Fast Cars: The 600 Horsepower Club

Meet today's most powerful production cars. Today, we are experiencing the automobile world's Age of Superlative Speed. During no other decade have so many cars offered so much speed. The secret behind the speed is power, because to go fast you need horsepower ... and lots of it. We took a look at the most powerful (and fastest) production vehicles sold in the United States plus the technology that makes the power possible.

There is a direct link between big horsepower and big money. The reason is simple: to make a reliable 600+ horsepower engine costs tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of dollars. Then you must wrap the engine in a vehicle capable of handling that prodigious power -- another hugely expensive proposition because to be safe at high speeds requires a sophisticated chassis, huge brakes and NASA-quality aerodynamics.

Of all the cars listed in this story, your author has only put significant miles on the Viper. We measured its limits at a Detroit drag strip where we experienced an epiphany of power. After completing 1/4-mile runs in less than 11.8 seconds at over 123 mph, we now understand the lust unadulterated that power creates. Left to run, the Viper's top speed is over 200 mph.

Mercedes-Benz spent considerable engineering research and development dollars crafting their hugely powerful V-12, so this engine finds its way into many of the company's highest performing models, including the handsome S 65 AMG Sedan and CL 65 AMG Coupe (both cost around $200,000). In these configurations, the engine produces 612 horsepower. Top speed (as with many high-performance German cars) is electronically limited to 155 mph.

What do you get when you combine racing technology with supreme luxury? You get the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. McLaren is famous in racing series the world over for their advanced engineering, and the company's partnership with Mercedes resulted in the SLR. This 617-horsepower, 212 mph automotive arrow carries a list price of just under half a million. The power comes from a supercharged 5.5-liter V-8.

The horsepower war isn't just global, it's local. Ferrari and Lamborghini have been battling it out for Italian bragging rights since the 1960s. Currently, Lambo is on top with their 632-horspower 6.5-liter V-12 found in their Murcielago coupe and roadster LP640 models. Audi now owns the Italian automaker, so quality is solid. Prepare to spend $313,600 for a coupe, more for a roadster.

The Veyron's top speed has been confirmed by multiple sources to be over 250 mph, attainable only after utilizing the car's "top speed key." At this speed, the car burns 2.46 miles per gallon. This land-bound missile figuratively blasts off from a stop with a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system, reaching 60 mph in 2.5 seconds (say, "one Mississippi, two Mississippi.")

Introduced at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show this past January, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will be unleashed with a supercharged V-8 producing at least 620 horsepower when it goes on sale this fall. Expect phenomenal performance with a top speed in excess of 200 mph at a relatively affordable price of around $100,000. (Chevy always did know how to deliver value.)

Rex Roy is a Detroit-based automotive journalist and author. In addition to writing exclusive stories for AOL Autos, his work also appears in The Detroit News and other respected outlets.