Most Fastest Car Ever Made

So which is the fastest road car in the world then? Well I must confess that the term is a bit meaningless as far as I’m concerned. Do you mean fastest production road car, or do you count one-offs that have been built just for the purpose of setting a record?

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the current fastest production road car in the world is the SSC Ultimate Aero, which set a record of 256.18mph and reaches 0-60 in 2.7 seconds. Powered by a twin-turbo V8 which pushes out 1183hp, it was confirmed as the fastest in 2007, beating the Bugatti Veyron which had previously held the accolade into second place.

SSC Ultimate Aero

Now I’m slightly disappointed by this because the Veyron, by anyone’s standards, is a beautiful car, no matter what top speed it is able to achieve. I sat in one at Goodwood a couple of years ago and, believe me, it is stunning.
The term ‘fastest in the world’ refers to top speed of course, not necessarily acceleration. That distinction apparently goes to the Maxximus G-Force, which can do 0-60pmh in 2.134 seconds but isn’t actually road-legal. And there’s only one of it. So what was the point?
But back to the SSC. The Ultimate Aero is built in America by Shelby SuperCars, and is the brainchild of Jerod Shelby. The base engine is a 6.35-litre turbocharged V8 Chevrolet LS, it’s got 18-inch wheels at the front and 19-inch rear. Fully equipped, it comes with a 10-speaker audio system, rear facing camera, air con and even a boot!

SSC Ultimate Aero engine.

The record-breaking run was made on 13 September 2007 and is the average of two runs in opposite directions, in accordance with speed record rules. On the first run the car clocked 257.44mph and then 254.91mph on the return run, giving an average of 256.18mph. The previous record, held by the Bugatti, was 253.81mph.
The car which set the speed record was the 2007 version. Last year the Ultimate Aero was updated with a new twin-turbo V8, with an all new aluminium block. The 2009 spec car is meant to have 15 per cent more horsepower and a theoretical top speed of 272.102mph. It also incorporates an aero brake system to help slow the car down. It costs around $620,000. Great, I’ll take two please.
Other contenders for fastest production road car at the moment are the Koenigsegg CCX (250+mph), the Saleen S7 Twin turbo (248mph), the McLaren F1 (a bit old hat now at just 217mph), the Jaguar XJ220 (217 mph), the Pagani Zonda F (215+mph), the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 (213mph), and the Porsche Carrera GT ( a mere 209 mph).
I also found reference to something called the Barabus TKR. This boasted 1005hp and its six-litre V8 engine could apparently accelerate it from 0-60mph in just 1.67 seconds. That’s about the same as a short intake of breath. It’s top speed is claimed to be 270mph but I can’t find any evidence if it actually having been built.
The name is all wrong anyway. Barabus was a sledge-based transport system for paupers in Tatarstan in Russia during the late nineteenth century. It’s also the name of a Hungarian village and, with a slightly different spelling, a biblical character who escaped crucifixion at the expense of Jesus Christ. It would never do for ‘the fastest road car in the world’.