Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

From one-off Paganis to 250mph Koenigseggs, we track down London’s most exotic supercars and photograph them in the wild

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Every summer, the streets of Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea erupt with the sound of supercars – many flown in from around the world. Armed with a camera, we spent several days in London, photographing these wild beasts in their favoured habitat. We’ve included the Instagram tags of owners where possible.

Apollo IE: @apollo_automobil

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Remember the Audi-engined Gumpert Apollo? Meet its successor. The 789hp Apollo IE (Intensa Emozione) has styling from science fiction, along with a tuned Ferrari V12 and sequential manual gearbox. Despite a £2 million+ price tag, all 10 cars have reportedly been sold.

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: @afzalkahn

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Not merely a ‘standard’ Veyron, this is a one-of-30 Super Sport. Bugatti upped output from the 8.0-litre W16 engine from 1,001hp to 1,200hp, increasing top speed to an electronically-limited 258mph. This Veyron belongs to Afzal Kahn – the founder of car customisation company, Kahn Design.

Ferrari F12 TDF

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

The ferociously quick F12 TDF (Tour de France) is a hardcore version of Ferrari’s former flagship. It packs a 780hp front-mounted V12 and hits 62mph in 2.9 seconds. Perfect for cruising the King’s Road, then.

Porsche 911 Turbo S

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Porsche 911s are a common sight in many London postcodes, although a Turbo S remains a relative rarity. This is the current ‘991.2’ iteration, with a 580hp flat-six – 40hp more than the regular Turbo. Performance? Try 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and 205mph.

Audi TT RS: @insideoutnback

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Back in 2016, we said: “the new Audi TT RS hits 62mph from standstill in 3.7 seconds. That’s quicker than a Ferrari F40, Porsche 959 or Jaguar XJ220. It’s also just 0.2 seconds slower than Audi’s flagship R8.” This stealthy black TT belongs to Jake: @insideoutnback on Instagram.

Pagani Zonda F: @zondamd

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Nothing screams ‘supercar’ like a bright yellow Pagani Zonda. Launched in 1999, the Zonda was continually updated over 18 years in production – and there are numerous special editions. This Zonda F – owned by @zondamd – is one of 25 made, with exposed carbon fibre on the lower half of its bodywork. Power comes courtesy of a 602hp Mercedes-AMG V12.

Pagani Huayra BC: @scottsmith_official

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

The Huayra (say it ‘why-ra’) is Pagani’s second supercar, launched in 2012. The track-focused BC followed in 2016, with 755hp and a kerb weight of just 1,218kg (a 1.5-litre Ford Focus weighs 1,363kg). Note the exposed carbon fibre – a special ‘Triax’ compound claimed to be 20% stronger and 50% lighter.

Lamborghini Huracan Performante: @gravelwoodcarsales

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

The 640hp Huracan Performante laps the Nürburgring seven seconds quicker than its big brother, the 750hp Aventador SV. It also blitzed the 12.9-mile circuit faster than an 899hp Porsche 918 Spyder. Even at more sedate speeds on Sloane Street, the Lamborghini’s naturally-aspirated V10 sounds utterly feral.

Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster: @rana65556

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

The owner of this Aventador SV Roadster – @rana65556 on Instagram – has just bought a Huracan Performante Roadster, too. The SuperVeloce (literally ‘super fast) blasts to 62mph in 2.8 seconds and has a two-piece carbon hard-top that slots into the front boot. Huge ‘SV’ decals on the rear wings complete the look.

McLaren 675LT: wrapped by @dub_customs

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

We’ve not seen a better-looking 675LT than this – photographed on Sloane Street. Its bright blue finish is actually a vinyl wrap from Dub Customs, with unpainted carbon fibre for the spoilers and side skirts. The twin-turbo V8 675LT remains the fastest car around the original Top Gear test track.

Pagani Zonda Oliver Evolution: @the_man_1vvm

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

This extreme, one-off Pagani Zonda is named after the owner’s son. Its huge, split-level rear wing is designed for maximum downforce, while its 7.3-litre V12 is boosted to 760hp. Oliver was apparently nine years old when the car was commissioned. He’ll be one lucky boy when he inherits this.

Ferrari 488 GTB

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Cruising London in a supercar doesn’t always go to plan – particularly if you have no insurance. This Ferrari 488 GTB is being hoisted onto a flatbed truck – bound for the council compound. No doubt its owner faces a hefty fine.

Lamborghini Aventador S: @joshblue1

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Another yellow Aventador, but those ‘fangs’ in the front grille indicate this is the latest S version. Its mighty 740hp V12 offers plenty of straight-line speed (0-62 mph in 2.9sec, 217mph), while four-wheel steering improves cornering agility. Selectable drive modes, from Strada (street) to Corsa (track) were also introduced.

BMW M2: @l666xox

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Giving the TT RS a run for its money is this BMW M2, owned by @l666xox. The 370hp coupe is smallest and arguably most exciting of the current M-car crop, with a lively rear-drive chassis and a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed semi-auto gearboxes. Long Beach Blue paint – the M2’s signature shade – helps this car stand out.

Koenigsegg Agera XS: @vtm_theking_4

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

‘XS’ indeed. This a Koenigsegg Agera XS – one of just two made. Beneath that less-than-subtle carbon bodywork is the 1,340hp twin-turbo V8 from the Koenigsegg One:1, capable of accelerating this Swedish supercar beyond 250mph. An active rear wing generates 450kg of downforce at 155mph.

Pagani Huayra: @sparky18888

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

There are acres of exposed carbon fibre on this Huayra and, if you look closely, you’ll notice the stripes in the weave line up perfectly between body panels. That’s a reflection of Horacio Pagani’s obsessive attention to detail, which includes having every screw laser-etched with the Pagani logo – at a cost of £65 each.

Mercedes-AMG E63 S: @shahidd89

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

The Mercedes-AMG E63 S isn’t a supercar in the traditional sense – not with four doors, five seats and subtle styling – but its performance is right up there: 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and 186mph. As per the personalised plate, this E63 S belongs to @shahidd89.

McLaren 570S: @ty.carrera

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Back in 2015, Motoring Research’s Richard Aucock reviewed the McLaren 570S, concluding: “[It] is unquestionably a five-star car, without doubt a new sports car great. Just like the Audi R8 at launch, it’s a new take on the super sports car, one that’s thoroughly McLaren and, because of the supercar richness it delivers for £140k, will have Porsche holding special engineering meetings to dissect it.” Nuff said, really.

Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster: @mapesbury_co

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Looking like a bona fide Batmobile in black, this drop-top version of the Aventador S shows off its trademark ‘scissor’ doors at the kerbside. The car belongs to @mapesbury_co and was spotted in convoy with an Audi R8.

Ferrari Enzo: @the_luxurious_cars

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Enzo Ferrari never lived to see the car that bore his name (yes, technically all his cars bore his name) but it’s likely he would have approved. When launched in 2002, the 660hp Enzo was the closest thing to a road-legal F1 car. It has a carbon fibre chassis, ceramic composite brakes, pushrod suspension and a semi-auto gearbox with shift lights on the steering wheel.

Audi R8 V10 Plus: @ye58ruv

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Here’s that R8 again: a current-generation V10 Plus with the same 610hp V10 as a Lamborghini Huracan. Quattro four-wheel-drive means 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds, while the interior boasts Audi’s neat Virtual Cockpit display. We do wish you could still have an open-gate manual gearbox, though.

Nissan GT-R: @musgtr

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Snapped in Chelsea, here’s Japan’s very own ‘Godzilla’: the mighty Nissan GT-R. The purple/orange colour combo of @musgtr’s car won’t be to everyone’s taste, but the Skyline successor pulls no punches when it comes to performance. Zero to 62mph times as low as 2.7 seconds have been recorded.

Porsche 911 GT3: @v88tnt

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

This first-gen ‘991.1’ GT3 also rocks the orange wheels look – and boasts a full Brooke Race Exhausts stainless steel system. Andrew Brady described the updated (991.2) GT3 as “the best supercar on sale” when he reviewed it for Motoring Research earlier this year.

Mercedes-AMG A45: @benjaminhiscoe

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

OK, this certainly isn’t a supercar, although the 381hp Mercedes-AMG A45 is more than a mere hot hatch. Indeed, a 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds means it’s snapping at the heels of far more exotic machines. The soundtrack is special, too, the exhausts belching and banging with every gearshift.

Ferrari 458 Italia

Supercar spotting in London: the best of 2018

Last but not least, a Ferrari 458 Italia: a car that sums up everything a supercar should be. Beautiful to look at, exhilarating to drive and achingly desirable, it’s far better suited to the Stelvio Pass than Sloane Street. Somebody should arrange a convoy…

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Tim Pitt
Tim Pitt
Tim has been our Managing Editor since 2015. He enjoys a retro hot hatch and has a penchant for Porsches.

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