DuelsLeaderboardGarageBlogCarsGlossaryBrowse

Supercar

Car culture term

Supercar
Photo: Matti Blume / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What is Supercar?

A high-performance two-seat sports car, typically mid-engine, with 500-700 horsepower and prices in the $200,000-$500,000 range.

Supercar describes a category of high-performance two-seat sports cars typically with mid-engine layouts, exotic styling, and prices in the $200,000-$500,000 range. The category emerged in the 1960s with the Lamborghini Miura and Ferrari 365 GTB/4 (Daytona), evolved through the 1970s and 1980s with Countach, Testarossa, F40, and 959 era, and has continued through generations of Ferrari V8 (348, 355, 360, 430, 458, 488, F8, 296), Lamborghini V10 (Gallardo, Huracan), Porsche 911 Turbo, and McLaren models.

The defining traits include: two seats (occasionally with vestigial rear seats), mid-engine or rear-engine layout, high-revving naturally aspirated or twin-turbo engines, manual or dual-clutch transmissions, and styling tuned for visual impact. Most supercars produce 500-700 horsepower, run 0-60 in under 3 seconds, and are capable of 200+ mph top speeds.

The supercar category sits below hypercars (more extreme) and above sports cars (more accessible). Key modern supercars include the Ferrari 296 GTB and SF90, Lamborghini Huracan and Revuelto, McLaren 720S and 750S, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Audi R8 (recently discontinued), and Aston Martin Vantage. Used supercars (Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo, McLaren 12C, Porsche 996 Turbo) represent the more accessible entry points to the category.

Related terms

HypercarGrand tourerMuscle car

Frequently asked questions

When did the term supercar start?
The term predates the modern category. The 1920s and 1930s used "supercar" for high-end luxury sport cars. The modern usage emerged in the late 1960s with the launch of cars like the Lamborghini Miura. By the 1970s, the term was widely used for mid-engine Italian and German exotic cars.
Are 911 Turbos supercars?
The 911 Turbo S generally qualifies. Modern 911 Turbo S models make 640+ horsepower, run 0-60 in 2.6 seconds, and cost over $230,000. The price and performance fit the supercar category. The 911 layout (rear-engine, four seats vestigial) is unusual for the category but does not disqualify the car.
What is the most popular supercar?
The Lamborghini Huracan was Lamborghini volume seller for over a decade and one of the most-produced supercars in history. The Audi R8 V10 was popular as the daily-drivable supercar. The Ferrari 458 Italia is widely considered the most universally loved modern Ferrari V8. Recent best-sellers include the McLaren 720S and the Lamborghini Urus (technically an SUV).
Are supercars reliable?
Modern supercars (post-2000) are generally more reliable than older counterparts. Maintenance is expensive due to specialty parts and labor. Common issues are clutch wear (especially on dual-clutch transmissions in early use), suspension components, and infotainment electronics. With proper maintenance and storage, modern supercars can be daily-driven.
Is a Corvette a supercar?
The C8 Corvette Z06 and ZR1 are at the boundary. The mid-engine layout, 670+ horsepower, and sub-3 second 0-60 fit the supercar profile. The pricing ($110,000-$170,000) is below typical supercar territory. The community is split: some call the Z06 a supercar, others classify it as a high-performance sports car.

Supercar on the blog

The next BMW 3 Series has been spotted without camouflage
The next BMW 3 Series has been spotted without camouflage

The next-generation BMW 3 Series, an M350 xDrive, has been photographed undisguised in Munich. The clearest change is at the back, with wide taillights that stretch almost to the center of the trunk and a busier, heavily creased bumper borrowed from the electric Neue Klasse i3. Production starts in the second half of this year.

Bugatti has left Volkswagen, and a 38-year-old now runs it
Bugatti has left Volkswagen, and a 38-year-old now runs it

Porsche has sold its 21 percent of Rimac Group and 45 percent of the Bugatti Rimac joint venture for about €1 billion, ending Volkswagen Group's involvement with Bugatti. Mate Rimac, who started by converting an old BMW to electric power in a Croatian garage, is now president of a marque founded in 1909.

Range Rover doesn’t want to sell more cars. It wants to make each one worth more
Range Rover doesn’t want to sell more cars. It wants to make each one worth more

Range Rover's marketing director says the brand's job "really is not to sell lots and lots of cars" but to build value, with managing director Martin Limpert aiming to be "in the modern luxury business" through one-to-one bespoke commissions. It's also a smart answer to the Chinese copies problem.

Audi's boss says the pricier the car, the more buyers want an engine
Audi's boss says the pricier the car, the more buyers want an engine

Audi CEO Gernot Döllner says enthusiasm for combustion engines rises with price: the higher the segment, the more buyers want an engine, while EVs are accepted fastest at the cheap end. Audi's $700,000, 987-hp Nuvolari, with a V8 that revs to 10,000 rpm, is the proof.

Back to Glossary