5 Of The Fastest Mercedes-Benz Cars Ever Made, Ranked By Top Speed

Mercedes-Benz cars often symbolize the glamour and prestige of the high-class automotive segment, thanks to their supremely luxurious interiors and trend-setting tech. The Stuttgart-based behemoth often makes new models or boosts some of its already great cars with boundary-pushing performance to add excitement and improve high-level speed. Decades ago, the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Super Sport became the fastest Mercedes-Benz car after debuting with improved performance over the standard Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR.

Before the Super Sport's arrival, the CLK GTR reigned supreme as the fastest Mercedes-Benz model ever made, with a top speed of 214 mph — impressive even by contemporary standards. However, the Super Sport model was built to a higher standard, and as a result, could reach speeds up to 231 mph. That's still the highest echelon of fast Mercedes-Benz cars, but there are other three-pointed star-bearing models that are also worthy of profound respect. Below, we've identified five of the fastest Mercedes-Benz models by top speed.

When the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR first arrived on the scene, it was to participate in the initial FIA GT Championship series in 1997, which it did against the likes of the McLaren F1 GTR and Porsche 911 GT1. It successfully won twice on the bounce (in 1997 and 1998), but because Mercedes-Benz still had to satisfy the 25 car homologation requirement for participating in the championship, it built 28 road-going versions of the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR GT1 (two of which were prototypes), with construction handled by then-partner AMG and HWA Engineering. By late 1998, the road-legal CLK GTR was ready in all its glory, sporting a naturally aspirated 60-degree, 6.9-liter V12 under its hood.

The engine was based on the M120 and featured aluminum block and cylinder heads, forged pistons, titanium con rods, a Bosch-supplied multipoint fuel-injection system, a dry-sump lubrication system, as well as a carbon fiber oil tank. The result was a powertrain robust enough to handle an ECE-certified 603 hp and 572 lb-ft of torque, with that output allowing a 0-62 mph time of around 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 214 mph. The CLK GTR Super Sport was more frenetic, thanks to a stroked 7.3-liter version of the V12 engine, uprated to produce 711 hp and 580 lb-ft of torque. With this output, the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Super Sport could reach 62 mph in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 231 mph.

[Featured image by Thesupermat via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

With Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains' expertise behind it, the F1-engined Mercedes-AMG ONE is, naturally, fast. Revealed back in 2022, the two-seater hypercar features an E PERFORMANCE Formula 1 hybrid drive system that combines a 1.6-liter V6 engine with four electric motors, together generating 1,063 hp, with that output enough to propel the hypercar to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 219 mph. Of course, the Mercedes-AMG ONE's speed ambitions are in part helped by other F1 bits such as the carbon-fiber monocoque and carbon-fiber body, which keep curb weight reasonably low at 3,737 pounds (1,695 kg).

The super sports car also effortlessly dominates lap times. In October 2022, it ran around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife racing circuit in Germany in a record-breaking time of 6:35.183, and in doing so, became the fastest road-going production car to lap the track. In September 2024, the Mercedes-AMG ONE again ran around the world-famous road course more quickly and with greater success. It posted a lap time of 6:29.09, becoming the first production car to conquer the grueling Nordschleife track in less than 6:30 minutes.

Named after celebrated British racing driver Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss is a limited edition variant of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, with production limited to just 75 examples, and, unlike the standard SLR McLaren, the Stirling Moss edition was without a roof or windshield. This design choice mostly appeals to thrill-seekers who like to drive with wind-swept hair, which owners should find the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss offers in abundance, given its 217 mph top speed (and 3.5-second 0-62 mph time).

That exalted performance comes courtesy of a specially made 5.4-liter supercharged V8 that generates 650 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. Matching that stupendous output with the vehicle's bonded carbon fiber monocoque, carbon fiber front crash structure, and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic and aluminum body also benefitted performance, as the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss was quite lightweight at 3,421 pounds (1,551 kg). That makes it 429 pounds lighter than the regular SLR McLaren, considering the latter's 3,850-pound curb weight.

[Featured image by Thesupermat via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]

When you combine massive power with leading-edge aerodynamics-enhancing features such as a large radiator air inlet, a manually adjustable, carbon fiber front diffuser with two positions (street and race), semicircular flics, carbon fiber fenders, carbon-fiber bonnet, as well as double-decker rear diffuser and massive rear wing, you're bound to end up with a thrillingly fast car like the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GTR Black Series. That's even before you add the reputedly slick AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed dual clutch transmission and flat-plane-crank 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine, which produces 720 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. 

All that grunt not only means the 2021 GTR Black Series is the most powerful V8 Mercedes-Benz ever, but it also helps nudge the supercar to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph. Lap times also pose no challenge for the track weapon. Back in 2020, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series clocked a Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time of 6:43.616 minutes, and in the process became the fastest production car to do so – although it has since been eclipsed by the likes of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Manthey and aforementioned Mercedes-AMG ONE.

Through-and-through, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series is worthy of a supercar tag, and yet Mercedes-Benz prefers to call it a luxurious GT. Whatever it means to you, the SL 65 AMG Black Series makes sure you can enjoy fast-paced fun, thanks in part to an aluminum twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 that puts out 661 horses and 738 lb-ft. This is enough to accelerate the grand tourer from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and see it reach a top speed of 199 mph, which is 43 mph faster than the standard 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG could muster (that model has a top speed of 156 mph).

With 661 hp at the ready, the Black Series is also about 57 hp up on power versus its sibling. Then there's the issue of weight, where, in addition to improving the car's aerodynamics, Mercedes engineers made significant efforts to wean weight of about 551 pounds, managing to achieve this by making wide use of carbon fiber components and replacing the regular SL 65 AMG's foldable hardtop roof with a fixed one on the Black Series.

[Featured image by OSX via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain]