A powerful ride isn’t just good for having fun on backroads, it can also get you out of a sticky situation quicker, allow you to get ahead of traffic when you have an opportunity to do so, and make lugging passengers and baggage around easier.
Fortunately, the South African new-car market has a vast variety of brands on offer giving buyers over 44 different badges to choose from.
Window stickers range from as little as R169,900 for the Suzuki S-Presso, the most affordable passenger vehicle on the market, all the way up to R8,750,000 for the Lamborghini Huracan STO, the most expensive model whose price has been made public.
Asking prices for select manufacturers like Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce are not even listed, because if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.
Among the sizeable collection of hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, bakkies, supercars, crossovers, convertibles, and MPVs on sale, none is more powerful than the Ferrari 296GTB which uses its hybrid drivetrain to generate a monumental 610kW and 740Nm.
At the other end of the spectrum, the least powerful “most powerful” models were a tie between the Fiat 500X and Suzuki Swift Sport which both produce 103kW and 230Nm.
Most powerful cars in South Africa
The list below shows the most powerful car from every automaker that you can buy in South Africa.
Keep in mind that multiple models by one manufacturer could be powered by the same engine, such as in the case of the Peugeot 3008 and 5008. In this scenario, we listed the most affordable model available.
If a particular specification is marked as N/A, the company did not provide an official figure. Click on the underlined prices for more information.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
- Power – 375kW/600Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.9 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 8.2l/100km
- Starting price – R1,805,900
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
- Power – 534kW/900Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.4 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 13.8l/100km
- Starting price – POA
Audi R8 V10 Performance Quattro
- Power – 449kW/560Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.2 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 13.4l/100km
- Starting price – R3,594,100
BAIC B40 Plus 2.0T
- Power – 160kW/320Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 10.1l/100km
- Starting price – R599,500
Bentley Continental GT Speed
- Power – 485kW/900Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.6 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 14.0l/100km
- Starting price – R5,690,000
BMW XM
- Power – 480kW/800Nm
- 0-100km/h – 4.3 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 2.7l/100km
- Starting price – R3,400,000
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0TGDI 390T Executive
- Power – 187kW/390Nm
- 0-100km/h – 7.3 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.4l/100km
- Starting price – R637,900
Citroen C5 Aircross 1.6T Feel
- Power – 121kW/240Nm
- 0-100km/h – 10.5 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.9l/100km
- Starting price – R633,900
Ferrari 296 GTB
- Power – 610kW/740Nm
- 0-100km/h – 2.9 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 6.4l/100km
- Starting price – R6,804,200
Fiat 500X 1.4T Cross
- Power – 103kW/230Nm
- 0-100km/h – 9.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 5.7l/100km
- Starting price – R509,900
Ford Mustang 5.0 GT Fastback
- Power – 330kW/529Nm
- 0-100km/h – 4.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 12.3l/100km
- Starting price – R1,117,500
GWM P-Series 2.0TD Single Cab SX
- Power – 120kW/400Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 9.4l/100km
- Starting price – R404,950
Haval H6 1.5T HEV
- Power – 179kW/530Nm
- 0-100km/h – 8.5 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 5.2l/100km
- Starting price – R669,950
Honda Civic Type R
- Power – 235kW/420Nm
- 0-100km/h – 5.5 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 8.4l/100km
- Starting price – R979,000
Hyundai i30 N
- Power – 206kW/392Nm
- 0-100km/h – 5.4 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 8.9l/100km
- Starting price – R811,900
Ineos Grenadier 3.0T
- Power – 210kW/450Nm
- 0-100km/h – 8.6 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 13.0l/100km
- Starting price – R1,513,100
Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD Extended Cab LSE
- Power – 140kW/450Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 7.9l/100km
- Starting price – R613,700
JAC T6 2.0VVT Double Cab Lux
- Power – 108kW/190Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 10.0l/100km
- Starting price – R354,900
Jaguar F-Type R75 Coupe
- Power – 423kW/700Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.7 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 10.3l/100km
- Starting price – R2,872,400
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6 4×4 Limited
- Power – 210kW/344Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 9.9l/100km
- Starting price – R1,329,900
Kia Sorento 2.2CRDi
- Power – 148kW/440Nm
- 0-100km/h – 10.7 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 6.8l/100km
- Starting price – R861,995
Lamborghini Urus S
- Power – 490kW/850Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.5 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 14.1l/100km
- Starting price – R4,550,000
Land Rover Defender 90 V8
- Power – 386kW/625Nm
- 0-100km/h – 5.2 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 12.8l/100km
- Starting price – R2,643,100
Lexus LC500 Coupe
- Power – 351kW/540Nm
- 0-100km/h – 4.7 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 11.6l/100km
- Starting price – R2,442,100
Mahindra XUV700 2.0T AX5
- Power – 149kW/380Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 6.6l/100km
- Starting price – R474,999
Maserati MC20 Coupe
- Power – 463kW/730Nm
- 0-100km/h – 2.9 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 11.5l/100km
- Starting price – R6,750,000
Mazda CX-5 2.5 AWD Individual
- Power – 143kW/258Nm
- 0-100km/h – 8.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.3l/100km
- Starting price – R729,500
McLaren 765LT Coupe
- Power – 563kW/800Nm
- 0-100km/h – 2.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 13.0l/100km
- Starting price – POA
Mercedes-AMG EQS53 4Matic+ Sedan
- Power – 484kW/950Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 21.1-23.4kWh/100km
- Starting price – R3,415,250
Mini John Cooper Works All4 Clubman
- Power – 225kW/450Nm
- 0-100km/h – 4.9 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.7l/100km
- Starting price – R855,697
Mitsubishi Outlander 2.5 GLS
- Power – 135kW/245Nm
- 0-100km/h – 10.5 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 8.1l/100km
- Starting price – R729,995
Nissan Patrol 5.6 V8 LE 4WD
- Power – 298kW/560Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 14.4l/100km
- Starting price – R1,717,900
Omoda C5 1.5T 230T Tech
- Power – 115kW/230Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 6.9l/100km
- Starting price – R447,900
Opel Grandland X 1.6T
- Power – 121kW/240Nm
- 0-100km/h – 8.9 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.0l/100km
- Starting price – R562,900
Peugeot 3008 1.6T Active
- Power – 121kW/240Nm
- 0-100km/h – 8.9 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.0l/100km
- Starting price – R589,900
Porsche Taycan Turbo S
- Power – 560kW/1,050Nm
- 0-100km/h – 2.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 26.0kWh/100km
- Starting price – R4,464,000
Proton X70 1.5T Standard
- Power – 130kW/255Nm
- 0-100km/h – 9.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.8l/100km
- Starting price – R529,900
Range Rover Sport P635 SV Edition One
- Power – 467kW/750Nm
- 0-100km/h – 3.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 11.7l/100km
- Starting price – POA
Renault Megane RS300 Trophy
- Power – 221kW/420Nm
- 0-100km/h – 5.7 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 8.1l/100km
- Starting price – R949,999
Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge
- Power – 442kW/900Nm
- 0-100km/h – 5.2 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 16.6l/100km
- Starting price – POA
Subaru WRX 2.4T
- Power – 202kW/350Nm
- 0-100km/h – N/A
- Fuel consumption – 9.9l/100km
- Starting price – R799,000
Suzuki Swift 1.4T Sport
- Power – 103kW/230Nm
- 0-100km/h – 8.0 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 6.1l/100km
- Starting price – R419,900
Toyota Land Cruiser 300 3.5T ZX
- Power – 305kW/650Nm
- 0-100km/h – 6.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 12.1l/100km
- Starting price – R1,983,600
Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge AWD Plus Dark
- Power – 340kW/709Nm
- 0-100km/h – 4.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 1.6l/100km
- Starting price – R1,284,000
VW Golf R
- Power – 235kW/400Nm
- 0-100km/h – 4.8 seconds
- Fuel consumption – 7.8l/100km
- Starting price – R912,800
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