Fastest Ford Cars Ever Made, Ranked By Top Speed

Ford is no stranger to speed. Having been involved in motorsports for most of its existence, it only makes sense for the automaker to bring that technology to its road cars. like any number of Mustang models. Ford’s racing history begins as far back as the start of the turn of the 20th century, when Henry Ford entered his 1901 Ford Sweepstakes in an oval track race. It made a whopping 26 horsepower at 900 RPM from a 539 cubic-inch engine – that was enough to win the 10-mile race. Since then, the brand has consistently improved its technology in numerous cars and production cars to the point of street-legal cars reaching top speeds of over 200 miles per hour. What is Ford’s fastest car, you might ask? Here are ten of the fastest Ford models ever made for the street.

For this list, we focused on street-legal production cars. While there are plenty of concepts, race cars, and more from Ford, this article lists those you can legally register for street use. With some modifications and tunes, these cars can surely go faster – we chose to use the top speeds and other figures as provided by the manufacturer for stock vehicles. We rank them from slowest to fastest.

10

2025 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Top Speed: 166 mph

The latest iteration of the Ford Mustang’s standard lineup peaks with the Dark Horse. We say it’s the peak of the standard lineup, since the GTD is a special variant that we’ll get to later. The Dark Horse, however, is an impressive two-door sports coupe utilizing a modified example of Ford’s classic 5.0-liter engine. We had the chance to get behind the wheel not too long ago, and our driver found it to pick up right where the Mach 1 left off. Our track run was driven on sticky Trofeo tires, so the Dark Horse gripped the track without issue. Sending the power to the rear wheels is either a 10-speed automatic transmission, or a six-speed manual for that analogue feel – both can get it to an electronically-limited top speed of 166 mph.

“…the Dark Horse treads on the extreme side of road-focused Mustang performance. The MagneRide suspension is tuned firmly, transmitting every little road imperfection to the driver. If you’re looking for a comfy daily cruiser, this isn’t it. Even in the softest suspension setting, the Dark Horse bounces around a bit, though it’s not too jarring. We drove a standard car out on the street and didn’t notice much noise from the standard P Zero tires.”

– Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-at-Large, CarBuzz

9

2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Top Speed: 168 mph

Most Mustang generations have some high-performance versions, with the top of the lineup being the GT500. A couple of the 5th generation GT500 made it onto this list, with the first being from 2011. This version of the Mustang’s most powerful standard trim was in the middle of the second facelift for the 5th-gen, which came with some performance upgrades and more power over the 2010 GT500. While it was the cream of the crop with a starting price of around $50,000 back in the day, today it’s surprisingly affordable with a Kelley Blue Book value of around $20k. Though limited to 155 mph by an electronic governor, it was able to hit notably higher speeds even without proper modding.

8

1986 Ford RS200 Evolution

Top Speed: 169 mph

The only car on this list that might throw some of you for a loop is the RS200 Evolution. While it still qualifies as a street-legal production car, there were only 200 models ever produced – just 24 of those were the Evolution variant that could reach a top speed of 169 miles per hour. That’s especially fast for a car from the eighties with a turbo four-cylinder under the hood. The RS200 was originally built to compete in Group B rally, which, in order to meet the FIA’s rules, must include 200 road-going units to qualify for the race. Its engine is mounted behind the seats for a well-balanced ride and true race-car feel. Some competitors include the Audi Quattro and Lancia Delta.

7

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Top Speed: 180 mph

For some people, the 2020 Mustang GT500 is near perfection. Sitting in the middle of the S550 generation’s facelift, this version of the Mustang sports modern styling with aggressive upgrades over the standard GT. Some performance enhancements include carbon fiber wheels, a large rear wing, Brembo brakes, and, of course, a supercharger on top of its 5.2-liter V8. Being a modern car with plenty of safety features and tech inside, it’s not the lightest with a curb weight of about 4,182 pounds. However, that doesn’t stop it from sprinting to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds and reaching a top speed of 180 mph. It was even reported to have reached 190 mph on the Autobahn, but Ford’s number is still impressive.

6

1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R

Top Speed: 184 mph

The first-ever Ford Mustang Coupe was introduced for the 1965 model year, so you already know they had to bring out the big guns for its launch party. The standard Mustang was a revolution in Ford’s lineup, but the GT350 was specially designed by Caroll Shelby himself with more power, upgraded suspension and brakes, and more to make this version one of a kind. With just over 300 horsepower, it was one of the most powerful road-going cars of the era. This might all sound great to a potential collector today, but be warned that the exceptionally rare GT350R goes for millions of dollars at auction.

5

1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake

Top Speed: 201 mph

Not only was this the fastest Ford of its time, the Shelby Cobra 427 was the fastest road-going car, with the Super Snake version reaching a top speed of about 201 miles per hour. This was according to independent reports, though, as Ford never released an official figure. This is a truly special, highly sought-after car today due to its nostalgia and pure performance. The Super Snake, in particular, was unmatched, and continues to show off today with an insane dual-supercharger setup feeding air to the massive 7.0-liter V8. To put into perspective just how crazy this car is, its power-to-weight ratio is better than the Bugatti Veyron, and it pushes all 800 horsepower through a three-speed automatic transmission.

4

2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake

Top Speed: 202 mph

We talked about the 2011 GT500 earlier, but the 2013 model year was the beginning of the last facelift for the fifth generation, thereby granting it even more power and other upgrades to send this model over two hundred miles per hour. The Super Snake was the craziest version of them all, with an increased power output of 662 hp and 631 lb-ft, but they’re fairly rare today – only 500 units were produced. A six-speed manual transmission was standard, alongside upgraded suspension, a Borla exhaust system, and more. For the daring and wealthy, buyers could choose a Ford Racing Whipple supercharger kit that sends power to 850 hp.

3

2005 Ford GT

Top Speed: 202 mph

One of the coolest options on this list is Ford’s road-legal supercar from two decades ago: the Ford GT. It pays homage to the original GT40 race car, used to beat Ferrari in the 24 hours of Le Mans. While it doesn’t exactly have the feeling of a vintage race car, it provides a driving experience like no other. Mounted behind the cabin is a 5.4-liter supercharged V8, giving the car better weight balance over both axles. Every vent and intake on this car is functional, as is its double wishbone suspension, a center-tunnel-mounted fuel tank, and an all-aluminum space frame.

2

2025 Ford Mustang GTD

Top Speed: 202 mph

While not quite the fastest production Ford yet, the new Mustang GTD is a special, track-focused version of an already crazy sports car. To match its high performance is a high price tag of $318,760, not to mention the $5,500 destination charge and other fees and options that send it over $400k. Pricing aside, those who can afford one will light up with a smile when they experience the supercharged 5.2L V8 with over 800 horsepower. It’s close to being the fastest Ford, but it earned the title of fastest Mustang ever with ease.

1

2017 Ford GT

Top Speed: 216 mph

Officially the fastest Ford production car, the latest Ford GT blows the rest of the models out of the water. Most of this list is a group of insane race cars, while some have borderline supercar specifications. However, this is a true American supercar with its insane styling, huge power output, lightweight construction, and tight handling. It was updated recently, as well, but models from 2020 and after have the same specifications and top speed as the 2017 model. Costing around the $500,000 mark, it’s practically unattainable for the vast majority of people. Those who manage to get behind the wheel of one should consider themselves fortunate to drive the fastest Ford car ever made.

Sources: Ford, Car & Driver