As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “America is all about speed, hot, nasty bad-ass speed,” and today that is as true as it ever was. That’s why we’re taking a look at the fastest production cars our dumb little planet has ever seen.
A lot of automotive enthusiasts will talk about how top speeds and other specs don’t really matter. It’s more about the way a car makes you feel, and while that may be true, I cannot think of many better feelings than driving upwards of 240, 250, 260 and even 300 mph. If that doesn’t get your car-loving heart pumping, driving an NA Miata around a corner probably won’t either.
Of course, all of the cars on our list are supercars, that’s a given. However, there’s still a whole lot of variance in how each of them approaches speed whether it’s through lightness, huge W16 engines or the most powerful EV powertrain in the world. Our list also spans decades. The oldest car on this list was built all the way back in the early 1990s, and the newest car is still on sale today. We are living in a golden age, my friends.
You may notice some cars are left off the list. For example, Tesla weirdos will point out that the “new” Roadster with a claimed 250 mph top speed isn’t here. That’s because it’s claimed. I’m only covering cars that put their money where their mouth is.
Anyway, start clicking on the fastest slideshow Jalopnik has ever done, and do it quickly if you want to catch up with these cars.