Have you ever found yourself wondering, “what is a supercar?” Read our guide to learn the answers to all of your questions.

If you’re a car lover, you’re likely familiar with several different types of sports cars. You can rattle off the differences between a 1989 Chevy Camaro and a 1976 Ford Mustang like the stats of your favorite sports team.

Things get a little trickier when you get to the topic of supercars, though. People often have a hard time defining what a supercar is, or how it compares to a sports car. They know any Ferrari will perform incomparably better than any Dodge Charger, but they don’t know why.

So, in this article, we will set out to answer the question, “What is a supercar?” We’ll describe their benefits, how they compare to sports cars, and all the other information car lovers would want. Let’s get started!

What Is a Supercar?

Even for the most advanced car lover, this can be a tricky question. The most straightforward answer is to place it on a spectrum with sports cars on the low end and hypercars on the high end.

On that spectrum, a supercar is in the intensely high-performing middle. They are more than a sports car and yet a notch below the next-level hypercar.

That helps define what a supercar is, but it doesn’t exactly tell us what makes a supercar. Generally, a supercar is considered such because of its speed. This includes both its top speed and its acceleration.

Several supercars hold certain traits in common. Many feature an engine in the middle of the vehicle rather than in the back or front ends. However, models that are nearly universally seen as supercars have front-end engines as well.

Others define supercars based on their emphasis on performance. It is certainly true that supercars have an insane amount of power, usually 500 horsepower or more. This power makes them unique to handle and often intimidating.

Other criteria could be applied, such as the fact that supercars are usually street-legal, unlike hypercars. Price is often a factor, though this is subjective.

Certain brand names are practically synonymous with the word “supercar.” Everyone expects a Ferrari or a Lamborghini to perform worlds beyond what a Ford or Mazda model could do.

Supercars vs. Sports Cars

It may be easier to define a supercar by comparing its features and performance against a sports car. By examining their differences, you can see more of what sets a supercar apart.

A sports car should never be underestimated. Just because it sits at the low end of the spectrum presented in this list doesn’t mean it’s a weak vehicle. Most sports car models are smooth, flashy, and perform wonderfully in the right hands.

Sports cars are a broad category of vehicles compared to supercars and hyper cars. An entry-level sports car is the Mazda MX-5, and at the top end, you could find something like the Porsche 991.2 GT3.

Sports cars also offer a variety of drive options, utilizing rear and four-wheel drive. Some models, albeit rare ones, even offer front-wheel drive. Unlike most supercar models, sports car engines may be in the front, middle, or back end of the vehicle.

How do supercars differ from this? Well, let’s start with simple distinctions. As discussed above, most supercars have a mid-engine location, with occasional exceptions placing the engine in the front. No supercar has a back-end engine.

Another difference is that while supercars can be either four-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, they are never front wheel. However, while these distinctions matter, they don’t touch on the essential differences.

The primary differences between supercars and sports cars lie in power. A skilled driver may indeed be able to outperform a supercar with a sports car.

However, in terms of raw power, a supercar will always dominate a sports car. They are often less practical for everyday driving, though supercars are more road-friendly now than ever before.

Only two supercar models on the market use manual drive; all the rest utilize a paddle-shift or DSG. This is another distinction between sports cars and supercars, which contributes to the differences in their handling.

Types of Supercars

If you know the high-end car models at all, then you probably know a bit about the types of supercars out there. However, in this section, we’ll name some brand models from those brands to give you clear-cut examples of the typical supercar.

• Ferrari Monza SP2
• Bugatti Divo
• Lamborghini Centenario Roadster
• Porsche 911 Turbo

Cars with these types of builds and these power levels are virtually always supercars.

Benefits of a Supercar

There are several benefits of owning a supercar. Its driving is superior to any other street-legal car. Its mechanics make it a fun, exciting vehicle to handle. Its many options allow you to develop your style of driving.

You may not spend much time thinking about the prestige of a car, but it exists. If you own a supercar, people immediately consider you to be an elite. It shouts to the world that you are a person of status. If that appeals to you, then this is a benefit you’ll find in a supercar. 

Another benefit is the financial investment of a supercar. Supercar models are worth a tremendous amount of money, some costing as much as a home. If you buy a model that was only manufactured in a limited supply, its value will increase. 

Some supercar models appreciate as much as 15% each year! If the day comes when you want to sell your car, you could earn back more than you spent.

Owning a Supercar

We hope this has helped answer the question of “what is a supercar?” They are powerful, dynamic vehicles that are unparalleled in the excitement they provide.

For many, owning such a car is a lifelong dream. If you want to investigate owning a supercar for yourself, visit our shop to get an idea of prices and styles.