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The 21st century has produced some of the most powerful and beautiful supercars to grace the track since man first abandoned his horse, popped a couple of wheels on a motor, and challenged his mates to a race.

Over the last 20 or so years, we’ve seen automakers push the limits on what a supercar can do and the speeds it can reach, while not compromising on the package deal with designs that are as eye-catching as they are aerodynamic.

Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.

The Bentley Bentayga Speed, first revealed last year, is without a doubt the fastest high-rider in the world, but where it shines in terms of performance, it lacks in aesthetic appeal.

The kindest thing we could say about it is that it has a nice personality.

But we’re not here to relive the disappointment of the Bentley, we’re here to look at Robb Report‘s list of the 25 Greatest Supercars of the 21st Century (So Far).

We picked our top five:

McLaren F1

So, the McLaren F1 is technically from the last century – the 1990s to be more exact – but it deserves a mention as the supercar that paved the way for what would follow.

Back in 1992, with a top speed of 370km/h, it killed the competition. No other car had gone that fast and simply put – minds were blown.

Sporting a super-light carbon-fibre chassis, and a bespoke six-litre 627 horsepower BMW V-12 engine, it could hit 95km/h in just 3,2 seconds.

Saleen S7

This American supercar was an anomaly in the world of European frontrunners and trendsetters.

It made its debut in 2000 at the Monterey Historic Races as a track-focused supercar that killed the competition.

Lift the lid and you’ll find a 351ci V-8 engine, which developed 550 horsepower and shifted through a six-speed manual gearbox.

These cars have become the jewel in many a collector’s garages.

Ferrari Enzo

The Enzo is by far Ferrari’s most acclaimed supercar of the 21st century, captivating audiences at the 2002 Paris Motor Show.

This V-12-powered, mid-engined monster of a car boasts 660 horsepower at 7800rpm, with maximum 657 Nm torque at 5500rpm.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

There’s a reason that Mercedes-Benz has an almost cult-like following. They’ve produced some of the most beautifully engineered and downright good looking cars of the century.

The SLR was a novel mash-up between Germany’s Mercedes-Benz and Britain’s McLaren before McLaren claimed its fame.

Powering the supercar is a single overhead camshaft, 5,4 litre supercharged 8 cylinder engine, with 3 valves per cylinder providing power and torque figures of 617bhp at 6500rpm and 780 Nm at 3250-5000 rpm respectively, taking it to speeds of up to 334km/h.

Maserati MC12

Maserati’s MC12 was built for the express purpose of competing in, and winning, the FIA GT Championship. Sharing the Ferrari’s same 6,0-litre V-12 engine it pushed 621 horsepower, hitting 330km/h.

While it wasn’t street legal, so to speak, it claims its place as one of the sexiest supercars of the century.

You can check out the rest of the 25 here.

Merc fans will be pleased to find that apart from the collaboration mentioned above, BMW doesn’t even get a participation trophy, let alone a spot on the list.

[source:robbreport