Did you know that Thomas Jay McCahill, editor of the Mechanix Illustrated magazine, invented the the 0-60 mph test way back in 1946? He figured it was the easiest way for readers to understand a car’s quickness. Nearly 80 years later, that measurement is still the standard for the industry.
Thankfully, cars have gotten much quicker since 1946. The rise of electrification now results in three- and four-second 60 times. Some automakers even claim under one second is possible—although, that remains to be seen.
We’ve found the 25 quickest accelerating production cars ever built. The list includes a handful of electric supercars, some sporty sedans, and even two SUVs, believe it or not (try and guess which ones). It should be noted that all of the 60 mph times listed here are estimates from the manufacturer and do not account for independent tests. So in theory, some of these cars could be even quicker.
McMurtry Spierling
Even though the Rimac Nevera technically holds the world record for “quickest production car,” McMurtry says its pint-sized Spierling supercar is even quicker. The company claims a 1.55-second sprint to 60 miles per hour, which is entirely likely with the car’s 1,000 horsepower and 2,645-pound curb weight.
Dodge Challenger Demon 170
This one is a bit controversial. When the Demon 170 debuted last year with 1,025 horsepower, Dodge claimed a blistering 0-60 mph run of 1.66 seconds. But the fine print includes a rollout (as some of the other 60 times on this list do, too) and requires a properly prepped surface with drag radial tires. That said, 1.66 seconds is still ridiculously quick.
Aspark Owl
You may not have heard of the company Aspark or its lovely looking Owl hypercar, but it is quietly (pun intended) one of the quickest cars in the world. The all-electric Owl has 1,953 horsepower and races to 60 mph in 1.72 seconds. It also has a claimed top speed of 257 mph, which would make it one of the fastest cars in the world, too.
Rimac Nevera
The Rimac Nevera is a reminder that electric vehicles are hard to beat in the instant power department. The hypercar packs 1,914 horsepower and 1,740 pound-feet of torque, which gets it to 60 mph in a record-breaking 1.74 seconds. Alongside blistering-quick 0-60 times, the Nevera can fly through a quarter-mile drag race in 8.25 seconds before hitting a 258-mph top speed. It’s one of the fastest cars in the world.
Pininfarina Battista
The Pininfarina Battista is a true hypercar with four permanent-magnet synchronous motors. The quartet belts out 1,900 horsepower and 1,741 pound-feet of torque. It has a 218-mph top speed, a $2 million price, and sits just above the Rimac in this list for one crucial reason—the two share powertrains and a carbon-fiber monocoque. But the Battista will still get you to 60 mph in a ridiculous 1.79 seconds.
Lucid Air Sapphire
The Lucid Air Sapphire isn’t a hypercar like some of the other vehicles on this list. It’s a luxury sedan with three electric motors making 1,234 horsepower and 1,430 lb-ft of twist. But as we’ve seen, the super sedan sprints to 60 mph in no time at all. Although it is heavier than the Model S Plaid and Taycan Turbo GT, it takes just 1.89 seconds for the Lucid Air Sapphire to hit 60 mph. It also costs $249,000.
Koenigsegg Gemera
The Koenigsegg Gemera makes the list in a sea of EVs with a potent three-cylinder hybrid engine. The Gemera originally debuted with 1,700 horsepower and 2,581 pound-feet of torque. But in 2023, Koenigsegg introduced a new V-8 variant with 2,300 horsepower, 2,028 pound-feet of torque, and a sub-two-second 60 mph time.
Tesla Model S Plaid
The Tesla Model S Plaid debuted with a refreshed interior, retuned suspension, and other improvements in 2021 that made it a more potent sedan. The Plaid has three motors that produce 1,020 horsepower, with a battery that offers up to 359 miles of range per charge. It’ll hit 60 mph in 1.99 seconds and can complete a quarter-mile race in 9.23 seconds at 155 mph.
Porsche 918 Spyder
When it was new, the Porsche 918 Spyder was the second quickest car in the world (just behind Tesla). Nearly 10 years later, the 918 Spider still cracks the top 30 with a blistering 2.2-second 60 mph time courtesy of its 887-horsepower hybrid powertrain.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
Dodge has another controversial car on this list. In 2018, Dodge claimed the then-new Challenger SRT Demon could hit 60 mph in 2.1 seconds—and that’s true, but there’s a catch. Like the even-quicker Demon 170, this number includes rollout and on a drag-prepped surface with drag radials. The 808-horsepower car in question also has no passenger seat or rear seats.
Porsche Taycan Turbo GT
The Taycan Turbo GT arrived this year as Porsche’s quickest, most powerful model ever. It makes up to 1,019 horsepower with the 10-second overboost function. Torque twists out of it at 988 pound-feet to all four wheels, and the GT badge unlocks a quicker 60 mph time and a higher top speed—180 mph. All that performance can be yours for $231,995.
Bugatti Bolide
Bugatti begins delivery of the Bolide this year after completing extensive testing of its W-16 engine and sleek new body. The production version makes 1,578 horsepower, the same as the street-legal car, but the Bolide is 1,100 pounds lighter than the Chiron. That translates into a quicker 60 mph time and exceptional handling; Bugatti’s engineers claim it can pull 2.5 g through turns.
Ariel Atom 500
Ariel only made 25 examples of its ultra-lightweight Atom track car with a V-8 engine, and it was blisteringly quick. This Atom packed 500 horsepower and weighed just 1,213 pounds total, which launched it to 60 mph in just 2.2 seconds.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
The limited-production Aston Martin Valkyrie looks like someone yanked it from the imagination of a twelve-year-old F1 fan. It has tight bodywork, an aerodynamic-focused design, and the power to back up its appearance. The Cosworth-developed 6.5-liter V-12 engine pairs with an F1-inspired KERS-style boost system that makes a total of 1,140 horsepower. It takes 2.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and the top speed is well over 200 miles per hour.
Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale
The Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale is the fastest production car to lap the company’s Fiorano circuit, performing the feat in 1 minute and 17.3 seconds. The Stradale debuted last June with three electric motors and a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine making 1,016 horsepower—20 more than the regular SF. That gives it a slight edge. But Ferrari only lists an official 0-62 mph sprint for this car, which takes 2.3 seconds. So it could be even quicker to 60 mph.
Porsche Taycan Turbo S
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S might not have any actual turbochargers, but it does have the performance numbers necessary to wear the badge. The EV makes up to 938 horsepower with overboost and up to 818 pound-feet of twist, resulting in that 2.3-second 60 time. But it doesn’t come cheap; the Taycan Turbo S starts at just under $200,000.
Tesla Model X Plaid
The Tesla Model X is no spring chicken, but the automaker added the triple-motor Plaid variant in 2021. As you can see, the family SUV keeps up with other exceptional performance machines with 1,020 horsepower on tap. It’s far from stylish, but it has the power to compete with cars 10 times its price tag with a fraction of the SUV’s utility.
Faraday Future FF 91
Faraday Future has certainly had its ups and downs. But the company is producing its FF 91 SUV—if in extremely limited numbers. And its most powerful version has a claimed 0-60 mph time of 2.39 seconds. The electric SUV has a whopping 1,050 horsepower.
Bugatti Centodieci
The Centodieci debuted in 2019 as another special version of the Chiron with gorgeous retro styling. It had the same quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 as the rest of the range, complete with 1,578 horsepower, and it could race to 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds.
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport
The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is one of several Chiron variants launched since the model’s debut in 2018. Its quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 engine produces 1,580 horsepower, making it simultaneously one of the quickest and fastest cars in the world. The Chiron Super Sport hits 60 mph in 2.4 seconds and has a top speed of 273 miles per hour.
Ferrari LaFerrari FXX K
As if the traditional LaFerrari wasn’t hardcore enough, Ferrari launched the track-only FXX K model with 1,035 horsepower and F1-inspired aerodynamic bodywork. That version of the Italian hypercar could hit 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds.
Hennessey Venom GT
Before the bespoke Venom F5, Hennessey built the Venom GT atop a Lotus platform. But it was a unique hypercar all its own. It had 1,244 horsepower and could hit 60 mph in 2.4 seconds at it quickest. Each one cost $1.2 million when new.
Lamborghini Sesto Elemento
The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento debuted in 2010 and was produced in extremely limited numbers. Only 20 were ever built. But it was a hardcore take on the Gallardo and had 562 horsepower from a 5.2-liter V-10. That launched it to 60 mph in 2.4 seconds and a top speed of 221 mph.
McLaren P1 GTR
The “standard” P1 was quick, able to reach 60 mph in about 2.6 seconds. But McLaren upped the ante with the track-only P1 GTR, which was lighter than the road-going model and launched to 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds. It has 986 horsepower on tap courtesy of a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8 and electric assist.
Rimac Concept_One
Before the record-breaking Nevera, Rimac built and sold (in extremely limited numbers) a car called the Concept_One. The Concept_One had a fully electric powertrain with 1,224 horsepower and could hit 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds, with a top speed of 211 mph.
- McMurtry Spierling – 1.55 Seconds
- Dodge Challenger Demon 170 – 1.66 Seconds
- Aspark Owl – 1.72 Seconds
- Rimac Nevera – 1.74 Seconds
- Pininfarina Battista – 1.79 Seconds
- Lucid Air Sapphire – 1.89 Seconds
- Koenigsegg Gemera – 1.9 Seconds
- Tesla Model S Plaid – 1.99 Seconds
- Dodge Challenger SRT Demon – 2.1 Seconds
- Porsche Taycan Turbo GT – 2.1 Seconds
- Ariel Atom 500 – 2.2 Seconds
- Porsche 918 Spyder – 2.2 Seconds
- Bugatti Bolide – 2.17 Seconds
- Tesla Model X Plaid – 2.3 Seconds
- Porsche Taycan Turbo S – 2.3 Seconds
- Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale – 2.3 Seconds
- Aston Martin Valkyrie – 2.3 Seconds
- Faraday Future FF 91 – 2.39 Seconds
- Bugatti Centodieci – 2.4 Seconds
- Bugatti Chiron Super Sport – 2.4 Seconds
- Ferrrari LaFerrari FXX K – 2.4 Seconds
- Hennessey Venom GT – 2.4 Seconds
- Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – 2.4 Seconds
- McLaren P1 GTR – 2.4 Seconds
- Rimac Concept_One – 2.4 Seconds
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