From the time the wheel was invented, man has always strived to go faster and faster. Sometimes the need for speed is for the sole purpose of recreation and maybe glory. Drivers, gearheads, and onlookers have always been fascinated by fast cars – especially speed demons designed to be aesthetically appealing to the eyes. Over the years, automakers have made use of the best available technology to build better and faster cars to outperform their competition.
Ever wondered how fast cars have been over different decades? We’ve done the job for you. Here, the fastest car for each decade is determined by considering certain factors. Is it a production car? Has it been subjected to a two-way test? Fasten your seatbelts, and let’s take you on a drive with the supercars of the century.
10
Duesenberg Model J (1920-1929)
Via Wikipedia
In the 1920s, the pride of America, the 1928 Duesenberg Model J became the fastest production car of the decade. It was simply the most powerful, and with a top speed of 119mph, it easily put rivals in their place as far as speed was concerned.
Via Artebellum
It was built as a luxury car to rival Rolls-Royce, Mercedes Benz, and other popular cars. The powerful 7-liter 265 horsepower engine was designed by Fred Duesenberg and had a 3-speed manual transmission.
9
Duesenberg Model SJ (1930-1939)
Via Pinterest
Following the success of the Model J, Duesenberg rolled out the Model SJ in 1932 with a supercharged engine also designed by Fred Duesenberg. Power was raised to an impressive 320 horsepower allowing the Duesenberg Model SJ to reach a top speed of 140mph.
Via Pinterest
It came with unique external exhaust pipes. With such outstanding performance, it was not surprising that the only real competition to the Model SJ was another Model SJ. A special edition nicknamed “Mormon Meteor” could reach a speed of 170mph.
8
Jaguar XK 120 (1940-1949)
Via Pinterest
In the aftermath of the 2nd world war, British car builders, Jaguar, quickly rose to fame with the production of the 1948 Jaguar XK 120 sports car. It packed a state-of-the-art 3.4-liter 6-cylinder engine under the bonnet. It could comfortably go at speeds over 120 mph, and when the proud creators took it to Belgium in 1941 for a test it did 132 mph with slight modifications.
Via Hagerty
It outshone other 1940s supercars like the Aston Martin DB1 and Triumph Roadster.
7
Aston Martin DB4 GT (1950-1959)
Via Artebellum
Britain’s dominance in the world of fast cars continued into the 1950s with the production of the 1959 Aston Martin DB4 GT. It was a blend of luxury, style, and speed. With a top speed of 153 mph, it was clearly a master of the highways.
Via Artebellum
It had a shorter chassis and weighed much less than the earlier DB4 model. This classic grand tourer was powered by a straight 6-cylinder 3670cc engine with a 4speed manual transmission.
6
Ferrari 365 GTB 4 “Daytona” (1960-1969)
Via Pinterest
Ferraris are undisputedly among the world’s fastest cars, and in the 1960s it took the introduction of the 365 GTB 4 model in 1968 to secure the top spot among the fastest cars of the decade. The model unofficially named “Ferrari Daytona ” outperformed rival Lamborghini Miura by attaining a top speed of 174mph.
Via Topclassiccarsforsale
The Italian-made grand tourer achieved this feat with a 4390cc, V12 engine running at a maximum power of 352 hp at 7500 rpm.
5
Ferrari 365 QT4 BB (1970-1979)
Via Ferrari
The rivalry between Lamborghini and Ferrari continued into the 1970s with the former asserting that the Lamborghini Countach could reach a speed of 200mph (false claim). Ferrari once again proved its innovative power to the world in 1971 with its unveiling of the 365 GT4 BB, a worthy successor to the Daytona.
Via Ferrari
The boxer type 12-cylinder engine was mounted behind the driver. With the powerful 380 horsepower engine and a top speed of 175mph, Ferrari once more claimed the top spot for the decade.
4
Ferrari F40 (1980-1989)
Via Ferrari
In 1987, Italian auto giant Ferrari shocked the world of fast cars again when it used the Ferrari F40 to snatch the number one position from Porsche 959 whose maximum speed was just short of 200mph. The F40 was built for speed and not for luxury as can be seen in the functional interior.
Via YouTube
It was the first production car to exceed a speed of 200mph. It sported a rear 2.9-liter 478 horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 engine.
3
McLaren F1 (1990-1999)
Via Reddit
One of the finest supercars ever to grace the highways is the 1994 Mclaren F1, light years ahead of its time. This is one production car that was built mainly to break speed records. It outperformed other fast cars like the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959.
Via Businessinsider
It goes from 0 to 60mph in a mind-numbing 3.2 seconds. It is propelled by a 48-valve, 12-cylinder BMW Motorsports engine that delivers a healthy 618 hp at 7400 rpm with a top speed of 240mph.
2
Shelby SuperCars Aero (2000-2009)
Via Wikipedia
The Shelby SSC Aero is a rear-engine, 2-door coupe sports car manufactured by SSC North America in 2007. It was designed and built for one thing only – high speed. With a top speed of 257 mph, it was crowned the fastest production car of the decade.
Via Turbozone
The SSC Aero, however, failed to attain its theoretical speed of 273 mph. The earlier editions of the SSC Aero sported supercharged V8 engines while later models came with twin-turbocharged V8 engines.
1
Koenigsegg Agera RS (2010 – 2019)
Via Newatlas
In 2017, relatively unknown Swedish automakers, Koenigsegg took the world by storm when they beat the big names in the industry to claim a world record of 276 mph. Although the car firm lacks the prestige or budget of its competitors, they managed to record that astounding feat by combining talent and courage.
Via Bloomberg
The hypercar – Agera RS – combined innovation and high-end technology to leave its rivals in the wake, going on to achieve a top speed of 284 mph. P.S: The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport achieved a milestone of 304 mph in 2019 but wasn’t certified by the Guinness World Book Of Records because of the 2-way test.
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About The Author
Hillary Princewill
(15 Articles Published)
Hillary Princewill is a writer who grew up spending a lot of time in his Dad’s garage. He loves sports car, F1 and military vehicles.
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