Supercar vs. Hypercar: What's the Difference?

Supercars and hypercars are not mere race cars — they’re high-performance cars that will leave any garden-variety sports car in the dust in terms of both general performance and of lap times on the track. But while supercars tend to take an iterative approach to design, taking the most cutting-edge technology and aerodynamic engineering and making it slightly better with every release, hypercars tend to do something entirely new to push the envelope in every way possible. 

For example, before the LaFerrari burst onto the scene, the idea of a hybrid that offered world-class performance was thought to be impossible. But Ferrari innovated by pairing a naturally aspirated V12 engine with an electric motor. Its HY-KERS hybrid powertrain is derived from Formula 1 technology, offering incredible performance with surprising efficiency. And mosti importantly, its speed backs up its claim to hypercar status: it boasts a top speed of 218 mph and can sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds.

Performance

The top speeds of hypercars are going to be higher than those of supercars, simply because of their commitment to doing what was thought impossible. For example, a supercar like the Ferrari 488 GTB is no slouch, with a top speed of 205 mph and a 0-60-mph time of 3 seconds. But if you look at a supercar like the hybrid Ferrari SF90 Stradale, it’s significantly faster, with a top speed of 217 mph and a 0-60-mph time of 2.6 seconds. 

Rarity

The production numbers of both supercars and hypercars tend to be very limited, though in most cases hypercars are a much rarer commodity. For instance, approximately 7,900 Ferrari California T supercars were produced, while only 500 LaFerrari hypercars were made. And if you want a convertible version of Ferrari’s famous hybrid hypercar, it’s even harder to find: only 210 LaFerrari Aperta models were produced.