2010 Ferrari 599 Gtb Fiorano 2dr Cpe on 2040-cars

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What is the fastest car in the world in 2024?

It wasn't that long ago that the notion of reaching 200 miles per hour in a car, on a road, seemed basically impossible. As you likely know by now, that time has passed. And once that threshold was crossed, the automotive world immediately began eying the next triple-digit benchmark: 300 miles per hour. It may have taken a little while, but the 300-mph line has been crossed, and some cars have moved well past that seemingly insane speed number. While some of these speeds have been achieved in simulations (including the fastest car listed below), there's little doubt that a driver with nerves of steel and a heavy right foot could indeed push several automobiles up to 300 miles per hour and beyond. Interestingly, it’s not just one car or automaker in the 300-mph club, as a handful of models have earned a place (sometimes claimed but not yet demonstrated) on the leaderboard. The fastest car in the world is: Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut (330 MPH) That title goes to the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, which recorded a staggering 330 mph top speed earlier in 2023. The carÂ’s twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 lays down 1,600 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque, which plays a significant role in delivering that speed, but KoenigseggÂ’s engineers have given the car a lot more than mind-blowing power. The Jesko Absolut has a super-slippery 0.278 drag coefficient and a nine-speed transmission that shifts so quickly itÂ’s almost imperceptible. Koenigsegg calls it a Light Speed Transmission (LST), saying its shifts happen at almost light speed. While that might be a slight exaggeration, the gearbox is impressive, bringing several wet multi-disc clutches and a super lightweight construction. As Koenigsegg says, "the Jesko Absolut is destined to achieve higher, more extraordinary speeds than any Koenigsegg or any other fully homologated car before it." How expensive is the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut? If you were reading that and wondering how much the fastest car in the world costs, the price tag is just another dizzying number on the Jesko Absolut's spec sheet. All 125 Absolut cars offered sold out at a price of almost $3 million. Of course, being able to afford the Koenigsegg is just the first step in realizing its full potential. There are very few places on the map that can support a 300-plus-mph speed run, and the locations that do are not conveniently located.

Ferrari F12 TdF debuts at Finali Mondiali event at Mugello

It's been almost a month since Ferrari revealed the new F12 TdF. But outside of a select cadre of customers, nobody has gotten to see it until this weekend at the Mugello circuit in Italy. The TdF is the more extreme version of the F12 Berlinetta – similar to how the 599 GTO was an upgraded 599 GTB Fiorano, or the 458 Speciale an upgraded 458 Italia. It benefits from a more potent version of the Berlinetta's 6.3-liter V12 producing 769 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque. It also features a rear-wheel steering system, 87 percent more downforce, and 240 pounds less weight to motivate. The result is a 0-62 time of 2.9 seconds, a top speed of over 211 miles per hour, and a Fiorano lap time of 1:21. A trio of TdFs hit the track this weekend at Mugello – one of several circuits owned by Ferrari in Italy – located in the Tuscan countryside and frequent venue for motorcycle and DTM races. It also played host this weekend to the Finali Mondiali – the company's year-end racing spectacle where the winners of the various Ferrari Challenge series duke it out for top honors, where private owners (as part of the Corse Clienti program) are invited to drive their racing and XX track machinery, and where Ferrari often unveils something new. In addition to the F12 TdF's debut, this year saw the presentation of the 488 GTE and GT3 racers as well. Both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were on hand to show off what the TdF could do in front of the cheering crowds. With only 799 examples to be built (and all of them rumored to have already been sold), this may present the closest opportunity you'll get to see the new F12 TdF up close.

2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale

Where the current roadgoing Ferrari coupe with its rear-mounted V8 can go beyond this Speciale edition, I don't know. The 458 Italia and Spider already hold a very dear place in the hearts of anyone who has driven them on a sunny day over great roads or tracks, and I was pretty sure nothing could beat the heady sensory combo presented in the 458 Spider when I first drove it back in 2011. I may have to change my opinion now.
Companies like Ferrari are in the enviable position of sprinkling performance dust on their already-great base cars, all just to make them a skosh better and grab us again by the loins for one more model year. Some perspective: in 2002, the legendary Enzo set its personal best around Ferrari's 1.9-mile track at Fiorano, pulling a 1:24.9. This 458 Speciale with four fewer cylinders and more weight beats it with a time of 1:23.5, and not once during my laps did I feel as though I might die if my slightest judgment behind the wheel was less than on the money.