Ever since CAR magazine printed its first issue way back in 1957, proper road-testing has been an integral part of our procedure. Why? Well it provides readers with the opportunity to see what each car can do in real-world conditions (as opposed to what manufacturers claim).
The ’90s were when things started to get seriously fast and manufacturers were a little bit more generous with providing us with added speed. Porsche, Maserati and Ferrari all came to the party to put some of its finest cars in our hands. Granted, we didn’t have access to cars such as the McLaren F1, Bugatti EB110 and Jaguar Xj220, which are impressive even by today’s lofty standards.
The sportscars we were limited to had more than enough punch, though. Below are the five fastest accelerating road cars we tested in the 1990s…
Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4: 5,91 seconds (December 1992)
There’s no argument that the ’90s was when Japan really shined. Models such as the Honda NSX, Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline GT-R and this, the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, dominated the streets with their revolutionary yet dependable engines and suspensions. The 3000GT is a particularly rare car here in South Africa. Its impressive acceleration was largely thanks to its all-wheel drive system and a 221 kW twin-turbo V6.
Maserati 3200 GT: 5,82 seconds (October 1999)
Not the finest looking 2+2 to be produced by the Italians, but with its hefty 3,2-litre twin-turbo V8 pushing out 272 kW, it was able to churn out a time just under 6,0 seconds. Not that far off from its claimed time of 5,12 seconds, either…
Porsche 911 Carrera: 5,51 seconds (January 1998)
Ever since we gained access to the 911 in the ’80s, these Porsches have been dominating our acceleration charts. The run-of-the-mill Carrera was a capable and comfortable sportscar that earned itself a spot on this list thanks to its 221 kW 3,4-litre flat-six engine.
Ferrari 360 Modena: 4,98 seconds (November 1999)
Having the opportunity to road test a Ferrari is always a privilege. The 360 is not the most loved example but with its 294 kW 3,6-litre V8 it was able to earn itself second place on this list. This figure is also identical to its claimed 0-100 km/h time, which is a rare thing to see.
Porsche 911 Turbo: 4,63 seconds (January 1996)
Again, the 911 Turbo tops the list. Its twin-turbocharged 3,6-litre flat-six churned out 300 kW to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission to spit out a time that even the Ferrari could not top. We also have to mention that the 1992 Porsche 911 Turbo technically made third place, with a time of 5,4 seconds.