Without the use of turbos, superchargers, or any electric motors, these five supercars have pushed the boundaries of naturally aspirated internal combustion engines to a different level of performance.
Nevertheless, a few brands remained loyal to naturally aspirated engines, managing to extract impressive output figures by using clever engineering.
Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 – 819 hp
Photo: Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
Launched in 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show, the Aventador was Lamborghini’s latest flagship supercar, and, like its predecessors, it was powered by a naturally aspirated V12.
Throughout its lifespan, the gorgeous AWD supercar and its powerful V12 were continually upgraded.
The Aventador was also used by Lamborghini’s Squadra Corse racing division as the basis for the 2020 Essenza SCV12, a breathtaking track-only supercar.
Although based on the Aventador’s chassis, the entire bodywork of the SCV12 was redesigned with aerodynamic supremacy in mind.
The track weapon received the same 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 that powered the Aventador, but it was thoroughly improved to produce 819 hp.
Ferrari 812 Competizione – 819 hp
Photo: Ferrari S.p.A.
In 2017, Ferrari launched the latest member of its front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive grand tourer line.
Called 812 Superfast, the beautiful GT designed by Ferrari Centro Stile’s Flavio Manzoni lived up to its name thanks to a 789-hp naturally aspirated V12 that enabled it to reach a 211-mph (340-kph) top speed.
Four years later, the Maranello-based carmaker unveiled a much more powerful, track-focused yet street-legal version of the 812 called Competizione.
Available either as a conventional Berlinetta or with a Targa top (Competizione A), the beast received numerous styling and performance upgrades over its conventional counterparts, the Superfast and GTS.
The most impressive of those upgrades was a beefed-up version of the 6.5-liter F140 V12 that made 819 hp and 510 lb-ft (692 Nm) of torque.
With all that power plus a weight-saving treatment, the Competizione could do the 0 to 62 mph (100 kph) sprint in 2.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 211 mph (340 kph).
Ferrari Daytona SP3 – 829 hp
Photo: Ferrari S.p.A.
As proven by the 812 Competizione, Ferrari is one of the last supercar manufacturers that continues to stay true to the naturally-aspirated engine, but that might change in the not-so-distant future.
About a year after unveiling the aforementioned track-focused model, the Italian carmaker launched another naturally aspirated masterpiece.
Called Daytona SP3, the limited-edition mid-engine supercar was inspired by the 330 P4 endurance race car that won the 24 hours of Daytona in 1967.
Under its breathtaking carbon fiber bodywork, the SP3 hides a LaFerrari Aperta chassis and the same version of the F140 V12 as the 812 Competizione.
However, output was raised by 10 hp, giving the car a total of 829 ponies and making it the most powerful naturally aspirated road-legal Ferrari ever built.
In terms of performance, the SP3 Daytona can sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) in 2.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 211 mph (340 kph).
Pagani Huayra R Evo – 900 hp
Photo: Pagani Automobili S.p.A.
Founded in 1992 by Argentine Horacio Pagani, a former Lamborghini engineer, the Modena, Italy-based Pagani Automobili is a relatively new entry in the world of supercars.
The company’s story started with the iconic Mercedes-AMG-powered Zonda and continued with the Huayra and the current Utopia.
While the Utopia and most versions of the Huayra used twin-turbo Mercedes-AMG V12s, a couple of track-only iterations of the Huayra received a naturally aspirated Mercedes-Benz HWA 6.0-liter V12s
The first was the 2021 Huayra R, which received an 838-hp version of the engine, and the second, the christened Huayra R Evo unveiled earlier this year (2024), got a 900-hp edition of the engine, courtesy of new camshafts and a recalibrated ECU.
As the name implies, the latest open-top track weapon is the evolution of the initial R, and apart from the jaw-dropping engine, it also received a series of aerodynamic enhancements to make it even more lethal.
Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro – 1,000 hp
Photo: Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC
Developed alongside Red Bull Racing Advanced Technologies and designed by F1 engineering wizard Adrian Newey, the Valkyrie is unquestionably the most outrageous production car to ever don Aston Martin badges.
With a lightweight body designed to be ass aerodynamically-efficient as humanly possible, it looks more like an endurance racing hypercar than anything road legal.
Still the Valkyrie is road-legal and it’s powered by a Cosworth-designed 6.5-liter V12 that works with an electric motor to provide a total output of 1,160 hp.
But since we’re talking about supercars powered by a naturally aspirated engine, we’re going to highlight the track-only Valkyrie dubbed AMR Pro.
Though it looks much like its road-going counterpart, the AMR Pro ditches the electric motor and any convenience feature to provide a lighter package.
Moreover, its 6.5-liter V12 is tuned to produce 1,000 hp, making it the most powerful naturally-aspirated production car ever built.
As for the actual production run, in 2021, Aston Martin announced it would only build 25 units of this amazing car, all of which were sold before the actual production run began.
