Five fastest open top cars

Friday, 29 June 2018

We generally think of open top cars as something relaxing. Something that you could mow the lawn in your flat cap behind. But not all of them are.

Open-top cars are generally thought of as something that you can enjoy a relaxed cruise in on a sunny day.

But they aren't all like that. Some of them are dangerously unhinged. In a very good way, that is.

Today we take a look at five of the fastest open topped cars ever produced. And a Formula 1 car only makes the middle of the list!

Named after a British racing legend and styled after his most famous car, the Stirling Moss SLR didn't need no stinkin' windscreen.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss

Top speed: 350kmh.

The McMerc was a fast enough car in its own right, but when the end finally came, McLaren and Mercedes pulled out all the stops. As well as pulling off the roof and windscreen.

When it appeared in 2012, the open Bugatti was the fastest topless car in the world.

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Usually limited by downforce, F1 cars have never really been about top speed. Except that one time BAR Honda decided they were.

Named after the legendary British racing driver, the Stirling Moss edition of the SLR was around 200kg lighter than the standard car and was limited to just 75 units. Its thumping 5.4-litre supercharged V8 produced 480kW and would rocket to 100kmh in 3.5 seconds. Which would mean you would really want to wear sunglasses, unless you were a fan of being blinded by bugs.

And before you bring up the LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder - yeah, they'll both hit 350 as well, but this is WAY cooler.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse

Top speed: 408kmh.

The Hennessey Venom is an all-American machine. Except for the Lotus bits.

The last version of the game-changing Veyron was also the fastest open top car in the world when it first appeared in targa roof form in 2012.

Packing an 8.0-litre W16 engine with three radiators, three intercoolers and four turbochargers that produced a thoroughly colossal 880kW of power and 1500Nm of torque (it needed it, because it also weighed a not inconsiderable 1900kg), the Grand Sport Vittesse could belt to 100kmh in 2.6 seconds and, while limited to 'just' 375kmh in road trim, was taken to an unrestricted top speed of 408.8kmh on Volkswagen's test track.

F1 car/IndyCar

Top speed: 413kmh.

Well, technically they ARE open top cars. Just not road legal ones.

With everything open, the Koenigsegg Agera RS looks like it wants to eat you. Actually it looks like it does with everything closed as well.

While both Formula 1 and IndyCar single seaters are limited in their top speeds by aero depending on how they are setup, a super low downforce BAR Honda was driven to 413kmh at Bonneville in 2005 and, while unofficial, is the highest recorded speed achieved by an F1 car. On track, however, several drivers have exceeded 370kmh.

The same goes for F1's American cousin, IndyCar, with top speeds of around 370kmh being hit during races, an unofficial top speed of 413kmh was recorded by Paul Tracy in 1996.

Hennessey Venom GT Spider

Top speed: 427kmh.

Now here's where things get properly fast. Faster than F1 fast.

The Hennessey Venom GT was all kinds of insanity jammed into what was originally a Lotus Exige.

US tuner Hennessey shoe-horned a colossal 928kW 7.0-litre twin turbo V8 into the tiny British sports car to create something that shattered speed records all over the show.

This wasn't good enough for Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, who asked Hennessey to build an open version for him. They did, plus five more, and created something that probably goes a long way to explaining why Tyler looks like he does today. Well, that and the 1970s.

Koenigsegg Agera RS

Top speed: 457kmh.

While none of these cars would be recommended for someone with a toupee, the Koenigsegg Agera RS is a danger to people with their own hair, as it could probably rip your scalp clean off if you stuck your head up while it was doing its top speed.

Its twin turbo 5.0-litre V8 produced 865kW as 'standard', with an option to increase this to a nice, round 1000kW.

Officially recognised as the world's fastest production car in November 2017 with a two-way average top speed of 447.19kmh, the Agera RS also recorded an outright top speed of 457.94kmh on a one-way run.