P
Piet
Guest
http://en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/CAA/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5707656
The fastest street-legal cars in the world
Humans have been feeling the need for speed pretty much since we first started to walk upright. From the first domesticated horses 6,000 years ago to the latest precision-tuned supercars, our civilization's progress has been measured in horsepower and kilometres-per-hour. The ten cars listed here represent the pinnacle of personal mobility currently allowed by law and physics. Buckle up, hold on and brace for the g-forces!
All cars are ranked based on posted quarter-mile (0.4km) acceleration times, and only street-legal, full-production models were considered (no customs, no concept cars, no racers).
10. 2002 Lamborghini Murciélago, 11.72 seconds
Named after a legendary fighting bull so renowned for its fighting spirit that it was spared, the Murciélago is a powerful beast with slick, movie-star-worthy lines. It really lives up to its name-sake, too; incredibly fast, powerful and difficult to tame, the car's disagreeable handling makes it a tough drive for all but the most experienced supercar enthusiasts. But given its wild styling and (ahem) modest US $300,000 price tag, taming it almost seems worth it.
9. 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, 11.6 seconds
Boasting both a powerful supercharged V8 (top speed approaching 320 km/h) and lavishly ap-pointed leather-covered cockpit, the Mercedes SLR McLaren is a muscle car with a country-club pedigree. Hand-built at the McLaren plant in Woking, England, the SLR's lightweight construction -- a carbon-fiber body bolted to a largely aluminum chassis -- complements its robust 617-horsepower pulling capacity. But make no mistake, this car isn't for the common rabble: the SLR's US $441,000 sticker price and two-month waiting period keep it almost exclusively in the preserve of high-rollers.
8. 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, 11.3 seconds
Introduced as a replacement for the 575M Maranello, the 599 GTB Fiorano seamlessly com-bines the elegance of a luxury car with the heart-pounding speed and performance of a super-car. All that torque can be tough to handle, but the Fiorano's semi-active, aluminum double-wishbone suspension gives it pretty decent handling and a surprisingly smooth ride. But off-the-mark acceleration is where the its true colours come out. Hitting 97 km/h in a breathtakingly Fer-rariesque 3.2 seconds, you don't just pull out of the driveway in this baby, you take off.
7. 2005 Ford GT, 11.2 seconds
Inspired by the classic Ford GT40 that dusted everyone at 1966 Le Mans 24-hour race, the Ford GT is the rarest of rare breeds: an American-made supercar with an almost reasonable price tag (US $150,000). A handpicked team of 30 Ford engineers designed the new-look GT to directly rival the Ferrari 360 Modena, a feat they accomplished in style. Made of lightweight aluminum all around -- including frame, suspension and body panels -- and sporting a set of fat, road-grabbing Goodyear F1 Eagles, this sleek 550hp behemoth is surprisingly easy to drive. Its slick profile practically begs for a pair of racing stripes.
6. 2004 Porsche Carrera GT, 11.1 seconds
The most powerful production-model Porsche has ever made, the Carrera GT puts even the awesome 911 GT2 to shame. The ultra-light and ultra-rigid carbon fiber body keeps the Carerra GT's weight down and its acceleration up, but you really have to be out on the open highway to feel the full force of its 5.7L V10. Once it gets going, the car flat-out flies, capable of hitting a top speed in the neighbourhood of 330 km/h and coming to an impossibly quick stop courtesy of its massive 15-inch composite ceramic brakes.
5. 2002 Mosler MT900 Photon, 11.02 seconds
Produced by the little known Mosler Automotive company in Riviera Beach, FL, the MT900 Pho-ton takes Mosler's already deliriously fast MT900S and somehow makes it even faster. Basically a race car with a few street-legal tweaks, the Photon sacrifices creature comforts for awe-inspiring performance and more speed than most mere mortals can handle. The engine roar drowns out the radio and the seats are hard and uncomfortable, but judging by how it eats up the road, you probably won't be sitting in them long enough to notice.
4. 2003 Ferrari Enzo, 11 seconds
An automaker with Ferrari's lineage isn't going to put its founder's name on just any old street rocket. Produced in a limited edition of 399 and designed with input from legendary F1 champion Michael Schumacher, the Enzo is, by all accounts, the company's zenith. Fingertip steering, responsive suspension and precision engineering throughout make it an absolute breeze to drive. But once you let its 6.0L V12 loose, it turns into a snarling beast. One drawback: the Enzo requires a special (read: expensive) type of motor oil. Average oil change cost: $732. Ouch!
3. 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 10.85 seconds
The Z06 is the supercar equivalent of a welterweight boxer. Generating an impressive 505 horses from its 427ci engine, it packs the mighty wallop of good, old-fashioned Detroit muscle onto a small, light and blindingly-fast sporty frame. Lightweight components, including a magne-sium engine cradle and an all-aluminum chassis keep the Z06's curb weight under 1430 kg and help make it the fastest production Corvette ever assembled. All this and a fully-appointed inte-rior, too!
2. 2007 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, 10.6 seconds
It looks European, but the Saleen S7 is 1,247 kg of all-American muscle. Considered the first US-made supercar, the S7 sports a relatively small power plant that packs a mighty big punch, churning out a claimed 750 horsepower and capable of reaching speeds as high as 354 km/h. All that power does come at a price, though. The engine is quite noisy when running in low gear, the shifting is rough and choppy, and the cockpit is a tight squeeze for tall drivers. On the plus side, a one-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton at Dana Point -- near the manufacturing plant -- is built into the sticker price so engineers can custom-fit the pedals and steering column to your exact specifications.
1. 2007 Bugatti Veyron 16.4, 10.2 seconds
With its ultra-limited production run -- Bugatti plans to build only 50 of them a year -- and a sticker price in the neighbourhood of a US $1,250,000, the Veyron is destined to be the must-have plaything for the speed-obsessed elite. Cramming a ridiculous 1001 metric horses into a street-legal frame, the Veyron is an engineering feat and a half; even its tires had to be specially de-signed so they wouldn't disintegrate at top speed. And while you'll no doubt never get the chance to drive one of these low-slung luxury dragster, the mere fact that it exists is awe-inspiring enough.
The fastest street-legal cars in the world
Humans have been feeling the need for speed pretty much since we first started to walk upright. From the first domesticated horses 6,000 years ago to the latest precision-tuned supercars, our civilization's progress has been measured in horsepower and kilometres-per-hour. The ten cars listed here represent the pinnacle of personal mobility currently allowed by law and physics. Buckle up, hold on and brace for the g-forces!
All cars are ranked based on posted quarter-mile (0.4km) acceleration times, and only street-legal, full-production models were considered (no customs, no concept cars, no racers).
10. 2002 Lamborghini Murciélago, 11.72 seconds
Named after a legendary fighting bull so renowned for its fighting spirit that it was spared, the Murciélago is a powerful beast with slick, movie-star-worthy lines. It really lives up to its name-sake, too; incredibly fast, powerful and difficult to tame, the car's disagreeable handling makes it a tough drive for all but the most experienced supercar enthusiasts. But given its wild styling and (ahem) modest US $300,000 price tag, taming it almost seems worth it.
9. 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, 11.6 seconds
Boasting both a powerful supercharged V8 (top speed approaching 320 km/h) and lavishly ap-pointed leather-covered cockpit, the Mercedes SLR McLaren is a muscle car with a country-club pedigree. Hand-built at the McLaren plant in Woking, England, the SLR's lightweight construction -- a carbon-fiber body bolted to a largely aluminum chassis -- complements its robust 617-horsepower pulling capacity. But make no mistake, this car isn't for the common rabble: the SLR's US $441,000 sticker price and two-month waiting period keep it almost exclusively in the preserve of high-rollers.
8. 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, 11.3 seconds
Introduced as a replacement for the 575M Maranello, the 599 GTB Fiorano seamlessly com-bines the elegance of a luxury car with the heart-pounding speed and performance of a super-car. All that torque can be tough to handle, but the Fiorano's semi-active, aluminum double-wishbone suspension gives it pretty decent handling and a surprisingly smooth ride. But off-the-mark acceleration is where the its true colours come out. Hitting 97 km/h in a breathtakingly Fer-rariesque 3.2 seconds, you don't just pull out of the driveway in this baby, you take off.
7. 2005 Ford GT, 11.2 seconds
Inspired by the classic Ford GT40 that dusted everyone at 1966 Le Mans 24-hour race, the Ford GT is the rarest of rare breeds: an American-made supercar with an almost reasonable price tag (US $150,000). A handpicked team of 30 Ford engineers designed the new-look GT to directly rival the Ferrari 360 Modena, a feat they accomplished in style. Made of lightweight aluminum all around -- including frame, suspension and body panels -- and sporting a set of fat, road-grabbing Goodyear F1 Eagles, this sleek 550hp behemoth is surprisingly easy to drive. Its slick profile practically begs for a pair of racing stripes.
6. 2004 Porsche Carrera GT, 11.1 seconds
The most powerful production-model Porsche has ever made, the Carrera GT puts even the awesome 911 GT2 to shame. The ultra-light and ultra-rigid carbon fiber body keeps the Carerra GT's weight down and its acceleration up, but you really have to be out on the open highway to feel the full force of its 5.7L V10. Once it gets going, the car flat-out flies, capable of hitting a top speed in the neighbourhood of 330 km/h and coming to an impossibly quick stop courtesy of its massive 15-inch composite ceramic brakes.
5. 2002 Mosler MT900 Photon, 11.02 seconds
Produced by the little known Mosler Automotive company in Riviera Beach, FL, the MT900 Pho-ton takes Mosler's already deliriously fast MT900S and somehow makes it even faster. Basically a race car with a few street-legal tweaks, the Photon sacrifices creature comforts for awe-inspiring performance and more speed than most mere mortals can handle. The engine roar drowns out the radio and the seats are hard and uncomfortable, but judging by how it eats up the road, you probably won't be sitting in them long enough to notice.
4. 2003 Ferrari Enzo, 11 seconds
An automaker with Ferrari's lineage isn't going to put its founder's name on just any old street rocket. Produced in a limited edition of 399 and designed with input from legendary F1 champion Michael Schumacher, the Enzo is, by all accounts, the company's zenith. Fingertip steering, responsive suspension and precision engineering throughout make it an absolute breeze to drive. But once you let its 6.0L V12 loose, it turns into a snarling beast. One drawback: the Enzo requires a special (read: expensive) type of motor oil. Average oil change cost: $732. Ouch!
3. 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 10.85 seconds
The Z06 is the supercar equivalent of a welterweight boxer. Generating an impressive 505 horses from its 427ci engine, it packs the mighty wallop of good, old-fashioned Detroit muscle onto a small, light and blindingly-fast sporty frame. Lightweight components, including a magne-sium engine cradle and an all-aluminum chassis keep the Z06's curb weight under 1430 kg and help make it the fastest production Corvette ever assembled. All this and a fully-appointed inte-rior, too!
2. 2007 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, 10.6 seconds
It looks European, but the Saleen S7 is 1,247 kg of all-American muscle. Considered the first US-made supercar, the S7 sports a relatively small power plant that packs a mighty big punch, churning out a claimed 750 horsepower and capable of reaching speeds as high as 354 km/h. All that power does come at a price, though. The engine is quite noisy when running in low gear, the shifting is rough and choppy, and the cockpit is a tight squeeze for tall drivers. On the plus side, a one-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton at Dana Point -- near the manufacturing plant -- is built into the sticker price so engineers can custom-fit the pedals and steering column to your exact specifications.
1. 2007 Bugatti Veyron 16.4, 10.2 seconds
With its ultra-limited production run -- Bugatti plans to build only 50 of them a year -- and a sticker price in the neighbourhood of a US $1,250,000, the Veyron is destined to be the must-have plaything for the speed-obsessed elite. Cramming a ridiculous 1001 metric horses into a street-legal frame, the Veyron is an engineering feat and a half; even its tires had to be specially de-signed so they wouldn't disintegrate at top speed. And while you'll no doubt never get the chance to drive one of these low-slung luxury dragster, the mere fact that it exists is awe-inspiring enough.
