For a long time in the history of supercars, safety often seemed like an afterthought rather than a priority. Power, looks, speed, and (to some extent) prestige were usually much higher up on the list, and these trends continued into the 1980s.
Out of the many different types of supercars, three stand out as being manufactured with cutting-edge methods, driver aids, and materials.
Ferrari F40
One of the primary companies that brought the term "supercar" into common usage is Ferrari. Before 1987, Ferrari was mostly concerned with selling cars with its brand logo on them to fund Scuderia Ferrari, its Formula 1 racing team.
In 1984, the Ferrari 288 GTO woke up the world to what Maranello could do when they actually tried. This was also the first supercar designed to mimic a GT racing car of that time period and it was made entirely out of exotic materials. We are referring to none other than the iconic Ferrari F40.
Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe
In terms of driver safety, Mercedes Benz has been on the cutting edge, especially with their AMG department. The Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe is a prime example of this; it's one of the safest supercars that money can buy.
Mercedes has been a leading car company when it comes to driver aid and safety systems. They were the first manufacturer to have radar guided cruise control, for example, and they were also the first to develop crash detection and mitigation systems. In recent years, their commitment to safety has only grown stronger; in fact, in the AMG GT (in any trim), their dedicated safety computer will start taking action even before the driver might see or feel a possible crash happening.
Koenigsegg Regera, Agera, & Others
Koenigsegg supercars are some of the safest on the market, which is ironic as they boast unbelievable speed and power. The average Koenigsegg costs a whopping $1.5 million due to the fact that only advanced materials are used in manufacturing them—materials proven to keep drivers safe.
So Why Do People Say Supercars Are “Unsafe?”
Even thoughsupercars and hypercars are hardly involved in any injury accidents or fatalities, distracted driving is still one of the leading causes of car crashes.
We failed to locate any data from the IIHS that was relevant to high performance cars. The car manufacturer closest related to supercars, Audi, had 3 total fatalities in 2015 according to their statistics.
Nevertheless, as happenings like this are so scarce, when one does come about, it makes headlines. And since the citizens of America are often quick to sue, individuals will more likely file lawsuits against drivers of luxury cars who were in an accident due to the fact that driving these types of vehicles can be seen as a grandiose and ostentatious display of richness. The reality is that all contemporary safety features now included in most average automobiles were present in supercars and hypercars first.