The World's Ultimate Fast Automobiles

Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat of France set the first automotive speed record on December 18, 1898. He was able to achieve a speed of 39.24 miles (63.15 kilometers) per hour using an electric car. Since that moment, many risk takers attempted to beat the record of driving fast automobiles. Here are some of the world's ultimate fast automobiles:

1. Aston Martin DB4 - The first in the famous line of Aston Martins, this car was an instant classic and is highly desirable today. The DB4 is built around a pressed-steel platform chassis. The body of the car is formed from alloy panels, designed by Tadek Marek and popularly known as the Superleggera construction.

2. Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera - The “Carrera” name was first used by Porsche for the most powerful model in the 356 range, recalling the achievement in the Carrera Panamericana race in 1954. Since then "Carrera" has been used on and off for Porsche automobiles. The classic Carrera has thinner steel with some comforts removed like the sound-proofing, glove box door and the coat hooks.

3. Ferrari Daytona - In the late 1960's, Ferrari was a very traditional car manufacturer. They car's chassis was made up of many small-diameter square section tubes welded together to produce a strong but heavy material. The Daytona can easily go from 0-100 mph in just under 13 seconds. The rarest of the Daytonas is the Spyder which many tried to copy converted from the coupes.

4. Audi RS2- An ultra high-performance car with turbo charging and four-wheel drive, this car is dubbed as the ultimate fastest automobile Audi has made. The awesome power of Audi was made possible by its six-speed manual transmission tweaked by Porsche. Its ratios are chosen to keep the power band around 3,000 rpm. Audi is accentuated with black-on-white gauges, Recaro seat and Kevlar or wood trim. The car's standard includes a power roof, power windows, CD changer and air conditioning. The five alloy wheels are fitted with ultra-low-profile Dunlop tires. Its 11-inch vented ABS brakes are assisted by a hydraulic booster.

5. Aston Martin Zagato - Dramatic and dressed with distinctive sharp-edge styling, this car is made more remarkable with its capability of reaching over 180 mph. The Zagato is quick; it can reach 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. One way in which Zagato is distinguished from the other Astons is through its short rear.

6. AC Cobra 289 - The ultimate sports automobile U.S. ever manufactured, this car is simply shattering with its type V8 engine, cast-iron cylinder block and cylinder heads, maximum power of 271 bhp at 5,750 rpm and tp speed of 140 mph and 0-60 mph in 5.5 sec. This American muscle was produced with a lightweight British sports car body. The automobile's soft-top has a slightly clumsy look when up.

In 1961, Carroll Shelby had a brilliant idea of crossbreeding an AC Ace body and chassis with a Ford V8 engine. He chose the Ford small-block V8 engine because at that time Ford was committing itself to a new Total Performance program. Initially, the 260-cubic inch V8 was fitted to only 75 unit. Then, the Shelby decided to went up to the 289-cubic inch V8 with a nominal output of 271 bhp. Later, the Cobra got Ford's 427 and 428 units and so the immortal Cobra was born.

7. McLaren F1 - Designed by the world-beating Formula 1 team, this is today's "the ultimate automobile" ever to hit the road. With a top-speed of 231 mph and the ability to leap from standing to 60 moh in just 3.2 seconds, McLaren holds the record of being the closest thing to a Grand Prix car. McLaren F1 embodies the philosophy of its maker (McLaren Automotive) of establishing the most advanced engineering and technology from Formula One, unparalleled with keen attention to details and pursuit of the purest driving experience.