2014’s fastest and most powerful cars

Who on earth believes 903bhp isn't enough? In fact, who reckons 950bhp is only for wimps?

The answer is McLaren and Ferrari respectively, who this year unveiled the most extreme track-only monsters we're likely to see for a while.

But while the P1 GTR and LaFerrari FXXK - no, it's really spelled that way - dominated the year's horsepower headlines, there were a suite of cars vying for your speed-hungry palate. Including a positively bonkers entrant from the Swedes...

So without further ado, here are our favourites from the year's fastest and most powerful production cars released.

"'As most people familiar with Top Gear know,' Christian said, ‘the CCX held the Top Gear Power lap record for a long time. After eight years it is still in the top ten on the leaderboard, truly showing how much before its time it was.

‘Since then our newest model has managed to shave off weight, drastically increase bottom end torque, top end power and braking performance. Then add new tyre technology and more than 500kg extra downforce to the equation, it is clear to see there is a great difference.'"

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"Having driven the McLaren P1 extensively on track and road, TopGear has not, at any point in its acquaintance with the 903bhp hyper-hybrid, thought: ‘You know what this car needs? More power...'

"Good thing McLaren doesn't listen to TopGear. This is the P1 GTR, a track-only racer revealed at California's ritzy Pebble Beach meet. A car, says McLaren, with a simple aim: to be the best driver's car in the world on track. A car with yet more power than the absurdly powerful road-going P1..."

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"Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Cheery Chinese New Year. This is the LaFerrari FXXK (yes, we know) - the track-only, experimental iteration of Maranello's hybrid masterpiece - and if it hasn't gone straight to the top of your festive wishlist, you may wish to check you haven't perished on the inside."

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"AMG is desperate to prove that despite all those overpowered elephantine barges that carry its name, the G and the S and the GL, the real essence of the company is the living heart of a bunch of racers. This car is their flag-waver. And at that it does a rather wonderful job."

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"Other cars are faster, more brutal, but this is just poetic. Seriously. I got a bit emotional after one Italian hairpin-filled blast and had to sit for a minute and take it in."

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"There's more grip, and even more astounding body control especially through chicanes or when you lift off in a bend to tuck the nose in. But best of all, the thing feels more organic and transparent. You don't have to be leaning into a corner at last-gasp effort for it to feel alive. It's more engaging even at real-world speeds."

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"The Huracán, it's worth remembering, is the first volley in a whole series of derivatives, and on this basis the Superleggera will be absolutely mighty. Right now, this is unequivocally the best car Lamborghini has ever made."

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"This is the fastest production Bentley ever built, the new Continental GT Speed. It's also emphatically, unequivocally and massively faster than the last fastest production Bentley ever built, the old Continental GT Speed. By a full... one mph."

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"Think it's fair to say it's going to crush anything less than a 918, P1 or LaFerrari. Its combination of relentless power, unshakeable chassis - with all its clever technology that works with you - and vast brakes is unbeatable at the moment. And that's just on the track. On the road, it's just as much fun."

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"This is the second full-blooded US muscle car I've tested this year (the other was the Camaro Z/28, issue 257), and once again I'm smitten. I'm sure this is as much a function of this staggering environment as any ability the Hellcat has, but out here, where driving is done lazily with one hand on the wheel and one foot punching the throttle, I can't think of a better way of getting about."

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"Honda has confirmed that the order book for the as-yet unreleased NSX supercar has already closed.

"Yep, the car that we've been waiting for since forever - and which we're still waiting for, Honda *cough* - has already sold out in the UK.

"More than 100 customers have placed deposits for the all-wheel-drive supercar, meaning the pre-order bank has been closed. It's some leap of faith for those 100 or so folk, considering nobody outside of Honda has driven it..."

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