List of automotive superlatives

This page lists superlatives of the automobile industry - that is, the smallest, largest, fastest, lightest, best-selling, and other such topics.

In order to keep the entries relevant, we will limit the list (except for the Firsts section) to more modern automobiles (those built after World War II) since many really odd vehicles emerged in the pre-history of the automobile industry. There is a section for early superlatives, however.

We'll also limit the list to production road cars. More than 20 examples must have been made by the original vehicle manufacturer (no tuner cars), and they must be street-legal in their intended markets.

Engine capacity

• Straight-3
  • Smallest I3 engine (petrol) - 0.55 L (543 cc/33 in³) - 1982 Suzuki Cervo F5A
  • Smallest I3 engine (Diesel) - 0.8 L (799 cc/48.8 in³) - 2000 Smart Fortwo cdi
    • Others: 1.0 L (993 cc) - 1984 Daihatsu Charade
  • Largest I3 engine (petrol) - 1.2 L (1198 cc/73 in³) - 2002 Volkswagen Polo/Seat Ibiza 1.2
  • Largest I3 engine (Diesel) - 1.8 L (1779 cc/109 in³) - 1984 Alfa Romeo 33 1.8 TD
• Straight-4;
  • Smallest I4 engine (petrol) - 0.36 L (358 cc/21.8 in³) - 1961 P360 Carol OHV
  • Smallest I4 engine (Diesel) - 1.25 L (1248 cc/65 in³) - 2003 Fiat Panda Multijet
  • Largest I4 engine (petrol) - 3.2 L (3188 cc/194.5 in³) - 1961 Pontiac Tempest 195
    • Others: 3.0 L (2990 cc/182 in³) - Porsche 968
  • Largest I4 engine (Diesel) - 4.3 L (4334 cc/278 in³) - Isuzu NKR 4HF1
• V4
  • Smallest V4 engine - 0.9 L (903 cc/55 in³) - 1939 Lancia Ardea V4
  • Largest V4 engine - 2.6 L (2568 cc/157 in³) - 1930 Lancia Lambda V4
• Straight-5
  • Smallest I5 engine (petrol) - 1.9 L (1921 cc/117 in³) - 1981 Audi 100 1.9 E
  • Smallest I5 engine (Diesel) - 2.0 L (1986 cc/121 in³) - 1978 Audi 100 2.0 D
  • Largest I5 engine (petrol) - 3.5 L (3464 cc/211 in³) - 2004 GM Atlas L52 3500
  • Largest I5 engine (Diesel) - 3.5 L (3469 cc/212 in³) - 1990 Land Cruiser 1PZ Diesel
• Straight-6
  • Smallest I6 engine (petrol) - 1.5 L (1500 cc/91 in³) - 1927 Alfa Romeo 1500 6C
  • Smallest I6 engine (Diesel) - 2.4 L (2383 cc/145 in³) - 1979 Volvo 240 D24
  • Largest I6 engine (petrol) - 4.9 L (4917 cc/300 in³) - 1965 Ford 300
  • Largest I6 engine (Diesel) - 5.9 L (5883 cc/359 in³) - 1989 Dodge Ram 250/350 Cummins B series turbodiesel
• V6
  • Smallest V6 engine (petrol) - 1.6 L (1597 cc/97 in³) - 1992 Mitsubishi Lancer 6A10
    • Others: 1.8 L (1845 cc/113 in³) - 1992 Mazda MX-3 K8
  • Smallest V6 engine (Diesel) - 2.7 L (2721 cc)/166 in³) - 2004 Jaguar S-Type AJD-V6
  • Largest V6 engine (petrol) - 4.3 L (4300 cc/262 in³) - 1985 GM Vortec 4300
  • Largest V6 engine (Diesel) - 4.3 L (4304 cc/262 in³) - 1982 GM LT6
• V8
  • Smallest V8 engine (petrol) - 2.0 L (1990 cc/121 in³) - 1975 Ferrari 208 GT4
    • Others: Coventry Climax 1.5 L V8 (never made it into a road car)
  • Smallest V8 engine (Diesel) - 3.3 L (3328 cc/203 in³) - 2000 Audi A8 3.3 TDI
  • Largest V8 engine (petrol) - 8.1 L (8194 cc/500 in³) - 1970 Cadillac Eldorado 500
  • Largest V8 engine (Diesel) - 7.3 L (7275 cc/444 in³) - 1997 Ford F250 Power Stroke
  • Smallest American V8 engine - 3.5 L (3532 cc/215 in³) - 1961 Buick Special 215
  • Largest small-block V8 engine - 6.7 L (6689 cc/408 in³) - Ford 400 Cleveland
• V10
  • Smallest V10 engine - 4.9 L (4921 cc/301 in³) - Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI
    • Others: 4.0 L - 1992 Yamaha OX99 (never produced)
  • Largest V10 engine - 8.3 L (8277 cc/505 in³) - 2003 Dodge Viper
• V12
  • Smallest V12 engine - 2.0 L (1995 cc/122 in³) - 1948 Ferrari 166 Inter Colombo
  • Largest V12 engine - 7.3 L (7291 cc/445 in³) - 2003 Pagani Zonda C12S AMG-Mercedes
• V16
  • Smallest V16 - (note: Apart from the Cizeta Moroder listed below, no other post-war V-16 engine was produced for street-legal cars)
  • Largest V16 - 6.0 L (366 in³) - 1995 Cizeta-Moroder V16T

Dimensions

• Overall
  • Shortest (3 wheels) - 1340 mm (52.8 in) - 1962 Peel P50
  • Shortest (4 wheels) - 2286 mm (90 in) - 1956 Isetta
  • Longest - 6852 mm (269.8 in) - Checker Aerocar
• Wheelbase
  • Shortest wheelbase - 1500 mm (59.1 in) - 1956 Isetta
    • Others:
      • 1800 mm (70.9 in) - 2003 Suzuki Twin
      • 1812 mm (81.3 in) - 1998 Smart Fortwo
  • Longest wheelbase - 4800 mm (189 in) - Checker Aerocar
• Track
  • Widest track - 1943 mm (76.5 in) - 1961 Jaguar Mark X
• Weight
  • Lightest passenger vehicle (3 wheels) - 59 kg (132 lb) DIN - 1962 Peel P50
  • Lightest passenger vehicle (4 wheels) - 350 kg (770 lb) DIN - 1956 Isetta
    • Others:
      • 370 kg (816 lb) DIN - 1992 LCC Rocket
  • Heaviest passenger vehicle - 3428 kg (7558 lb) curb weight - 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha
• Other
  • Largest brake disc - 406 mm (16 in) - 2004 Bentley Continental GT

Power

Most power

• Petrol/gasoline - (naturally-aspirated) - 660 hp DIN (485 kW) - 2003 Ferrari Enzo V12
  • Honorable mention: The TVR Cerbera Speed 12 prototype produced 800 hp DIN (588 kW) but never entered production
  • Front-wheel drive: 275 hp (205 kW) - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP
• Petrol/Gasoline - (forced-induction) - 806 hp SAE (601 kW) - 2004 Koenigsegg CCR supercharged V8
• Diesel - 325 hp SAE (242 kW) - Ford Power Stroke, 2004 Ford Excursion

Most torque

• Petrol (naturally-aspirated) - 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10 - 712 Nm (525 lb/ft) - 8.3 liter (505ci) V10 engine.
• Petrol (forced-induction) - 2003 Mercedes CL 65 AMG - 1000 Nm (736 lb/ft) - 6.0 liter (366ci) turbocharged V12 engine.
• Diesel - 2005 Dodge Ram (Cummins 610 Turbodiesel), 826 Nm (610 lb/ft)

Most specific power (power per unit volume)

• Naturally-aspirated rotary engine - 191.1 hp (140.5 kW)/liter - Mazda_RX-8 Renesis (250 hp (184 kW) JIS 1.3 L)
• Forced-induction rotary engine - 214.1 hp (157.4 kW)/liter - 2003 Mazda_RX-7 Type R Bathurst13B-REW (280 hp (206 kW) JIS 1.3 L)
• Petrol/Gasoline (naturally-aspirated) piston engine - 168 hp (125.3 kW)/liter - 2002 Radical Motorsport SR3 (252 hp (184 kW) 1.5L I4)
  • Honorable mention: 125.2 hp (92 kW)/liter - 2000 Honda S2000 F20C (250 hp (184 kW) JIS 2.0 L I4) (Note: the 2.0 liter engine is no longer available in North America, it has been replaced by a (109hp/l 240hp 2.2 liter engine)
• Petrol/Gasoline (forced-induction) piston engine - 171.4 hp (126 kW)/liter (600 hp (441 kW) DIN 3.5L V12 quad-turbo) - Bugatti EB110 Super Sport
• Diesel (naturally-aspirated) - 45.4 hp (33.4 kW)/litre (136 hp (100 kW) DIN 3.0 L I6) - 1995 Mercedes E 300 D
• Diesel (forced-induction) - 91 hp (67.5 kW)/litre (272 hp (200 kW) DIN 3.0 L I6 twin-turbo) - 2005 BMW 535d

Most specific torque (torque per unit volume)

• Petrol (naturally-aspirated) - 114 Nm (84 ft.lbf)/litre (370 Nm (273 ft.lbf)) - 2003 BMW M3 CSL
• Petrol (forced-induction) - 206.6 Nm (152.2 ft.lbf)/litre (412 Nm (304 ft.lbf)) - 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi (japanese market)
  • Honorable mention: 233.6 Nm (172.1 ft.lbf)/litre - 700 Nm/516&ft.lbf Dauer 962, road-going Porsche 962 replica
• Diesel - 187.1 Nm (138 ft.lbf)/litre (560 Nm (413 ft.lbf)) - 2005 BMW 535d

Performance

• Highest USA EPA mileage - 61/70 [mpg]] - 2005 Honda Insight 5-speed
• Lowest EU average fuel consumption - 2.99 L/100 km - 2002 VW Lupo 1.2 TDI 5-speed
• Quickest 0-60 mph:
  • Sports car - 2.9 sec - 2005 Ultima GTR [[1]]
  • 4-door car - 3.5 sec - 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII FQ400 2.0 L
  • Pickup truck - 4.9 sec - 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10
• Quickest 0-100-0 mph:
  • 10.307 sec - Ultima GTR [[2]]
• Highest top speed:
  • Sports car - 390 km/h (242.4 mph) - Koenigsegg CCR
  • 4-door car - 282 km/h (175 mph) - 1989 Opel Lotus Omega
  • Pickup truck - 249 km/h (154.6 mph) - 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10

Sales

• Best-selling models:
  • Best-selling car nameplate - Toyota Corolla (more than 27,000,000 sold in nine generations since 1966)
  • Best-selling vehicle nameplate - Ford F-Series (more than 29,000,000 sold since 1948)
  • Best-selling single model - Volkswagen Beetle (more than 21,000,000 of the same basic design sold worldwide between 1947 and 2003)
  • Best-selling sports car - Ford Mustang (more than 7,800,000 of five generations sold between 1964 and 2004)
  • Best-selling 2-seat car - Mazda MX-5 Miata (more than 700,000 of two generations sold between 1989 and 2004)
  • Best single-year sales - over 912,000 - 2004 Ford F-150 (23 years in a row as the top-selling single vehicle, 28 years as the best-selling truck in the USA)
• Lowest-production models: (excluding limited-production vehicles)
  • Pickup truck - avg. 223 per month, Lincoln Blackwood (3,356 sold in 15 months)
  • Sports car - avg. 6 per month, 1965 Toyota 2000GT (337 sold in 5 years)
    • Others: avg. 79 per month, Bricklin SV-1 (2,857 sold in 3 years)
  • SUV - avg. 4 per month, Lamborghini LM002 (301 sold in 6 years)
    • Others: avg. 200 per month, Suzuki X-90 (7,205 sold in 3 years)
• Marques and manufacturers:
  • World's top-selling manufacturer, 2004 - General Motors, followed by Toyota and Ford Motor Company
  • United States top-selling marque, 2004 - Tie, Ford and Chevrolet (each has a valid claim depending on which models are included)

Firsts

Full-production vehicles are listed here. Many were preceded by racing-only cars.

• First automobile manufacturer - Panhard et Levassor (1889) (followed by Peugeot in 1891)
• First standardized automobile - Benz Velo (1894)
• First mass-produced automobile - Oldsmobile Curved Dash (1901)

Engine

• Engine technologies
  • First DOHC engine - 1925 Alfa Romeo 6C (Peugeot had a DOHC multivalve Grand Prix car in 1913)
  • Multi-valve engines
    • First 3-valve engine - 1924 Bugatti Type 35 (Type 18 had a 3-valve in 1912, but only 6 or 7 were made. Type 35 used the engine from the 1922 Type 29 racing car.)
    • First 4-valve engine - 1931 Bugatti Type 51 DOHC (An SOHC 4-valve engine appeared in 1910's Type 13 racing car.)
    • First 5-valve engine - 1991 tie Bugatti EB110 3.5 L V12 and Toyota 4A-GE I4
    • First 3-valve Diesel - 1989 Citroen XM
    • First 4-valve Diesel - 1994 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
    • First multi-valve turbocharged engine - 1984 Saab 900 B204
  • First fuel injected (non-Diesel) engine - 1952 Gutbrod Superior
  • First electronic fuel injection - 1975 Cadillac Eldorado/Fleetwood/DeVille
  • First turbocharged car - 1962 Oldsmobile F-85 Turbo Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair flat-6
  • First variable-nozzle turbocharger - 1989 Shelby CSX
  • First point ignition - 1910 Cadillac/Delco

• V6
  • First V6 car - 1950 Lancia 1800, Lancia Aurelia
  • First American V6 car - 1962 Buick Special

• V8
  • First V8 car - 1914 Cadillac (1932 Ford Model B had the first mass-produced single-piece engine block V8)
  • First OHV V8 - 1949 Oldsmobile/Cadillac

• V10
  • First V10 vehicle - 1992 Dodge Viper
  • First V10 sedan - 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton

• V16
  • First V16 vehicle - 1930 Cadillac

• Engine types
  • First modern hybrid car - Toyota Prius
  • First Wankel engine - 1964 NSU Spider
  • First 2-rotor Wankel engine - 1967 Mazda Cosmo
  • First 3-rotor Wankel engine - 1991 Mazda Cosmo
  • First Miller cycle engine - 1996 Mazda Millenia
  • First Atkinson cycle engine - 2004 Toyota Prius

Body

• First production closed-body car - 1910 Cadillac
• First hatchback - 1958 Austin A40 Farina (first conventional hatchback hinged from top of the rear door was Austin A40 Farina-based Innocenti Combinata of 1959)
• First coupe convertible - 1934 Peugeot 401 D Eclipse
• First MPV - 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla
• First crossover SUV – 1980 AMC Eagle

Transmission

• First automatic transmission - 1934 REO
• First five-speed gearbox - 1953 Ferrari 212
• First six-speed gearbox - 1986 Porsche 959
  • Honorable mention: 1986 Honda Civic Wagon 4WD
• First seven-speed gearbox - 2003 Mercedes-Benz 7G-TRONIC
• First continuously variable transmission - 1958 DAF 600 "A-Type"

Layout

• First front wheel drive - 1934 Citroën Traction Avant
• First transverse front wheel drive - 1950 Saab 92
  • Honorable mention - 1959 Mini
  • First transverse FWD I5 - 1993 Volvo 850
  • First transverse FWD V8 - 1985 Cadillac DeVille
• First all wheel drive car - 1966 Jensen FF
• First FR transaxle - 1950 Lancia Aurelia (the 1914 Stutz Bearcat featured a primitive transaxle)
• First MR AWD car - 1990 Panther Solo 2

Body

• First monocoque - 1924 Lancia Lambda
  • Honorable mention - 1934 Citroën Traction Avant
• First modern unibody - 1951 Ford Consul
• First fiberglass monocoque - 1959 Lotus Elite
• First carbon fiber monocoque - 1991 McLaren F1

Suspension

• First coil spring suspension - 1934 Cadillac
• First MacPherson strut suspension - 1950 Ford Consul
• First air suspension - 1958 Cadillac Brougham
• First front independent suspension - 1924 Lancia Lambda

Brakes

• First standard disc brakes - 1956 Triumph TR3, Girling (Jaguar pioneered disc brakes at Le Mans in 1953)
• First antilock braking system - 1966 Jensen FF, Dunlop Maxaret
  • First electronic antilock braking system - 1986 Lincoln Mark VII/Continental and Chevrolet Corvette
• First Electric parking brake - 2003 Lincoln LS

Driver-aids

• First traction control - 1987 Bosch Mercedes-Benz S-Class/BMW 7-Series
• First dynamic stability control system - 1996 Bosch/BMW
  • Others - 1997 Cadillac
• First cruise control - 1957 Chrysler Imperial
• First GPS navigation system - 1983 Honda Accord

Passive-Restraint

• First airbags - 1974 General Motors vehicles
• First head airbags - 1998 BMW 7-Series

Other

• First composite wheels - 1989 Shelby CSX
• First active differential - 1997 Honda Prelude SH - (The 2005 Ferrari F430 and Acura RL feature the first fully-integrated electronic differentials)
• First AC HID lights - 1991 BMW 7-series
• First DC HID lights - 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII
• First neon lights - 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII
• First swivel headlights - 1948 Tucker '48
• First AC alternator - 1960 Valiant
• First electric windows - 1938 Buick Y
• First air conditioning - 1938 Studebaker Commander
• First split folding rear seats - 1961 Renault 4 (Fiat patented the system in 1978)

American types

• First standardized American automobile - Duryea Motor Wagon (1896)
• First American electric car - Detroit Electric (1907)
• First American hybrid car - Honda Insight
• First American hybrid SUV - Ford Escape Hybrid

Pre-War

• Best-selling pre-war vehicle - Ford Model-T (15,000,000 sold between 1908 and 1928)
• Least-expensive full-featured automobile - 1927 Ford Model-T ($300 is about $3200 in inflation-adjusted 2004 dollars)
• Largest vehicle - Bugatti Royale - 21 ft (6.4 m) long, 180 in (4.57 m) or 170 in (4.32 m) wheelbase depending on model
• Largest engine - Bugatti Royale and Type 5, 14.7 L or 12.8 L depending on model