27.01.2026
For decades, the Nürburgring has been the test and development platform of the international automotive industry. As part of the “Test and Development Drives,” manufacturers and suppliers use the Nordschleife to test and refine vehicles and components under real-world extreme conditions – on the most demanding racetrack in the world. In an interview, the Nürburgring CEO's Christian Stephani and Ingo Böder explain how testing, confidentiality, and global visibility come together at the Nürburgring: Many people have heard of the colloquially known “industry pool” at the Nürburgring – but only very few know what actually lies behind it…Ingo Böder: Officially, it is referred to as the “Nürburgring Test and Development Drives” – a collaboration between the Nürburgring and automotive manufacturers and suppliers who specifically test and further develop their vehicles and products here. Over the course of the year, we exclusively make the Nordschleife available for a total of 17 weeks for this purpose. This is not a marketing event, but genuine engineering work. Vehicles are tested, refined, and improved here – from suspension systems to software. You could say that the Nordschleife is the automotive industry’s longest open-air laboratory. Why is the Nürburgring still so important for vehicle development today?Christian Stephani: Because the Nordschleife offers everything a vehicle may encounter in everyday use and at the limit – only more concentrated. Our track provides the ideal foundation: around 21 kilometers, 73 corners, gradients of up to 18 percent, descents of up to 11 percent, varying asphalt surfaces, and changing weather conditions. One kilometer driven on the Nordschleife can place as much stress on a vehicle as up to twenty kilometers on public roads. Weak points are eliminated and potential is uncovered here before a car goes into production and ultimately reaches customers. A product that withstands the Nordschleife will withstand any other road. That is why almost every vehicle – or at least one of its installed components – has been tested on the Nordschleife. This is also where the guiding principle originates: “Everyone praises what has been Nürburgring-tested,” a slogan coined in the early days of our racetrack and still valid today. What do these test and development weeks look like in practice?Ingo Böder: During the test and development weeks, manufacturers arrive at the Nürburgring with their development vehicles and teams. Drivers, engineers, data specialists, and mechatronics technicians work hand in hand here. During this time, a small, highly specialized ecosystem emerges – along with an economic stimulus for the region. Many manufacturers have set up their own bases in the surrounding commercial areas, where vehicles are prepared and analyzed when they are not on track.The central hub of testing activities on the Nordschleife is the building known as “T13” and the operational area in front of this former grandstand, which has given the entire area its name to this day. Technical support, data analysis, setup work, and the start of test runs all converge here. This is where the teams are based who support the development work behind the scenes. That is why we will significantly upgrade this area over the winter. What does the upgrade of the “T13” involve?Christian Stephani: We want to provide an appropriate setting for the work carried out there. After all, a great deal comes together here – shielded from the outside world – from international engineering expertise to the mobility of the future, all of which defines the high-quality products of the automotive and supplier industries. The test and development drives were also one of the reasons why we raised safety to a new level through the complete digitalization of the Nordschleife. For our industry partners, this means greater safety, higher efficiency, and long-term stable conditions for test and development weeks on a track that is partly blind and extremely challenging.Now the “T13” is in focus: following the installation of photovoltaic systems on the former grandstand and the setup of fast-charging stations by our partner AVIA, we are taking the next steps in its further development. In the coming weeks, working conditions on site for company employees will be improved. To this end, the building’s interior will be completely stripped and modernized. In addition, the asphalt in the “T13” area will be renewed, and the external appearance will be adapted to reflect the theme in the future. What will this external appearance look like, and how does it align with the confidential development work carried out there?Ingo Böder: We want it to be visible from the outside what happens here – namely test and development work at the highest level. We tell the story of vehicle development on the Nordschleife, not the manufacturers’ secrets. Everyone knows that development and testing take place here – that is part of the Nürburgring’s DNA. We want to share this story as a sign of appreciation, without touching on trade secrets or violating confidentiality.This will also be reflected in the building’s visual design. Part of this includes a new naming: “Test & Performance Center | T13,” which will be prominently displayed. In doing so, we do justice to the topic without neglecting the historical past – the building’s roots as a former grandstand. The slogan “Everyone praises what has been Nürburgring-tested” will also find its place here. A fascinating balancing act: while the test drives take place behind the scenes, record runs on the Nordschleife are visible worldwide…Christian Stephani: Absolutely – and one is the foundation of the other. On the Nordschleife, you truly discover what your car is capable of. That is why every record lap is backed by intensive development work – often carried out right here during the test and development drives. These provide the basis for later presenting the vehicles on the global stage. A fast lap on the Nordschleife is the most visible quality promise a manufacturer can make. If a car succeeds here, it has proven itself – technically, emotionally, and communicatively. Has the increasingly international nature of communication also changed the test and development drives?Christian Stephani: The members of the test and development drives are more international than ever. In addition to the major German and European brands, manufacturers from Asia and America are now an integral part as well – often originating from the desire to set and communicate a fast lap on the Nordschleife. Without development work on the track, however, this is simply impossible. Ford, BYD, and Xiaomi are recent examples showing that the Nürburgring is a globally recognized seal of quality for successful development work and also an excellent communication platform. First testing and development, then an official record attempt – this sequence applies to everyone. So the foundation for global communication is laid at the Nürburgring. To conclude: from the Nürburgring’s perspective, what makes the test and development drives and the collaboration on site so special?Ingo Böder: The test and development drives represent the DNA of the Nürburgring – and vice versa. There is also a mutual fascination and respect: for the track and the Nürburgring’s work on one side, and for the manufacturer’s engineering expertise and product on the other. That is why the execution and framework conditions of the test and development drives are continuously being further developed – often hand in hand, to achieve greater efficiency, safety, and a positive working environment. And ultimately, something is created here on the 20.832 kilometers of the Nordschleife that millions of people around the world come into contact with and trust to simply work. That is what excites us.
11.12.2025
Fourteen official lap times in eleven vehicle categories – from electric prototypes to near-series touring station wagons. At the official record attempts in 2025, a wide variety of manufacturers and vehicles once again took on the challenge of the Nordschleife. The fastest lap of the year went to China, the most extraordinary to the USA – and the all-time record remains in Germany. Every year, the official Nürburgring record drives demonstrate the performance capabilities of a wide variety of vehicles at the Nürburgring. The terrain: the legendary Nordschleife. With a length of 20.832 kilometers, over 300 meters of elevation difference, and 73 turns per lap, it is considered one of the toughest tests in the automotive world. It is the relentless yardstick for every vehicle – whether prototype, production model, combustion engine or electric. Here, performance means not only speed, but absolute resilience under extreme conditions. The record attempts take place under specified conditions. With calibrated measurement technology, under the supervision of TÜV Rheinland and a notary, and sorted according to the vehicle segments of the Federal Motor Transport Authority. 20 record slots – 14 officially communicated times20 so-called record slots – time slots exclusively rented by companies for record attempts lasting up to a whole day – are documented for 2025. In the end, 14 vehicles and times made it into the communication – from electric super sports cars to powerful station wagons to spectacular prototypes. The latter also account for most of the officially measured and communicated times in the overall overview of the year. In 2025, seven vehicles were able to have their performance certified by a notary in the prototype/pre-production model category. Prototype from China with the fastest time of the year – all-time record remains unchangedThe annual ranking of record-breaking drives is led by the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype, which was driven around the Nordschleife by David Pittard in 6:22.091 minutes on April 1 of this year. This means that the fastest time in 2025 goes to the Chinese electric car. The second-fastest time also comes from the same category. The vehicle itself was probably the most unusual sight of the year: the Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck. The all-electric vehicle from the Ford Performance Demonstrator program, with Romain Dumas at the wheel, took just 6:43.482 minutes to complete a lap in August of this year. Drew Cattell was only six seconds slower in June with the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X (6:49.275 minutes). However, the fastest lap measured in an official record attempt remains unbroken in 2025 and has now stood for seven years. The fabulous time of 5:19.546 minutes set in 2018 by Timo Bernhard in the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo on the asphalt of the Nordschleife. Three times under seven minutes in the sports car categoryIn the sports car (combustion engine) category, three models remained below the magical seven-minute mark in 2025, demonstrating their high performance and dynamic precision. The fastest here in 2025 was the Ford Mustang GTD, which was driven across the finish line by Dirk Müller in 6:52.072 minutes on April 9, 2025. Just a few tenths behind was the Porsche 911 GT3 (992.2) with Manthey Performance Kit, driven by the newly crowned DTM champion Ayhancan Güven, with a measured time of 6:52.981 minutes. The trio is completed by the Porsche 911 GT3, driven by Jörg Bergmeister, who achieved a time of 6:56.294 minutes on April 8, 2025. The fastest vehicle in the category remains the Porsche 991 GT2 RS with Manthey Performance Kit, with which Lars Kern took just 6:43.300 minutes for a lap in 2021. And the fastest road car of all time also remains on its throne: the Mercedes-AMG ONE (6:29.090 | Supercar category (combustion engine) | Driver Maro Engel | driven in 2024). Fastest station wagon and fastest compact car of all time from BMWBMW entered the official Nürburgring record books in two combustion engine categories in 2025. With Jörg Weidinger at the wheel, the BMW M2 CS first took the top spot in the compact class with a time of 7:25.534 minutes, followed by the BMW M3 CS Touring in the mid-size car rankings. The latter became the fastest “station wagon” on the legendary Nordschleife across all classes. Two other production vehicles secured their places among the electric-powered cars. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra with Track Package (driver: Vincent Radermecker) took the top spot in the luxury class (electric) with a time of 7:04.957 minutes. The YANGWANG U9 Xtreme – category: super sports car (electric) – with Moritz Kranz at the wheel broke the 7-minute barrier and crossed the official finish line after exactly 6:59.157 minutes. Record-breaking drives as a globally visible result of intensive development“The official record-breaking drives are much more than just a media-effective format: they are the culmination of a long technical development process and showcase the engineering achievements and performance capabilities of modern vehicles,” explains Nürburgring Managing Director Christian Stephani. “Many companies have been developing their vehicles and components on the Nordschleife for years – often far away from the public eye. The record-breaking laps are the highly visible result of this intensive work. The diversity of the officially measured lap times in 2025 impressively demonstrates the role the Nordschleife plays for manufacturers worldwide – as a stage, a testing ground, and a development ➡️ Click here to see all records.
05.12.2025
On November 7, 2025, reigning DTM champion Ayhancan Güven completed the 20.8 kilometers of the Nordschleife in impressive 6:52.981 minutes at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 with Manthey kit under difficult conditions. All record drives and further information Onboard through the Green HellThe record lap of the Porsche 911 GT3 (992.2) Manthey Kit is now available on the Nürburgring YouTube channel. The onboard footage from the cockpit of the vehicle offers the opportunity to relive this fantastic lap. Information about the official “Nürburgring record laps”The following principle applies to all drives: one track, one complete lap, one time – according to uniform standards. In addition to timekeeping with calibrated measuring technology, official record attempts and attempts to achieve a lap time are always accompanied by a notary. In addition to monitoring the timekeeping, the vehicle is also inspected. TÜV Rheinland checks for standard conformity and documents this. The exact length of the track and the start and finish lines are precisely defined. A full lap of the Nordschleife is driven and measured with a flying start (20.8 kilometers). The vehicle categories for record drives and official lap times at the Nürburgring are divided into different segments by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and specially defined special classes.
21.10.2025
Since July 2024, the YANGWANG development team has been testing on the legendary 20.832-kilometer Nürburgring Nordschleife. The extensive data obtained during these tests was directly incorporated into the development of the U9 Xtreme. YANGWANG can now confirm that on August 22, 2025, the U9X completed a lap of the Nordschleife in 6:59.157 minutes – over five seconds faster than the previous record in the electric super sports car class and also the first vehicle in this category to break the seven-minute mark. At the wheel of the record-breaking run was Moritz Kranz, an experienced German racing driver who has already completed almost 10,000 laps on the demanding Nordschleife during his GT career. All record drives and further information Onboard through the Green HellThe record lap of the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme is now available on the Nürburgring YouTube channel. The onboard footage from the cockpit of the vehicle offers the opportunity to relive this fantastic lap. Information about the official “Nürburgring record laps”The following principle applies to all drives: one track, one complete lap, one time – according to uniform standards. In addition to timekeeping with calibrated measuring technology, official record attempts and attempts to achieve a lap time are always accompanied by a notary. In addition to monitoring the timekeeping, the vehicle is also inspected. TÜV Rheinland checks for standard conformity and documents this. The exact length of the track and the start and finish lines are precisely defined. A full lap of the Nordschleife is driven and measured with a flying start (20.8 kilometers). The vehicle categories for record drives and official lap times at the Nürburgring are divided into different segments by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and specially defined special classes.
08.09.2025
Porsche presented the flagship model of the 911 series at the IAA Mobility in Munich. In this context, the official lap time and the onboard footage of the car on the Nordschleife were also released. During final testing in autumn 2024, the new Porsche 911 Turbo S achieved a lap time of 7:03.92 minutes. The time was officially confirmed under notarial supervision. This makes the Turbo S around 14 seconds faster than its predecessor and shows how much the dynamic capabilities of the new model have been improved. The lap was driven by Porsche brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister, who was also involved in the development. The improvement in lap time is remarkable, as the new model carries an additional weight of 85 kilograms due to the integration of the T-Hybrid system. However, this was more than compensated for by improvements to the chassis, aerodynamics, and tires. After the run, Bergmeister emphasized that the Turbo S is more agile, offers more grip, and is noticeably faster than its predecessor in all relevant sections of the track. The flagship model of the 911 series delivers a system output of 711 PS and 800 Newton meters of torque. The coupé accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and reaches 200 km/h in 8.4 seconds. Nevertheless, the focus of the Nordschleife time is not solely on engine performance, but on the interplay of powertrain, chassis, brakes, and active aerodynamics. With its official time of 7:03.92 minutes, the new 911 Turbo S joins the leading group of the fastest production cars on the Nürburgring. The lap underscores the importance of the Nordschleife as a reference point for sports car development – and at the same time sets a new benchmark within the 911 series.
28.08.2025
Two vehicles from the all-electric Ford Performance Demonstrator Program recently proved their capabilities under official conditions on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. As part of a lap time officially recorded and documented by the Nürburgring, both prototypes completed a full lap of the 20.832-kilometre track. The first run was completed by the Ford SuperVan 4.2, a concept vehicle delivering around 2,000 PS, developed specifically for demonstration and development purposes. Driven by racing professional Romain Dumas, the SuperVan posted a lap time of 6:48.393 minutes. Later that same day, Romain Dumas also took the fully electric Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck around the track. The prototype, based on a pickup platform, completed the lap in 6:43.482 minutes. Both laps were carried out according to the official format, featuring a flying start at the start/finish line in the T13 section, covering the full Nordschleife distance. As prototypes, the vehicles were not required to undergo series-production verification, but were officially measured under notarial supervision and with calibrated timing equipment, in accordance with the Nürburgring’s standards for official lap time recognition. All details and times from the official Nürburgring record laps
01.08.2025
Triple record on the Nordschleife: Chevrolet set three new best times for US-manufactured vehicles at the Nürburgring in June 2025 with the Corvette Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X – driven by the engineers who developed them. All record drives and further information Onboard through the Green HellThe record lap of the Corvette Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X is now available on the Nürburgring YouTube channel. The onboard footage from the cockpit of the vehicle offers the opportunity to relive this fantastic lap. Information about the official “Nürburgring record laps”The following principle applies to all drives: one track, one complete lap, one time – according to uniform standards. In addition to timekeeping with calibrated measuring technology, official record attempts and attempts to achieve a lap time are always accompanied by a notary. In addition to monitoring the timekeeping, the vehicle is also inspected. TÜV Rheinland checks for standard conformity and documents this. The exact length of the track and the start and finish lines are precisely defined. A full lap of the Nordschleife is driven and measured with a flying start (20.8 kilometers). The vehicle categories for record drives and official lap times at the Nürburgring are divided into different segments by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and specially defined special classes.
31.07.2025
On April 11, the BMW M3 CS Touring completed a lap time of 07:29.490 on the Nordschleife. The time of 7:29.490 minutes marks a new best for the Touring in the mid-range class and is also the fastest lap time ever recorded for a Touring model on the 20.823-kilometer track in the “Green Hell.” All record drives and further information Onboard through the Green HellThe record lap of the BMW M3 CS Touring is now available on the Nürburgring YouTube channel. The onboard footage from the cockpit of the vehicle offers the opportunity to relive this fantastic lap. Information about the official “Nürburgring record laps”The following principle applies to all drives: one track, one complete lap, one time – according to uniform standards. In addition to timekeeping with calibrated measuring technology, official record attempts and attempts to achieve a lap time are always accompanied by a notary. In addition to monitoring the timekeeping, the vehicle is also inspected. TÜV Rheinland checks for standard conformity and documents this. The exact length of the track and the start and finish lines are precisely defined. A full lap of the Nordschleife is driven and measured with a flying start (20.8 kilometers). The vehicle categories for record drives and official lap times at the Nürburgring are divided into different segments by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and specially defined special classes.
03.07.2025
The new BMW M2 CS set a new benchmark on the Nordschleife on April 11, 2025. With BMW M development engineer Jörg Weidinger at the wheel, it completed the 20.823-kilometer-long version of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:25.5 minutes, beating the previous best time for compact cars by eight seconds. All record drives and further information Onboard through the Green HellThe record lap of the BMW M2 CS is now available on the Nürburgring YouTube channel. The onboard footage from the cockpit of the vehicle offers the opportunity to relive this fantastic lap. Information about the official “Nürburgring record laps”The following principle applies to all drives: one track, one complete lap, one time – according to uniform standards. In addition to timekeeping with calibrated measuring technology, official record attempts and attempts to achieve a lap time are always accompanied by a notary. In addition to monitoring the timekeeping, the vehicle is also inspected. TÜV Rheinland checks for standard conformity and documents this. The exact length of the track and the start and finish lines are precisely defined. A full lap of the Nordschleife is driven and measured with a flying start (20.8 kilometers). The vehicle categories for record drives and official lap times at the Nürburgring are divided into different segments by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and specially defined special classes.
