13 Exotic Supercars Everyone Needs To Drive at Least Once
Supercars that define automotive passion evoke strong emotions. We’re talking about the velociraptors of the supercar world, the very apex predators of speed, luxury, and bleeding-edge technology. We bet you already know exotic rides that fit this bill, so this should be fun.
We celebrate exotics like the Pagani Huayra and Rimac Nevera because they owe their entire existence to the need for speed, a need to move the markers in automotive design and engineering, no matter how recently the boundary was redrawn.
We’ve grown to expect nothing less from a niche where manufacturers use these mechanical beasts as platforms to showcase innovations and the latest advancements in technology.
For many of us, the sheer thrill of sitting in, let alone driving an exotic supercar is an unforgettable emotional experience. Here’s a toast to 13 exotic supercars that define automotive passion.
Ferrari LaFerrari
The LaFerrari represents the epitome of the Prancing Horse’s engineering prowess. We worship the Mercedes-AMG One concept for using a propulsion technology lifted directly from the German marque’s F1 racing program, but the LaFerrari was the first-ever production car in the world to rely on F1-derived hybrid solution (the HY-KERS system) for propulsion.
The system combines a 148-hp e-motor with the most potent iteration of Ferrari’s legendary V12 engine to deliver 790 horsepower at a howling 9,000 rpm.
Lamborghini Aventador
The Aventador’s dramatic styling and the beastly roar of the AMG-derived V12 engine are the forbearers of the Italian marque’s affinity for capturing the spirit of the wild. The Lamborghini Aventador is a masterpiece of design, proudly showing off the hallmarks of the House of the Raging Bull.
The large intakes and extended side skirts represent a friendly warning that you are standing in the presence of an exceedingly powerful car. The V12 cranks out 769 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 531 lb-ft at 6,750 rpm.
McLaren P1
The McLaren P1 is part of the holy trinity of hypercars released around the same time, including the Ferrari LaFerari and Porsche 918 Spyder. As a member of this trinity, the P1 flaunted a unique design, unlike anything the industry was familiar with, using hybrid technology primarily for performance instead of efficiency.
All three members of the trinity boast unparalleled performance as something they have in common while showcasing unique features that made each a game changer in its own right.
For example, enthusiasts struggled to believe the P1’s propulsion power came from a V8 engine– a 903-hp V8. The driver can adjust the car’s level of downforce, comparable to F1’s drag-reduction system.
Porsche 918 Spyder
The Porsche 918 Spyder is another hallowed member of the holy trinity of hypercars. It emphasized uncompromised performance and driving dynamics in an environmentally conscious package. Remarkably, the 918 Spyder is a plug-in hybrid that tied a mid-mounted 4.6-liter V8 engine to two electric motors (a 115 kW motor at the rear axle and a 95 kW at the front), producing a pounding combined system output of 875 horsepower at 8,700 rpm and 944 lb-ft of torque.
This bleeding-edge hybrid system is at the forefront of what made the 918 Spyder a marvel of automotive engineering. The V8, made almost exclusively of titanium and aluminum, weighs just 298 lbs.
The motivation travels to the rear axle both individually by the combustion engine or electric motor as well as jointly by both drives. There are no belts to replace in this car, as even the A/C and heater are electric, and the engine’s accessories are crank-driven.
Bugatti Chiron
As the legendary Veyron’s replacement, Bugatti made sure the Chiron is worthy of that honor by, among other things, equipping it with a quad-turbocharged W16 engine that laughs at the limits of road cars. We’re talking about an 8.0-liter W16 that mints a staggering 1,500 horsepower and a never-before-seen 1,181 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 and 6,000 rpm.
The result of such potential is that the Chiron is electronically limited to 261 mph top speed for safety reasons. Cosmetically, the Chiron stayed faithful to its predecessor’s design language but looked a lot more aggressive, partly thanks to the four-piece LED headlamps and C-shaped curve on the side.
Pagani Huayra
Pagani Huayra is, in a nutshell, a masterpiece of Italian craftsmanship and engineering. This car allowed Horacio Pagani to finally let loose his obsession with attention to detail and the art of merging art with engineering.
The Huayra is a prime example of art on wheels, flaunting a body and monocoque chassis made from what the industry calls Carbotanium, a composite of carbon fiber and beta-titanium alloy. This material blessed the Huayra supercar with incredible strength though lightweight and a high strength-to-weight ratio.
Koenigsegg Agera RS
The Agera RS’ definition of automotive passion rings loud and clear, not the least by what the automaker called Dihedral Synchro-Helix Actuation Doors. Some might dismiss what this revolutionary door mechanism does as no more than an unnecessary gimmick, but they can’t deny the creativity behind this dramatization of the simple activity of getting in and out of a car.
The Agera RS doors sweeping outwards and upwards are not only captivating to watch but also practical because they open high enough to avoid most curbs and low enough to clear garage ceilings.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
What do the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20, Red Bull Advanced Technologies RB17, and Aston Martin Valkyrie have in common? All three have the magic touch of Red Bull Racing on them. The RB20 is an F1 car that Red Bull developed for the 2024 F1 season, while the RB17 is a 2-seat hypercar that Red Bull Advanced Technologies developed from the ground up for the ultimate track-driving experience.
Likewise, Aston Martin partnered with Red Bull Racing to build a V12-powered track-focused hypercar that will deliver an unparalleled on-road driving experience.
The Valkyrie boasts cutting-edge aerodynamics spearheaded by none other than legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey. The result is a track beast capable of an astounding 3,968 pounds of downforce at high speeds.
Ford GT
The Ford GT said all that needs to be said about automotive passion just by paying homage to the 1960s GT40 race cars. The GT’s patriotic speech involves a potpourri of American muscle and cutting-edge technology, resulting in a modern supercar that continues the legacy of its ancestors by excelling on the road and track.
It uses Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, with 60 percent of its parts shared with the Ford Raptor’s engine and the same block as the engine used by the EcoBoost F-150 trucks, producing 647 horsepower.
Ferrari SF90 Stradale
The SF90 Stradale represents Ferrari’s first foray into the plug-in hybrid propulsion system and a technological tour de force that set a new standard for the Italian sports car manufacturer. It uses a unique PHEV system that the company calls MGUK (Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic), where the ICE integrates two independent electric motors at the front axle and a third at the rear between the engine and gearbox.
In fact, the SF90 Stradale is the first Ferrari to drive in 100% electric mode, traveling for up to 16 miles without the help of the V8 engine. Notably, the car travels exclusively via front-wheel drive in all-electric mode, marking the first time a Ferrari is powered by the front axle only.
Lamborghini Huracán Performante
Lamborghini boasted that the Huracan Performante “reworked the concept of super sports cars and [took] the notion of performance to levels never seen before.”
This updated variant of the Huracan is an embodiment of Lambo’s time-honored and relentless pursuit of supreme performance, as evidenced by the re-engineered engine, chassis, and weight, plus the newly introduced ALA (Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva) active aerodynamics system.
This feature meant the Performante could increase and decrease downforce on cue, leveraging the active front and rear spoilers made entirely of forged composites.
Mercedes-AMG One
To perfect its plans of transferring Formula One technology to the road, Mercedes and its performance division AMG formed the One hypercar using a hybrid propulsion technology borrowed directly from the Mercedes-AMG’s own F1 racing champions.
The highly integrated powertrain has a modified version of the Mercedes-Benz PU106B Hybrid engine from the 2015 Mercedes-AMG F1 W06 F1 car at its heart; a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine tied to four independent e-motors, one at each wheel, linked to the crankcase, with one mounted on the turbocharger. All told, the system delivered a combined output of 1,049 horsepower and 219 mph top speed.
Lotus Evija
The fact that Evija is Lotus’ first all-electric hypercar is just part of the story. It signaled a new direction for the brand, but it wasn’t the first supercar to venture in that direction. What really made the Lotus Evija a supercar that defines automotive passion is what Lotus was always known for; the philosophy of building incredibly powerful cars in a lightweight package.
Enter the Evija showcasing a dramatic but aero-enhanced exterior design marked by a Venturi tunnel running through each rear quarter. This design transforms the carbon fiber-bodied Evija into a ball of mechanical components. Notably, Evija is the first production Lotus to feature a one-piece carbon fiber monocoque chassis.
