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If there's one thing that the Burnout series has always focused on, it's speed. No matter how much carnage you're creating or how many opponents you're taking down, you're always going to be doing it whilst travelling as fast as possible.
Burnout Paradise maintains this focus thanks to its class of speed cars, which operate in the mindset of the original games: boost is earned, not given, and the only way to fill your boost meter is to drive in as risky a way as possible. Once you've earned it though, you can reach some incredible speeds as long as you keep boosting, and you won't want to stop.
10 Annihilator Street Rod
This is the most powerful version of the Annihilator in the game. The reason for this is the enormous engine, which is so big that there isn't a hood large enough to cover it. And if you use the boost, the Street Rod will perform a wheelie and almost take off, as if it's from Rocket League.
As a result, the Street Rod is best left to the professionals because there's no way a beginner will be able to deal with that much power, even in a straight line.
9 Sabotage GT 2400
It may only be part of the B class licence, but don't let that fool you. The Sabotage marks the point where the speed cars really start to pack a punch, especially since this one is based on the racing cars from the 1980s.
The Sabotage has a pretty standard speed stat for its class but its boost stat is pretty high, and when you consider just how light it is, you can imagine what it was like to race something like this back in the day.
8 Tempesta GT
This racing version of the regular Tempesta is more powerful and feels like a racing car built for the road. The body modifications mean it has excellent downforce for when you want to take a corner at high speed, but it can also drift just as easily for the sharper turns.
That being said, it's also one of the weakest cars in the game with a measly two points in strength, so before you decide to go all out, make sure you can handle its power.
7 XS12
This is Burnout Paradise's version of supercars like the Pagani Zonda, and much like its real-world counterparts, it's a lot easier to drive than it seems (especially for such a big supercar).
Part of the reason why is because the XS12 sacrifices one point of speed for one point of boost from its predecessor, the X12. The slightly lower cruising speed is great for navigating busy traffic, and the increased boost comes in handy for when you can really let loose and just blast along the highway.
6 Racing 500 GT
Given that the Ford GT40 is one of the most famous racing cars of all time, many racing games like to feature or pay homage to it. Some series like Forza can afford the real thing, but Burnout Paradise decides to create a likeness.
True to the GT40's reputation, the Racing 500 is a brilliantly fast car and it handles like a dream thanks to its low height and weight. This makes it rather fragile but you should still be able to drive away from some minor collisions.
5 Revenge Racer
This is the upgraded version of the 25 V16 Revenge, this time sporting a Burnout Revenge themed livery and even more boost power. This means it's somehow even faster than the V16, which was certainly no slouch.
Possibly the best aspect of the Revenge Racer is how it sounds because the whine of its engine is pretty similar to that of a Formula 1 car. And as you blast through the countryside and hear the exhausts chatter, you'll quickly realise why it's one of the coolest cars in Burnout Paradise.
4 Carbon Hawker
The Hawker and Hawker Solo are amongst the best stunt cars in the game, so it's little surprise that the Carbon Hawker manages to be one of the best speed cars. It's certainly a worthy reward for smashing all 120 billboards in the game.
The Carbon Hawker actually has better speed, boost and strength stats than the other Hawkers, and the handling is barely affected either. As a result, this car is primed to tackle almost any event, excluding perhaps Road Rage and Marked Man ones.
3 Überschall 8
This Le Mans inspired racer is reserved until you've earned the A class licence is earned because only a professional will be able to control it. The Clear-View variant is arguably faster because it has more boost, but the 8 has better handling and is less likely to understeer.
Besides, being able to steer out of the way of a wall is certainly going to be faster than slamming into it and coming to a dead stop. And you really don't want to ruin a car as nice as this.
2 GT Nighthawk
This car may not look like much as first, but in actuality, this is Burnout's equivalent of KITT from Knight Rider, although it's the 2000s instalment instead of the original (luckily GTA Online has that area covered).
Even though it's part of the speed class, the Nighthawk is capable of tackling almost any challenge in the game. It's got the speed to do races, it's strong enough to survive a head-on collision with everything except the Inferno Van, and it's agile enough for Stunt Runs too.
1 PCPD Special
The PCPD Special is the absolute pinnacle of speed in Paradise City. It's an improved version of the Racing WTR with one more point in boost and strength, although it's still so fragile that it'll never be a match for even the weakest aggression vehicle.
Then again, you don't need to worry about being aggressive when you can simply drive faster than anyone else in the game. The sheer amount of downforce the PCPD Special generates also means that you'll handle corners better than anyone too.