While most of us can only dream of owning the fastest car in the world, some will do whatever it takes to possess the most powerful speed. So, how fast are the fastest cars in the world?

Here are the 10 fastest cars available on the market (production models, as opposed to concept cars) measured by tested top speed (theoretical speeds do not count).

World's Fastest Cars:

1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: 267 mph, 0-60 in 2.4 secs. Aluminum, Narrow Angle 8 Liter W16 Engine with 1200 hp, base price is $2,400,000. Although the Bugatti Veyron lost the title to SSC Ultimate Aero on March 2007, Bugatti challenge the record in Germany on July 10, 2010 with the new 2010 Super Sport Version and the Veyron once again claims the title of the fastest car in the world at 267 mph. The original Bugatti Veyron has a top speed of 253 mph, priced at $1,700,000 and equipped with 1001 hp.

#2 is a tie!

2. Hennessey Venom GT: 260 mph, 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, has a 6.2-liter LS9 Turbocharged V8 Twin Turbo V8 Engine producing 1200 hp, has a price tag of $950,000. The Venom GT has yet to be tested and proven, but could possibly hit a top speed of 275 mph. This might just be the Veyron Super Sport's closest competitor!

2. Koenigsegg Agera R: 260 mph, 0-60 in 2.9 secs. 5.0-liter V8 Engine with twin turbo’s, housing 1099 hp. Base price is $1,600,000. If you're into snow sports, the Agera R can be fitted with a Ski Box as well as winter tires, not that I would take one on a ski trip or anything like that. While the Agera R has a massive theoretical top speed, the current tested top speed is 260 mph. Expect this snow car to be the Bugatti's arch enemy for the next 5 years.

3. SSC Ultimate Aero: 257 mph, 0-60 in 2.7 secs. Twin-Turbo V8 Engine with 1183 hp, base price is $654,400. Tested in March 2007 by Guinness World Records, The SSC Ultimate Aero was the fastest car in the world from March 2007 to July 2010. On March 2011, the Koenigsegg Agera R also surpassed it, forcing this American made car to the #3 spot. Shelby SuperCars will continue their quest to reclaim the fastest car title, and their new SSC Tuatura might do the job (we'll just have to wait).

4. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo: 248 mph, 0-60 in 2.8 secs. Twin Turbo All Aluminum V8 Engine with 750 hp, base price is $555,000. Smooth and bad-ass. It will make you want to show it off non-stop.

5. Koenigsegg CCX: 245 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. 90 Degree V8 Engine 806 hp, base price is $545,568. Made in Sweden, it is the older brother of the Agera R, only losing to 4 other supercars in the world.

6. McLaren F1: 240 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. BMW S70/2 60 Degree V12 Engine with 627 hp, base price is $970,000. The fastest car in the 20th century with doors that looks like bat wings. Maybe Batman needs to order one and paint it black

7. Gumpert Apollo: 224 mph, 0-60 in 3.0 secs, 4.2 liter V8 Engine that houses 650 hp. Base price: $450,000. Gumpert claims that the Apollo was designed such that it could drive upside-down in a tunnel with speeds at 190 mph or above. Of course, no one has tested this yet.

8. Noble M600: 223 mph, 0-60 in 3.7 secs. Twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 Engine with 650 hp. Base price is $330,000. The Noble M600 also happens to be a very cool car. Its inconspicuous design sports a slender and contoured body which does not scream out for attention at every second of the day.

We have a tie for 9th and 10th places:

9. Lamborghini Aventador: 217 mph, 0-60 in 2.9 secs. V12 Engine with 700 hp, base price is $379,700. According to Lamborghini, Aventador is the name of a Bull that entered into battle at the Saragossa Arena on October 1993. This is the fastest bull in the world!

9. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 secs. Twin turbocharged AMG V12 engine that produces 678 hp. Base price is $1,850,000. The Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster is a limited-edition, with five ever produced. It is the quintessential exotic and exclusive supercar.

9. Ferrari Enzo: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 secs. F140 Aluminum V12 Engine with 660 hp, base price is $670,000. Only 399 were ever produced; the price goes up every time someone crashes.

9. Jaguar XJ220: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.8 secs. Twin Turbo V6 Engine with 542 hp, base price was $650,000. Made in 1992, this car still has what it takes to make the list.

10. Ascari A10: 215 mph, 0-60 in 2.8 secs. 5.0 litre BMW V8 S62 Engine with 625 hp. Base price: $650,000. The company planned to produce 50 of these supercars at its factory in Banbury, England.

10. Pagani Zonda F: 215 mph, 0-60 in 3.5 secs. Mercedes Benz M180 V12 Engine with 650 hp, base price is $667,321. With a V12 motor, this baby can do much better.

What is an exotic car? It is rare beauty, a work of art, a prestigious collectible. It is, in one sense, a car of uniquely new or experimental nature. An exotic car is one that performs highly superbly compared to contemporary sports cars. Exotic cars have a purely bestial design. To even drive one of these would definitely change the way you think of cars.

The following is a list of exotic cars & car makers. Sports cars don’t just come straight off the production line. They oftentimes begin with a company’s vision, its dreams. That is precisely what an exotic car is, the embodiment of a dream.

1. Ferrari - the spirit of Ferrari began with Enzo Ferrari who was an advent racer. The foundation of Ferrari marked the start of a burst of a frenetic sporting activity. This spurred the creation of powerful, exotic cars that are characteristic of Ferrari today. Because the visions behind Ferrari were one of the first innovators of exotic supercars, it deserves #1 for Best Exotic Car Maker.
Pictures Above: Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari 599 GTB, Ferrari California, Ferrari 459 Italia, Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, Ferrari F430

2. Lamborghini - the founder of Lamborghini made his name building farm equipment. He owned a Ferrari but noticed that he had to keep replacing the clutch. To his surprise, his own farm equipment clutches were better replacements. Thus, the beginning of the rivalry between Ferrari and Lamborghini was born. The spirit of competition spurred continual innovation over the years, bringing ever-improved exotic cars every year. However, the power of the original idea belongs to Ferrari. As #2, Lamborghini is only behind Ferrari in the popularity of its innovations.
Pictures Above: Lamborghini Reventon, Lamborghini Furia, Lamborghini Gallardo, Lamborghini Murcielago

3. Bugatti - a 21st century “harmony of design and technology.” The heritage of Ettore Bugatti is the heart of impressive technical design and exterior beauty. This can be seen in Bugatti’s signature supercar, the exotic Veyron. Ettore Bugatti sometimes made technical compromises for the sake of aesthetic integrity. This is a very gutsy vision of exotic cars, one which can only belong to the #3 contender.
Pictures Above: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

4. Pagani - Horacio Pagani originally teamed up with Lamborghini, doing composite research for them in 1988. The company was called “Pagani Composite Research.” In the late ‘80s Pagani wanted to start building his own car, which was coded as the “C8 Project.” The C8 would later be named the Fangio F1 in commemoration of the F1 champion, Juan Manuel Fangio. For its amazing designs, Pagani is the #4 Most Exotic Car Maker.
Pictures Above: Pagani Huayra, Pagani Zonda, Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster, Pagani Zonda Roadster

5. Aston Martin - Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford found Aston Martin together in 1913. They had been in Callow Street, London selling cars made by Singer under the company name “Bamford & Martin.” After Martin raced cars at Aston Hill, the pair decided to start making their own cars. With Aston Martin’s eye-opening cars, it would be the #5 Most Exotic Car Maker.
Pictures Above: Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Aston Martin DBS, Aston Martin V12 Zagato Race, Aston Martin V8 Vantage

6. Mclaren - The Mclaren heritage rests upon the legendary soul of Bruce Mclaren, who was born in New Zealand in 1937 and passed away in 1970 while testing one of his cars. A sickly child with Perthes Disease, Bruce Mclaren went on to become a world class international motor racing driver, engineer and designer whose name is still used in Formula 1 motor racing today. Bruce’s success in the international racing scene was all about team work, and even today his contributions are remembered. His spirit is reflected in the exotic cars of Mclaren, which is the #6 Exotic Car Maker.
Pictures Above: McLaren F1, McLaren MP4-12C

7. Bentley - after a stint of making airplane engines in WWI, Bentley went on to make exotic cars. This venture was short-lived as Bentley was bought out by Rolls-Royce from 1930 to 1982. It was slowly revived as Volkswagen bought Rolls-Royce and Bentley in 1998. VW invested nearly one-billion dollars to get Bentley up and running again. From 2006 onwards Bentley became bent on producing ever-faster exotic sedans. For its strong spirit of endurance, Bentley is tied for #7.
Pictures Above: Bentley Continental GTC, Bentley Azure T, Bentley Arnage, Bentley Continental Flying Spur

7. Rolls-Royce - the name derives from the surnames of the company founders, Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. With a strong global engineering operation, Rolls-Royce maintains a vision of setting new standards and creating the “best car in the world.” With a strong heritage and work ethic, Rolls-Royce is tied for the #7 Most Exotic Car Maker in the world.
Pictures Above: Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Rolls-Royce Ghost

8. Maybach - Maybach holds a track record of manufacturing military engines. However it did not see light after WWII. In 2003 the sleeping beauty awoke with a new line of exotic cars, including the 57 and 62. With its luxurious cars, Maybach sits at #8.
Pictures Above: Maybach Exelero, Maybach 62, Maybach 57

9. Shelby SuperCars (SSC) - the vision of founder Jerod Shelby was to produce the perfect car. Growing up as a kart racer, his dream began at an early age and never ceased. Shelby not only wished to participate in the market but also to excel and redefine it. He learned that the key to winning was in the smaller details which fabricated a complete larger image. SSC gets #9 for Most Exotic Car Maker.
Pictures Above: SSC Ultimate Aero

10. Koenigsegg - this Swede exotic supercar maker thrived on the dream of Christian von Koenigsegg to make the perfect supercar. The company is rather young compared to other exotic car makers, having only launched in 1993. Its staff consists of a dedicated group of enthusiasts who had connections to the Swedish car industry and the universities. Koenigsegg is the #10 Most Exotic Car Maker.
Pictures Above: Koenigsegg CCX, Koenigsegg CCR, Koenigsegg Agera

Lexus LFA just announced its new supercar – the 2012 Lexus LFA. The two-seat exotic sports coupe is powered with a 4.8L V10 engine which generates 552HP at 8,700 rpm; and 354 pound-feet of torque at 6,800 rpm. It’s a really sophisticated, really classy vehicle. This supercar's transmission is a unique six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox with an ultra-quick gear shift.

The 2012 Lexus LFA accelerates from 0-60mph in a whooping 3.6 seconds. As for top speed, it can reach 202 mph because of its dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), high-volume 12-hole injectors, equal length exhaust manifold, and low-friction engine components. To gain more speed, the 2012 Lexus LFA is made lightweight. It features a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) for its bodywork and chassis for a lighter and structure that’s considerably more impact-resistant. This exotic sports coupe has a base price of $375,000, not including shipping and handling fees.

German automotive manufacturer Porsche and car parts brand Vorsteiner recently unveiled the new evolution – the 2011 Vorsteiner Porsche 911 Turbo V-RT. The luxurious sports coupe 911 Turbo is enhanced by the V-RT’s aerodynamic and performance booster.

The 2011 Vorsteiner Porsche 911 Turbo V-RT's front end displays a sporty add-on with the newly-designed bumper cover; plus a carbon fiber chin spoiler, bigger duct openings without fog lights for more visual appeal. The same sport performance motif is continued to the sports coupe's rear end. This V-RT's noble objective is to achieve or enjoy maximum performance by optimization of its weight to power ratio. Vorsteiner accomplishes this in the 2011 Vorsteiner Porsche 911 Turbo V-RT's aerodynamic design with the dry carbon and fiber vacuum technology. This enables the vehicle to have greater strength and firmness than steel and aluminum, but at the same time decrease the weight to as much as 40%.

German automotive company Porsche recently unveiled an all-new second generation 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid. It is Porsche's first-ever hybrid-electric vehicle; and it gets significant improvements such as the eight-speed transmission and a greatly reduced weight. Also, this luxurious SUV shares a platform with, a hybrid too, the redesigned 2011 Volkswagen Touareg.

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid has a supercharged direct injection of 3.0L V6. It offers a 300-base horsepower as well as an eight-speed automatic transmission. Porsche announces the Cayenne's 'sailing' ability, wherein it can turn off the engine at 97 mph; it is unlike other hybrids that use electricity only at lower speeds. Also, the German automotive company says that the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid can accelerate on electric power up to 37 mph. In this respect, it is still like the full hybrids, where electricity supplements and optimizes the gasoline engine power for the lowest fuel consumption.