Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster
In the automotive world, Lamborghini stands defiantly alone. After all, the Italian automaker was founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963 as the result of a personal grudge against Enzo Ferrari. In the decades since, it’s become one of the world leaders in engineering, design, and performance, seemingly pushing boundaries with each successive car. It doesn’t matter Volkswagen bought it in 1998 and Audi is overseeing it or that most of its modern cars reside in Hollywood, the Hamptons, or Dubai. Lamborghinis are still bold, iconoclastic, and brutally fast.
Unlike many of our “fastest” lists, every car here can crack that magic 200 miles per hour mark — with ease. What’s even more astonishing is some of these models are over 20 years old. Lamborghini has an obsession with speed that is unmatched by all but the smallest, most dedicated hypercar builders (think Pagani and Bugatti). And for that, we can’t help but love them.
Here’s a look at the 15 fastest Lamborghini models the company has produced. There are plenty of concepts, one-offs, and specially modified vehicles that we didn’t include. But with Lambo’s definition of “production car” being very different from, say, Toyota’s, there’s plenty of rare iron here.
15. 2003 Gallardo LP 560-4: 202 miles per hour
2003 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 | Lamborghini
Although it might not be as legendary as the Miura, Countach, or Diablo, the Gallardo was one hell of an important car for Lambo. The second car to be released under Volkswagen Auto Group ownership, the Gallardo broke with tradition and was powered by a 560 horsepower V10. Buyers didn’t seem to mind. The Gallardo is the best-selling Lamborghini of all time. And with a 3.9-second zero-to-60 time and 202 miles per hour top speed in top spec, we can see why.
Fun fact: Although the Gallardo was discontinued after 2013, its engine architecture lives on in the Audi R8.
14. 2015 Huracán LP610-4: 202 miles per hour
13. 1996 Diablo SV: 204 miles per hour
1996 Lamborghini Diablo SV | Lamborghini
Debuting in 1999 at the Geneva Auto Show, the Diablo SV took the world by storm with its aggressive looks and outrageous power. As the base model Diablo, the SV could hit a top speed of 204 miles per hour and go 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds, thanks to its 510-horsepower, 5.7-liter V12. Nearly 20 years on, the SV is one of the fastest — and coolest — Diablo variants of all time.
12. 2009 Murciélago LP650 Roadster: 205 miles per hour
2009 Murciélago LP650 Roadster | Lamborghini
When the Murciélago arrived in 2001, it was the first new Lamborghini in 11 years and the first car to be released under Volkswagen Auto Group’s ownership. Needless to say, it was the beginning of a beautiful new chapter for the brand. Throughout its nine-year production run, the Murciélago was one of the fastest cars in the world, thanks to its 6.5-liter, 650-horse V12 engine. As the ultra-rare LP650 Roadster (just 50 built), the Lambo topped out at 205 miles per hour and hit 60 from a standstill in just 3.4 seconds.
11. 2008 Reventón: 205 miles per hour
2008 Lamborghini Reventón | Lamborghini
With a run of just 20 units, Lamborghini’s Reventón wasn’t just fast, but also nearly impossible to buy. Launching with a $1.4 million price tag in 2008, it was largely based on the Murciélago LP640, which meant it had 650 horsepower on tap from a 6.5-liter V12. The fighter jet-inspired car had a top end of 205 miles per hour and could rocket to 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just 3.4 seconds.
10. 2011 Sesto Elemento: 205 miles per hour
2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento | Lamborghini
Like the Reventón, the Sesto Elemento also limited to a 20-unit production. But what a run it was. Featuring cutting-edge carbon fiber construction, the Sesto Elemento borrowed its 570-horsepower V10 from the Gallardo. And because its body weighed less than a Mini Cooper, zero to 60 came in just 2.5 seconds. Its top speed was 205 miles per hour.
9. 1999 Diablo GT: 210 miles per hour
Lamborghini had rarely focused on racing, but when the Diablo GT hit the streets in the late ’90s, it proved it could hit the track with the world’s best. With radically revised lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and other aerodynamic aids, the 6.0-liter, V12-powered GT sent 575 horsepower to the wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. Zero to 60 came in 3.5 seconds, on the way to a 210 mile per hour top speed.
8. Diablo SE30 Jota: 211 miles per hour
1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota | Lamborghini
The radical SE30 Jota caused a sensation when it was released in 1994. A lightweight, aerodynamically revised, no-frills Diablo designed for track duty, the Jota SE30 produced 595 horsepower with its 5.7-liter V12. This ultra-limited model (just 15 built) was launched to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary. And what a way to celebrate: 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 3.7 seconds and a maximum speed of 211 miles per hour.
7. 2006 Murciélago LP640: 212 miles per hour
2006 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 | Lamborghini
As fast and exclusive as the LP650 Roadster was, the base model hardtop Murciélago was even faster. Thanks to its 6.4-liter V12, the Murciélago LP640 could sprint from zero to 60 in just 3.4 seconds. While there’s strong anecdotal evidence of people pushing the car up to 219 miles per hour, its official top speed is 212 miles per hour.
6. 2009 Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce: 212 miles per hour
2009 Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce | Lamborghini
Arguably the ultimate Murciélago, the LP670-4 SuperVeloce, might still have the same 212 miles per hour top end as the base car. But the additional 30 ponies from the 6.5-liter V12 (total: 670 horsepower), serious aerodynamic tweaks, and a lot less weight means it can go from zero to 60 in just 3.2 seconds, making it the quickest production (186 units) Murcie ever built.
5. Diablo GTR: 217 miles per hour
2000 Lamborghini Diablo GT-R | Lamborghini
One of the rarest Diablo variants, just 30 the GTRs hit the roads, all built to compete in a German racing series. The Diablo GTR was an already potent GT modified even further for track duty. Produced in 1999 and 2000, the GTR cranks out nearly 600 horsepower from it's aluminum 5.9-liter V12 engine. While an official top speed was never issued, there are reports that the top end was 217 miles per hour. Nearly 20 years on, that’s still scary fast.
4. 2012 Aventador LP700-4 Roadster: 217 miles per hour
2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster | Lamborghini
Blending carbon fiber construction with a V12 engine, the Aventador LP700-4 has a top speed of 217 miles per hour. One of the quickest convertibles in the world, this drop-top can go from zero to 60 in 3 seconds flat. Call us crazy, but with the top down and a 700-horsepower, 6.5-liter V12 right behind the seats, we wonder what the wind in our hair would feel like at 217.
3. 2012 Aventador LP700-4: 217 miles per hour
2012 Aventador LP700-4 | Lamborghini
The fan-favorite Aventador LP700-4 sits right up near the top of the list, with a blistering top speed of 217 miles per hour and acceleration that takes it from zero to 60 in just 2.9 seconds. Still going strong after six years, the Aventador is a key component to Lamborghini’s current lineup, and it’s quickly making a case to become the company’s next icon. A 700-plus-horsepower V12 and acceleration that’s closer to flying a MIG than driving a car only help its case.
2. 2016 Centenario: 217 miles per hour
2016 Lamborghini Centenario | Lamborghini
Built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of founder Ferruccio Lamborghini’s birth, the Centenario proves Lambo knows how to party. The ultra-limited hypercar (20 hardtops and 20 roadsters) is closely based on the Aventador, which means a 6.5-liter V12, 759 horsepower, and zero to 60 in 2.8 seconds. It also means an official 217 mile per hour top speed, though as a few cars on this list, there’s evidence this is a conservative estimate.
1. 2014 Veneno: 220 miles per hour
2014 Lamborghini Veneno | Lamborghini
The Veneno is not only fast, but it was also the most expensive production car in the world when it launched in 2014, with a price tag of around $4 million. Also based on the Aventador, the Veneno had a 740-horsepower V12 and aerodynamics that could’ve been lifted from the Batmobile. Thanks to its carbon fiber construction, cutting-edge aerodynamics and an insane power-to-weight ratio, the Veneno could hit 220 miles per hour, making it the fastest production Lambo of all time. It’s not a one-off, but it might as well be. Only three hardtops and nine convertibles were made.
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