Johannesburg - As we get ready to celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday, we’re giving dads something special to drool over as we showcase some of the most precious metal (and carbonfibre) to be found in local car dealerships.
Join us for a ride in the fast lane as we present the fastest five supercars you can buy in South Africa:
Lamborghini Aventador LP740-4 S
Outputs: 544kW and 690Nm
Price: R7.9-million (coupe); R8.7-million (roadster)
Available in closed-top coupe and open-topped roadster versions, the Lamborghini Aventador is a mid-engined sports car with signature scissor doors.
Lamborghini has resisted the modern engineering urge to strap on a turbo-charger to engines, resulting in a spine-chilling soundtrack from the high-revving 6.5-litre normally aspirated V12.
Launched in 2011, the vehicle replaced the Murciélago as the Italian firm’s flagship model, and in keeping with Lamborghini tradition, the car is named after a fighting bull.
It was followed up by the more poweful Aventador LP740-4 S in 2016, with power bumped up from 510kW to 544kW (740hp) at 8400rpm, while torque stayed at 690Nm. This bull can charge from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds and it tops out at 350km/h.
Standard carbon ceramic brakes provide stopping power to match. Extreme corner-carving ability is provided by four wheel steering and permanent four wheel drive, while aerodynamic tweaks improved front downforce by 130 percent.
Ferrari 812 Superfast
Outputs: 588kW and 718Nm
Price: R7.3-million
The most powerful production car in Ferrari’s fabled history, the front-mounted 6.5-litre V12 shunts this Italian stallion to 100km/h in just 2.9 seconds and onto a 340km/h top speed - all while making an operatic howl through its quartet of tailpipes.
Unveiled in 2017 as replacement to the F12 Berlinetta, the two-seater grand tourer uses some trick aerodynamics to increase downforce and brake cooling. This includes ducts to increase underbody air flow, channels in the bonnet to move air to the side of the car for additional downforce, and active flaps in the rear diffuser that open up at high speeds to reduce drag.
Power’s fed to the rear wheels via a dual-clutch 7-speed gearbox, and the rear-wheel steering system improves both cornering agility and high-speed stability.
McLaren 720S
Outputs: 527kW and 770Nm
Price: R5.8-million
The McLaren vs Ferrari battle in Formula One is very skewed in the Italians’ favour right now, but in the road car stakes the British sports car brand is firing on all cylinders.
At the heart of this supercar is a turbocharged V8 4-litre mid-mounted engine in a carbon fibre body, good for performance figures of a 341km/h top speed and 0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds. Perhaps even more impressively, zero to 200 takes just 7.8 seconds.
Drive is to the rear wheels through a seven speed automatic Seamless Shift Gearbox, and there’s a launch control system. At the press of a button the driver’s able to adjust the powertrain and suspension settings to Normal, Sport or Track.
A drift mode with 12 increments allows drivers to fine-tune the stability control intervention to their preferred power sliding setting - from medium sideways action to completely bonkers depending on your driving ability and testicular fortitude.
The dramatic design includes twin-hinged dihedral doors that, besides making a grand styling gesture, make for easier access into the cabin.
Porsche 911 GT2 RS
Outputs: 515kW and 750Nm
Price: R5.5-million
Porsche’s most powerful 911 ever, the GT2 RS is a no-compromise track machine with a modified sport chassis, rear-axle steering and ceramic composite brakes.
It recently set the production-car lap record at Nurburgring Nordschleife, the ultimate supercar proving ground, with its time of 6 min 47.3 secs. That arguably makes it the planet’s most desirable sportscar right now.
The 3.8-litre twin turbo flat-six engine perhaps doesn’t match its Italian rivals for outright vocal charm, but nobody can argue with its straightline bragging rights: a 340km/h top speed and a 2.8 second 0-100km/h sprint.
Rear-wheel drive cranks up the adrenaline without turning it into a tail-happy beast, and the power’s fired through a beaut of a PDK dual-clutch auto gearbox.
The GT2 takes the famed solidity of Porsches to the next level, with all chassis joints replaced by steel ball joints for a firmer connection between chassis and body.
Audi R8 5.2 V10 Plus Quattro
Outputs: 449kW and 560Nm
Price: R3.2-million
A relative lightweight in this esteemed company in terms of both power output and price, Audi’s R8 nevertheless lights up the timing charts with its pace.
With its ability to burn rubber at 330km/h the R8 V10 Plus is the fastest production Audi yet, and its 3.2 second 0-100 blast isn’t shabby either.
The normally aspirated V10 under the rear glass cover revs to a dizzy 8700rpm and sounds like an angry Tyrannosaurus Rex. An optional sports exhaust system makes it roar even louder.
The two-seater - available as a coupé and a spider - lays it down with all-wheel-drive and a seven-speed shift-by-wire S tronic automatic transmission.
Crisp mid-engined handling is assisted by rear-biased quattro drive that defeats the understeer so dreaded by enthusiast drivers.