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Even though it’s only July, car enthusiasts are already looking ahead to next year. While many of them are sizing up 2013's models to determine price, fuel economy and durability, others only want to know one thing: how fast does this thing go?
What follows is a list of the 10 fastest cars of 2013. It was provided by Karl Brauer, CEO and editor-in-chief of TotalCarScore.com, an online review aggregator and information resource for cars currently on the market.
“Entry into the ‘200 Miles Per Hour Club’ doesn't come easy, or cheap,” Brauer said in an e-mail. “As speed increases so does the horsepower it takes to push a car through the air -- at a geometric rate. … but ask any speed demon about what 200-plus miles per hour feels like and they'll likely say the engineering (and monetary) requirements are well worth it.”
The list does not include cars made in extremely small numbers, so if a car company has fewer than 20 dealers worldwide or sells fewer than 20 models a year worldwide, it isn't included.
Read ahead and see which cars made TotalCarScore.com’s list of the fastest cars of 2013.
10. Ferrari 458 Italia
Top Speed: 201 mph
Engine: 562 HP 4.5L V 8
MSRP: $229,825
Ferrari was founded as a manufacturer of race cars, but branched out into the production of street-legal models two decades later. The 458 harkens back to Ferrari’s early history in racing.
“The technology packed into this exotic sports car comes directly from Ferrari's F1 racing experience, as reflected in the 458's highly advanced drivetrain and suspension, not to mention the 201 miles per hour top speed,” Brauer said.
9. Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera
Top Speed: 202 mph
Engine: 562 HP 5.2L V 10
MSRP: $237,600
Italian luxury car manufacturer Lamborghini always brings the goods when it comes to power, speed and glamor. The 2013 Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera is no exception.
“Lamborghini knows a modern-day exotic, particularly one from Italy, has to achieve 200 miles per hour if it wants to be taken seriously by wealthy performance enthusiasts,” Brauer said. “The V10 in the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera delivers, with 562 horsepower capable of pushing the car up to 202 miles per hour.”
6. (Tied) Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Top Speed: 205 mph
Engine: 638 HP 6.2L V 8 (Supercharged)
MSRP: $111,600
The Corvette is the epitome of an iconic sports car, a status it’s enjoyed since its introduction in 1953. The 2013 ZR1 not only continues that tradition, it exceeds it.
“Making a bold statement in terms of both horsepower and top speed is the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1,” Brauer said. “At 638 horsepower it's the most powerful Corvette in the model's 60-year history, and at 205 miles per hour it's also the fastest.”
6. (Tied) Bentley Continental GT Speed
Top Speed: 205 mph
Engine: 616 HP 6.0L W 12 (Twin Turbocharged)
MSRP: $234,000
For the better part of a century, Bentley has turned out high-performance luxury cars. The 2013 Continental GT Speed continues that tradition, while clocking in at 205 miles per hour.
“Ninety years ago Bentley was more about performance and less about luxury,” Brauer said. “The company has gone back to its roots, winning Le Mans again in 2003 and entering the 200-miles per hour club with the latest Continental GT Speed.”
6. (Tied) McLaren MP4-12C
Top Speed: 205 mph
Engine: 616 HP 3.8L V 8 (Twin Turbocharged)
MSRP: $239,400
In the 1990s, McLaren manufactured the F1, a limited-edition car that reached 240 miles per hour and was the fastest street-legal model in history. The MP4-12C doesn’t quite reach that speed, but it’s fast enough to become part of the 200-miles per hour club.
"And, unlike the F1, McLaren will make far more than 100 MP4-12Cs available to the car-buying public,” Brauer said.
5. SRT Viper
Top Speed: 206 mph (estimate)
Engine: 640 HP 8.4L V 10
MSRP: $100,000
The Dodge Viper was introduced in 1991. It stopped wearing the Dodge brand name and is now part of Chrysler’s SRT performance division, but Brauer said that fans are elated at its return.
The top speed of 206 miles per hour is only an estimate. “It's tough to have all the details on these cars, both because of their exotic nature and because the 2013 information is still somewhat speculative,” he said. “But we feel confident about the approximate specs included with each vehicle.”
4. Ferrari FF
Top Speed: 208 mph
Engine: 651 HP 6.3L V 12
MSRP: $295,000
The look of the FF deviates somewhat from that which many people associate with Ferrari. However, Brauer insists that despite the new design, the car is true to its roots in the ways that matter.
“Ferrari traditionalists might question the design of the FF, with four seats and a less-than-sleek roofline,” he said. “But nobody can argue with the FF's performance pedigree, which includes a 651 horsepower V12 and a top speed of 208 miles per hour.”
3. Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Top Speed: 211 mph
Engine: 730 HP 6.3L V 12
MSRP: $343,385
The 2013 F12 Berlinetta is not the fastest car in Ferrari history. That honor belongs to the now discontinued Enzo, which reached 217 miles per hour. However, the Berlinetta can achieve a not-too-shabby 211 mph.
“Ferrari has upped the exotic car ante with its all-new 2013 F12 Berlinetta,” Brauer said. “The F12's 6.3-liter V12, at 730 horsepower, is the most powerful engine the … company has ever placed in a production car.”
2. Lamborghini Aventador LP700
Top Speed: 217 mph
Engine: 700 HP 6.5L V 12
MSRP: $376,000
The Lamborghini Aventador is named after a legendary beast from Spanish bullfighting. It’s a powerful specimen, as its name implies.
“Lamborghini has a long history of producing top-speed titans, and the Aventador LP700 is the latest ground missile from the Italian exotic firm,” Brauer said. “The car's 217 miles per hour top speed is appropriate given its exterior design, which resembles a modern day jet fighter.”
1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
Top Speed: 268 mph
Engine: 1,200 HP 8.0L W 16 (Quad Turbocharged)
MSRP: $2.4 million
The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is the fastest car of 2013. It achieves a face-melting top speed of 268 miles per hour, and outpaces its nearest competitor by over 50 miles per hour. It also outpaces its competitors in terms of price.
“A ‘princely sum’ sounds inadequate when talking about a $2.4 million automobile, but if you want to go faster than any other street-legal car ever produced that's what it will cost you,” Brauer said “The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is the current King of Speed, and many Veyron owners have ‘king’ in their official title.”
