Can You Name These Record-Breaking Cars?

AUTO

By: Dave Davis

7 Min Quiz

Image: GottaBeMobile via YouTube

About This Quiz

Most of us believe our own cars and trucks deserve to be in the record book — "Most miles stuck in traffic," "Loudest kids in the back seat," "Most nails and screws picked up by tires in a month" and so on — but there are cars that truly belong in the elite class of the "biggest," "longest" and "fastest" vehicles on the planet. For this quiz, we'll be testing your knowledge, or your skills of deduction, when it comes to record-breaking vehicles. How do you think you'll measure up?

While some of these vehicles were designed from the ground up to set the records they'd go on to establish, some of the vehicles on this list wound up at the top of various categories just from flukes of engineering or trying to corner the market in a certain respect. While "Fastest car on the planet" is a title to shoot for, what about "Widest car on the planet"? How about "Smallest station wagon ever made"? These and many more consummate titles await you in this quiz!

Some of these vehicles you give your left arm for while others you wouldn't be caught dead in, but they all have the term "record-breaking" on their resumes. So, do you think you have what it takes to pick the best (smallest/biggest/fastest/what have you) vehicles from the description and the photos provided? Can you break your own record of "best score" on this record-breaking car quiz? We're about to find out!

Which of these production vehicles has the highest horsepower rating in the land?

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is a car that was in wide enough production where you might be able to drive one — or just see one — on the streets of your town. The Demon somehow stuffed between 808 and 840 horses under the hood, depending on the octane of gas used, so use the good stuff!

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In 1894, which of these cars set a speed record with a blistering 12 miles per hour?

It might not sound like much, but the Benz Velo ushered in the modern automotive age in 1894 when it became the first large-scale production car ever made. Its single cylinder produced 1.5 horsepower and, hey, it beat walking.

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They say electric cars don't have the horses, but don't tell that to which of these high-powered vehicles?

The 2020 Lotus Evija offers not one engine but four — one for each wheel — and the results speak for themselves. The Evija has a monstrous 1,970 horsepower rating, making it the world's most powerful electric vehicle. It will cost you in the neighborhood of $2 million, though!

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Which of these vehicles, to date, is the best-selling car of all time?

In production since 1966, the Toyota Corolla is the world's best-selling vehicle of all time. It became the best-selling nameplate in the world in 1997 when it beat the VW Beetle. In 2016, the vehicle had sold more than 44 million units and is still going strong.

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What is OFFICIALLY considered the world's fastest production vehicle to date?

Although a Bugatti Chiron hit 304 mph in 2019, purists called "foul" at that record because the vehicle was specially set up to take the record (consumers can't buy this vehicle, no matter how much money they have to throw at it). The official record is 277.87 mph, set in 2017 by a Koenigsegg Agera RS.

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It's important to change your oil, but which of these cars has the most oil to change of any on the road today?

The 2015 LaFerrari (which translates in several languages to "The Ferrari") has a mid-mounted 12-cylinder engine that, to keep happy, requires 12 quarts of oil. The coupe version of the hybrid sports car was built from 2013 to 2016, with just over 500 models released.

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It might not get the best mileage on the road, but it'll get there. Which of these vehicles has the largest fuel tank?

The 2015 Toyota Tundra really increased its trip capacity by including a gigantic 38-gallon fuel tank. Don't let the needle go all the way to "E" or that's what your wallet will feel like after a fill-up! There have also been complaints about the accuracy of the fuel gauge with the optional large tank.

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This car has some weight to it. What is the heaviest American production car to crack the asphalt?

Weighing in at a svelte 5,712 pounds, the 1967 Lincoln Continental is considered the biggest "land yacht" ever produced in North America. Most consider the Rolls-Royce Phantom VII the European champ when it comes to topping the scale, coming in at 5,644 lbs.

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Wide load coming through! What vehicle holds the crown of being the widest production car ever made?

Coming in at 82.9 inches wide — that's just a touch under seven feet — the 1954 Chrysler Crown Imperial almost needed a smaller car to run ahead of it with a "wide load" sign to warn other travelers.

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It wasn't fast or roomy, but it DID set a record. What's the smallest production car ever made?

Advertised as being able to carry "one adult and one shopping bag," the Peel P50, made by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man from 1962 to 1965, was 52.8 inches long, had three wheels, 4.2 horsepower and a top speed of 38 miles per hour.

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In 2019, which of these autonomous cars set a new world's record for speed?

A record for the fastest self-driving vehicle was set on March 21, 2019, when the Robocar, developed by the firm Roborace, hit 176.77 miles per hour on a track in Yorkshire, U.K. Driven by artificial intelligence, the vehicle's body was made of carbon fiber and each wheel had its own motor, combining for a 720 horsepower output.

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Which of these is considered by most to be the first production station wagon?

It was boxy (in fact, it was basically a wooden box with doors), but the 1929 Ford Model A was the first factory-built station wagon, beginning a line that would help frenzied parents move children, pets and groceries around before SUVs were ever thought of.

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It sounds odd, but which of these vehicles has the world's largest five-cylinder engine?

The five-cylinder engine is a rare find out in the wild, but it does have its uses. From 2007 to 2012, the Chevrolet Colorado offered a 3.7-liter inline five engine. Even stranger, the 1997 Volkswagen Passat had a 2.3-liter V5 engine.

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There are cars that last, and then there's this car, which traveled more than 3 million miles. Which one?

Because he had a 125-mile daily commute, Alaska resident Irv Gordon needed a dependable car. In 1966, he bought his Volvo 1800S and proceeded to drive it 3.2 million miles. He had to have the engine replaced in 2009, but Irv did all the oil and brake work himself.

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Sometimes the job calls for it! Which of these is the world's longest pickup truck?

In its "Super Duty" variant, the Ford F-250/F-350 crew cab with the long bed measures 263 inches, or just shy of 22 feet long. If you can't get the job done with this truck, maybe the consumer market isn't for you.

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At a weight of only 850 pounds, which of these vehicles was one of the lightest automobiles ever produced?

The only car ever built by the Light Car Company, the Rocket tipped the scales at just 850 pounds but offered seats for two (as long as they didn't mind being seated in tandem). The engine wasn't huge — it had a 1.0-liter motor — but without all the weight, the Rocket could reach speeds of more than 140 miles per hour. There were 55 Rockets produced between 1991 and 1998.

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You might need a ladder to get in this, the tallest SUV on the market. Which of these is the top of the line?

Coming in at a height of 80.4 inches — or 6.7 feet — for the 4WD variant, the Ford Excursion holds the record for the tallest SUV ever made. It's also the longest SUV, with a length of 226.7 inches, or nearly 19 feet.

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If you have to ask, you can't afford — what is the most expensive production car ever made?

There was only one made for a "valued customer" (the rumors are that VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech was the customer in question), but the Bugatti La Voiture Noire — "The Black Car" in French — sold for about $18.9 million. The carbon-fiber machine has a W-16 engine that can put out 1,479 horsepower, so there's a lot of bang for the buck.

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This motor sounds monstrous, but which vehicle had the smallest engine with 12 cylinders?

Even though it had 12 cylinders, the Colombo V12 engine in the Ferrari 166 Inter was only a 2.0-liter motor. Built between 1948 and 1950, only 38 vehicles in this line were created.

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Which of these vehicles set a speed record of 124.6 mph in 1949?

Although a prototype actually set a record of about 133 mph, the production model of the Jaguar XK120 was no slowpoke. The sports car — the first Jaguar had produced since 1940 — was made between 1948 and 1954, with just more than 12,000 produced.

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In 2018, which of these vehicles set a record for fetching the highest price at auction?

A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for $48.4 million in an RM Sotheby's auction in 2018, beating the previous record: a different Ferrari 250 GTO that sold for $38 million in 2014. Only 36 copies of this model were ever made, which drives the price up for those who just HAVE to have one.

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Which of these cars had a surprise under the hood: a record-setting 13.5-liter engine?

Luxury vehicle manufacturer Pierce-Arrow wanted something special for its Model 66, and developed the largest engine ever seen in a passenger vehicle before — or since. The enormous inline-six-cylinder engine could produce 125 horsepower and cost $7,200 — just shy of $190,000 in today's dollars.

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You could fit maybe one kid and a bag in it — which of these is the world's smallest station wagon?

It's a two-door station wagon with a "barn-style" rear door built on a Morris Mini chassis and, at 84 inches long, it's as huge as it sounds. Built for eight years, about 20,000 of these little wagons hit the road.

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Not everyone can tame this many horses — which of these limited production gas-powered cars set a record for horsepower?

Limited to a production run of 20, the 2019 Bugatti Chiron Sport set a record by putting 1,479 horses under the hood using a quad-turbocharged W16 engine. With the Super Sport 300+ set to come out, however, this record might not stand for long.

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This mutt could run! In what year did the AC Cobra set a new production car speed record?

The AC Cobra Mk III 427 — an AC Cars body with a Ford 7.0-liter V8 engine married together by legend Carroll Shelby — set the speed record in 1965 by hitting 165 miles per hour.

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For those times when you want to take it all with you, which of these is the heaviest SUV ever made?

Tipping the scales at a massive 13,000 pounds, the 2008 Conquest Knight XV is made for those who prize both comfort and security. The XV (which stands for "extreme vehicle") offers a built-in oxygen survival kit, ballistic steel armor and other security features.

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Step up! Which of these is currently the tallest production car being made?

The Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB (extended wheelbase) measures 64.6 inches tall — just under 5.5 feet — so most drivers barely have to duck to enter the vehicle. Luxury and convenience, indeed!

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You might have to exhale to get in it — which of these is the shortest production car currently made?

With its 1.0-liter inline-three engine and wheelbase of only 106.1 inches (8.8 feet), the Smart Fortwo is the very definition of a city car, because a cross-country trip would be rather grueling. For many, however, it's the right tool for the job.

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The car was luxurious and the engine was big — really big. Which of these cars has the biggest V8 motor?

The Eldorado had a long production life — 12 generations from 1952 through 2002, to be exact — and from the 1971 through 1976 model years, it also had the biggest V8 engine created for a production vehicle: A 500 cu. in 8.2-liter beast lurked under its hood.

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In 1970, which of these vehicles set a new speed record of 179.3 mph?

The 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S put its 370-horsepower V12 engine to the test in 1970, setting a record speed of 179.3 mph. A 1967 Lambo Miura P400 previously held a record of 171 mph.

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It was tiny but got (most) jobs done. What car had the smallest three-cylinder engine ever made?

Almost all automotive internal combustion engines have a four-stroke process for generating power. The 1967 Suzuki Fronte's inline-three-cylinder engine only had two. The 356 cc engine powered the tiny city vehicle.

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Station wagons are long vehicles by nature, but which of these was the longest of them all?

When you had to fit the kids, the dogs, the groceries and several other families in the station wagon, the 1970 Toronado AQC Jetway was the vehicle for you. Measuring 27 feet long and based on Oldsmobile Toronado chassis, if you couldn't get it in the Jetway, you shouldn't leave home.

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Which record did Mate Rimac beat in his modified BMW M3 E30 in 2012?

Croatian Mate Rimac took his modified BMW M3 E30 and made the fastest quarter-mile run in an electric car, clicking it off in 11.850 seconds, which was an impressive feat for 2012.

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Keep both hands on the wheel! Which of these vehicles set a record for fastest drift in 2016?

Driver Masato Kawabata of Japan pushed his Nissan GT-R to its limit when, in 2016, he drifted the car at 189.49 mph. The car, which was rated at 1,380 braking horsepower, blew away the previous record of 135.44 mph.

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It's not what you have but how you use it. Which of these production vehicles had the smallest four-cylinder engine?

Produced between 1963 and 1967, the Honda T360 was a "city truck," allowing it to do light duty in metropolitan surroundings. Its 356 cc inline-four engine wouldn't carry a lot, but it was designed to meet the needs of those who had to move things around the city.

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This vehicle didn't carry a lot of "roof weight." What is generally considered the world heaviest production convertible?

With some models coming in at 6,000 pounds — or 3 TONS — the 1934 Cadillac V-16 offered a 7.4-liter V16 engine to move its impressive bulk around. Cadillac didn't so very well with this Depression-era vehicular statement; The company estimated that it lost money on every V-16 it sold.

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It's the best-selling pickup truck in North America and has been for some time. Can you name it?

Not only is the Ford F-150 currently the best-selling pickup truck, but it has been since 1977, as well as the best-selling vehicle of all since 1986. The production of the F-series started in 1947 and isn't going to stop any time soon.

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With its racecar pedigree, which of these cars set a new speed record in 1993?

Created by McLaren Cars, a company known for speed on the track, the McLaren F1 set a new production car speed record in 1993 when it topped out at 221 mph (and could have gone faster save for its rev-limiter). There were 106 F1s made between 1992 and 1998.

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Make sure you only invite friends along for the ride — which of these is the world's smallest four-seater?

The first post-war production car from BMW, the 600 had a unique way of entering the front seats: The front of the car opened! At a length of 114 inches and a width of 55 inches, the 600 could carry four adults. Not comfortably, mind you, but it was possible.

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Not only did this car go on to inspire a celebrated series, but it broke the speed record in 1961. Can you name it?

The Aston Martin DB4 would go on to be the building block for the British automaker's celebrated DB line, and it proved its mettle on the track in 1961 when it used its inline-six-cylinder, 302 horsepower engine to hit 152 mph, setting a new record for the time.

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