A supercar – also called exotic car – is a loosely defined description of street-legal, high-performance sports cars. Since the 2010s, the term hypercar has come into use for the highest performing supercars. Supercars commonly serve as the flagship model within a vehicle manufacturer's line-up of sports cars and typically feature various performance-related technology derived from motorsports. Some examples include the Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Aventador, and McLaren 720S.
In the United States, muscle cars were often referred to as "supercars" during the 1960s.
History
Europe
The Lamborghini Miura, produced from 1966 to 1973, is often said to be the first supercar.[1][2][3][4] By the 1970s and 1980s the term was in regular use, if not precisely defined.[5][6] One interpretation up until the 1990s was to use it for mid-engine two-seat cars with at least eight cylinders (but typically a V12 engine), a power output of at least 400 bhp (298 kW) and a top speed of at least 180 mph (290 km/h).[7] Other interpretations state that "it must be very fast, with sporting handling to match", "it should be sleek and eye-catching" and its price should be "one in a rarefied atmosphere of its own"[8] or regard exclusivity (i.e. limited production volumes) as an important characteristic (such as those made by Ferrari or Lamborghini).[4] Some European manufacturers specialize in only producing supercars, such as McLaren, Pagani, and Koenigsegg.[9][10][11][12][13]
It is also claimed that the definition of a supercar has always been subjective and a matter of blind prejudice.[7]
During the 1960s, cars that are now considered to be muscle cars were then referred to as supercars.[14][15]: 8 The term was sometimes spelled with a capital S.[16] In 1966 the sixties supercar became an official industry trend.[14]: 8 For example, the May 1965 issue of the American magazine Car Life includes multiple references to supercars and "the supercar club"[17] and a 1968 issue of Car & Driver magazine refers to "the Supercar street racer gang" market segment.[18] In the model name of the AMC S/C Rambler, the "S/C" is an abbreviation for "SuperCar".[19]
Since the decline of the muscle car in the 1970s, the word supercar came to mean a car that has high performance[14]: 5 interpretations of the term are for limited-production models produced by small manufacturers for enthusiasts, and, less so, standard-looking cars modified for increased performance.[20]
During the early 1990's Japan began to gain global recognition for making high-performance sports cars, but the automotive media first recognized the Honda NSX produced from 1990 to 2005 as Japan's first supercar, with its lightweight mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout.[34][35][36] The NSX was praised for being more reliable and user-friendly than contemporary European supercars.[37][38]
In the 21st century, other Japanese brands also decided to make their own supercars. From 2010 to 2012, Lexus produced the Lexus LFA, a two-seat front-engine coupe powered by a 4.8 L (293 cu in) V10 engine producing 553 hp (412 kW; 561 PS).[39][40][41] The 2009–present Nissan GT-R has also been praised as a modern supercar with every day practicality.[42][43][44] It features a twin-turbo V6 producing between 473–710 hp (353–529 kW; 480–720 PS), and has been lauded for its acceleration and handling through its all-wheel-drive drivetrain and dual-clutch transmission.[45][46][47][48]
The second generation of the Honda NSX from 2016 to 2022 marked a change in approach for Honda, by using all-wheel drive, a hybrid powertrain producing up to 602 hp (449 kW; 610 PS), turbocharging and a dual-clutch transmission, elevating the NSX marque to contemporary supercar standards.[49][50][51]
Hypercar
A more recent term for high-performance sportscars is "hypercar", which is sometimes used to describe the highest performing supercars.[52] As per supercars, there is no set definition for what constitutes a hypercar. An attempt to define these is "a limited-production, top-of-the-line supercar with a price of around or more than US$1 million."[53]
Some people consider the 1993 McLaren F1 to be the first hypercar,[54] while others believe the 2005 Bugatti Veyron was the first hypercar.[55]
^Severson, Aaron (27 July 2009). "Super-iority: Defining the Supercar and Muscle Car". ateupwithmotor.com. Retrieved 16 January 2018. what we now think of as muscle cars were more commonly called "Supercars," often (though not always) spelled with a capital S.
