The ten fastest cars in the world which are available to drive.

There are few things as likely to start a discussion about the various merits of each car than which car is fastest and what top speed a car can reach compared to its competitor.

While the debates are endless, there is at least a barometer whereby the speed of a car can be compared with its competitors and whether the speediest car really is value for money.

In order to find out what the fastest car is read the top ten list of the world’s fastest cars below listed in reverse numerical order.

Coming in at ten is the which with speeds of 205 miles per hour is the fastest Porsche ever built by the Swabian firm Mercedes. The engine fitted to the Carrera is a 5.7 litre V10 engine which produces 612 DIN (Deutsches Institut fur Normung – a German standard measurement term) and has horsepower of 450kW.

The car can reach over 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds.  The price tag for the Carrera GT is in excess of £300,000 and comes in a variety of colour schemes.

The ninth fastest car in the world is the Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. Described as “exceptionally purist” by the Bologna firm, this version of an Italian classic comes from a 2009 redraw whereby the original model was tweaked – this enabled the speed to reach 212 miles per hour.

The supercar offers the driver 670 brake horsepower and has seen its weight decrease by 220lbs. This means that 0-60 miles per hour can be reached in 3.2 seconds and the top speed can be reached by the use of a small spoiler. If the larger ‘Aeropack Wing’ is used then the speed drops to 209 miles per hour.

Italy’s second supercar to make the top ten list is the Pagani Zonda C12 F, which cruises in at number eight. This model made its first global appearance in 2005 at the Geneva Motor Show. The car is notable for Pagani’s use of carbon fibre with much of the carbon construction left unpainted or under a thin coat of paint to show off the material.

Pagani’s designs enable the Zonda to reach speeds of 215 miles per hour, working the car’s cost out at roughly £100,000 per mile per hour.  The technical excellence of this model has allowed Pagani to challenge the more established firms such as Lamborghini and Ferrari. This has been achieved despite Pagani’s relatively new entry into the world of supercars.

Ferrari’s Enzo model is the next supercar in the top ten, coming in at seventh place with a top speed of 217 miles per hour. The Ferrari Enzo is named in honour of the Italian motoring magnet and can race from 0-60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds. The power comes from a four cylinder valved V12 engine and the 660 brake horsepower generated by the car.

Similar to the Pagani, the body of the car is made from carbon fibre which reduces the weight and allows for a more aero-dynamic vehicle. The Ferrari Enzo is also fitted with power steering and an anti-brake system.

At sixth place in the top ten fastest cars in the world is an example of sheer enthusiasm and desire by employees to create something out of the ordinary. Thanks to workers giving up their own time following their shifts in the 1980s, the Jaguar XJ220 was designed and built, and was first unveiled at the 1988 Birmingham Motor Show.

The Jaguar has a top speed of 217 miles per hour and an ability to go from 0-60 miles per hour in less than four seconds. This model was once the fastest in the world with its 3.5 litre engine and saw 281 cars built and 170 sold. The only downside relating to the car was that some of the interior fittings were plastic as part of a cost-saving exercise.

Reaching speeds of 240 miles per hour, the McLaren F1 lives up to its motor racing model’s incredibly fast reputation and claims fifth place. Called the world’s fastest naturally aspirated production car, the F1 achieves this thanks to a BMW S70/2 60 V12 engine. The car can reach 60 miles per hour in 3.1 seconds from a standing start and was unique in having the world’s first carbon fibred single-shell structure for its body.

Atmospheric pressure is pushed through by the naturally-aspirated engines allowing the car to reach the high speeds thanks to the quick intake of air for combustion. Designed in 1992 and constructed until 1998, there are only 106 models in existence.

Storming into fourth place for the fastest top ten cars in the world is a Swedish entry. The Koenigsegg CCX can reach speeds of 245 miles per hour thanks to its 4.7 litre twin-supercharged V8 engine. The car can reach 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and has 806 brake horsepower.

The car is primarily the result of one man’s work, the company’s founder Christian von Koenigsegg who launched his car company in 1994 with the intention of creating a supercar. The proto-type for the CCX was built in 1996, with the CCX coming along a decade later and named in honour of the original vehicle. The car is priced at over £330,000 and has over 300 individual carbon fibre components.

America makes its first entry into the top ten list with the third placed Saleen S7 Twin Turbo. Costing just over £340,000 the Californian supercar can reach speeds of 248 miles per hour powered by a twin turbo V8 engine and has 750 brake horse power.

This two door coupe is made from a mixture of aluminium and carbon fibre, meaning that the car is one of the lightest in the world. Alloy wheels are a feature of the car with 19″ at the front and 20″ at the back while the car’s interior features an air conditioning system, leather seating, power door locks as well as other extras such as a TV, DVD and FM systems.

America’s second entry into the list is also the second fastest car to drive in the world but previously had held the title of ‘world’s fastest car’ for three years. Shelby SuperCars’ SSC Ultimate Aero has a tested top speed of 257 miles per hour but a potential top speed of 273 miles per hour while it has 1183 brake horsepower.

The company are only 12 years old but has already made waves in the motor industry with its rocket style design of the vehicle and its carbon fibre material which is woven into the interior and exterior of the car. Prices for the car start from £435,000 and the car can race from 0-60 miles per hour in 2.7 seconds.

Winning the race to be crowned fastest car in the world is the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. A twin of the Bugatti Veyron, this smoother version has an 8.0 litre 16 cylinder engine and due to improvements made the car can now reach speeds of 268 miles per hour, making it officially the world’s fastest car.

Originally set up by Ettore Bugatti, the company accepted a takeover from German firm Volkswagen in 1988 allowing the business to continue their research and develop ever quicker cars which has culminated in the company currently producing the world’s fastest roadworthy vehicle, even it does come in at a cost of £1.59 million.