When I was a young lad, I used to think that the numbers on the face of speedometers showed how fast it went. As I grew up, I found that manufacturers could be wildly optimistic, and even bending the truth if the truth be told.
I also found that top speed was academic, as there were not many places where you could unleash the beast. Zero to 60 mph (or zero to 100 kph) was a much better yardstick for car performance. The following table came from an American source so is in mph, but the times are generally only around 0.1 kph difference for the metric regions, so here you go.
Venom 1000TT
2002 Chevrolet Corvette (Lingenfelter 427 Twin Turbo) 0-60 mph 1.97
2002 Viper Hennessey Venom 1000TT 0-60 mph 2.2
2014 Porsche 918 Spyder 0-60 mph 2.3
2012 Ariel Atom 500 (V8) 0-60 mph 2.3
2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento 0-60 mph 2.4
2013 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse 0-60 mph 2.4
2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport 0-60 mph 2.4
2009 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 0-60 mph 2.4
2007 Caparo T1 0-60 mph 2.5
2013 Caterham Seven R600 Roadster 0-60 mph 2.5
2012 Hennessey Venom GT 0-60 mph 2.5
2015 Ariel Atom 3.5R 0-60 mph 2.5
2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport 0-60 mph 2.5
2015 SSC Tuatara 0-60 mph 2.5
2010 Pagani Zonda R 0-60 mph 2.6
2006 Ultima GTR 720 0-60 mph 2.6
2013 Ariel Atom 3.5 0-60 mph 2.6
2014 Ferrari LaFerrari 0-60 mph 2.6
2013 SSC Ultimate Aero XT 0-60 mph 2.6
2013 Caterham Seven Superlight R500 SV Roadster 0-60 mph 2.7
2014 Caterham Seven 620R 0-60 mph 2.7
2013 Caterham SP300R 0-60 mph 2.7
2013 Nissan GT-R Track Pack 0-60 mph 2.7 2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO 0-60 mph 2.7
2012 BAC Mono 0-60 mph 2.7
2014 McLaren P1 0-60 mph 2.7
2012 Koenigsegg Agera R 0-60 mph 2.7
2006 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 0-60 mph 2.7
2007 SSC Ultimate Aero TT 0-60 mph 2.7
2009 Caparo T1 Race Extreme 0-60 mph 2.8
2011 Caterham Seven Superlight R500 Roadster 0-60 mph 2.8
2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera 0-60 mph 2.8
2011 HTT Plethore 0-60 mph 2.8
2008 Ariel Atom 500 (V8) 0-60 mph 2.5
Certainly there are road cars which could challenge an F1 car up to 60 mph and how the Lingenfelter Corvette managed 1.97 I do not know. A little Googling brought up the following: Lingenfelter’s 2001 Corvette 427 with 800 rear wheel horsepower and a twin-turbo was the one which managed the 1.97 second 0-60. Currently, the most powerful vehicle they have in their stable is a 2006 twin-turbo Corvette Z06 with 1,109 rear wheel horsepower worth $288,540.
I have mentioned the Hennessey Venom GT before, which last year set a new world speed record for 2-seat sports cars by reaching a top speed of 435.31 km/h. The run was performed at the John F. Kennedy Space Center on the 3.2 mile Space Shuttle landing runway.
