Step out early on a Sunday morning in one of the major metro cities and you're likely to see something powerful and exotic flying down the road. People bring out their most exotic toys for a drive when they don’t need to encounter traffic. Over the years, India has seen exotic brands from across the globe launch high-performance cars in the country, from exotic car brands such as Ferrari and Lamborghini to even major European players such as Mercedes and Audi. Here we take a look at the most powerful exotics you can currently buy in the market - SUVs not included.
Lamborghini officially entered the hybrid era when it unveiled the Revuelto in March 2023 as the successor to the Aventador. Aggressive looks aside, the Revuelto marked a very big departure from its predecessor, debuting an all-new chassis design and powertrain, including an all-new naturally aspirated V12 engine now synced with a trio of electric motors to deliver an eye-watering 1001 bhp on cumulative power. The Revuelto also features all-wheel drive with two of the electric motors bolted to the front axle, with the third positioned between the gearbox and engine to drive the rear wheels, though the hybrid powertrain itself only offers up to 10 km of EV-only running.
In terms of outright performance, Lamborghini claims a 0-100 kmph time of just 2.5 seconds and a top speed in excess of 350 kmph for its flagship raging bull.
Powertrain: 6.5-litre V12 + 3 electric motors
Output: 1001 bhp (combined)
0-100 kmph: 2.5 sec
Top Speed: 350 kmph
The replacement to the Huracan, the Temerario dropped the screaming V10 of its predecessor, instead adopting a twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain to offer even more scintillating performance. As with its larger sibling, the Temerario also boasts of a trio of electric motors supporting the internal combustion engine to push out a combined 907 bhp. Speaking of the V8 engine, the unit may not sound as vocal as the V10 unit it replaced but it still retains the latter’s high-revving character with peak power delivered between 9,000 and 10,000 rpm. The Temerario can do the 0 to 100 kmph sprint in just 2.7 seconds, and reach top speeds of 343 kmph.
Powertrain: 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 + 3 electric motor
Output: 907 bhp (combined)
0-100 kmph: 2.7 sec
Top Speed: 343 kmph
Lotus has taken some major steps away from its past as a manufacturer of lightweight mid-engined sports cars with the Emeya and the Eletre being prime examples. The Emeya is Lotus’ all-electric super sedan that was launched in India at the start of the year. Depending on the variant selected, the Emeya develops either 600 bhp and 710 Nm or 905 bhp and 985 Nm in its hottest R spec. Paired with a 102 kWh battery, the Emeya R offers a range of up to 435 km (WLTP) and will crack 0-100 kmph in 2.8 seconds. Top speed sits at 260 kmph.
Powertrain: All-Electric
Output: 905 bhp/985 Nm
0-100 kmph: 2.8 sec
Top Speed: 260 kmph
Believe it or not, but a Mercedes does make its way onto the list of the most powerful supercars you can buy in the Indian market, and this one is quite versatile too. The AMG GT 4-Door Coupe in its current plug-in-hybrid guise is the most powerful AMG you can get your hands on in the market, with the twin-turbo V8 and electric motors pushing out a combined 831 bhp and a claimed 1470 Nm of torque. The AMG super sedan is capable of sprinting to 100 kmph in just 2.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 316 kmph.
Want something nearly as quick but with more focus on rear-seat luxury? Well, Mercedes also has the 791 bhp AMG S 63 E-Performance too in its stable.
Powertrain: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 PHEV
Output: 831 bhp/1470 Nm
0-100 kmph: 2.9 sec
Top Speed: 316 kmph
The new Vanquish was one of the latest Aston Martin models to make it to India this year with the global unveiling taking place in September last year. Like previous Vanquish models, the latest generation of Aston Martin’s Super GT retains the services of a V12 engine with the latest 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged unit pushing out a strong 824 bhp and 1,000 Nm of peak torque driving the rear wheels. These numbers mean that Aston’s ultra luxury GT will hit 100 kmph in 3.3 seconds flat and onto a top speed of 345 kmph - the fastest for a road-going Aston Martin for now.
Powertrain: 5.2-litre, twin-turbo, V12
Output: 824 bhp/1000 Nm
0-100 kmph: 3.3 sec
Top Speed: 345 kmph
Ferrari’s V12 flagship is likely to be one of the last outings for the brand’s famed V12 engine in unassisted guise. More super GT than an outright supercar, the 12Cilindri nails the traditional GT car proportions, though its design may not be as eye-catching to some as some of its predecessors. The highlight of the 12Cilindri is without a doubt its powertrain - a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 pushing out a peak 819 bhp at 9,250 rpm and 678 Nm of peak torque at 7,250 rpm, sending power to the rear wheels via an 8-speed DCT gearbox. 0-100 kmph is dusted in a claimed 2.9 seconds, with 200 kmph coming up in under 8 seconds. Flat out, Ferrari claims a top speed in excess of 340 kmph.
Powertrain: 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated V12
Output: 819 bhp/678 Nm
0-100 kmph: 2.9 sec
Top Speed: 340 kmph
Ferrari’s 296 might not be built around the brand’s iconic V8 and V12 engines but its hybrid powertrain of turbocharged V6 and electric motor gives the Italian exotic a total output of 819 bhp - the same as the 12Cilindri. Performance too is just blistering with a claimed 0-100 kmph in 2.9 seconds, a 0-200 kmph time of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 330 kmph. Globally, clients now get the option for a more potent 296 Speciale that bumps up output to 868 bhp, develops 20 per cent more downforce and weighs up to 60 kg less which we are sure should also make it to India in limited numbers down the road. In terms of performance, the Speciale is quicker by 0.1 second to 100 kmph and 0.3 seconds quicker to 200 kmph.
Powertrain: 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 + electric motor
Output: 819 bhp (combined)
0-100 kmph: 2.9 sec
Top Speed: 330 kmph
The successor to the 720S, one of the first McLaren cars to launch in India, the 750S is a lighter, more powerful evolution of McLaren’s series-production supercar featuring a twin-turbo V8 under the hood driving just the rear wheels. Tipping the scale at under 1,300 kg, the 750S is lightweight for sure with the V8 engine churning out 740 bhp and 800 Nm of torque giving it a power-to-weight ratio of almost 580 bhp per tonne. Despite the rear-wheel drive layout, McLaren claims that the 750S will hit 100 kmph from a standstill in 2.8 seconds and onto 200 kmph in a claimed 7.2 sec before topping out at 332 kmph.
Powertrain: 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8
Output: 740 bhp/800 Nm
0-100 kmph: 2.8 sec
Top Speed: 332 kmph
The Artura could be considered McLaren’s mid-range performance model in the Indian market positioned between teh 750S and the entry McLaren GT. Power comes from a mid-mounted twin-turbo V6 tucked away behind the driver cell paired with electric motors to push out a strong 690 bhp and up to 720 Nm of torque with the car’s overall weight sitting just under 1,500 kg. On the performance front, McLaren says the Artura will hit 100 kmph in 3 seconds dead with 200 kmph arriving in 8.3 seconds. Top speed is 330 kmph.
Powertrain: 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 + electric motor
Output: 690 bhp (combined)
0-100 kmph: 3 sec
Top Speed: 330 kmph
The latest model to wear Aston Martin’s haloed DB nameplate, the DB12 brought with it some big changes over its predecessors - dropping the iconic V12 entirely and retaining the services of a twin-turbocharged V8. However, the change in engines hasn’t made the DB12 any slower. The V8 punches out a max 671 bhp and 800 Nm of torque - higher than the old V12 630 bhp, giving the DB12 a claimed top speed of over 325 kmph and a 0-100 kmph sprint time of 3.5 seconds - 0.2 seconds faster than the DB11 V12.
Powertrain: 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8
Output: 671 bhp/800 Nm
0-100 kmph: 3.5 sec
Top Speed: 325 kmph
