Sometimes you don’t need miles of road to experience the thrill of a really fast car. When you’re behind the wheel of a car that possesses incredible acceleration power, even short straightaways can provide a driver with the time of their life. The short distance of a quarter-mile has long been the gauntlet by which a car that claims to be fast is put to the test, and in the world of production cars, there is an exclusive club of incredibly performing automobiles that can cover the quarter-mile in ten seconds or less. Achieving that feat and making a car that represents the pinnacle of performance requires the highest degrees of engineering, skill, and resources. Cars that dominate the fastest quarter-mile possess the greatest innovations, ranging from 16-cylinder engines, to the most advanced hybrid systems, to electric powertrains that deliver torque like you’ve never seen before. Because every entry on this list is a 10-second car, building the fastest ¼ mile car requires pulling all the stops. So, a 1/4 mile of blacktop lies between you and whatever it is you are trying to reach. How are you going to get there? Obviously, a 10-second quarter-mile car is the best solution, but you don’t know quarter-mile times of streetcars off the top of your head. To help you out, here are the top 10 fastest quarter-mile times of production cars. As Dominic Toretto said, “I live my life a quarter-mile at a time… nothing else. And for those ten seconds or less, I’m free.”
McLaren Senna
- Quarter Mile Time: 10 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 147 mph
- Engine: Twin-Turbo 4.0-liter V8
- Power: 789 hp, 590 lb-ft
- Transmission: 7-speed Double Clutch
McLaren had to make sure that this car lived up to the legacy of its eponymous racing legend. That’s why the McLaren Senna ¼ mile in 10 seconds had to be achieved thanks to its whopping 789 horsepower.
MUST READ: McLaren Senna Price, Specs, Photos & Review
2019 Bugatti Chiron
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.9 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 158 mph
- Engine: 8.0 Liter Quad Turbo W16
- Power: 1,479 hp, 1,180 lb-ft
- Transmission: 7-speed DSG automatic
Over two decades of engineering and research led to the Bugatti Chiron, one of the greatest automotive feats ever, and in more ways than one. While we know it for its impossibly fast top speed, the Bugatti Chiron ¼ mile in 9.9 seconds, thanks to its 16-cylinder engine and four turbochargers make sure it doesn’t waste its time getting there.
MUST READ: Bugatti Chiron Price, Specs, Photos & Review
2011 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.8 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 145 mph
- Engine: 8-liter W16 quad-turbocharged petrol
- Power: 1,200 hp, 1,1086 lb-ft
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch
Although it changed the world in 2011, and there have been cars with higher top speeds since, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport ¼ mile in 9.8 seconds, thanks to its incredible W16 engine and highly advanced all-wheel drive system, it remains one of the greatest cars even after more than a decade with one of the fastest quarter-mile times of all time.
MUST READ: Bugatti Veyron Specs, Price, Photos & Review
What is the Fastest Car in the World?
2014 McLaren P1
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.8 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 148.9 mph
- Engine: 3.8 Liter V8 & Hybrid Assist
- Power: 903 hp, 723 lb-ft
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch
The mid-2010s introduced a “Holy Trinity” of hypercars that introduced hybrid powertrains that teamed up with the combustion engines to make them even faster, and thanks to 903 total horsepower, the McLaren P1 ¼ mile in 9.8 seconds ensures that it’s earned that title.
MUST READ: McLaren P1 Price, Specs, Photos & Review
Porsche 918 Spyder
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.8 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 145 mph
- Engine: 4.6 Liter V8 & Hybrid Assist
- Power: 887 hp, 940 lb-ft
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch
The Porsche 918 Spyder ¼ mile in 9.8 seconds is thanks to the fact that it’s a hybrid, seriously. But the Porsche 918 is a hybrid like never seen before, because when the combustion engine needs downtime, for example between switching gears, the electric motors keep the car going as fast as it can, changing the game for quarter-mile times as we know it.
MUST READ: Porsche 918 Spyder Price, Specs, Photos & Review
Ferrari LaFerrari
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.8 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 149 mph
- Engine: 6.3 Liter V12 With Hybrid Assist
- Power: 950 hp, 664 lb-ft
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
The most powerful of the Holy Trinity, the LaFerrari ¼ mile in 9.8 seconds is a result of Ferrari making one of their greatest cars ever. By combining a 6.3 liter V12 and electric motors in a revolutionary hybrid system, the car achieves a mind-blowing 950 horsepower.
MUST READ: Ferrari LaFerrari Price, Specs, Photos & Review
Dodge Challenger Demon
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.65
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 140 mph
- Engine: F 6.2 Liter Supercharged V8
- Power: 840 hp, 770 lb-ft
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
It wouldn’t be a list of quarter-mile times without a bit of classic American speed. The Dodge Challenger Demon ¼ mile in 9.65 seconds pushes the Challenger to its limits with a practically scary 840 horsepower.
MUST READ: 2018 Dodge Demon Specs, Photos, Price, & Review
2021 McLaren 765LT
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.37 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 150.03 mph
- Engine: 5.0 Liter Twin Turbo V8
- Power: 755 hp, 590 lb-ft
- Transmission: 7-speed dual clutch automatic
The LT designation carries lots of McLaren racing heritage, and to live up to the name, the McLaren 765LT ¼ mile in 9.37 seconds is the proud result of track-focused engineering and plenty of power, in the name of 755 horsepower.
MUST READ: McLaren 765LT Price, Specs, Photos, & Review
Tesla Model S Plaid
- Quarter Mile Time: 9.23 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 152.6 mph
- Engine: Electric Motor
- Power: 1,020 hp, 1,050 lb-ft
- Transmission: N/A
Those who doubted the ability of electric cars were promptly left in the dust when the Tesla Model S Plaid ¼ mile in 9.23 seconds proved them wrong in just that amount of time. With a triple motor electric system that produces 1,020 horsepower, and the incredible electric torque we’ve become accustomed to in the name of 1,050 lb-ft, it’s no wonder this car is as fast as it is.
2022 Rimac Nevera
- Quarter Mile Time: 8.58 seconds
- Quarter Mile Max Speed: 167.51 mph
- Engine: Electric
- Power: 1,914 hp, 1,714 lb-ft
- Transmission: N/A
To make an electric car that’s fast enough to make Bugatti want to enter a joint venture, you might just want to end up with the fastest production car ¼ mile time ever. And that’s what Rimac did, with the Rimac Nevera ¼ mile in 8.58 seconds being the fastest quarter-mile car to ever hit the road.
Tell us which car you would drive. If your car is worthy of this list, tell us why in the comments below!
