The large displacement, naturally aspirated petrol engine is dead. Or is it?
Well, not quite yet, it seems…
We decided to sort through the statistics and identify the six most powerful vehicles, currently on offer new in South Africa, that eschew both turbocharging and supercharging.
The resulting list, unsurprisingly, is rather exotic, and features many, many cylinders…
1. Ferrari F12berlinetta: 545 kW
The most powerful free-breathing car on SA’s new vehicle market is the F12berlinetta. Yes, a little over R7-million buys you a 6,3-litre V12, which sends 545 kW and 690 N.m to the rear wheels via a seven-speed automated dual-clutch transmission. The 0-100 km/h time? A claimed 3,1 seconds…
2. Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4: 515 kW
Some 30 kW behind the F12 (but for a smidgen more cash) is the Aventador LP700-4, also available in roadster form. Its 6,5-litre V12 is worth 515 kW and 690 N.m, which is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed automated transmission. The obligatory sprint to three figures takes a claimed 2,9 seconds.
3. Ferrari FF: 485 kW
Third on the list is the Ferrari FF, which boasts a 6,3-litre V12 worth 485 kW and 683 N.m. The all-wheel drive 2+2 scampers to 100 km/h in a claimed 3,7 seconds, before topping out at 335 km/h. Of course, the FF will soon be replaced by the GTC4Lusso, which makes yet more power from its V12 (with a 3,9-litre V8 turbo option also set to be offered).
4=. Audi R8 5.2 V10 Plus quattro: 449 kW
The angriest of the two derivatives in the local R8 range, the V10 Plus features a 5,2-litre ten-cylinder mill sending its 449 kW and 560 N.m to all four corners. The speedometer needle passes the three-figure-mark in an official 3,2 seconds (but even quicker on our test strip), making for a properly fast but simple-to-drive supercar.
4=. Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4: 449 kW
The Huracán, of course, shares its naturally aspirated V10 with the R8 above, and thus has identical outputs (and even completes the 0-100 km/h in the same claimed time). At R4 945 000, though, the Lamborghini is almost R2-million more expensive than its Ingolstadt cousin…
6. Aston Martin Vanquish: 424 kW
The final spot on the list is grabbed by the rear-wheel drive Vanquish, which is also available in Volante (read: cabriolet) guise. In this application, Aston Martin’s 5,9-litre V12 makes 424 kW and 630 N.m, and is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. All that oomph translates to a 3,8-second sprint to three figures (or two-tenths slower for the soft-top).
Also read:
- 5 cheapest new cars in SA with 200 kW or more
- 5 most powerful manual cars you can buy new in SA
- 5 double-cab bakkies that make the most torque…
- 5 bakkies we think South Africa would go crazy for
- 5 of the most blatant copycat cars out of China
- 5 big bakkies South Africa might want but can’t have
- 5 most expensive double-cab bakkies in South Africa
- 5 cheapest automatics on SA’s new vehicle market
- South Africa’s 5 cheapest vehicles with low-range
- 5 biggest gas-guzzlers on SA’s new vehicle market
- 5 most fuel-efficient cars we’ve recently tested
- 7 most fuel-efficient non-hybrid petrol cars in SA
- 5 most fuel-efficient non-hybrid diesel cars in SA
