Nurburgring lap records: the fastest lap times
Holding a Nürburgring lap record is not just about bragging rights. Each of the 147 corners along the 13-mile course gives car makers unparalleled insight into where their machines work best, and where they must improve on.
Manufacturers spend years (if not decades) honing their cars around the Nordschleife in the hope of being crowned maker of one of the fastest cars in the world.
There is a caveat, however: the ‘official’ length of the lap was increased in 2019. Before this, all times were logged on a 12.8-mile circuit that effectively left out a short stretch of the T13 straight at the end of the lap.
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Yet with so much emphasis being placed on setting a fast time, the Nürburgring decided that only the whole 12.944 miles would count.
The fastest car to lap the Nürburgring is the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo, with a time of 5:15:55 minutes.
Below we’ve divided the lap records between several different types of cars. Keep reading to see the quickest lap times in all the major categories.
The Nürburgring lap record
Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo
Lap time: 5:19:546
When Porsche derestricted its Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid prototype racer and sent it on a farewell tour of iconic race tracks before pulling out of endurance racing, smashing the all-time fastest lap of the Nordschleife was all the firm had in mind.
The car was 39kg lighter than its race spec, with radically reworked aerodynamics that improved downforce by 53%. The 2.0-litre V4 hybrid powertrain was tuned to produce 710bhp, with an additional 433bhp coming from an electric motor.
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With Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard behind the wheel, the 919 Evo proceded to obliterate the all-time lap record, first setting a 5:24:375 in practice and then a 5:19:546 in an official run.
The Nürburgring electric lap record
Volkswagen ID R
Lap time: 6:05:33
It’s a real achievement that Volkswagen has not only managed to claim the fastest lap time in an electric car with its ID R programme, but also place among the fastest-ever recorded.
The car has subsequently gone on to set records at the Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb and China’s Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road, while the technology it pioneered will go on to influence R division’s electric cars.
The Nürburgring electric production car lap record
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra
Lap time: 7:04:957
Chinese newcomer Xiaomi has leapt to the forefront of the electric production car rankings with the SU7 Ultra.
This ludicrously powerful sports saloon displaced the previous record holder – the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT – by smashing its time by almost three seconds.
Powered by a bustling 1527bhp tri-motor powertrain, the road-legal SU7 Ultra rounded the famous track in 7:04:957. It’s currently one of the fastest EVs in the world.
The Nürburgring front-wheel-drive lap record
Honda Civic Type R
Lap time: 7:44:88
Honda is no stranger to Nürburgring records: every iteration of the Civic Type R released over the past decade has at one point held the front-wheel-drive record.
The new FL5-generation car was fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect tyres for its run, giving it the extra grip needed to dethrone the Renault Mégane RS Trophy-R.
The fastest Nürburgring lap times by production cars
1. Mercedes-AMG One
Lap time: 6:35:18
The Mercedes-AMG One set the fastest lap for production cars back in November 2022, eclipsing the previous record by almost 10sec.
The 1049bhp hypercar posted a time of 6min 35.183sec around the 156-corner circuit, driven by Mercedes DTM driver Maro Engel on 28 October. This lap time also took the record for the super-sports car category.
Dubbed a Formula 1 car for the road, the £2.2 million machine is the most potent Mercedes-AMG road car yet, combining a modified version of the firm’s turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 grand prix engine with four electric motors.
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2. Porsche 911 GT2 RS (with Manthey Performance Kit)
Lap time: 6:43:30
Guided by Porsche works driver Lars Kern, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS completed a lap of the Nürburgring in 6min 43.30sec, breaking the previous record by 4.747sec, at an average speed of 115.5mph.
The GT2 RS was equipped with the Manthey Performance Kit, bringing changes to the chassis, aerodynamics and brakes, all of which have been specifically designed for the car. The kit also extends to additional flaps on the front spoiler, a carbonfibre underbody and additional air-guiding elements around the front wheels. At the back of the car, there’s a new spoiler, a modified diffuser and aero discs on the wheels. Overall, front downforce is increased from 49kg to 70kg at 124mph and rear downforce from 93kg to 200kg.
Read our Porsche 911 GT2 RS (with Manthey Performance Kit) review
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3. Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series
Lap time: 6:48:04
The ultimate version of Mercedes-AMG's flagship grand tourer took the production lap record crown from the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ by just over 1.3sec.
The 720bhp model, driven by the brand's GT3 racing driver Maro Engel, was unmodified from stock bar the addition of the optional Track package. The adjustable aero, camber and suspension were all optimised for the track, but Mercedes claims conditions were "less than ideal" due to low temperatures and some damp patches. This means another attempt could be in the works down the line.
Read our Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series review
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4. Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Lap time: 6:49:32
Another 911 makes this list, this time with Jörg Bergmeister behind the wheel. The GT3 RS just about sneaked into the top five back in November 2022, but Porsche's director of GT cars, Andreas Preuninger, was keen to get the racing driver excuses in.
At the time, he said: "Considering the far from ideal conditions with a strong headwind on the long straight of Döttinger Höhe and cool asphalt temperatures, we are satisfied with this time."
Read our Porsche 911 GT3 RS review
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5. Lamborghini Aventador LP 770-4 SVJ
Lap time: 6:49:40
Lamborghini used active aerodynamic upgrades to transform its Aventador supercar into a record-smashing track weapon, enabling the V12-powered Aventador SVJ to break the Nürburgring record for a production car at the time, back in 2018.
Read our Lamborghini Aventador LP 770-4 SVJ review
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6. Porsche 911 GT2 RS
Lap time: 6:52:15
The 690bhp 911 GT2 RS blasted around the ’Ring 0.7sec faster than the Radical SR8LM, making it the fastest rear-drive production car to lap the Nordschleife at the time. Using a 691bhp 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged flat six and driven by Lars Kern, it is the sixth fastest road-legal car on our leaderboard.
Read our Porsche 911 GT2 RS review
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7. Radical SR8LM
Lap time: 6:53:20
The Radical SR8LM had held the lap record since 2009 until it was dislodged by the Porsche GT2 RS.
The king may be dead, but the Radical still holds a place in the top 10. Racing driver Michael Vergers set the lap time in the car just 24 hours after it had been driven from England to Germany for the record. Controversially, the SR8LM only has British single-vehicle approval, not full type approval, so there's some debate as to whether it qualifies as a true street-legal production car record.
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8. Porsche 911 GT3
Lap time: 6:55:73
Another 911, and another one with a Manthey kit. Porsche works driver Kévin Estre managed to eclipse the standard 911 GT3’s time by a good 19sec behind the wheel of this car.
Read our Porsche 911 GT3 review
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9. Lamborghini Huracán Performante
Lap time: 6:57:25
Next up is the Lamborghini Huracán Performante, a track-focused edition of the standard V10-engined Huracán, with carbonfibre bumpers, side skirts and rear wing allowing its weight to be decreased by 40kg over the standard car. Its aero-optimised body helped enable it to reach 62mph in 2.9sec and push to a top speed of 200mph.
Read our Lamborghini Huracán Performante review
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10. Ford Mustang GTD
Lap time: 6:57:69
The Mustang’s sub seven-minute time makes it the fastest American road car to have ever taken on this hallowed circuit.
Complete with a dry- sumped 800bhp V8 and Multimatic active dampers, this track-focused Mustang managed to beat the Porsche 911 GT3’s best time by more than 2.2 secs.
Ford has said it will return to the circuit in 2025 in an attempt to better the Mustang’s time.
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