As automotive milestones go, hitting 200 mph in a car is more elusive than you might think.

Just 25 years ago, even the most offensively priced, outrageously sculpted supercars were incapable of such speed. It wasn’t until 1987 that Ferrari crossed that Rubicon with the stunning F40. But even that is open to debate, because as late as February 1991, the fastest production car tested by Car & Driver was an F40 that could muster a mere 197 mph.

Even now, the list of near-misses is longer than a Maybach 62. Porsche’s venerable 911 Turbo S runs $160,000 but peters out at 196. The Mercedes-Benz...