A blue Lamborghini Countach supercar shot from the front 3/4

5 Cars That Broke Records You’ve Never Heard Of

These 5 cars and supercars broke records. But not one that you've ever heard of. And a few that you won't care about.

by Chase Bierenkoven

Published on February 6, 2022 10:15 am

2 min read

1. The Lamborghini Countach has the worst EPA fuel economy of any car

Let’s start with a gas-guzzling supercar. The 1986 Lamborghini Countach. A Countach is a car that adorns the wall of many a bedroom, even today. Well, except for the EPA’s. It has the worst EPA fuel economy rating of any vehicle ever tested. Under normal driving conditions, the Countach will manage 6 mpg in the city, 10 on the highway, and 7 combined.

2. An armored Mercedes-Benz limo is the heaviest car ever produced

A black Mercedes-Benz S 600 armored limo shot from the front 3/4

The Mercedes-Maybach S 600 is the heaviest car ever made | Mercedes-Benz

Speaking of four-wheeled machines with terrible stats. The Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman Guard is the heaviest production car ever produced. This armored limo comes in at 11,244 lbs. There are entire bridges you cannot drive one of these over because its gross vehicle weight would render the bridge unsafe. Obviously, a lot of that heft comes from it being, well, armored. Stuff that stops bullets isn’t exactly carbon fiber light. Add that to an already heavy limo and you’ve got a recipe for tipping scales.

3. The Peel P50 is both the smallest and lightest ride ever

The Peel P50, the world's smallest production car, pictured next to a London double-decker bus

The P50 next to a London double-decker | Barcoft Media via Getty Images

Now, a car that’s the complete antithesis to every machine on this list. Some of you may recognize the Peel P50 from Top Gear. Originally produced in the UK for the 1963 model year, it has held the title of World’s Smallest Car since its introduction. Obviously, something so small comes with nearly no power. The Peel makes only 4.2 hp from a single-cylinder engine.

4. A Lexus LFA supercar has the smallest V10 engine ever made

A white Lexus LFA super car shot from the front 3/4

Lexus’ LFA in Nurburgring Edition spec | Martyn Lucy via Getty Images

Let’s swing back the other way and talk about something big and fast. Despite being almost four times the size of the Peel P50, the Lexus LFA holds a small engine. Well, the world’s smallest V10 engine by displacement to be exact. To be more exact, the Lexus LFA moves just 4.8 liters of air for every rotation of that F1-derived V10. Thankfully, it produces 553 hp to compensate for such a “small” engine.

5. Colin Chapman and Lotus made the lowest roadster ever

The Caterham Super Seven, based on the Lotus 7 sports car, in black

The Caterham Super Seven is based on the Lotus 7 | National Motor Museum via Getty Images

Looking at the two above images, you’d think the Lexus to be lower than the Lotus 7, but it’s not. The Lotus 7, and the Caterhams which are based on it, are the lowest cars on earth. The 7 comes in at only 37 inches tall. Quite literally, small children are taller than this super-lightweight roadster. I’d say this one is probably the most obscure fact on the list since cars are usually measured by their ride height, not the roofline. Regardless, hopefully, you’ve learned something to bore your family members with at the next function.

Chase Bierenkoven

Chase Bierenkoven has been obsessed with cars his whole life and now finds joy in sharing what he’s learned from his own daily drivers. Chase earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology with a focus on legal studies from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and quickly became an automotive journalist. When he isn’t writing, Chase is either driving his passion project, a 2004 BMW M3 in Carbon Schwartz Metallic, or playing around Colorado’s terrain, mainly mountain biking and skiing.