When it launched in 1986, it was the most advanced car on the planet - only for the Group B rallying series it was designed to race in was cancelled following a series of tragic crashes; the 959's top speed was a tick shy of 200mph, outstripped by more than a few, and it took only seven years to build (there were 337), but we think there's more than enough substance to give the 959 a more than worthy kicking off for this story. We took it out again today: "And then you hit 4800rpm. Which is where the big turbo kicks in. And suddenly you know it's been hardly trying so far. And it doesn't shove you in the back of the seat. It blasts you backward…". By 2019 standard, this 959 is shockingly quick. Back in 1986 it must have been like an artillery shell.
Ferrari F40 (1987)
Ferrari estimated that the F40 could reach 201mph, officially making it the first production car to get anywhere near the double ton. In its heyday, no one outside Ferrari could quite get close to this - but it's such a mad car with its twin turbo 478bhp V8 that it makes it into our hypercars club, anyway. Because, come on, you would, wouldn't you? This was the last car the founder himself approved before his death in 1988. Our conclusion at the time? "On a fast road it is a scintillatingly quick car which is as gentle and alluring as it is fast; a car that can challenge drivers without being difficult, which can possess enormous grip as well as exhibit astonishing balance and good behavior."
Vector W8 (1989)
Vehicle Design Force was founded in 1978, and a few years later, they created the first non-running prototype. More than a decade after that, they launched the first car for sale, the W8. It took another 10 years before Gerry Wiegert was able to actually start selling his cars, but here is Gerry Wiegert's impressive base of operations. We included it here because his first car, the W8, was such a legendary beast at the time that it deserved special mention. Vital stats he claimed for the car: 625bhp and a top speed of 242mph.
Bugatti EB110 (1991)
Here's one to add to the array of classic supercars: the Bugatti EB110. When Romano Artioli re-established the Bugatti marque in 1991, critics could not accuse him of playing it safe. The 6.0-litre quad-turbo V12-powered EB110 delivered an impressive 550bhp in standard form or a powerful 604bhp in Supersport form, which Bugatti proudly claimed could reach an exhilarating 216mph. Only 139 EB110s rolled off the production line before the company unfortunately went into bankruptcy in 1995. It's not luckier before we drive it: "Consider the quickest sports car you've ever experienced, and recall the moment you floored it to overtake two or more caravans, but whatever speed that was, double it and you will have some idea of the acceleration of this remarkable car."
Jaguar XJ220 (1992)
Presented here in concept shape with a V12 engine and four-wheel drive, the production version actually utilized a 3.5 litre twin-turbo V6 and featured rear-wheel drive. Customers sued Jaguar, but despite the 540bhp XJ220 only having rear-wheel drive, it still managed to be the fastest production car in the world when it was released. We took the car out once more recently for an evaluation. Our verdict? "Whatever the rights and wrongs of the spat between Jaguar and the XJ220, all those years ago, the guilty bystander, the innocent here, was the XJ220. In the right environment, it still serves as a superb driving instrument, a total sensory feast that you could not seriously expect a McLaren F1, which might be ten or twenty times the price, to better in any significant way, or at best, a reasonably common F40."
McLaren F1 (1994)
Rarer than its creators ever planned, the F1 was also the first and last of its breed. It was lighter, simpler and of course a fraction of the weight of some of the monsters of that type. Manufacturers produced 106 of the type, including GT cars, with the BMW V12 engine delivering 627bhp for a 240mph top speed. It's now a bit old hat, but at the time it was mental. We recently drove it once more, on the 25th anniversary of our roadtest of the car – the only all-round one ever. Here's what we said: "The F1 is just as wonderful today as a piece of history any different from the F1 as it was all those years ago as the world's most revolutionary supercar."
Ferrari F50 (1995)
Ferrari F50, the second and last of the F series The V12 Ferrari F50 after the twin-turbo V8 F40, also became a much more civilised car and a much more rare specimen than the F40. Manufacturers built a total of only 349 F50s compared to the 1311 F40s.
What did we say about the F50 at the time? "The beauty of the F50 is that it can do GP car through the corners and still be the 200mph kind of thing that any halfway decent driver can really punt with enormous satisfaction and total trust."
FAQ's
1. What actually defines a hypercar?
A hypercar is an ultra-exclusive, top-tier performance vehicle that exceeds standard supercars through groundbreaking engineering, extreme power outputs (often exceeding 1,000 horsepower), and extremely limited production numbers.
2. Which car started the modern hypercar era?
The Bugatti Veyron, launched in the mid-2000s, is widely credited with kicking off the modern hypercar era by combining a quad-turbo W16 engine, over 1,000 horsepower, and a top speed exceeding 250 mph.
3. How much do the world's greatest hypercars cost?
Prices typically range from $1 million to well over $3 million for brand-new models, with rare vintage or limited-edition variants frequently appreciating significantly higher at private auctions.
4. Are all hypercars gasoline-powered?
No, while historic greats relied on massive internal combustion engines, many modern titans utilize advanced hybrid powertrains or pure electric setups to achieve mind-bending acceleration, such as the Rimac Nevera or McLaren P1.
5. Why are hypercars built in such small quantities?
They are usually hand-built using expensive, aerospace-grade materials like carbon fiber and titanium, and their restricted production runs ensure elite exclusivity for high-end collectors.
