10 FASTEST TURBOCHARGED FOUR-CYLINDER CARS THAT CAN OUTRUN MUSCLE CARS

The more cylinders you have, the faster you'll be. It's a logical sentiment that was likely true for most of automotive history. Not anymore. Modern technology is an unstoppable force, and the mass-market adoption of turbochargers has turned the "more cylinders" argument completely on its head.

Auto manufacturers and engineers have now given us downsized, turbocharged cars with tight chassis and enough power to outrun even the most established muscle cars on the road. To convey this phenomenon, we've gathered ten of the quickest and most powerful turbocharged, four-cylinder-powered machines that can embarrass the fastest American muscle cars out there.

2017 Ford Focus RS

0-60 MPH: 4.5 Seconds

Specs

Leave it to America to build a hot hatch that makes all the rest look boring. That is exactly what they did with the third-generation Ford Focus RS. This car's first impression is bold - bright colors, sharp styling, and a gigantic wing. But Ford dug much deeper with RS. Not only does it have a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system and 6-speed manual transmission, but the Focus also boasts a healthy 350 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque - a figure almost unheard of for this segment.

That amount of thrust leaves most muscle cars you'd see on the street cleanly in the dust. Even if you encountered a slightly more formidable foe, say an older Dodge Charger SRT-8, its already impressive 5-second 0-60 mph time wouldn't be enough to outclass the mighty RS. The Ford's all-wheel drive makes for consistent launches every time, while the Charger would be fighting for rear-end traction.

2024 Audi S3

0-60 MPH: 4.3 Seconds

Specs

The Audi S3 is proof that you don't need the top-trim model for genuinely impressive performance. Its big sibling, the RS3, packs an admittedly awesome 5-cylinder engine that makes more power. However, the S3's turbo-four puts down 308 horsepower – more than enough to beat the then-new 2024 Mustang EcoBoost, which had the distinction of being the quickest four-cylinder Mustang of all time. Not to mention, the S3's top speed is 10 mph faster (155 mph) than the '24 Mustang Ecoboost's.

And much like the Focus RS, this punchy little German sports an all-wheel-drive system that helps it get off in a serious hurry. The only difference is that Audi has been doing performance all-wheel-drive for decades longer than anyone else. The infamous Quattro system in the S3 is one of the key reasons why this car drives so well.

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C

0-60 MPH: 4.1 Seconds

Specs

When you think of carbon-tubbed, mid-engine Italian sports cars, the badges of Lamborghini, Ferrari, or Pagani might show up in your brain. Regardless, the Alfa Romeo 4C probably wasn't on the tip of your tongue, even though it checks all of those aforementioned boxes. But one could argue that the Alfa Romeo badge this car wears is equally important. And if you drove one, you'd probably become part of that group.

The 4C is an oddball in the purest sense. It's a sports car with no manual transmission option, a severely limited interior, and a face only an Italian mother could love. But its tiny, 237-horsepower four-cylinder and 2500-pound lightweight status give this bug-eyed car a fierce power-to-weight ratio and incredible driving dynamics. In fact, at just 4.1 seconds to 60 mph, the 4C has enough punch to outrun the 2015 Mustang GT with its 435-horsepower Coyote V8 by nearly half a second.

2022 Volkswagen Golf R

0-60 MPH: 4.1 Seconds

Specs

If the Alfa Romeo was Italian passion and sex appeal, then the Golf R is pure left-brained German engineering. But at the end of the day, they're both still incredibly quick little cars with matching 4.1-second runs to 60 mph. The Golf R's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and active rear differential make up for what it loses in weight to the Alfa with a hard launch and slick traction management.

Even against scarier competition, the Golf keeps a cool head. For example, the then-new 2022 Chevrolet Camaro 1SS has twice as many cylinders and 140 more horsepower, but only manages 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. In other words, about two-tenths of a second slower than the little Volkswagen. It might not sound quite as good as the Camaro, but it finishes first where it matters.

2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S

0-60 MPH: 4.0 Seconds

Specs

Aside from literal racecars, there are few four-cylinder-powered vehicles with a higher engine output than the AMG CLA45 S. At 416 horsepower, it was the most powerful compact sedan on Earth in 2020. To put that in perspective, let's look at the C5 Corvette. This was America's sweetheart - their pride and joy sports car that was just about the meanest thing on the road at the time with 405 horsepower. Nowadays, a compact sedan with almost half the displacement can beat it convincingly, running a few tenths of a second quicker to 60 mph.

Surprisingly, the CLA 45S is also just as rowdy as the Corvette. Despite the Mercedes-Benz pedigree it holds, the CLA is known to be hyper with a buzzing engine note and the ability to smoke tires at will. Plus, the AMG has room for far more friends than your average muscle car. The more the merrier.

2025 Lotus Emira First Edition

0-60 MPH: 4.0 Seconds

Specs

When the 2025 Lotus Emira was released, it was dubbed as Lotus' final internal combustion vehicle ever. Little did we know, Lotus would soon announce one final hurrah - the Emira Final Edition. It uses an AMG-sourced 2.0-liter turbo-four as opposed to the regular V6 Coupe. And though it has the smaller powerplant between the two, it makes the same amount of power (400 hp) and even more torque than the V6 (354 lb-ft vs. 310 lb-ft). They also cost the same, starting at $102,250.

The only natural demerit of the First Edition is that you can't equip it with the desirable six-speed manual transmission. Only an eight-speed dual-clutch is offered for this trim. Regardless, when it comes time to go head to head with American muscle, the Emira first edition couldn't be a better fit. It not only bests every muscle car we've mentioned so far from 0-60 mph, but also wipes the floor at the top end, maxing out at a blazing 182 mph.

2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS

0-60 MPH: 3.9 Seconds

Specs

Before 2017, the Cayman had always sported a flat-six. But when Porsche announced that they would replace the symphonic naturally aspirated six with a turbocharged flat-four, the purists were outraged. Porsche would soon put a flat-six back in the 718 with the 4.0 GTS trim, but even though the people got what they wanted, there was no denying how good the flat-four version was.

It made monstrous power for a 2.5-liter engine (365 hp) and remained one of the sweetest-handling chassis to come out of Stuttgart. It's also ridiculously quick. When compared to the ferocious 526-horsepower Shelby GT350 from the same era, the Porsche is four-tenths faster to 60 mph and finishes the quarter-mile eight-tenths sooner (11.7 seconds vs. 12.5 seconds).

2025 Alpine A110 R Ultime

0-60 MPH: 3.7 Seconds

Specs

If you are from anywhere in North America, you have likely never heard of this car. Alpine doesn't sell cars here. But, you may know of the iconic original Alpine A110, which won the first-ever round of the World Rally Championship in 1973. Now, over 50 years later, the newest and most bonkers A110 to date, the R Ultime, shares nothing except the same timeless shape.

It pumps out 192 horsepower per liter, bringing its 1.8-liter total to a whopping 345. But before you get excited, this is no bang for your buck purchase. The Ultime reportedly starts at the equivalent of $360,000. In our research, we determined this is the most expensive four-cylinder car ever produced for road use. The upside is that for that stack of money, your little French machine can beat a 2015 Charger Hellcat to 60 mph by about a tenth of a second. Alpine might sell cars in the U.S. soon, so let's hope this thing makes its way across the pond.

2025 Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance

0-60 MPH: 2.9 Seconds

Specs

Much like the Porsche did with the 718 Cayman, Mercedes ditched their bread and butter powerplant in favor of a four-cylinder. More specifically, they got rid of the glorious 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 from the previous C63 AMG and installed a 2.0-liter turbo-four that produces 469 horsepower outright. To make sure it would edge out its competitors like the BMW M3 and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, they decided to pair the four-pot with a 201 horsepower electric motor that can access either axle. All in all, the new AMG C63 S E Performance makes a punishing 671 horsepower.

There are talks of replacing the four-banger with a new powerplant in the near future, but in the meantime, the C63 will undoubtedly hurt the feelings of muscle cars everywhere. At just 2.9 seconds to 60 mph, any rear-wheel drive muscle car that's not a Dodge Demon on a prepped surface will fail to keep up with this AMG.

Ariel Atom 4R

0-60 mph: 2.7 Seconds

Specs

It's the one you've been waiting for, and it barely looks like a car. The Ariel Atom 4R is the latest and most psychotic offering from the brand that specializes in lightweight track toys that happen to be street-legal. The whole thing weighs just 1,466 pounds in all. Then add a modified 400-horsepower Honda Civic Type-R engine, and you've got a laser-guided missile.

Disregarding the fact that the Atom 4R is a tenth of a second faster than a Pagani Huayra around Top Gear's test track (and ties the McLaren 675LT), there's also only a handful of American muscle cars that could hope to compete in a straight line. Much like the C63 AMG, only America's most devious offerings like the Dodge Demon or C8 Z06, are in the 4R's league.

2025-04-21T08:52:07Z