The 600-Horsepower Club

With Ferrari's last hypercar, the Enzo, slowly fading from memory, the 599 GTB now holds the crown of top Ferrari. This front-engine grand-touring sports car boasts a 6-liter 612-horsepower V12 engine under its long hood. It also holds the crown for one of the world's fastest zero-to-60-mph times, at just 3.2 seconds. For those with an even greater lust for performance, and even deeper pockets, the 599 GTO variant claims a whopping 661 horsepower and the title of Ferrari's fastest production offering — even faster than the aforementioned Enzo.

Bing Images: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Porsche reserves its "RS" designation for only the best of its breed. In the case of the already frightening GT2 variant of the 911, the RS trim borders on insanity. Although based on the previous 997 generation, rather than the all-new 991, the GT2 RS is the fastest production Porsche. With 620 horsepower coming from a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter engine mounted in the trunk and powering only the rear wheels, calling the GT2 RS a handful to control should be an understatement. Still, for drivers versed in the art of 911 driving, the GT2 RS produces a thrill that few cars can match.

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The first of two English cars on this list, the Bentley Continental Supersports differs from most of this pack because of its emphasis on luxury and comfort, rather than on outright, face-melting performance. This sumptuous Bentley packs six liters spread across 12 cylinders, although laid out in a W configuration instead of the more typical V. The turbocharged behemoth produces a dizzying 621 horsepower and launches the big coupe to 60 mph in less than four seconds — seriously fast for a 5,000-pound hunk of metal. Most examples of this $250,000 car end up in the hands of celebrities looking to flaunt some automotive bling.

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While the Mercedes-Benz S65 isn't the most powerful vehicle here, it is arguably one of the most astounding. The reason? It's a 4-door luxury sedan capable of transporting five adults in comfort, technology and style. Like the Bentley, this big Benz gets its monumental power from a 6-liter 12-cylinder engine sporting a pair of turbochargers. As opposed to the Bentley's unorthodox W-cylinder layout, the engine in the S65 is a traditional V12 good for 621 horsepower and a stupefying 738 lb-ft of torque. A sleeker 2-door cousin, the CL65 AMG, packs the same monstrous mill under the hood.

Compare: Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs. Audi A8 vs. Porsche Panamera

The Corvette ZR1 is the most potent mass-produced American sports car and lays claim to one of the quickest times around Germany's famed Nürburgring track. Its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine churns out an easy 638 horsepower, making it the fastest production vehicle to wear a Chevrolet bow tie. Yet it remains surprisingly docile when driven gently. It continues to suffer against equally priced imports in terms of refinement, but the reverse can also be said of its performance — practically no other vehicle in the ZR1's price range can touch its track-readiness. The Nissan GT-R is one of its few direct competitors.

View Slideshow:  Manly Machines

With the introduction of the 2013 Shelby GT500, the pony-car wars have officially gotten out of hand. Let it be clear we're talking about a factory-produced Mustang with 650 horsepower. Likely created to one-up the fire-breathing ZL1 variant of its decades-old archrival, the Chevrolet Camaro, this Mustang and its supercharged 5.8-liter V8 engine is the most powerful Ford to ever roll off the assembly line, and by a large margin. Although it's far from a barbaric muscle car, we can only hope the big coupe's aging suspension design is up to the task of controlling this kind of power.

View Slideshow:  Best Bang for the Buck: Horsepower

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti was a curvaceous, high-performance luxury sports car. But it never really enjoyed success in the highly competitive exotic market. Ferrari's response to this comes in the form of the polarizing FF. In many ways, this uniquely styled vehicle is a drastic departure from the tried-and-true prancing-horse formula. It offers four seats and all-wheel drive, as well as a "love it or hate it" shooting-brake body style. Luckily, its screaming 651-horsepower V12 engine does a mighty job of allaying concerns that Ferrari is forsaking performance and exhilaration, as it enables the 4-seater to rocket to 208 mph.

Watch Video:  Ferrari FF

Lamborghini has never been one to be timid with its vehicles, and its latest flagship turns heads with its flashy stealth-fighter styling and explosively powerful V12 engine rattling the ground. With 691 horsepower and years of performance engineering under its belt, the Aventador is more than ready to carry the torch into the next generation. Its paddle-shifting, single-clutch transmission, however, has a strikingly rough touch in a sea of seamless, butter-smooth dual-clutch units. Even so, it gets the job done. This replacement for the Murcielago is exactly what we were hoping for from the house of the raging bull.

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British sports-car manufacturer Aston Martin is famous for creating svelte and sexy grand touring cars, and its crowning achievement, the One-77, is no exception. Although unmistakably an Aston Martin in design, this halo car puts a greater emphasis on outrageous performance and sports wilder, jaw-dropping style elements than its lesser brethren. Limited to just 77and already sold out, the One-77 boasts the most powerful naturally aspirated production-car engine ever made — a 7-liter V12 good for a roaring 750 horsepower. Take a good look at this athletic beauty, as it's unlikely you'll ever encounter one on the road.

Bing Images: Aston Martin One-77

By now, the Bugatti Veyron is no stranger to automotive enthusiasts, as its superlative specs make it the uncontested king of sports cars. Its Super Sport variant cranks the wick even further, boosting output of its mammoth quad-turbo W16 engine from an already absurd 987 horsepower up to a "good God, that's nuts" 1,183 horsepower. This insane power results in a possible top speed of 268 mph. Without question, the Veyron would satisfy even the biggest adrenaline junkie. With a price tag well into the seven digits, however, this uber-exclusive supercar is not for the financially faint of heart.

View Slideshow:  Built for Speed

For more information on any vehicle in this slideshow, click the links below:

- Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
- Porsche 911 GT2 RS
- Bentley Continental Supersports
- Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
- Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
- Ford Shelby GT500

Compare: 6 of the cars

James Tate cut his teeth in the business as a race team crew member before moving to the editorial side as Senior Editor of Sport Compact Car, and his work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Automobile, Motor Trend and European Car. When not writing, Tate is usually fantasizing about a vintage Porsche 911.

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