List of fastest production cats

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

This is a list of the world's fastest 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 car(s) 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]

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition vs Hennessey Venom GT

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). Only 5 of the World Record Edition were made out of a total the initial production run of 30 Super Sports, the remaining 25 Super Sports would also be able to achieve this speed if the limiter was removed. Initially, when challenged by Hennessey, Guinness decided the Bugatti was ineligible because there were only 5 unmodified cars. 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 thus increasing the production number and making the car eligible for their publication.

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]

Pontiac Transam

Another example is the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association, which is concerned solely with the top speed of a vehicle. The association uses an FIA sanctioned definition of a production vehicle.^[4] The Association allows extensive modifications over the standard model. In 2006 a Pontiac TransAm was classified as being the fastest production car, with a top speed in excess of 297 mph (478 km/h).^[5] Road tests of the same type of car available from the production line were incapable of anything like this speed and Popular Mechanics referred to the car as production based, which was probably a more accurate description.

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 20 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.^[6][7]

Fastest production vehicles

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

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

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. ↑ http://www.drivecult.com/features/know-your-ferraris-1958-1964
2. ↑ http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z16173/Studebaker-Avanti-R2.aspx