The race for 200 mph was a milestone event in automotive history, but that’s a speed that is now easily attained by regular production cars. If you buy a car that can go faster than 200 mph, you don’t have to spend too much money for it, though it is more expensive than a regular family car. If you can afford one, you will have lots of options since more car makers are now selling cars that can exceed 200 mph.
Some British cars that can go faster than 200 mph include the Aston Martin DB11 V12, Aston Martin DBS, and a number of McLarens.
Some convertibles are capable of speeds over 200 mph but only when the roof is on. The Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder (201 mph) and Ferrari 296 GTS (205 mph+) are two drop-top versions of even faster coupes.
If you want a rapid luxury car, you could get a grand tourer. These cars are capable of reaching high speeds without being luxurious. The British manufacturers are leading the way again. Bentley sells the incredible four-door Flying Spur (207 mph), and the Bentley Continental GT Speed has a top speed of 208 mph.
Naturally, the two-seater supercars make up a large part of the 200 mph group. Cars such as the Maserati MC20, Audi R8 V10, and Ferrari 296 GTB all exceed this benchmark while offering a lot of driver engagement. There is also a plug-in hybrid option, with the Ferrari SF90 reaching 211 mph.
You might be reading this list and thinking that some other big names are missing. There are lots of high-end hypercars that don’t prioritize top speed in the way that you need to when aiming to pass 250 mph. The astonishing Mercedes-AMG One (217 mph+) and Aston Martin Valkyrie are designed to deliver the ultimate in lap times rather than outright top speeds, and the same goes for Porsche’s more affordable but still formidable 911 GT2 RS.
World’s fastest cars: a history
The world’s first recognised car, the Benz Patent Motorwagen built in 1898, opens our list with a top speed of 12 mph. Little more than half a century later, in 1949, Jaguar had raised these stakes by a factor of ten, with the Jaguar XK120.
The fifties were a hard-fought battle between Mercedes 300SL Gullwing and the Aston Martin DB4 GT, both of which were capable of speeds in excess of 150 mph. The sixties followed, and with them a flurry of title changes between a range of Italian marques. The Iso Grifo set the tone in 1963, with a 161 mph top speed.
A newcomer, the Anglo-American-built AC Cobra briefly stole the crown in 1965, only to be subsequently beaten by the Lamborghini Miura, the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 and the Miura P400S between 1967 and 1969.
Thirteen years passed before Lamborghini managed to top its own record with the Countach, marking the first production car to pass the 180 mph barrier. In 1983, German Porsche tuner RUF offered the 190 mph BTR, while Porsche’s own supercar, the 959, hit 198 mph in 1986.
Ferrari built the world’s first production car to pass the 200 mph barrier in 1987, with the 472 bhp F40. Once the nineties rolled around, the McLaren F1 upped the stakes again with a top speed of 221 mph, although F1s without rev-limiters have clocked 240 mph runs.
The Koenigsegg CCR’s short-lived time as the fastest production car in the world began in February 2005, where it reached 241 mph at Italy’s Nardo Ring. Just two months later the Bugatti Veyron broke through the 250 mph barrier and took the crown with a speed of 253.8 mph.
Over the last few years, Bugatti and Koenigsegg have been contending for the top spot with a range of lesser-known challengers such as the American supercar manufacturers, SSC and Hennessey.
