Super Cars: How They Push the Limits of Performance and Technology

If you told a supercar enthusiast in the ‘60s that supercars would start using hybrid or even fully electric engines, they’d probably have a good laugh. Fast forward three decades and almost every supercar company is opting for hybrid technology in their cars. However, apart from these engines, how have these supercar manufacturers been able to raise the standard constantly?

This article will walk you through various technologies that were game-changers in the supercar industry. We’ll also review some cars that brought innovations to the game. Stick with us through the ride!

Game-Changing Features for Supercars

How exactly have manufacturers been able to raise performance limits? Well, here you have it:

Electrification

There’s no better place to start than from the engine. Nowadays, where speeds of 200mph+ are only the bare minimum, manufacturers have had to look elsewhere to get that extra juice. In steps the electric powertrains. While some are going fully electric, hybrid engines are currently the most popular type of engine in the industry. While this innovation has seen a lot of adoption, many combustion engine enthusiasts have reservations.

Gordon Murray, a legendary supercar designer, believes these engines only make the already weighty cars even heavier. However, there seems to be no stopping these engines from taking over the supercar industry.

Carbon Fiber Chassis

Carbon fiber chassis has been one of the solutions which have helped manufacturers keep the weight of these supercars on the low side. By bringing down the weight, engineers can focus on increasing the speed as much as possible. But how exactly does carbon fiber help reduce weight? Carbon fiber chassis has a high strength-to-weight ratio, helping supercars shed weight and increase top speed.

Braking and Cornering

For cars that are made to be very fast, braking and cornering are essential factors to prevent drivers from frequently wrapping their cars around sidewalks. Different companies use various features such as four-wheel steering, four-wheel drive, brake steering, etc to improve car control. Features like the four-wheel drive help to give the wheels added torque during turns, hence, keeping the cars on the ground. However, it is advisable only to test the mechanics behind your brakes if you have professional training.

Space

For the longest period, supercars have mostly had that typical two-seater space with barely enough space to fit anything else. However, manufacturers are starting to make hypercars that can fit a family, with the Koenigsegg Gemera a poster example of this. Now supercar enthusiasts can have luxury and performance in one package.

Supercars That Pushed the Limits

Here are some supercars that pushed the limits of the standards in their times:

The Lamborghini Miura

This list won’t be complete without mentioning the ‘60s beast, the Lamborghini Miura. Produced in 1966, the Miura was the first production car to have a mid-engined layout. This layout belonged exclusively to race cars previously. Hitting a top speed of 170 mph and doing 0 – 60 mph in less than 6 seconds, it easily became the world’s fastest car at the time. Nowadays, it is impossible to talk about the evolution of supercars without mentioning the Miura. This is one classic supercar on this list. If you want to find other classic supercars like it, you can check out Dyler’s catalog.

McLaren F1

The McLaren F1 was one of Gordon MUrray’s best designs and is still reverenced to this day. It was the first production car to use a carbon fiber chassis, and its gold foil lining was a smart way to reflect heat from the car’s combustion engine. It remains of the fastest naturally aspirated cars in the world and is a game-changer for its design.

The Bugatti Veyron

Bugatti declared bankruptcy in 1995, but with new ownership (bought by Volkswagen) and new inventions, they went on to make an absolute beat in 2005. The Veyron was their first production model under Volkswagen’s leadership, and it definitely was one hell of a supercar. Equipped with an 8.0-L W16 engine, the supercar achieved top speeds of 253 mph, setting a world record at the time.

Ferrari LaFerrari

Even the name of this car exudes high-level class. Luca Montezemolo, the then-Ferrari chairman, said the LaFerarri was the finest expression of the company’s engineering and design know-how. He wasn’t lying. The car was at the peak of engineering excellence at the time of release. Its Formula One-derived HY-KERS hybrid setup was one of the cars which ushered in the hypercar age.

Conclusion

New iterations of supercars are released yearly, and manufacturers find a way to push the performance even further. Maybe we’ll have flying cars in some decades to come (probably not, but it’ll be nice to wish for). On a more serious note, what will be the next groundbreaking innovation? Your guess is just as good as ours. Whatever it is, we’ll be here to cover it all for your reading experience.