Jaguar XK120
The first post-Second World War model from the British marque, it was launched, in roadster form, at the 1948 London Motor Show, to gauge public opinion. The response was so overwhelming the car went into production. The 120 referred to its top speed, in miles per hour (193kph), and the XK120s were very active on the racing scene and broke a number of records at the Autodrome de Montlhéry, near Paris, including; 172.94kph for 24 hours, 212.16kph for one hour, and 161.43kph for seven days and seven nights.
Ferrari F40
Anything Porsche can do, Ferrari can do better; at least, according to the Italians. In the mid-Eighties, the Italians and Germans had a little skirmish in the top-speed department, which resulted in the 288 GTO from Ferrari setting the record, only to be beaten...