Cars first became available on a large scale from Ransom Olds in 1902, and on an even greater scale in 1914 from Henry Ford. Since then the most powerful cars on the planet have continued to fascinate us.
Any car fanatic will tell you that there are few things as incredible as the adrenaline rush that comes with driving a powerful car. For this article, we have devoted ourselves to cars that are intended for use on the open road rather than the racetrack – apologies to fans of Formula One!
So which are the cars that we can legitimately identify as the most powerful ever built? Although it is true that you'll be pouring out a substantial amount of money to own such cars – not to mention the price of car insurance; If you are a sufficient rich car fanatic you're probably still stop to think before buying one! Here is our list of five of the most powerful cars ever built.
Ferrari
You'd hardly expect Ferrari to be absent from a list of the most powerful cars of all time. This manufacturer's fantastic catalog of cars makes it an obvious choice to include the Prancing Horse in our top five. With an astonishing 612bhp on offer, the Ferrari 599 GTB can reach amazing speeds of up to 205 miles per hour, while also reaching 62mph from zero before four seconds are up. The 599 GTB looks as amazing as any other Ferrari, in addition to offering the kind of reasons that you would normally only dream of. A big garage would be handy, however, if you do not want pigeons and prying eyes near its gorgeous bodywork.
GMG Apollo
Hold on a second, did not I just say that the Ferrari 599 GTB offers speeds that you could normally only dream of? Well, if I did, it turns out that there's a car that matches it – the German-built GMG Apollo, which can hit 62mph in three seconds flat and that packs 650bhp. This car may have gorgeous gullwing doors, but you are not advised to attempt to take flight by opening them at 360km per hour!
Bugatti
The Bugatti Veyron is a favorite of many people, and offers the kind of frankly ludicrous figures that could embarrass even the GMG Apollo, being capable of reaching 62mph in 2.5 seconds and reflecting 987bhp. This is a super car, out of this world with an engine that supplies raw power and a design that is beautifully elegant and sleek.
Lamborghini
The 640bhp Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is capable of hitting a 211mph maximum speed, making it another favorite of car lovers everywhere and ensuring that you'll never again be late for work! This Lamborghini matches an engine that is oriented towards speed with a touch of style and class on the outside with the help of the company's traditional vertical doors.
Mercedes-Benz
If you want to feel like you're Lewis Hamilton, you could do worse than drive the Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR, which has a carbon fiber chassis and combines unique style and performance. You've certainly got to be the biggest speed freak around not to be happy with this car's 650bhp and 337 km per hour maximum speed, although getting car insurance for this bad boy could be more easily said than done!
So, that's it – five of the most powerful cars ever built, in no particular order. What's your opinion?