Can You Identify the Fastest Cars From the 1940s?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify the Fastest Cars From the 1940s?
Image: Thomas Vogt via WikiCommons

About This Quiz

If you look at car making like learning to swim, the Model T was just when people discovered water and were getting their feet wet. By the 1940s they were experimenting with the deep water and taking some fancy dives to impress their friends. The early days of boxy, awkward designs were beginning to fade away. All those hard corners and squares attached to more squares were being replaced by sleek curves and smooth lines. This was truly the era when automakers began to get comfortable with the idea of speed. This was when design became an art form and utility was not the only concern behind making a vehicle.

Just look at the futuristic form of the Chrysler Thunderbolt, or the racer form of the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS ‘Torpedino Brescia' and you'll have no doubt that cars of the '40s were as much art as they were machine. And along with that came speed. Cars that could routinely crack 100 miles per hour, something that a decade earlier would have blown the mind of the common driver on the street.

If you appreciate speed in the present you need to know about how we got here. Let's see how many of these old school speed demons you can ID!

Jaguar XK 120
Johannes Maximilian via WikiCommons
Which car is often considered the fastest ever produced in the entire decade?
Jaguar XK 120
Healey Silverstone
BMW M Roadster
Lincoln Ford 40 Special Speedster
Stanguellini 750 Sport Internazionale
Valder137 via WikiCommons
This racer from Modena, Italy could hit 112 mph. What is it?
Cistalia 202
Lagonda 2.6 liter
Stanguellini 750 Sport Internazionale
Lancia Aprilia
Auto Avio Costruzioni 815
Buch-t via WikiCommons
Which car was the first ever to be fully designed and built by Enzo Ferrari?
Maserati A6 1500
Ferrari 166 MM Zagato Panoramica
Fiat 1100 S
Auto Avio Costruzioni 815

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Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Freccio D'Oro
Palauenc05 via WikiCommons
Do you know which of these is known as the Golden Arrow?
Maserati A6 1500 Pininfarina
Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Freccio D'Oro
Delahaye 135
Bugatti Type 73C
MG TC Midget
Steve Glover via WikiCommons
In 1945, which of these could get from 0 to 60 in 22.7 seconds?
Bentley Mark VI
Austin Atlantic
MG TC Midget
Porsche 356
Cadillac Series 62 Saoutchik Cabriolet
Gregory Moine via WikiCommons
A famous Belarusian cabinet maker living in France designed which of these?
Norman E. Timbs Buick Streamliner
Veritas Rennsport
Buick Roadmaster Riviera
Cadillac Series 62 Saoutchik Cabriolet

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Horch 853A Speedroadster
Mr.choppers via WikiCommons
From 1937 until 1940, which of these was meant to rival the Mercedes-Benz Spezial Roadster?
Horch 853A Speedroadster
Lincoln Ford 40 Special Speedster
Bristol 401
Triumph 1800 Roadster
Maserati A6 1500 Pininfarina
Christine und Hagen Graf via WikiCommons
Production of which of these cars began in 1941 and then was suspended until the war ended?
Mercedes Benz 770
Maserati A6 1500 Pininfarina
Healey Elliot
Delahaye 135
Cadillac Sixty Special
Greg Gjerdingen via WikiCommons
Do you know which of these cars was produced from 1938 until 1993?
Lincoln Ford 40 Special Speedster
Chrysler Town and Country
Bentley Mark VI
Cadillac Sixty Special

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Bugatti Type 73C
Dave Hamster via WikiCommons
Only five of which of these were ever built. What is it?
Bugatti Type 73C
Lancia Aprillia
Porsche 356
Trabant 601
Lancia Aprilia
Liftarn via WikiCommons
This was one of the first cars to be designed using a wind tunnel. What is it?
Austin Atlantic
Cistalia 202
Cadillac Series 62
Lancia Aprilia
Triumph Roadster
Ricardo Diaz via WikiCommons
Designed in 1946, which of these cars was designed to compete with Jaguar?
Ferrari 166S
Kurtis Sport
Triumph Roadster
Tucker Torpedo

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Buick Roadmaster Riviera
Brian Snelson via WikiCommons
In 1948 which of these was a relatively unique pillarless hardtop?
Buick Roadmaster Riviera
Lagonda 2.6 liter
Mercedes Benz 770
Rolls Royce Phantom III
Allard K1
Charles01 via WikiCommons
Only 151 of which of these V8-powered cars were ever made?
Tucker Torpedo
Ferrari 166 S
Bristol 401
Allard K1
Cadillac Series 62
Jeremy via WikiCommons
Do you know which of these cars had to end production due to the war but started right back up again in 1946?
Cadillac Series 62
Austin Atlantic
Fiat 1100 S
Aston Martin DB1

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Bristol 401
Charles01 via WikiCommons
The company that made this car was originally a manufacturer of airplanes. What is it?
Kurtis Sport
Bristol 401
Bentley Mark VI
Delahaye 135
Mercury Sportsman
Greg Gjerdingen via WikiCommons
Which model was discontinued after only 205 units were sold?
Mercury Sportsman
Aston Martin DB1
Bentley Mark VI
Tucker Torpedo
Ford 40 Special Speedster
Jim Evans via WikiCommons
Edsel Ford personally owned which of these cars?
Lincoln Continental
Ford 40 Special Speedster
Veritas Rennsport
Ford Model 86

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Norman E. Timbs Buick Streamliner
MyClassicCarTV via YouTube
A Californian mechanical engineer fabricated most of this car himself. What is it?
Austin Atlantic
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport
Norman E. Timbs Buick Streamliner
Healey Elliot
Chrysler Town & Country 'Barrelback' Wagon
AlfvanBeem via WikiCommons
Which of these vehicles came with double wooden doors in the back?
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport
BMW M Roadster
Veritas Rennsport
Chrysler Town & Country ‘Barrelback' Wagon
Cisitalia 202
Hmaag via WikiCommons
Do you know which car was made by amateur driver and businessman Piero Dusio?
Lancia Aurelia
Cistalia 202
Ferrari 197
Delahaye 135

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Fiat 1100 S
Palauenc05 via WikiCommons
This car debuted at the Mille Miglia race. What is it?
Mercedes Benz 770
Healey Silverstone
Fiat 1100 S
Lagonda 2.6 liter
Veritas Rennsport
Classic-Car.TV via YouTube
Which of these cars was made mostly from BMW parts?
Veritas Rennsport
Kurtis Sport
Lagonda 2.6 liter
Delahaye 135
Ferrari 166 S
Unknown photographer via WikiCommons
Only 12 of which of these legendary racers were ever made?
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport
BMW 335
Aston Martin DB1
Ferrari 166 S

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Healey Silverstone
Brian Snelson via WikiCommons
To make this car more aerodynamic they hid the headlights behind the grille. What is it?
Healey Silverstone
Kurtis Sport
Austin Atlantic
BMW 335
Aston Martin DB1
Buch-t via WikiCommons
Which car is also called the 2-Litre Sports?
Bentley Mark VI
Tucker Torpedo
Aston Martin DB1
Healey Elliot
Delahaye 135
Palauenc05 via WikiCommons
This convertible hit speeds of 92 miles per hour. Do you know what it is?
Cadillac Series 62
Delahaye 135
BMW 335
Tucker Torpedo

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Lagonda 2.6 liter
Malcolma via WikiCommons
Despite the name, which of these was an Aston Martin?
Kurtis Sport
Tucker Torpedo
Cistalia 202
Lagonda 2.6 liter
Healey Elliot
Robotriot la via WikiCommons
In 1946, which of these was called the fastest closed production car in the world?
Healey Elliot
Kurtis Sport
Tucker Torpedo
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport
AlfvanBeem via WikiCommons
Which of these cars had a top speed of 124 miles per hour?
Tucker Torpedo
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport
BMW M Roadster
Austin Atlantic

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BMW 328 Roadster
JiÅ™í Sedláček via WikiCommons
Only two of which of these cars were made in 1940?
BMW 328 Roadster
Alfa Romeo 6D 1600
Bentley Mark VI
Porsche 356
Kurtis Sport
MotorTrend Channel via YouTube
The engine and other parts from which of these were taken from Ford cars?
Kurtis Sport
Lagond Mirua
Tucker Torpedo
Bristol 407
Bentley Mark VI
allen watkin via WikiCommons
Despite its stately looks, this car could hit 100 mph. What is it?
Mercedes Benz 770
Allard K1
Veritas Rennsport
Bentley Mark VI

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Porsche 356
Alexandre Prévot via WikiCommons
76,000 of these cars were produced in their lifetime, but only 50 in 1948. What is it?
Austin Atlantic
Porsche 356
Fiat 1100
Lancia Aurelia
Rolls-Royce Phantom III Labourdette Vutotal Cabriolet
Rex Gray via WikiCommons
In 1947 the body of which of these cars cost $44,000?
Mercedes Benz 770
Rolls-Royce Phantom III Labourdette Vutotal Cabriolet
Lincoln Ford 40 Special Speedster
Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport
Mercedes-Benz 770
Triple-green via WikiCommons
Which of these cars were favored by high-ranking Nazis during the war?
BMW M Roadster
Austin Atlantic
Mercedes-Benz 770
Allard K1

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Tucker 48
Sicnag via WikiCommons
Do you know which car goes by the nickname Torpedo?
Tucker 48
Ferrari 188
Cisitalia 300
Lancia Aurelia
Austin Atlantic
allen watkin via WikiCommons
Which four-seat convertible had a top speed of 90 miles per hour?
Lancia Stratos
Bentley Mulsanne
Austin Atlantic
Veritas Roadster
Chrysler Newport Phaeton
Greg Gjerdingen via WikiCommons
Actress Lana Turner owned which of these?
Bentley Mark VI
Lincoln Continental
Fiat 1200
Chrysler Newport Phaeton

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Mercedes-Benz T80
Morio via WikiCommons
Which car that was never actually driven was assumed to have been one of the fastest cars of all time?
Mercedes-Benz T80
BMW M Roadster
Veritas Rennsport
Lancia Aprilia