8 sports cars that were faster than they seemed

Do you think manufacturers always tell the truth when publishing the performance data of a car? We are going to show you that this is not always the case, and we bring you the 8 sports cars that were faster than they seemed. As you probably know, the sports car segment is dominated by fast models that excel at delivering plenty of thrills behind the wheel. Speed is achieved easily thanks to the engines and aerodynamics. The sensations are a little more complex.

Some brands have worked enormously hard on their engines, created real beasts, and then been modest about them. After putting some models on a dynamometer or even through circuit measurements, it has been discovered that they can actually deliver much more power than declared, and with it, reach much higher top speeds. That is why we show you eight sports cars that were faster than they seemed.

Porsche 959 Sport

The Porsche 959 Sport is the father of the Porsche Carrera GT, the grandfather of the Porsche 918 Spyder, and became the first hypercar from the Stuttgart brand. This version was limited to just 29 units. Porsche declared it had 520 CV and a top speed of 321 km/h, but it was shown that it could reach 340 km/h.

Ferrari F40

The Ferrari F40 is one of the most famous models in the world and was also one of the last models signed off by Enzo Ferrari. It was fitted with a V8 engine capable of producing 480 CV, but shortly afterwards some owners claimed it exceeded 500 CV. Were they right?

Nissan GT-R R34

The Nissan Skyline R34 produced more than 400 CV straight from the factory, before any tuning modifications.

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR

The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR, a model that produced 355 CV from a 7.0-litre V8, but was found to deliver 435 CV. A true beast!

Porsche 911 Turbo S generation 991

The Porsche 911 Turbo S of the 991 generation managed to hit 0 to 100 in an impressive 2.9 seconds. After some measurements, it was discovered that it achieved it in 2.5 seconds. The same time as a Bugatti Veyron.

McLaren 720 S

The McLaren 720 S is fitted with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine producing 720 CV, but it is actually capable of delivering 750 CV. This means it can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds.

Toyota GR Yaris

This supermini has broken all the limits and has become one of the most characterful cars of the moment. It features a 3-cylinder engine capable of producing 261 CV with a permanent all-wheel-drive system called GR-Four. After some tests, it has been shown to deliver 278 CV and dip below five seconds in the 0-100.

McLaren F1

As you probably know, the McLaren F1 is one of the fastest hypercars in the world. It is fitted with a V12 engine of BMW capable of delivering 627 CV and 322 km/h. However, this model can reach 386 km/h.