6 Vehicles With Over 1,000 Horsepower

Since the very first automobiles hit the streets over 100 years ago, gearheads and tinkerers have been obsessed with gleaning every possible drop of power from the engines. That obsession has led to innumerable innovations, like forced induction and emissions control systems, and helped make modern cars more powerful and efficient than ever before. However, despite all of that passion for power, most contemporary vehicles produce between 180 and 200 horsepower in their stock forms. Some of these engines are deceptively powerful, thanks to innovations like superchargers and turbochargers, as well as efficiency-boosting emissions control systems. But if you're interested in a car with huge amounts of horsepower, like 1,000 horses or more, then you'll have to look a little harder and spend substantially more money.

That said, there are various vehicles out there that produce 1,000 horsepower or more. We're not talking about professional race cars that are illegal to drive on the street, either. That's right — there are a handful of production cars out there that offer those mythical horsepower levels. What models are they? That's exactly what we're going to cover in this article. From limited-edition luxury electric vehicles like the Lotus Evija hyper EV to modern iterations of classic muscle cars like the Dodge Challenger, here are six vehicles that produce more than 1,000 horsepower.

The Dodge Challenger represents one of the most iconic classic muscle cars of all time. Its original run spanned two generations and lasted from 1970 to 1983. Dodge introduced a revamped third generation in 2008 and continued building the cars until 2023. One third-generation model of particular interest is the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. With its seamless combination of contemporary tech and classic muscle car style, and its impressive 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi engine, the Challenger SRT Demon 170 is capable of producing a robust 1,025 horsepower. This earns a spot on this list and cementing itself as one of the most powerful production cars ever built.

With what Dodge claims to be the first-ever production Hemi capable of producing more than 1,000 horsepower, the Challenger SRT Demon 170 is essentially a street-legal dragster. It comes stock with high-performance parts like four-piston Brembo brakes, an air grabber hood, drag suspension, and special dragster tires. The beastly challenger produces up to 945 pound-feet of torque and can travel from zero to 60 mph in under two seconds. The Challenger doesn't skimp on interior features and comfort, either. It's adorned with carbon fiber accents, cloth bucket seats, a soft Alcantara steering wheel, and a capable audio system. The car is available in 14 different colors, as well as various graphic and interior options, allowing drivers to customize their ride based on individual tastes. 

As mentioned, Dodge discontinued both the Challenger and Charger models after 2023. So, if you want to get your hands on one, you may have to look around a bit. The 2023 model started at a little more than $100,000. However, if you want to buy one now, you may be looking at a price closer to $150.000 to $200,000.

Koenigsegg is a Swedish megacar manufacturer that's been around since 1994. With some financial help from his CEO father, a young Christian von Koenigsegg started the company to realize his own dreams of building and driving lightning-fast vehicles unlike any others on the road. Since then, the manufacturer has gone on to achieve automotive greatness in the form of various speed records, thanks to a handful of some of the fastest Koenigsegg cars ever made. One of those models of particular interest is the Koenigsegg Jesko, a futuristic supercar capable of producing up to a staggering 1,600 horsepower.

The Koenigsegg Jesko is named in honor of Jesko von Koenigsegg, the father of the company's founder and one of the automaker's first and most faithful investors. The source of that impressive horsepower comes in the form of a 5-liter twin turbocharged engine and a nine-speed custom Koenigsegg transmission. The dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine features two exhaust and two intake valves per cylinder, improving engine efficiency by increasing airflow and allowing exhaust fumes to escape the combustion chambers more quickly. 

The supercar is as stylish as it is fast and comes with automated scissor doors, carbon fiber interior accents, brightly-colored bucket seats, and a wide range of smart tech and driver-assist features. The Koenigsegg Jesko is available in Attack and Absolut variants and are separated by slight differences in body design — while the Attack model is built to tear up the track, the Absolut features a stealthier design that includes the removal of the large rear spoiler found on the Attack. Regardless, Koenigsegg will only build 125 Jesko models in total, and if you want to buy one, you'll likely have to fork over upwards of $3 million.

Hennessey Performance Engineering is a less well-known automaker based in Texas. Since the company's founding in 1991, the manufacturer has dedicated itself to building unique, high-performance cars and modifying existing sports and muscle cars to, as the company's motto states, "make fast cars faster." The relatively small manufacturer employs a little more than 90 technicians, engineers, and other car pros and maintains a fully-equipped workshop with state-of-the-art dynamometers, alignment racks, and even a full ¼-mile drag strip. While the company builds various original vehicles and modifies many other stock cars, one of the most impressive of its creations is the Hennessey Venom F5.

The Venom F5 comes equipped with a monstrous 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine capable of producing up to 1,817 horsepower and a massive 1,193 pound-feet of torque. Those specs make it one of the most powerful production cars to ever cruise U.S. streets. The Venom F5's interior is just as exciting, and it features an airplane cockpit-inspired cabin, complete with carbon fiber bucket seats, a yoke-style steering wheel, paddle shifters, and a driver display that shows things like what gear you're in, driving speed, etc. 

The hypercar is available in seven distinct color options, comes with five driving modes, machined aluminum pedals, and a host of other performance and luxury features. As of now, Hennessey has only built or planned to build 24 Venom F5 coupe models, and, unfortunately, each one of those models has been reserved. However, according to the site, Revolution Coupe and Roadster models are still available for reservation. They don't come cheap, though, and if you want to get your hands on one, you're looking at a price around the $3 million-mark.

Aspark is another name that may be unfamiliar to you. The Japanese company was founded in 2005 by businessman Masanori Yoshida and has since evolved into an international presence focused on innovation and cutting-edge work in several core areas, including electric vehicle development. One of the business's greatest creations, and the reason for its inclusion on this list, is the Aspark Owl, a limited-edition electric hypercar capable of pumping out nearly 2,000 horsepower.

The Owl's four electric motors combine to provide a maximum output of 1,953 horsepower and top speeds of up to 413 kph or nearly 260 mph. According to Aspark, the Owl can travel from zero to 60 mph in just 1.72 seconds and from 0 to 100 mph in under 11 seconds, making the hypercar one of the fastest street legal vehicles in existence. Powering the motors is a custom battery pack offering four different drive modes that allow you to customize your experience based on current conditions. The hypercar is designed with both exceptional aerodynamics and aesthetics in mind and features a low-riding, futuristic exterior counterbalanced with massive wheels and tires to hug the road. 

The car's interior is just as badass and features various display screens, showing things like speed, driving mode, left and right side-view mirror angles, as well as ambient lighting, a race-style steering wheel, a carbon fiber mono-cab, and Sparco bucket seats with genuine leather. Want to get your hands on one of these lightning-fast futuristic hypercars? Well, for most of us, the Owl is out of reach. Aspark only plans to build 50 models in total, and the starting price will set you back more than $3 million.

Lotus is a United Kingdom-based car manufacturer that's been in existence since 1948. Since the company's founding, Lotus has been committed particularly to innovation and creating lightning-fast vehicles that defy the industry expectations and norms. However, while Lotus has built many extremely sleek and powerful vehicles in the decades since its birth, one of the fastest and most powerful Lotus cars of all time is the limited-edition Lotus Evija.

With a target brake power output of nearly 2,000 horsepower, the Lotus Evija is more than just one of the fastest Lotus vehicles ever made, it's also one of the most powerful production cars ever built. The Evija is capable of traveling from zero to nearly 200 mph in under 10 seconds, thanks to its four electric motors and powerful mid-mounted battery pack. 

As is the case with most Lotus cars, the Evija is an impressive sight to behold. Its low stance, array of dazzling color options, and scissor doors combine with the luxury sports car's smooth-flowing yet muscular lines to create an image that exudes wealth and speed simultaneously. The car's body panels are constructed entirely of carbon fiber, lending to the vehicle's sporty look, while that powerful battery pack that we mentioned provides a respectable 195 miles of driving range. All of that power and luxury doesn't come cheap, though. 

Lotus built the Evija as a limited-edition vehicle, and only 130 models were built. If you want to get your hands on one, it will most likely cost you a pretty penny. The initial MSRP for the vehicle was set at $2.3 million, but each of the 130 models were pre-reserved, meaning, if you want to buy one of these powerful cars, you're most likely looking at a price closer to $3 million or more.

Rounding off our list is another hypercar built by another less well-known manufacturer. Founded in 1999 by car lover and engineer Jarod Shelby (no relation to the legendary race car driver and automotive innovator, Carroll Shelby), SSC North America is a hypercar manufacturer headquartered in Washington state. According to the company's website, it maintains three dealerships and has been responsible for breaking two world records for vehicle speed. Of its creations, one of the most impressive is the SSC Tuatara, an internal combustion engine-powered beast capable of producing nearly 2,000 horsepower.

Inspired by jet fighters, the Tuatara comes with an exceptionally sleek design that provides near perfect aerodynamics to minimize drag and increase ground velocity. A custom SSC twin turbocharged V8 engine is responsible for creating the hypercar's power, and, depending on the fuel you use, it can produce up to 1,750 horses. Sending that power to the wheels is a CIMA seven-speed robotized manual transmission, while interior paddle shifters allow you to slam through those gears with extreme precision. 

The Tuatara features a carbon fiber mono-cabin to provide enhanced safety and durability while standing up to harsh track use, and a dynamic handling setting allows you to alter the vehicle's ride height and handling based on current driving conditions. Like most of the other cars on this list, the SSC Tuatara isn't meant for casual enthusiasts. The company plans to only build 100 models, and if you want one for yourself, you'll be looking at a price of around $2 million.