11 Wild Super Cars You Won't Find Cruising Around Town

Luxury sports cars are built for comfort and speed. But sometimes, the engineers want to let loose, strip the car down, and not get bogged down with the rigors of road safety regulations. Swapping out the leather seats for roll bars and fire extinguishers, the developers of these cars, were given full reign to explore and create. While some of these motorsport masterpieces have civilian models available, these track stars will not be spotted cruising down the boulevard.

Zenos E10 R

Zenos started in 2015, intending to build high-performance cars at an affordable price. The E10 R is their newest and fastest track car yet. With a relatively small, Ford-built 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine putting out just 350 base horsepower, this newcomer can hit sixty miles per hour in three seconds. The E10 R hugs corners with its double wishbone suspension on the front and back and blasts back out of turns with over three hundred pound-feet of torque. All that momentum and speed is reigned in by the ventilated front discs and four-pot calipers. The base model for this peppy little British Sportster retails for just a tad over $60,000.

Aston Martin Vulcan

The engineers over at Aston Martin wanted to create a track-only luxury supercar, and the result was the Vulcan. Released in 2015, the Vulcan saw a limited production run with only twenty-four made. The 7.0-Liter V-12 Engine can churn out 800 horsepower and pushes the luxury racer from zero to sixty in just 2.9 seconds. There is so much car here that Aston Martin limits the vehicle’s output to 500 horses until buyers have proven they can handle it. Going this fast does not come cheap, with a price tag of around $2.3 million.

Ferrari 488 Challenge

Replacing the 458 Evoluzione, the 488 Challenge boasts a whopping 670 hp from the 3.9-Liter V-8. Based on 488 GTB’s V-8, the Challenge model’s engine was remapped for track performance. Compared to its predecessor, the 488 Challenge offers a substantial improvement on acceleration out of turns. The 488 also features a whole new hood with triple vents and flaps that direct the hot air towards the rear and away from the redesigned radiator. The front bumper saw a makeover and now sporting winglets on the splitters to increase downforce and keep that sleek nose to the ground.

Lotus Exige Race 380

Lotus, the British sports car manufacturer known for its lightweight supercars, is often absent from the US market due to different standards for road safety that Lotus does not meet. The regulations surrounding the race track, however, are much different. Based on European road-legal Exige Sport 380, the Exige Race 380 is available in the US for track use only, which suits the Lotus just fine. The Race has the same supercharged 3.5 liters V-6 as the sport model, can reach 170 miles per hour, and sprints from stop to sixty in just 3.2 seconds using its 302 lb-ft of torque. The Exige Race 380 weighs in just shy of a tonne at 2,200 pounds, giving it an incredible power to weight ratio. With $145,000, this track star is one of the more affordable options for those looking to run laps.

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport

Traditionally, the Porsche Motorsport division was the sole realm of the 911. That changed in 2016 when Porsche revealed a Cayman with a stripped-down interior, roll cage, and a brand new six-speed PDK transmission. Still sporting the 3.8 Liter, flat-six engine from the road-ready Cayman GT4, the track model pushes out 385 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, reaching a top speed of 183 miles per hour. The six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission makes accidental miss-shifting a thing of the past in this track car, making it an easy drive for someone looking to try their hand on the circuit.

McLaren P1 GTR

To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their win at the twenty-four hours of Le Mans, the McLaren team resurrected the GTR name. The GTR started as soon as the road-legal - and equally impressive - P1 finished its limited run of 375. Sporting a 986 horsepower hybrid engine, the GTR can hit sixty from a dead stop in just 2.4 seconds and tops out at 225 miles per hour. Those lucky enough to buy one of the 58 GTRs that came off the line were also invited to a track day to train their new cars. Of course, with a three million dollar price tag and nearly 1000 hp, proper training is probably a good idea.

Ferrari FXX K

The FXX K is Ferrari’s uncompromising attempt to create the fastest performance vehicle ever, even if it will never see any competition on the track. Based on Ferrari’s first hybrid, the LaFerrari, the FXX K throttles out just over a thousand combined horsepower from the naturally aspirated 6.3 liter V-12 and an electric motor. Owners of one of the forty FXX K models made dished out about three million dollars for the ride. They were invited to the Ferrari Test Driver Program so the engineers from Ferrari can collect data from the track to make even more absurdly fast - and fun - vehicles.

Mercedes-AMG GT3

Unleashed on the world in 2015, Mercedes’ AMG GT3 is the German automakers’ latest entry to the GT3 racing class. Based on the SLS SMG GT, the GT3 is lighter. Pushing 562 horses out of the 6.3 Liter AMG V-8, this Batmobile look-alike takes off the line and reaches sixty in just 2.9 seconds. Rigged with a six-speed sequential racing transmission, the GT3 is approachable for any driver style, provided they can handle the 204 mph top speed and the $420,000 price tag. This is not your Grandpa’s luxury liner Mercedes.

Audi R8 LMS

The Audi R8 made waves when it entered the luxury sports market as a sleek alternative to BMW or Mercedes; then again, the first generation of R8 appeared on the circuit. The German automaker has taken that performance and ratcheted it up for the race track in the newest version of the R8 LMS. The 5.2 liters DOHC V-10 pumps out 577 ponies and 406 lb-ft of torque when allowed to run free. However, those numbers are reigned in a bit depending on the class of race the car is competing in. The driver is treated to a pneumatically activated 6-speed racing gearbox with paddle shift to control this $450,000 beast.

BMW Procar M1

This iconic supercar out of the late 1970s was little more than a marketing stunt by BMW. The BMW Procar Series only ran the 1979 and 1980 seasons before being declared a successful campaign to sell the four hundred cars required to enter into the Group 4 series. With just 453 ever made, this rare racer had a 3.5-liter six-cylinder capable of producing 850 horsepower when turbocharged and could reach 163 miles per hour. Considered one of the top cars out of the 1970s by enthusiasts, the M1 helped pave the way for BMWs formidable reputation on the track.

Pagani Zonda R

The McLaren-inspired styling of the Pagani Zonda R has become a legend since its unveiling in 2007. The massive AMG–sourced 6.0 liter V-12 churns out a mind-bending 739 horsepower and 524 lb-ft of torque. This rocket takes off from naught to 62 mph in just 2.7 seconds. Once it gets going, The Zonda R tops out around 217 miles per hour. While Pagani has only been running laps with the supercar big boys since 1999, the Zonda R has cemented Pagani’s reputation as a manufacturer to watch out for on the track.