Hm, after quickly considering around 179 movies and their beginnings, I came to the realization that there really aren't many movies that begin with energy, like this one.
Some have 'interesting' beginnings (like War Games), some have 'a sense of urgency', like "The Fox and the Hound" (but they take time to begin), some have 'clever' or in some other way 'impressive' intros..
.. but there do not seem to be this kind of energetic and speedy, interesting, fast-paced, high-tempo beginnings.
I'd say only The Terminator (1984) has a beginning that's as interesting and on par with The Cannonball Run's intro.
But as I said, I just quickly considered those movies, haven't really truly checked all possibilities yet, and I can't even remember what kind of beginnings the Smokey and the Bandit movies have.
It's a rare beginning type, though there's no reason for it. In my opinion, movies SHOULD begin interestingly, but it seems that most moviemakers disagree.

It's a good intro.
I think of it as the exemplary way to begin a movie (and the director deliberately made it energetic and interesting). You immediately start being interested in what's on the screen, and can't look away, because the visuals are so immersive.
However, many other movies start in a similar way (though not necessarily with as good, 8-bit-computer-reminding arpeggio-sounds-including energy music), because that's how this director always plans to open his movies.
I honestly don't know if it's the best (though I am glad to see people use 'the best' instead of 'one of the best', which is the usual cop-out), but that's only because I have not compared it in such a way, or analyzed all possible movie openings that I am aware of.
But I am pretty sure even before checking and really researching this, that it belongs to the top three. It's very energetic, and it's exemplary - other movies should look to this movie to see how movies should begin.
(So many, SO many, SO many movies begin SO slowly and boringly, that it's amazing that they can even be watched fully! Even The Matrix begins really slowly, (though it speeds up pretty quickly) and even if you look at many other classics, they begin kind of slow. Back to the Future - pretty slow beginning, though sort of intriquing with all the clocks, robot arms, automatic devices and Marty entering while plot is immediately exposed a bit by the TV)
Now I think I will start my research .. never thought to actually COMPARE movie intros.

If I have my "films as pure entertainment" cap on, I absolutely agree with you. Best. Opening. Ever.
My buddies and I used to watch this film all the time. I watched it again recently and when that Lamborghini's engine comes in followed by the song, well, it reminds me why the 80's was so much fun for films like this.
It just makes you want to cane it along a deserted highway in a black Lambo (with a front wing!), with the sound of cop sirens fading into the distance, only to pull over and hide so you can let the cop pass and do it all again. If that isn't wish-fulfillment (for anyone even remotely interested in cars), I don't know what is
It's a shame that after watching it again recently you can see that some parts are sped up (one shot in particular - which makes the Lambo accelerate so fast it looks like it's fitted with a jet engine!).
Don't know abut the commentary for sure, I think the first release of the disc didn't, then a batch came out with a commentary, now they seem to have gone back to the no commentary. Basicaly if you get the chance of a commentary one, I'd take grab it.
Gordo - Off to answer a challenging dare

The bit when it first overtakes the trans-am is sped up. You can just tell.

I have to agree; the sound of that lamborghini is electifying. I wonder if the sequence of it accelerating was sped up?