The world’s mightiest contenders do battle for the undisputed title of the fastest production car ever made in existence, breaking the almighty 300 mph speed barrier. We’ve seen previously the competition between the Bugatti Veyron SuperSport, the Hennessey Venom GT and the Koenigsegg Agera RS. To which the King of the Hill was the Agera RS, achieving a 284-mph top speed. Though that’s yesterday’s news and the new competition is craving a need for speed and a thirst for victory.
With automotive engineering at a constant evolution, we’ve witnessed a big jump in automotive advancements in technology. Each year cars become more powerful, faster and agile. Pushing the edge of the technological envelope and into the unknown, the best time to be alive to witness the peak of automotive engineering would be now. With every mainstream manufacturer wanting to release the next best thing, though a new war is dawning upon us and amongst the mist are three of the mightiest speed machines are set to break the benchmark and reach speeds going into the unknown.
The Devel Sixteen
The supposed Leviathan of Speed. Devel out of nowhere came out with an unbelievable and a science fiction car, the Sixteen, an insane 5000 bhp V16 that’s set to break the 300-mph benchmark and going onto achieving a 348-mph top speed. Unveiled at the Dubai Motor Show in late 2017 with performance figures and tech specs having been recently released. This is definitely one contender that Bugatti nor Hennessey did not expect to be a direct threat to them.
The Devel Sixteen has been on the hype train for a number of years now, not much has been revealed about it. At the time we all thought it was some sort of internet sensation, an unbelievable hypercar bred from the midst of the desert and set to dominate the automotive world. A practical joke to quench the thirst of every petrolhead in the world, well, it would seem that this behemoth of a monster is more than just a legend.
Armed with a 12.3 litre Quad-Turbo V16 developing 5,007bhp and 3,757lb/ft of torque means that Devel isn’t messing about and is willing to wipe out anyone standing in their way. With 0-62mph achieved in only 1.8 seconds, where Devel themselves say that the Sixteen will definitely surpass the 300-mph barrier. The question now remains, where will the speedometer stop? It’s been theorised that the Devel Sixteen will go onto a top speed of 348 mph, that figure on its own boggles the mind. Though the new contender is going up against the previous competitors from Hennessey and Bugatti, and they are not going down without a fight.
The Bugatti Chiron
Bugatti’s history with breaking world records is well renowned, and you don’t have to be a petrol head to know that the Veyron, launched back in 2005, is what launched the endless and relentless speed war. Forcing the automotive world to push the edge of the technological envelope to break records, barriers and even automotive science. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is what set the benchmark for being the fastest car in the world, with Koenigsegg taking a crack at it and dominating over the competition. Till now, which launched the most anticipated speed event the world has ever witnessed. To break the almighty 300 mph barrier.
Equipped with an 8.0 litre W16 Quad-Turbo engine, releasing 1,479bhp and 1,180lb/ft of torque. Is enough to propel the reincarnated legend from 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds and onto a limited top speed of 261mph. Though that being said, the Chiron is still being tested to this day and as stated by the boss of Bugatti “The Chiron can and will break the 300mph speed barrier, we just need to ensure that the tyres themselves can withstand that amount of pressure”.
The Bugatti Chiron is a technological and an automotive masterpiece, a work of art and magnificence. Their heritage and past records have put their name in the history books, a legend in the making. Though Bugatti isn’t stopping there, the Chiron offers both luxury and performance. It is the ultimate Grand Tourer, costing in at £2.5 million and their reign of terror isn’t going to stop anytime soon.
The Hennessey Venom F5
The Venom GT, the Venom F5’s predecessor outgunned and top trumped the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. Outrunning the Veyron SS and only being beaten recently by the Koenigsegg Agera RS. With Hennessey’s thirst for blood now more prominent than ever, knowing that there are chinks in Bugatti’s armour, are willing to stop at nothing to break into the 300-mph top speed.
Engulfed with an astonishing 8.0 litre Twin-Turbo, developing 1,600bhp and 1,300lb/ft of torque. With reaching onto a top speed of 301mph, though 0-62mph times are not provided an astonishing 0-249mh time is achieved in under 20 seconds. Meaning that Hennessey is providing little teases about the Venom F5’s performance and are playing a psychological war on their contenders.
Hennessey’s reputation on developing and producing powerful mean machines is uncanny, and they know a thing or two about creating some of the world’s fastest and most powerful speed machines to dominate and conquer the automotive world. Created with one purpose and one purpose only… speed.
The Outcome
The competition is fierce, no doubt, with each contender trying to outgun each other. Showcasing which of their machines will be the first to achieve 300mph and dominate that field, that being said, the problem here is this. Bugatti, Hennessey and Devel have all provided estimates of their hypercars being able to achieve 300mph and over, therefore we won’t know completely for sure until these speed machines are put through their paces.
Devel, however, even though it has showcased the amount of funding and support they are receiving in the ultimate pursuit for speed. There is a lot of scepticism in regard to the Devel’s true potential, that being said the Devel Sixteen will not be a street legal car like the Venom F5 and the Bugatti Chiron. Though there are rumours of street-legal variants of the Sixteen to be made in the future, though how true this statement is remains a mystery.
Realistically it would seem that the heat is between the Bugatti Chiron and the Hennessey Venom F5, both have a stone set in motion, both are heavily being tested and their top speeds are literal as opposed to theoretical. Though the Chiron has showcased more evidence for conquering the 300mph barrier, however, the problem that still remains is the durability of the tyres. The Tyres alone on the Bugatti Chiron cost an eye-watering £13,000, though to what extent are the tyres capable of being able to tolerate stress and pressure at that sort of speed. All three contenders have been talking about special tyres being in development to handle the stress load, though we are definitely in for one hell of a battle. One that hasn’t been witnessed for quite some time.
Bleeding Edge Digital 