The Best Supercar Model From Every Major Brand

The 1966 Lamborghini Miura is considered by many automobile historians to be the first supercar. Lamborghini designed the Miura from the ground up specifically for street use rather than upgrading an existing mainstream vehicle. Today, when automobile journalists, critics, and enthusiasts discuss high-performance cars, they often put them into one of three categories: supercars, hypercars, and megacars. However, the distinction between them is vague, and the terms are often used interchangeably because no official criteria have ever been defined.

Supercars are technologically sophisticated sportscars built for performance that share very little in common with a standard car and often incorporate technology developed from the manufacturer's racing experience. These rare vehicles are usually sold at a price most buyers cannot afford. Hypercars are considered the elite group of the supercar class and are sometimes defined as the very best that the supercar category can offer. The Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Huayra, and Ferrari LaFerrari are examples of hypercars typically produced in extremely limited numbers and sell for over $1,000,000. Featuring state-of-the-art designs and technology, they produce about 1,000 horsepower or more, are often equipped with a hybrid drivetrain, and deliver a level of performance unmatched by most other cars.

Meanwhile, a megacar is the most powerful and rare among hypercars, usually producing more than 1 megawatt (1,340 horsepower). The Koenigsegg Regera is a megacar that combines a 1,100 horsepower ICE with a 700 horsepower electric motor to achieve 1,500 horsepower. Here are the best supercar models from every major brand.

Lamborghini first introduced the Huracán in 2014, but over the nearly 10 years of production, the Italian automaker has evolved the model with upgrades and new variants to keep it current. Lamborghini produces the mid-engine Huracán as a coupe or a convertible in three main trims: Evo, STO, and the Tecnica. All versions are fitted with the same engine, a 5.2-liter V10 coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The rear-wheel-drive EVO generates 602 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque while the all-wheel-drive version produces 630 horsepower and 443 lb-ft. Both the STO and the Tecnica are only available in RWD, both making 630 horsepower and 417-lb-ft of torque.

Lamborghini designed the Huracán STO for the track with extensive carbon-fiber bodywork, a tuned suspension for maximum cornering, aggressive aerodynamics for maximum downforce, and ultra-high-performance carbon-ceramic brakes. The STO accelerates to 60 mph in a mere 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 193 mph.

The newer Huracán Tecnica has many of the STO track-focused features but lacks the higher-performance aerodynamic elements. It offers a normally trimmed front trunk and a more comfortable interior. However, the Tecnica matches the STO performance, reaching 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and a slightly higher top speed of 202 mph. Although the EVO, with its AWD system, outweighs the other two models at 3,645 pounds, it accelerates harder reaching 60 mph in an impressive 2.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 202 mph.

Pagani has unveiled its newest supercar, the Utopia, as the successor to the highly successful Huayra and Zonda. Like its predecessors, the new car offers its own unique style, with an unusual triple rear window arrangement inspired by Riva speedboats and the classic Italian Vespa scooter, albeit with a design theme characteristic of a Pagani automobile.

For now, Pagani has chosen to avoid the trend toward hybridized powertrains in high-performance cars followed by other exotic car manufacturers. The Utopia, scheduled to go on sale mid-2023, will be powered, as is the Huayra, by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-12 developed by AMG that generates 852 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque. Pagani offers two transmission options, a traditional seven-speed manual transmission and an Xtrac seven-speed automated manual transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. Pagani claims the remarkably powerful V-12 will meet U.S. federal safety standards and California's strict emissions standards.

The Utopia achieves its lightweight (2,822 lbs) design with a core structure built using carbon fiber and a Carbo-Titanium material, a mixture of composite and high-strength metal patented by Pagani, lightweight carbon bodywork, and chrome alloy subframes. Although Pagani has not released official acceleration and speed figures, based on the 852 horsepower and its lightweight the Utopia should reach 60 mph in well under three seconds and achieve a top speed near 220 mph. The 2023 Pagani Utopia base price is estimated at $2,200,000.

Despite its exceptional performance — which often matches the world's best sports cars — the Chevrolet Corvette has often been criticized for its American style. MotorTrend once wrote the sports car was designed for "Middle American old guys. It was a car designed in Michigan and built in Kentucky, and it looked the part." Often criticized for cheaply executed interiors and a tacky design at an affordable price, the introduction of the mid-engine C8 in 2020 made a radical change that vaulted the Corvette into the realm of best supercars at a surprisingly reasonable price.

The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is available as a coupe with a manually removable roof panel or as a convertible employing a power-retractable hardtop. Chevrolet equipped the Corvette with the LT6 5.5-liter V8 engine featuring a lightweight flat-plane crankshaft typically found on expensive exotic cars. The mill produces 670 horsepower at 8400 rpm and 460 lb-ft of torque at 6300 rpm.

The interior of the new Z06 is far superior to previous generations, with generous seating space and Corvette's infotainment system. The Z07 Performance Package includes a specially tuned suspension, robust Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, and high-performance Michelin tires, while the Aero package adds carbon-fiber exterior body elements, a front splitter, and a rear spoiler. The Corvette Z06 is perhaps the best supercar deal for the money with a starting MSRP of $105,300 — especially when compared to European supercars such as the 2023 Ferrari F8 Tributo, whose base price is $283,950.

Aston Martin introduced the AM-RB 003 concept car at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Subsequently renamed Valhalla, the production version was initially scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2023. However, Aston Martin has pushed out the launch of its most powerful vehicle to 2024. At the core of the Valhalla is its all-new Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) powertrain, which includes a rear-mounted 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with a flat-plane-crank design. It is the most advanced, responsive, and best-performing V8 engine ever installed in an Aston Martin.

The new V8 engine's power combines with a 400V battery hybrid system, featuring an electric motor on both axles that contributes an additional 204PS. The result is a total power output of over 1,000PS (937 horsepower) and 738 lb-ft of torque. All that power reaches the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and accelerates the Valhalla to 62 mph in a blistering 2.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 mph.

Weight reduction is achieved with ample use of carbon fiber for the vehicle's structure and the engine cover. The mid-engine car will feature an aerodynamic body with exceptionally low-drag, adaptive dampers and two-stage springs that are adjustable for an ultra-low track mode. Stopping power will be supplied by efficient carbon-ceramic brakes. Aston Martin plans a production run with at least 999 street-legal versions priced near $800,000.

Although the first Audi R8 was introduced in 2006, it wasn't until 2009 that the German sports car gained true supercar attributes. Audi's success at Le Mans and the Volkswagen Group's acquisition of Lamborghini prompted the automaker to make a power upgrade and performance improvements. Audi installed the 5.2-liter V-10 from the Lamborghini LP 560-4 into the R8, increasing the output to 518 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. The zero-to-60 mph time dropped to 3.9 seconds, and the top speed increased to 196 mph.

The 2023 Audi R8 will be the last production year for the V-10. To honor the powerful engine, the automaker offers a special-edition R8 GT in a RWD coupe configuration with the 5.2-liter engine producing 602 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. The latest R8 accelerates to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 199 mph.

To improve the already excellent handling, Audi now offers the R8 with electronic stability control for the rear axle in seven settings, from minimum to maximum slide. The customizable stability controls mean the R8 can be adjusted for different drivers and abilities. The GT comes with a high gooseneck rear wing, carbon-fiber front splitter, rear scoops, side spats, and a diffuser to optimize drag and improve stability. Audi will make only 333 special-edition R8 GT RWD coupes at a base price of $252,695.

The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first RS (Rennsport) and does it in spades. While the GT3 and GT3 Touring produce 502 horsepower, the street-legal GT3 RS supercar fitted with a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat six produces 518 horsepower and 342 lb-ft of torque.

However, the most significant feature is the aerodynamic design with active, movable front-and-rear wings resulting in 895 pounds of downforce at 124 mph and 1,896 pounds at 177 mph. The GT3 and GT3 Touring come standard with a manual transmission, while the GT3 RS, at a base price of $225,250, is equipped exclusively with the PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung) gearbox. Car and Driver tests showed the seven-speed PDK automatic can shift quicker than even the most skilled driver when manually changing gears.

On the Car and Driver test track, the GT3 with an automatic managed a 2.7-second 0 to 60 time. Porsche claims a top speed of 199 mph. As impressive as the acceleration and speed numbers are, exceptional handling is the highlight of the Porsche GT3 series. GT division boss Andreas Preuninger told MotorTrend, "This car, on high-speed corners with a Cup-R-rated street tire, is quicker than a 911 Cup race car on slicks."