Jump to content

List of automotive superlatives

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Reginhild (talk | contribs) at 05:30, 3 July 2009 (Performance). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Automobiles are judged in their industry by many superlatives: the smallest, largest, fastest, lightest, best-selling, and so on. They vary greatly in size, power, engine displacement, price, and many other traits.

In order to keep the entries relevant, the list (except for the Firsts section) is limited to automobiles built after World War II, and lists superlatives for earlier vehicles separately. The list is also limited to production road cars that

  1. are constructed principally for retail sale to consumers, for their personal use, and to transport people on public roads (no commercial or industrial vehicles are eligible);
  2. have had 20 or more instances made by the original vehicle manufacturer and offered for commercial sale to the public in new condition (cars modified by either professional tuners or individuals are not eligible); and
  3. are street-legal in their intended markets and capable of passing any tests or inspections required to be granted this status.

Smallest

Largest

  • 9,373 cc (572 cu in) - GM Performance ZZ572- 1927 Bugatti Royale, 13 liters/778 Cu In.

Dimensions

Overall

Wheelbase

Track

  • Widest Front - 1,920 mm (76 in) - 2002 Unimog U5000
  • Widest Rear - 1,920 mm (76 in) - 2002 Unimog U5000
  • Narrowest Front - 990 mm (39 in) - Peel P50
  • Narrowest Rear - 521 mm (21 in) - Isetta

Weight

Power

Most power

Most torque

  • Petrol - 1480 N·m, SSC Ultimate Aero TT
  • Diesel - 1000 N·m (738 ft·lbf), Audi Q7 V12 TDI 6.0 L (5934 cc/362 in³) Twin Turbo V12

Most specific power (power to weight ratio)

  • 1045 hp/metric ton (1.91 lb/hp) - 2007 Caparo T1 V8 engine 575 hp (429 kW) and 470 kg (1036 lb)

Most specific engine output (power per unit displacement)

Most specific torque (torque per unit displacement)

The mean effective pressure (MEP) is a useful comparison tool, giving the average cylinder pressure exerted on the piston.

Economy

  • Highest USA EPA mileage - 48 mpg‑US (4.9 L/100 km; 58 mpg‑imp)/60 mpg‑US (3.9 L/100 km; 72 mpg‑imp) - 2001 Honda Insight 5-speed
    • Note: in 2007 the EPA changed its measurement standards, changing the rating to 48 mpg‑US (4.9 L/100 km; 58 mpg‑imp)/58 mpg‑US (4.1 L/100 km; 70 mpg‑imp)
  • Lowest USA EPA mileage - 6 mpg‑US (39 L/100 km; 7.2 mpg‑imp)/10 mpg‑US (24 L/100 km; 12 mpg‑imp) - 1986-1990 Lamborghini Countach
  • Lowest EU fuel consumption - 2.99 L/100 km (94 mpg‑imp; 79 mpg‑US) - 2002 VW Lupo 1.2 TDI 5-speed
  • Highest EU fuel consumption - 24.1 L/100 km (11.7 mpg‑imp; 9.8 mpg‑US) combined city/hwy 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
  • Longest 90% range - 1600 km (994 mi) - 2009 Mercedes E220 CDI with 6-speed manual and optional 80 L (21 US gal; 18 imp gal) fuel tank, calculated by using extra-urban Euro cycle mileage of 4.5 L/100 km (63 mpg‑imp; 52 mpg‑US)

Price

Performance

  • Quickest 0-100 km/h (62 mph) - 2.46 seconds - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4[1]
  • Quickest 0-200 km/h (124 mph) - 7.4 seconds - Auto Motor und Sport - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 [citation needed]
  • Quickest 0-300 km/h time (185 mph) - 18.2 seconds, Auto Motor Und Sport - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
  • Quickest 0-400 km/h time (248 mph) - 55 seconds - 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 [citation needed]
  • Quickest 0-100-0 mph: 9.4 sec Ultima GTR [citation needed]
  • Highest top speed: SSC Ultimate Aero TT 412.28 km/h (256.18 mph) miles per hour

Sales

See also List of bestselling vehicle nameplates
  • Best-selling models:
    • Best-selling vehicle nameplate - Toyota Corolla (more than 32,000,000 sold in nine generations since 1966)
    • Best-selling single model - Volkswagen Beetle (21,529,464 of the same basic design sold worldwide between 1938 and 2003)
    • Best single-year sales - 1.36 million - 2005 Toyota Corolla.
    • Best single-month sales - 126,905 - July 2005 Ford F-Series [2]

Firsts

Full-production vehicles are listed here. Many were preceded by racing-only cars. This list only includes developments that lead to widespread adoption across the automotive industry.

Industry

Engine types

Engine technologies

Hybrid vehicles

Body

Transmission

-

Layout

Suspension

Brakes

Driver-aids

Passive Restraint

Active restraint

Tires

Lighting

Electrical system

Climate control

In-car electronics and entertainment

Other

American types

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 $3500 in inflation-adjusted 2005 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 pre-war Straight-4 - 21495 cc (1312 in3) - 1912 Benz 82/200
  • Largest pre-war Straight-6 - 21112 cc (1288 in3) - 1905 Panhard et Levassor 50 CV
  • Largest pre-war Straight-8 - 12763 cc (779 in³) - 1929 Bugatti Royale production car; the prototype had a 14726 cc engine
  • Largest pre-war V12 - 11310 cc (690 in³) - 1933 Hispano-Suiza Type 68bis

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.bugatti.com/en/veyron-16.4/technology/acceleration.html
  2. ^ http://www.ford-trucks.com/news/idx/12/264/2005/article/FORD_FSERIES_SETS_NEW_MONTHLY_SALES_RECORD_.html
  3. ^ Wise, David Burgess, "De Dion: The Aristocrat and the Toymaker", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. The World of Automobiles (London: Orbis Publishing, 1974), Volume 5, p.514
  4. ^ de Dion
  5. ^ Georgano, p.43.
  6. ^ Georgano, p.68.
  7. ^ Georgano, p.75.
  8. ^ a b Georgano, p.58.
  9. ^ Georgano, p.181.
  10. ^ Georgano, p.186.
  11. ^ Georgano, p.49.
  12. ^ Georgano, p.25.