Until recently, only the most exotic supercars had more than 500 horsepower, but today you can find engines with more than twice that power in family crossovers and sedans.
Yes, the performance situation has changed a lot as cars with higher horsepower have come along. democratized thanks to recent advances in electric vehicle technology, as well as tires, traction and stability control systems that allow us to use the available power more efficiently.
To help you navigate, we've compiled a list of ten the most powerful cars on sale right now.
Koenigsegg Gemera
It’s no surprise that Koenigsegg is at the top of this list. The Swedish performance brand has been churning out powerful hypercars for over two decades, and its most powerful model to date, the Gemera, is also its most practical. The car combines a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 with a single electric motor to produce a combined output of 2,300 horsepower while running on E85 fuel. The powerful powerplant is housed in a compact package that still manages to squeeze in four seatsKoenigsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg said he designed it so it could be used for family travel.
Rimac Nevera R.
It’s much easier for carmakers to get massive amounts of power from electric motors than from petrol engines, and one of the best in the EV business is Rimac. The company currently offers an electric hypercar called the Nevera, which produces 1,914 hp. However, that’s not enough for some buyers, so Rimac now offers the Nevera R, and this version produces 2,107 hp. The power output is generated by a four-motor powertrain that gets its energy from a 108 kWh battery, and it could be enough to set new records when it comes to acceleration. However, Rimac didn't design the Nevera R for straight-line speed alone, as the car's aerodynamics and chassis have been tuned with track racing in mind.
Lotus Evia Fittipaldi
The Lotus Evija electric hypercar marks the beginning of Lotus’ transition from a petrol-powered sports car maker to a pure electric car maker, in the sports car segments and beyond. The Evija produces a peak power of 2,011bhp, generated by a four-motor powertrain. While this will undoubtedly provide breakneck acceleration, the Evija should also handle like a true Lotus, even with its 93kWh battery pack. The car boasts carbon fibre construction, lightweight magnesium wheels and racing-style suspension with three spool-valve dampers per axle – one at each corner and a third mounted inboard to control pitch.
Owl Aspark
Japanese tech company Aspark was one of the first to announce plans to build an electric hypercar. Its Owl concept 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 that produces 1,984 horsepower. However, its battery only has a capacity of 64 kWh, meaning its range will be limited even in normal driving, and mashing the accelerator will likely reduce it significantly. The Owl is being built by Italian contract manufacturer Manifattura Automobili. This is the same company that builds cars for the Chinese brand Apollo, and it is now working with Aspark to deliver an even more powerful version of the Owl.
Pininfarina Battista Edition Nino Farina
After nearly a century of designing cars for leading automakers around the world, Italian design house Pininfarina is now writing cars sold under its own brand. The first of these is an electric hypercar called the Battista, named after Pininfarina founder Battista “Pinin” Farina. The car shares its chassis and drivetrain with the Rimac Nevera, meaning it has a carbon fiber structure and four electric motors powered by a T-shaped battery, but there are plenty of unique elements too. One of these is the unique sound that can be heard both inside and outside the Battista. It has a fundamental frequency of 54Hz, which Pininfarina says is an organic frequency, a multiple of 432Hz, known as “La Verdi,” coined by the famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.
Zenvo Aurora Tour
The Aurora is a car you’ve probably never heard of before, and even if you have, you’ve probably never seen it. That’s because Danish hypercar maker Zenvo only makes a few cars a year, and its most powerful car yet is the Aurora. The car is the successor to Zenvo’s TS hypercar line, and there are two versions known as the Agil and Tur. Both are powered by a 6.6-liter quad-turbocharged V-12, and in the Agil track model, the engine is paired with an electric motor integrated into the transmission to produce a combined 1,450 hp. The Tur grand touring adds two more motors on the front axle to bring peak output to a total of 1,850 hp.
Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution
Known for its tuning business, Hennessey recently created a separate business called Hennessey Special Vehicles, and the first product to come out was the Venom F5 hypercar. On 91 octane gasoline, the Venom F5 produces 1,542 horsepower, but on E85, that power increases to 1,817 horsepower. The car is a follow-up to Hennessey’s Venom GT hypercar, which has occasionally rivaled Bugatti for some top speed records, but the Venom F5 has yet to match it. How fast can it go? The clue may be in the name. “F5” is a reference to the speed classification of a tornado, and F5 tornadoes range from 260 to 318 miles per hour.
Bugatti Tourbillon
It’s a strange world and timeline in which Bugatti’s new hypercar isn’t at the top of the list of the world’s most powerful cars, but that’s where we are. The Tourbillon is the successor to the Chiron, and it shares 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 in the front, one in the rear). The highlight beyond the powertrain and performance is the Tourbillon’s mechanical gauge cluster, crafted with the help of Swiss watchmakers and made up of more than 600 parts, including some made of titanium and precious stones. Its intricate design is meant to mimic the complexity of a tourbillon watch, hence the name. While the car is already on sale, production isn’t scheduled to begin until 2026.
The 2021 SSC Tuatara reached 295 mph during its speed record attempt, May 2022.
It took SSC more than a decade to get its Tuatara hypercar into production, but the first example was finally delivered in 2020. The car is capable of producing 1,350 horsepower on 91 octane gasoline from its twin-turbocharged 5.9-liter V-8. On E85, output increases to 1,750 hp. In 2021, the company brought the Tuatara to speed 282.9 mphwhich is officially land speed record for production carsAs required, two runs were made, one in opposite directions. This did not happen during Bugatti's 2019 304 mph run in the Chiron Super Sport 300+. SSC has since introduced high-downforce versions known as the Striker and Aggressor, which are designed for track use.
Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Breaks 0-249-0 mph Record
Koenigsegg started this list, and Koenigsegg also ends it. Coming in at number 10 on the list of the most powerful cars in the world is the Koenigsegg Jesko. Named after Koenigsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg’s father, the Jesko is powered by a 5.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine that produces 1,280 hp on 91-octane gasoline and 1,600 hp on E85. The engine is paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission that Koenigsegg calls Light Speed Transfer. Technology in the transmission allows the Jesko to skip gears, allowing it to seamlessly transition from, say, seventh to fourth. In this example, the transmission never sees fifth or sixth gear. Two versions are offered: Attack and Absolut. The Attack has a high-downforce setup designed to achieve the best track times, while the Absolut has a low-downforce setup designed for maximum speed. Koenigsegg has not released a top speed for the Jesko, but the company has indicated that above 300 mph it should be possible.