unknown	no road test, numbers unknown, coachbuilt
Ferrari 340, 342, and 375 America, and 400 and 410 Superamerica	1950-1959	159.69 mph (257 km/h)	varies depending on model - almost all custom made	less than 20 made for any model and many were racing cars
Ferrari 250 GTO	1962-1964	158 mph (254 km/h)	>20	no independent road test and each car tends to be customised
Ferrari 500 Superfast	1964-1966	171 mph (275 km/h)	23 Mk 1's, 12 Mk 2's, 1 custom made	excluded because of no independent road test[1]
Hennessey Venom GT	2010	265.7 mph (428 km/h)(2013) 270.49 mph (435 km/h)(2014)	16	excluded because of number built and single direction top speed test run
Hennessey Venom F5	2016	290 mph (467 km/h) proposed	30 to be built	unconfirmed numbers and no road test
Koenigsegg Agera (models R and One:1)	2011-2014	273 mph (439 km/h) to 280 mph (451 km/h) depending on model	less than 20 for any model	excluded because of numbers built and/or unverified top speed
Koenigsegg CCR	2004	242 mph (389 km/h)	17	excluded because of numbers built
Lamborghini Countach 5000QV	1985	171 mph (275 km/h)		speed record already higher
Lamborghini Muira P400S	1969	172 mph (277 km/h)	338	this model was introduced after the Ferrari Daytona
Maserati 5000 GT	1959-1965	172.4 mph (277 km/h) claimed - more an estimate than a true measure	34 but with different bodies	no independent test
Monteverdi Hai 450	1970	180 mph (290 km/h) claimed	only 2 proto-types built, the SS and GTS	no production version
Pegaso Z-102 BS 2.8 Supercharged	1953	151 mph (243 km/h)	<20	less than 20 built
Porsche 959 Sport	1986	197 mph (317 km/h)	6	less than 20 built
Shelby SuperCars SSC (all models including TT, Ultimate Aero, and Tuatara's)	2004-2014	236 mph (380 km/h)to 276 mph (444 km/h) depending on model	less than 20 for each model	excluded because of numbers built
Studebaker Avanti R2	1962-1963	158 mph (254 km/h)	unknown for version tested	data on speed tests and configuration of the car tested unknown at this stage
Studebaker Avanti R3	1962-1963	171.1 mph (275 km/h)	6[2]	insufficient made
Talbot Lago T26 Record and Grand Sport	1946-1954	105 mph (169 km/h) (Record) and 124 mph (200 km/h) (Grand Sport)	less than 20 for either model	excluded because of numbers built and lack of independent road test
Vector W8	1990-1993	242 mph (389 km/h) for prototype	17 production models	excluded because of number built and no verified top speed for production model

Many of these cars have been debated on this articles talk pages. Should more detailed reasoning be required refer to the relevant discussion or raise the issue on the talk page.

1. "Know Your Ferraris: 1958 - 1964". Drive Cult.
2. "1964 Studebaker Avanti R2 (Paxton Supercharger) - Conceptcarz". conceptcarz.com.