Hennessey Performance has claimed yet another world record with its incredible Venom GT, but this time the tuning company did so with the supercar's roof off. In proper style, the Venom GT Spyder managed to get to 265.6 mph to become the fastest convertible in the world. Setting a new world record is an incredible way to celebrate a 25th birthday and these are the five convertibles the Venom GT Spyder had to beat to get there. To make it fair, we only included one car per automaker and the order goes from very fast to not as fast.
Just like previous world record contenders, the Venom GT and Bugatti Veyron have been trading punches for a number of years now. The only real competition the Venom GT Spyder faced was from the previous world record holder-the Grand Sport Vitesse. Thanks to its 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine that puts out 1,200 hp and 1,106 lb-ft of torque, the supercar hit 254 mph back in 2013 and held the record for the fastest roadster in the world for three years. At $2.35 million, the Grand Sport Vitesse isn't cheap, but then again, it was the fastest convertible in the world and only 150 Grand Sport models were ever made.
A top speed list without an Italian automaker is blasphemous, but the second supercar on the list is from an unlikely automaker. The extremely limited Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster is another supercar that boasts massive numbers. Thanks to its lightweight carbon fiber body, and Mercedes-AMG sourced V12 that pumps out 678 hp and 578 lb-ft of torque, the supercar has a top speed of 217 mph. It may not be as fast as the Bugatti, but the Zonda Cinque Roadster's V12 makes a more enjoyable sound and is much more limited at just five models. It's also a lot cheaper at $1.8 million.
Lamborghini has a thing for being just a little more insane than other automakers, but its craziest models are the ones that are powered by the iconic V12 engine. The Aventador LP700-4 Roadster may be too big, understeer on the track and be grossly overpriced, but it's incredibly fast in a straight line, even with the roof off. Thanks to a 6.5-liter V12 engine that generates 700 hp and 509 lb-ft of torque, the furious bull can reach a top speed of 217 mph, despite weighing in at approximately 4,200 lbs. The Aventador is much more affordable than the Bugatti or Pagani with a base price of just $402,000. Apparently, that's not fast enough for Lamborghini as an Aventador SV Roadster is in the works. That supercar should be able to eclipse 217 mph.
If we weren't sticking to the one automaker only entry rule, the fourth spot would be occupied by another Pagani. But instead Porsche gets to make the list with the 918 Spyder. The 918 Spyder is the only hypercar out of the Holy Trinity that has the ability to be transformed into a roadster, which makes the hypercar even more special in our book. In typical hypercar fashion, the 918 Spyder features a 4.6-liter V8 and two electric motors for a combined output of 887 hp and 944 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to its hybrid powertrain, the 918 Spyder can get to 211 mph, while providing anyone nearby with the glorious sound from its unique top-mounted exhaust system. Starting at $845K, the 918 Spyder is the best investment as prices for the hypercar have skyrocketed.
Lastly, but certainly not least, is the McLaren 650S Spider. While the majority of enthusiasts might claim the more hardcore 675LT Spider would be faster, the cheaper, less powerful 650S Spider is faster by one whole mph. Powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 that puts out 641 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, the open-top supercar can sprint all the way up to 204 mph. The 650S Spider isn't just the cheapest supercar on the list at $280K, but it's also the easiest to live with on a regular basis. After looking at this incredible list of supercars, the Venom GT Spyder's run of 265.6 mph looks even more impressive.