Saleen S7
In the early years of the 21st century, the Saleen S7 embodied everything a supercar should be, from styling to performance. Interestingly, it looked like the McLaren F1, given the similar look of the front fascia and headlights. The engine was a 7.0-liter Ford V-8, and you could choose between a naturally aspirated and twin-turbo version. The former meant an output of 550 hp, while the twin turbo increased it to 750 hp. With those numbers, the Saleen S7 could accelerate to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. It also had a six-speed manual transmission, which means the Saleen S7 was designed for the ultimate driving experience. However, it took away every bit of concentration from the driver. The steering was so sensitive that the Porsche Cayman apparently felt sluggish. Few of them had been built by the time the S7 was in production. Steve Saleen himself was relatively calm about the production numbers, although there was a limited LeMans edition in 2018 after rumors of a makeover. The Saleen has since quietly walked out into the night and there is no prospect of a comeback as the company’s backers accuse Saleen’s business associates of fraud and embezzlement.
| engine | 7.0 liter V-8 |
|---|---|
| power | 550 hp / 750 hp |
| 0 to 60 mph | 2.7 seconds |
| transmission | Six-speed manual transmission |
| Top speed | 248 mph |
Read our full review on the Saleen S7
The Vertigo was developed in Belgium by a former racing driver, Tony Gillet, with unique retro styling. The engine is a 4.2 liter Maserati V-8 that develops 420 horsepower and the acceleration time is 3.2 seconds to 60 mph. Its rapid acceleration and apparent speed came from the Carbo-Nomex monocoque shell, which significantly reduced the weight. The Vertigo also had a personalization so that every customer could order the amenities according to their wishes. So far this is the only iteration that has been performed. In 2014, the automaker participated in the production of the Zagato Mostro Maserati with the same monocoque chassis. Since then, the news of the Vertigo has been calm.
| engine | 4.2 liter Maserati V-8 |
|---|---|
| power | 420 hp |
| 0 to 60 mph | 3.2 seconds |
| transmission | 6-speed sequential |
| Top speed | 186 mph |
Read our full review of the Gillet Vertigo.5 Spirit
The Gumpert was manufactured by Apollo Automobili, a German sports car manufacturer, from 2005 to 2012. It was named after Roland Gumpert, a former engineer for Audi Motorsport in the 1980s. Gumpert used his experience during the golden era of the Quattro and developed the no-frills super sports car with a 4.2-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, which was derived from the old version of the Audi RS6. That was connected to a sequential 7-speed manual transmission and produced 641 hp for the base version. Acceleration to 60 mph was 3.1 seconds and the top speed was 223.9 mph. Gumpert also pointed out that the aerodynamic design for the Apollo was optimized so that it could go upside down in a tunnel at 190 mph. Fortunately, no one came in to check. As a street-legal car, it had minimal equipment to keep the weight low, just including air conditioning, infotainment and a rear-view camera. Unfortunately, the manufacturer leveraged its profitability on the potential sale of the supercar in China, but it didn’t catch on. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2013, which resulted in the end of the Gumpert.
| engine | 4.2-liter twin-turbo V-8 |
|---|---|
| power | 641 hp |
| 0 to 60 mph | 3.1 seconds |
| transmission | sequential 7-speed manual transmission |
| Top speed | 224 miles per hour |
Read our full Gumpert Apollo review
The Veritas was developed by Vermot AG in Grafschaft-Germany. Its concept was first unveiled in 2001, and the automaker said it would then produce the first car for the road. The supercar was inspired by Germany’s first Formula 1 car, and the design shares some similarities such as the convertible setting and the far rear driving position. The engine was a 5.0 liter V-10 with 507 horsepower. Given the lightweight structure, the RS III accelerated to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and the top speed was 216 mph. A few models have been exhibited at trade shows, but that’s the extent of its success as only 30 reportedly have been sold. After the announcement of the start of production in 2008, there was hardly any news. The company then went dormant until 2014.
| engine | 5.0 liter V-10 |
|---|---|
| power | 507 hp |
| 0 to 60 mph | 3.2 seconds |
| transmission | 7-speed SMG |
| Top speed | 216 miles per hour |
Read our full Veritas RS III review
The A10 is another supercar that was built by a small British company. It was announced in 2001, but it took four years to get into production and not very long. The Ascari styling is characterized by large side inlets and a wide structure that is reminiscent of the current super sports cars. Like the Veritas, it had a BMW M5 engine that was a 4.9 liter V-8. It was tuned to 500 hp, a hundred more than the M5’s output. It accelerated to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and the top speed was 215 mph. Sources vary as to the number of cars Ascari built, but the consensus is that fewer than a hundred were made.
| engine | 4.9 liter V-8 |
|---|---|
| power | 500 hp |
| 0 to 60 mph | 2.8 seconds |
| transmission | sequential 6-speed manual transmission |
| Top speed | 215 miles per hour |
Read our full review on the Ascari A10
The Imperator is one of the rarest super sports cars and was based on a Mercedes Benz concept in 1978. The styling of the Imperator is unique, with double doors and a narrower front apron. Despite the quirkiness, it had an overall look similar to the Lamborghinis and Ferraris of the 1980s. The Imperator 108i had various eight-cylinder engine options from Mercedes. The first was a 5.0 liter V-8 engine that developed 235 horsepower. That was soon replaced by a 6.0-liter V-8 that developed up to 420 hp. Acceleration to 60 mph was 5.0 seconds, similar to the newly released AMG Hammer. Although the Imperator was estimated to have been in production for ten years, it was built in few numbers and only 30 are believed to have been produced.
| engine | 6.0 liter V-8 |
|---|---|
| power | 420 hp |
| 0 to 60 mph | 5.0 seconds |
| transmission | Five-speed manual transmission |
| Top speed | 176 miles per hour |
Read our full Isdera Imperator 108i review
The Lykan Hypersport was a Lebanese hypercar produced by W Motors. It was intended for limited production as only seven units were produced between 2013 and 2017. The Lyken gained seven major notoriety through video games and his appearance as the skyscraper jump hyper-car in the movie Fast and Furious. The engine is a 3.7 liter twin turbo boxer engine with 780 hp. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph was 2.8 seconds and the top speed was 240 mph. Apart from the impressive performance, it offered a lot of opulence with bespoke carbon fiber and leather interior. Precious metals like platinum, silver and diamonds were also used for the cabin and the front LED optics.
| engine | 3.7 liter twin turbo flat six |
|---|---|
| power | 780 hp |
| 0 to 60 mph | 2.8 seconds |
| transmission | sequential 6-speed manual transmission |
| Top speed | 240 km / h |
Read our full review on the Lykan Hyper-Sport
