10 Fast Cars With Small Supercharged Engines That Punch Way Above Their Weight

Superchargers have been used in commercial cars for over 100 years, ever since Mercedes first put one in their production car in 1923. They were initially used in aircraft, but superchargers have a lot of benefits for cars, such as a simple design and boosting power low down within the rev range.

Across the market, superchargers are much less common than turbos, particularly among faster cars. As a result, most enthusiasts tend to default to turbocharged cars, leading many supercharged performance cars to become overlooked and underrated. Many brands like McLaren and even Lamborghini are switching to smaller turbocharged V8s. However, superchargers still have their charm, particularly with smaller cars delivering impressive performance figures, and there are several incredibly fast supercharged underdogs enthusiasts should give proper credit.

10

2005 Chevrolet Cobalt SS

0-60 MPH: 5.9 Seconds

Specs

Chevrolet has built some of America’s most popular sports cars, such as the Corvette and the Camaro. However, one great budget Chevy sports car that often gets overlooked is the Cobalt SS. With a short stint on the market between 2005-2007, the Cobalt SS proved itself a fun and tossable platform with decent power coming from its supercharged 205-hp 2.0-liter inline-4. The five-speed manual gearbox sends the power to the front wheels only, but weighing under 3,000 lbs, the supercharged Cobalt SS will reach 60 mph in under 6 seconds – and it’s only the slowest car on our list.

9

2013 Mini Cooper S JCW GP

0-60 MPH: 5.8 Seconds

Specs

Mini has become an iconic brand, and the Mini Cooper has long been a staple of the manufacturer over the decades. The British carmaker had its model tuned by John Cooper Works in 2013, its in-house tuning company and racing division. The steering is superb, allowing the driver to commit to corners with confidence that they can throw the car at the apex on the track. The reworked Mini produces 215 horsepower from a tiny supercharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

It is rare to see one of these Minis on the streets, as only 2000 cars were ever made by the manufacturer, adding exclusivity to this particular version. This exclusive Mini could hit 0-60 in 5.9 seconds as it fired off the line and could hit a top speed of 150 mph.

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8

2008 Lotus Elise SC

0-60 MPH: 4.4 Seconds

Specs

Lotus has built a superb portfolio of lightened sports cars that drive brilliantly despite lacking power compared to many of its competitors. The Lotus Elise SC is a supercharged version of the standard car and produces 218 horsepower from a 1.8-liter, supercharged inline-4 Toyota 2ZZ-GE engine. It is incredibly light and weighs just 1918 pounds, which improves handling and efficiency on the brakes. The 218 horsepower isn’t a huge amount of power, and the car isn’t remarkably torquey with just 156 lb-ft of torque, but the Elise SC accelerates superbly.

From a standstill, the Lotus can reach 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds, which is fractionally slower than the standard M3 from German giant BMW. The Lotus is a

superb supercharged car
that excels on both the streets and the track, and its supercharger provides that distinctive engine note.

7

2002 Mercedes-Benz AMG C32

0-60 MPH: 5.2 Seconds

Specs

The Mercedes-Benz AMG C32 is a significant improvement over the standard car in terms of raw power, as it delivers 349 horsepower rather than just 215. The Mercedes is also torquey, with 332 lb-ft available to the driver, although a manual transmission can’t be bought with the C32. A five-speed automatic transmission is the only option, and it comes with AMG’s speedshift technology to deliver sharper gear changes. This allows the car to go from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds while the top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. The car is also quite practical with four doors, while the interior is luxurious with leather seats and a sunroof.

6

2009 Audi S4

0-60 MPH: 4.9 Seconds

Specs

The Audi S4 had a difficult birth as it struggled to compete with the BMW M3 when it was released. However, the S4 soon got into its stride, as Audi dropped the V8 for a smaller supercharged 3.0-liter V6 with a sharp throttle response. The gearbox is equally quick to keep up with the immense 333 horsepower, allowing the driver to go from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds.

This impressive acceleration is partly due to the great all-wheel drive system, which sends the power to all four corners and avoids excessive wheelspin off the line. The supercharger helps, as it doesn’t provide the same turbo lag as a turbocharger and is more consistent when the driver puts the power down. Aside from the impressive power, the S4 looks fairly similar to its A4 counterpart, while the interior seems a nice place to be and is not overly cramped.

5

2015 Jaguar F-Type S

0-60 MPH: 4.3 Seconds

Specs

The Jaguar F-Type is now a depreciated sports car bargain. Its supercharged V6 engine pumps out an impressive 340 hp. The 3.0-liter V6 engine also makes an aggressive sound. Jaguar’s base model develops 340 horsepower and is relatively torquey, with 332 lb-ft of twist available on tap. Opt for the “S” model, and that same engine pumps out an extra 40 for a 380-hp total. This is enough to push the grand tourer to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds and onto an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Compared to the base model, the S also gets a limited-slip differential and an active exhaust system. It’s also a serious bargain on the used market, worth an average of $34,369, according to Classic.com.

4

2022 Lotus Emira

0-60 MPH: 4.2 Seconds

Specs

The Lotus Emira is relatively new, having launched in 2021, and is blistering fast. The Toyota-sourced supercharged 3.5-liter V6 engine produces 400 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, helping the car to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and onto a 180-mph top speed. In fact, the Emira is still easily one of

the most underrated sports cars on the market
, combining Toyota reliability with a Ferrari-esque design and impressive performance – all for under $100,000.

3

2016 Lotus Exige S

0-60 MPH: 3.9 Seconds

Specs

Lotus is a classic British sports carmaker that famously prioritizes weight savings over raw power, giving its cars a more pure feel than other brands. As a result, it makes some of the coolest and most capable lightweight track cars you can buy. The Exige S marks the model’s ultimate evolution and is available as both a coupe and a roadster with a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 engine developing 345 hp under the hood. Due to the lack of weight in a car that weighs just 2519.9 lbs, the Exige S can go from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds.

The Lotus may be slightly smaller in the cabin than other cars on the market, but the Lotus’ superb handling makes up for the lack of space. This is particularly evident on a circuit, as it lapped the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 53 seconds. This time is very impressive for a car with such little power as it is quicker than more powerful cars like the Porsche Panamera Turbo.

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2

2013 Caterham 620R

0-60 MPH: 2.79 Seconds

Specs

Caterham is a classic British sports carmaker specializing in lightweight, bare-bones cars with a lot of power that excel in the corners of the track. The brand’s 620R develops 311 horsepower, enough to push the Caterham from 0-60 in 2.79 seconds – all from a supercharged 2.0-liter Duratec inline-4 originally fitted in the Ford Mondeo ST200.

The blistering acceleration is incredible, while the Caterham 620R is hitting the limiter in fifth gear at 155 mph. It weighs just 1200 lbs and is solely focused on lap times as it lacks a windscreen. The supercharger allows the Caterham to get off the line quickly with consistent power delivery, particularly low down in the power band.

1

2014 Ariel Atom 3.5R

0-60 MPH: 2.6 Seconds

Specs

Ariel has a similar philosophy to fellow British carmaker Lotus as they prioritize lightness and handling in the turns over raw power and speed in a straight line. The Ariel Atom 3.5R is powered by a 2.0-liter supercharged Honda engine, which develops an impressive 350 horsepower. Due to the car weighing just 1200 lbs, 0-60 is dealt with in just 2.6 seconds, which would give the 1500-hp Bugatti Chiron a good contest.

The British manufacturer has championed a unique styling concept throughout its history: using the bodywork as an exoskeleton. The lack of weight also creates a very balanced car, which is best noticed in turns where quick direction changes are required.