Hyper-Performance Cars
Extreme performance cars came to the fore in the 1990s with models that broke both styling conventions and speed records. Manufacturers used technology and materials from Formula 1 to set new benchmarks for what production models could look like and how they behaved on the road. Some marques created race-tuned models; others added extra horsepower to their existing designs.
Jaguar XJS, 1991
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,980 cc, straight-six |
| Top speed | 143 mph (230 km/h) |
First seen in 1976, the XJ-S was re-engineered and relaunched in 1991 (minus the hyphen). In 1993 it was offered with a 6.0-liter, V12 engine. Production of the XJS ended in 1996.
Jaguar XK8, 1996
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,996 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 155 mph (249 km/h) |
Released in 1996 to critical acclaim, Jaguar’s all-new XK8 model was available either as a handsome coupe or a stylish convertible.
Jaguar XKR, 1998
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,996 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 155 mph (249 km/h) |
As a high-performance variant of the XK8, Jaguar’s XKR boasted faster acceleration and superior road-handling qualities over the standard model.
Bentley Continental R, 1991
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 6,750 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 150 mph (241 km/h) |
This gentleman’s express was styled by British designers John Heffernan and Ken Greenley. The turbocharged engine gave about 325 bhp, although no official figure was ever revealed.
Ferrari 456GT, 1992
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 5,474 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 186 mph (300 km/h) |
The Pininfarina styling of the highly popular 456 emphasized refinement and comfort. This exceptionally fast 2+2 coupe remained in production for more than a decade.
McLaren F1 GTR, 1995
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 6,064 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 230 mph (370 km/h) |
In 1995 McLaren’s F1 road model was developed for competition use. Equipped with a modified BMW engine, the F1 GTR won the 1995 Le Mans 24-hour race in France.
Ferrari 355, 1994
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 3,495.5 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 183 mph (295 km/h) |
The first Ferrari road model to feature semi-automatic paddle gearshifters, the 355 is one of the most beautiful recent offerings from the famous Italian marque.
Aston Martin DB7 Volante, 1996
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,228 cc, straight-six |
| Top speed | 165 mph (266 km/h) |
The soft-top Volante was launched about three years after the sublime DB7 Coupé. With its supercharged engine giving 335 bhp, it was a firm favorite among Aston Martin fans.
Ferrari 348GTB, 1994
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 3,405 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 174 mph (280 km/h) |
Launched in 1989, the 348 was uprated five years later to GTB specification. Modified versions were quick enough to compete in top-class race series.
Ferrari F50, 1995
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 4,698.5 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 202 mph (325 km/h) |
The F50, Ferrari’s 50th anniversary model, utilized technology and materials derived from the marque’s Formula 1 team to create one of the most desirable cars ever produced.
Bugatti EB110, 1991
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 3,499 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 213 mph (343 km/h) |
After an absence of more than 30 years, the fabled Bugatti marque returned in the early 1990s with this 560bhp supercar, of which just 139 examples were built.
Lotus Esprit V8, 1996
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 3,500 cc, V8 |
| Top speed | 175 mph (282 km/h) |
Thirty years after the Lotus Esprit was unveiled as a concept car, the model was still going strong, with this V8 version boasting scintillating performance figures.
Alfa Romeo 155 DTM, 1993
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 2,498 cc, V6 |
| Top speed | 186 mph (300 km/h) |
This highly tuned 155 participated in the German DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) touring-car series, winning the competition in both 1993 and 1996.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class DTM, 1994
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 2,500 cc, V6 |
| Top speed | 186 mph (300 km/h) |
Mercedes-Benz launched its new C-Class compact car in 1993. The following year, this modified version of the car secured immediate success by winning the DTM touring-car series in Germany.
Lamborghini Diablo, 1990
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 5,709 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 202 mph (325 km/h) |
Replacing Lamborghini’s legendary Countach, the all-new Diablo earned its supercar status by briefly laying claim to being the fastest production car in the world.
Lister Storm, 1993
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 6,996 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 208 mph (335 km/h) |
Race-car maker Lister Cars’ first foray into the supercar market was the impressive Storm, which had one of the largest engines ever fitted to a production car.
Renault Clio V6, 2001
| Origin | France/UK |
| Engine | 2,946 cc, V6 |
| Top speed | 146 mph (235 km/h) |
To transform the performance of its Clio hatchback, Renault enlisted the help of the British company TWR. The result was this stunningly quick, mid-engined, 230 bhp racer.
Porsche 911, 1998
| Origin | Germany |
| Engine | 3,600 cc, flat-six |
| Top speed | 170 mph (274 km/h) |
In 1998 a water-cooled engine was fitted into the Porsche 911, replacing the air-cooled unit that had powered the 911 since the model’s inception in 1963.
It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011
