5 modern supercars that will outrun the quad-motor Rivian R1T pickup truck at 60

It turns out that measuring a car’s speed from 5 to 60 mph often tells you more about its performance than the traditional 0 to 60 mph measurement. However, since people have been keeping an eye on it since 1946, when auto journalist Tom McCahill started the trend, we’ll go with the flow. The Rivian R1T pickup can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. This is according to the automaker itself, but car and driver It took 2.6 seconds in real-world testing with the truck’s optional 22-inch Super Sport wheels wrapped in summer rubber.

Those acceleration numbers represent some serious, supercar-beating performance either way. Just keep in mind that we’re talking specifically about supercars, not the new class of hypercars. The difference between the two is not always completely clear. Ferrari, for example, provides some performance context that’s relevant here: Maranello’s experts point out that a supercar like the Ferrari 488 GTB can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.0 seconds, while the LaFerrari hypercar clocks a time of 2.4 seconds.

This also means that the Rivian R1T won’t be able to overtake all-electric speed machines like the McMurtry Sperling that can reverse and teleport from 0 to 60 mph in 1.55 seconds or the Rimac Nevera that can pass cars on the ‘Ring as if they were standing still and do 0-60 mph in 1.85 seconds. Yet despite the fact that the R1T is a full-size pickup that weighs nearly 7,000 pounds, it can still tow modern supercars and borderline hypercars like the Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 812 Superfast, McLaren Speedtail, Pagani Huayra, and Koenigsegg CC850.

The Lamborghini Aventador was a particularly important car for the iconic Italian brand. When it debuted, it introduced an all-new 6.5-litre V12 engine, which replaced the original Lambo V12 architecture created by Giotto Bizzarrini and first deployed in the 1963 Lamborghini 350 GT. Then, when production ended in 2022, the Aventador became the last Lamborghini to run entirely on gasoline. Since then all models of the brand have been hybrid. Lamborghini also considered going the EV route, but canceled its proposed entry when the EV slowdown hit.

The Aventador had no trouble attracting attention and earning critical praise, but it would face some difficulty if it had to race the Rivian. Car and Driver estimates that the first-year Aventador, bolstered by 691 horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque, can reach 60 in 2.9 seconds. Last year’s limited-edition LP 780-4 Ultime reduced the Aventador’s 0-60 time by 10%, but the result still puts it at an estimated 2.7 seconds – about a tenth behind the R1T. Of course, the Aventador’s output of 769 hp and 531 lb-ft pales in comparison to what you get from Rivian’s quad-motor setup. The latter can make 1,025 ponies and 1,198 pound-feet, which more than compensates for its increased mass compared to the Lambo, which weighs about 3,800 pounds in its Altima trim.

There aren’t many McLarens that can’t keep up with the quad-motor R1T in a 60 mph race. For example, neither the McLaren 650S Spider nor the McLaren Senna – a bona fide hypercar – can match the Rivian. Still, we’re putting the spotlight on the McLaren Speedtail – if for no other reason than its particularly sleek and surprisingly good looks. The Speedtail doesn’t need to apologize for its performance, thanks to its high-output hybrid powertrain. The foundation is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, which on its own delivers 746 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Not satisfied there, McLaren added an electric motor for an additional 309 horses and 258 lb-ft, bringing the total to 1,055 hp and 848 lb-ft.

The Speedtail accelerates to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, but its real focus is on top speed. Premiering as the fastest McLaren ever, it can reach 250 mph. Even better, you can bring a pair of friends along for the ride thanks to the Speedtail’s premium 1+2 cabin, which features a driver’s seat in the front and two rear passenger seats sandwiched between them. It’s also worth noting that the Speedtail’s lack of truck-like functionality – and that of all McLarens so far – may soon be solved. Yes, it seems like this famous supercar brand has also accepted the customer demand, engineers are now working hard on McLaren’s first SUV.

Circumstances can change surprisingly quickly in the world of supercars. For example, just three years before the 250-mph Speedtail was launched, the 2018 Ferrari 812 Superfast was one of the fastest supercars on the road. Flash forward to 2026, and the so-called superfast is now slower than a pickup – well, at least slower than a pickup in one metric, anyway. With a 6.5-liter V12 mounted under the car’s long hood that produces 789 hp and 530 lb-ft of torque, the front-engined Ferrari’s flagship quad-motor can post a 0-60 time of 2.7 seconds compared to the R1T’s 2.5 seconds.

Let’s also point out that the final evolution of the 812, tuned for 819 ponies and 510 lb-ft, also only took the 0-60 needle down to 2.6 seconds. The 812 Competizione, on the other hand, sold out quickly. Ferrari built the 500 Coupé and 312 Competizione A open-top models, but by the time this news reached the public all were reserved for customers – another in a long line of Ferraris that we mere mortals could not hope to purchase.

No list of modern supercars would be complete without mentioning Pagani Automobili. The boutique supercar brand was founded in 1998 by Horacio Pagani, who began his automotive design career at the age of 10 by carving his own model cars from balsa wood. Such a background served him well, as his first full-size car, the Pagani Zonda, became an instant supercar classic when it greeted the public at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland in 1999.

The Pagani Huayra took to the Geneva stage in 2011 as the Zonda’s replacement, and it gave its predecessor the full Spinal Tap treatment – ​​turning everything up to 11. The core of the matter was a 6.0-liter V12 engine complemented by a pair of turbochargers to produce 720 hp with 738 lb-ft of torque. That too was not an ordinary engine. It was developed by Mercedes’ AMG team, taking advantage of the same V8 mill used in the flagship S-Class AMG S 63 sedan at the time. However, the exact units found in the Huayras were custom-built for Pagani. The thing is, the Huayra will have no prayer of competing in a sprint with the Rivian R1T. In fact, the Pagani is the slowest car to 60 mph here, as it takes 3.0 seconds to complete the journey – although its top speed is 224 mph.

With Volvo now owned by Geely – and Saab long gone – Koenigsegg is helping to keep the flame alive for the Swedish auto industry with a series of amazing handcrafted supercars that sprang from the mind of its founder Christian Koenigsegg. They started their company in 1994, introduced the CC prototype two years later, and introduced their first roadgoing ride, the CC8S, in 2002. The Koenigsegg CC850 was a way to pay tribute to the company from its beginnings, right down to its engines.

Where the original CC8S relied on a heavily modified version of the Ford 4.6-liter V8, inspiration for the CC850 comes from the Koenigsegg 5.0-liter V8 – the same displacement as the classic Mustangs, except that the engine has a flat-plane crank like the 2015 Shelby GT350. However, the similarities end there, as Koenigsegg goes further with a twin-turbocharger, boosting the CC850’s output to an astonishing 1,185 hp and 1,029 lb-ft of torque – and that’s when the car is filled with conventional gasoline. Switch to E85, and you’ll unlock another 200 ponies.

Unfortunately, that still leaves this low-volume high-performer 0.2 seconds behind the Rivian’s speed to 60 mph, and that seems to be the case whether you make the shift yourself or let Koenigsegg do it for you. Just be aware that you can enjoy both modes in the same car, as the company’s innovative approach to engineering has yielded a gearbox that works as a 9-speed slushbox or a true manual, complete with third paddles and a gated shifter.