Superlative speed

To answer this question, we visit a test track with an approximately eight-kilometre straight, high-speed banked corner and total length of 21 kilometres.

The first to appear is the Porsche 911 Turbo S – a sports car that masters the balancing act between everyday driveability and breathtaking acceleration. Its 3.8-litre turbo horizontally opposed engine in the rear produces 580hp (911 Turbo S: Combined fuel consumption 11.1 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions 254 g/km). Speeds of over 300km/h are no problem for this high-performance athlete.

The 911 is subsequently overtaken by none other than the Carrera GT. Its 612hp V10 engine accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in a mere 3.9 seconds, emphasising the racing genes of this legendary super sports car. It is also the first standard-production vehicle whose monocoque chassis and subframe are made entirely of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).

For the next candidate, we take another step back in history: the Porsche 959 S. In the mid-1980s, the Porsche 959 was the first model to be nicknamed “super sports car”. The reason: a 2.8-litre six-cylinder horizontally opposed engine made the 959 the world’s fastest sports car. The 959 S took this to yet another level. The 29 units produced generated even more power - up to 515hp.

The next nominee brings spectators back to the present day: the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. This two-time Nürburgring-Nordschleife record-holder is pure motorsport for the road, and also demonstrates its strengths on the long straights. The 700hp (Fuel consumption combined 11.8 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions 269 g/km) slumbering within its 3.2-litre horizontally opposed engine catapult the driver from 0 to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds.

In the lead, however, is another record-holder. The 918 Spyder shows just what its combined hybrid power of 887hp can achieve. With an acceleration from 0 to 100km/h in only 2.6 seconds, it’s no surprise that the 918 Spyder wins this Top 5 ranking.