It’s a good week for adrenaline.
The Le Mans is ready to drop flags and McLaren has plans to showcase a new P1 GTR at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that the rumor mill has pegged as a worldbeater.
And while virtual reality may soon be able to simulate what it’s like to pilot one of those cars, we say, “Why not go for the real thing?” … Or at least the closest to it you can reasonably get.
Ergo: a collection of 21 “almost” race cars. The criteria: speed is definitely a consideration, but chances are you’re rarely going to find the space to open ‘er up past 110 MPH. (If you know a spot, though, hit us up.) Mostly, top speed is nothing more than bragging rights.
What’s more vital is acceleration, and the industry standard of 0-60 time. For our purposes here, only wheels that cleared three seconds made the cut. And for comparison, Formula 1’s acceleration benchmark is just under two seconds.
So, yeah, these rides are really, really, diaper-inducingly fast.
Radical RXC
Looks like a toy … that belongs on the track. She’s legal, but we’d recommend keeping proof handy in the glovebox.
Top speed: 185 MPH
Horsepower: 380-454 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.6s
Ariel Atom 350R
The dune buggy of track-ready rides. For everyday use? Nah. Very fun? So fun. And (comparatively) affordable.
Top speed: 155 MPH
Horsepower: 350 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.7s
Porsche 918 Spyder
Flat-plane VS engine with tech borrowed from the RS Spyder race car with an added hybrid system. Translation: buckle up.
Top speed: 215 MPH
Horsepower: 887 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.5s
Nissan GT-R Nismo
Hey — give it up for Nissan. We weren’t expecting you at this party.
Top speed: 197 MPH
Horsepower: 600 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.8s
Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
When released in ‘02, the original S7 was the only street legal car in the States to breach 500 HP. The market soon caught on and exploded, and Saleen upped the ante.
Top speed: 248 MPH
Horsepower: 750 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.8s
Shelby SSC Ultimate Aero
The speediest demon on the streets from ‘07–‘10. Still pretty damn fast today.
Top speed: 256 MPH
Horsepower: 1287 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.78s
Ferrari F12 TDF
Sleek, awesome, stable. Because Ferrari. Their first off-the-lot model to sneak below the three-second mark.
Top speed: 211 MPH
Horsepower: 770 HP
Acceleration: 0-62 in 2.9s
Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
Named for Frenchman Pierre Veyron, the racer who won the ‘39 Le Mans 24-Hour race in a Bugatti. The Super Sport held the title of fastest kid on the block from 2010–2014.
Top speed: 268 MPH
Horsepower: 1200 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.4s
Koenigsegg Regera
Bugatti’s arch nemesis. Can be fitted with a “Ski Box” of snow gear and winter tires.
Top speed: 249 MPH
Horsepower: 1,500 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.7s
Koenigsegg One:1
A stunner and a record-breaker with power that can only be described as “hyper.” Be ready for that.
Top speed: 273 MPH
Horsepower: 1161 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.5s
Bugatti Chiron
Diamonds: the Chiron has diamonds in its speakers.
Top speed: 261 MPH
Horsepower: 1500 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.5s
Hennessey Venom GT
The zippiest.
Top speed: 278 MPH
Horsepower: 1451 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.7s
Mazzanti Evantra Millecavalli
Set to hit showrooms in 2017, the Mazzanti will be the most powerful street-legal hypercar to come out of Italy.
Top speed: 250 MPH
Horsepower: 1,000 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.7s
Ferrari LeFerrari
A jet for the road. Ferrari’s first make to carry a hybrid powertrain and the first to not be designed by Pininfarina since ‘73.
Top speed: 205 MPH
Horsepower: 949 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.4s
Corvette Z06
Faster than a Chevy named “Hellcat.” That’s all you really need to know.
Top speed: 186 MPH
Horsepower: 650 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.95s
Porsche 911 Turbo S
If it’s speed plus aesthetic you’re after, there’s really no better choice.
Top speed: 205 MPH
Horsepower: 580 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.8s
Lamborghini Aventador SV
Aggressively sporty. Aggressively fast.
Top speed: 217 MPH
Horsepower: 740 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.6s
Tesla Model S P90D
All electric, sure, but fitted with the “Ludicrous Package,” she’ll hit 713 lb-ft of torque.
Top speed: 155 MPH
Horsepower: 762 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.5s
McLaren P1
Video game fast.
Top speed: 217 MPH
Horsepower: 903 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.7s
Caterham Seven 620R
Slim, light and a helluva a lot more powerful than she looks. Honestly kinda cute, which isn’t necessarily a word you want describing a roadster, but still has a supercharged track feel.
Top speed: 155 MPH
Horsepower: 311 HP
Acceleration: 0-62 in 2.8s
BAC Mono
The Mono is light, which explains how it can hold a candle to a McLaren at a much lesser cost. Also a good look for maximum oh-lawd-I-feel-like-an-actual-racer syndrome.
Top speed: 170 MPH
Horsepower: 280 HP
Acceleration: 0-60 in 2.8s
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
