There are 5 cars I would not mind showing up in my garage one morning. Don't get me wrong I love the cars I have and they are just right for me, but there are those days I wish I could take one of these for a spin. Now, I know what you are thinking and you are absolutely not alone, can some of these even be considered "cars?"
What Makes a Car Fast? It's not just a Big Engine.
Well the division of motor vehicles allows them to be called cars and they are the fastest of the fast automobiles on the planet. I have been fortunate to climb behind the wheel of some very adept cars and trucks, to build others, and even to own a few, even been able to get my dream car, but these are in a different league. These are the 5 best rated automobiles in the world, when it comes to their horsepower-to-weight-ratio. Lighter means faster; some of these cars are not outfitted with massive engines, but their gross vehicle weight is very light. Some of these cars are as familiar as the Toyota Prius is to a group on tree-huggers and others are virtually unknown. The one thing that they have in common is tremendous horsepower and light weight, which makes them scary fast and (for me at least) very desirable.
An old favorite, known as the Blue Devil, proves that it can continue to compete. Coming in with a horsepower-to-weight-ratio of .198, that is 3,219-lbs. of curb weight and 638-horsepower (don’t forget 604 lb.-ft. of torque). The Blue devil is equipped with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine and can achieve 60 mph, from a dead-stop, in just 3.9-seconds. The price tag is a reasonable $115,000.
The British made Capato T1 is basically a street-legal (in the U.K.) Formula-One car. It is fitted with a thin carbon-fiber body over an aluminum monocoque racing chassis. Powered by a 3.5-liter turbocharged V8 engine, which produces 575-horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, the T1 can bolt from 0-60 mph in just 2.5-seconds. The horsepower to weight ratio for the T1 is .55 horsepower per pound. It seats two (not comfortably) and the cost is approximately $400,000.
SSC North America, formerly known as Shelby Super Cars, offers the SSC Ultimate Aero CCX. With a horsepower-to-weight-ratio of .46 and a top speed of 278 mph, this is truly one of the fastest cars in the world. An astounding 1,300-horsepower are extracted from the 6.9-liter twin turbocharged V8 engine and the approximate price is $655,000.
With a curb weight of just 1,212-lbs. and a 500-horsepower rating, the Ariel Atom V8 has a power-to-weight-ratio of .41. For a price of $160,000, you get what amounts to an oversized go-kart with a 3.0-liter Ariel Atom V8 engine in a state-of-the-art exoskeletal racing chassis, which can go from 0-60 mph in only 2.9-seconds.
Manufactured in Switzerland and named after a Swedish word which means “to act” or “to take action”, the Agera S is equipped with a twin turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 producing 1,140-horsepower and 900 lb.-ft. of torque. The Agera S has a price of $2.5-million, a horsepower-to-weight-ratio rating of .40, and a top speed of 273 mph.
BBC's Episode on the Ariel Atom.
In conclusion, there are some dang fast cars out there! In fact there are these 5. If you ever get the chance to watch the BBC's famous television program "Top Gear" you should find the episode on the Ariel Atom. You will not only be extremely entertained but you will be able to see this car put to the test. My personal favorite is when Jeremy Clarkson sits behind the wheel of the Atom, and nearly has his face ripped off by the extreme speed.
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