It wasn’t long ago that only the most exotic of supercars had north of 500 hp, but today you can get more than double that in family crossovers and sedans.
Yes, the performance scene has changed a lot, with high horsepower having been democratized thanks to recent leaps in electric vehicle technology, but also when it comes to tires and traction and stability control systems that allow us to make greater use of the available power.
To help you chart the waters, we’ve put together a list ranking the ten most powerful cars on sale right now.
Koenigsegg Gemera
It’s no surprise that a Koenigsegg sits at the top of this list. The Swedish performance marque has been churning out high-horsepower hypercars for over two decades, and its most powerful at present, the Gemera, is also its most practical. The car combines a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 and a single electric motor to deliver a combined 2,300 hp when running on E85 fuel. The potent powerplant is housed in a compact package that still manages to squeeze in four seats. Koenigsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg said he designed it so he could use it for family trips.
Rimac Nevera R
Getting huge horsepower out of electric motors is proving much easier for automakers than with gas engines, and one of the best in the EV business is Rimac. The company currently offers an electric hypercar called the Nevera, which offers 1,914 hp. However, that isn’t enough for some buyers so Rimac is now offering a Nevera R, and this version packs 2,107 hp. The output is generated by a quad-motor powertrain that draws energy from a 108-kwh battery, and it might be enough to set new records when it comes to acceleration. However, Rimac didn’t design the Nevera R only for straight-line speed, as the car’s aerodynamics and chassis have been tuned with track driving in mind.
Lotus Evija Fittipaldi
The Lotus Evija electric hypercar marks the start of Lotus’ transition from a manufacturer of gas-powered sports cars to one that only builds EVs, in sports car segments and beyond. The Evija delivers a peak 2,011 hp, generated by a quad-motor powertrain. While this is sure to deliver neck-snapping acceleration, the Evija should also handle like a proper Lotus, even with its 93-kwh battery. The car boasts carbon-fiber construction, lightweight magnesium wheels, and race-inspired suspension featuring three spool-valve dampers per axle—one at each corner and an inboard-mounted third to control heave.
Aspark Owl
Japanese technology company Aspark was one of the first to announce plans for an electric hypercar. A concept for its Owl was first shown in 2017, and sales began just two years later. Like most electric hypercars, the Owl is powered by a quad-motor powertrain delivering up 1,984 hp. Its battery is only a 64-kwh unit, though, meaning range will be limited even with normal driving, and mashing the accelerator will likely cut things down significantly. Production of the Owl is handled by Italian contract manufacturer Manifattura Automobili. This is the same company building cars for Chinese performance marque Apollo, and it’s now working with Aspark to deliver an even more potent version of the Owl.
Pininfarina Battista Edizione Nino Farina
After almost a century of designing cars for top automakers around the world, Italian design house Pininfarina is now penning cars sold under its own brand. The first of these is an electric hypercar named the Battista, after Pininfarina founder Battista “Pinin” Farina. The car shares its chassis and powertrain with the Rimac Nevera, meaning carbon-fiber construction and four electric motors powered by a T-shaped battery, but there are also plenty of unique elements. One of these is a unique sound that can be heard from inside and outside the Battista. It has a core frequency of 54 Hz, which according to Pininfarina is an an organic frequency that is a multiple of 432 Hz, known as “Verdi’s A,” conceived by famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.
Zenvo Aurora Tur
The Aurora is a car you’ve probably never heard of before, and even if you have heard about it you’ve probably never seen one. That’s because the Danish hypercar maker that is Zenvo only produces a handful of cars per year, and its most powerful car at present is Aurora. The car is the successor to Zenvo’s TS line of hypercars, and there are two versions known as the Agil and Tur. Both feature a quad-turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12, and in the Agil track model the engine works with an electric motor integrated with the transmission, a combination good for 1,450 hp. The Tur grand touring adds two more motors on the front axle to take peak output to a total 1,850 hp.
Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution
Famous for its tuning business, Hennessey recently created a separate business called Hennessey Special Vehicles and the first product to arrive is the Venom F5 hypercar. On pump gas (91 octane) the Venom F5 produces 1,542 hp, but this increases to 1,817 hp on E85. The car is the follow up to Hennessey’s Venom GT hypercar, which at times vied with Bugatti for some top speed records, but the Venom F5 hasn’t managed the same just yet. How fast might it go? A clue might be in the name. The “F5” is a reference to tornado speed classification, and an F5 tornado’s speed ranges from 260 to 318 mph.
Bugatti Tourbillon
It’s a weird world, and timeline, where a new Bugatti hypercar isn’t near the top of the list of world’s most powerful cars, but that’s where we are. The Tourbillon is the successor to the Chiron, and it has nothing in common with its predecessor, unlike the Chiron which shared its powertrain with the Veyron that came before it. In the Tourbillon, peak power of 1,775 hp comes from a naturally aspirated 8.3-liter V-16 engine and three electric motors (two at the front and one at the rear). A highlight beyond the powertrain and performance is the Tourbillon’s mechanical gauge cluster made with help from Swiss watchmakers and comprised of more than 600 parts, including some made from titanium and gemstones. Its intricate design is meant to mimic the complexity of a tourbillon watch, hence the name. Although the car is already up for sale, production isn’t due to start until 2026.
2021 SSC Tuatara hits 295 mph during speed record attempt, May 2022
SSC took more than a decade in getting its Tuatara hypercar into production, but the first example was finally delivered in 2020. The car is able to generate 1,350 hp on pump gas (91 octane) from a twin-turbocharged 5.9-liter V-8. On E85, power output rises to 1,750 hp. In 2021, the company took a Tuatara to a speed of 282.9 mph, which is officially the land speed record for production cars, as a required two runs, one each in opposite directions, was made. This wasn’t the case during Bugatti’s run to 304 mph in the Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019. Since then, SSC has revealed high-downforce versions known as the Striker and Aggressor, which are designed for track driving.
Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut resets 0-249-0 mph record
A Koenigsegg started out this list and a Koenigsegg also rounds it out. At number 10 on the list of world’s most powerful cars is the Koenigsegg Jesko. Named after Koenigsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg’s father, the Jesko features a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 that delivers 1,280 hp on pump gas (91 octane) and 1,600 hp on E85. The engine pairs with a 9-speed automatic that Koenigsegg calls the Light Speed Transmission. Technology within the transmission allows the Jesko to skip gears, allowing it to drop seamlessly from, say, seventh to fourth. The transmission never sees fifth or sixth gear in this example. Two versions are offered: Attack and Absolut. The Attack features a high-downforce setup designed for achieving top track times, while the Absolut features a low-downforce setup designed for top speed runs. Koenigsegg hasn’t published a top speed for the Jesko, but the company has indicated that above 300 mph should be possible.
