Nurburgring Archives

Jaguar introduces first all-electric RACE eTAXI experience at Nurburgring Nordschleife

For many driving enthusiasts, a lap of the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany is something they must do at least once in their life. Opened in 1927, the engineers designed a 28.3-km Nurburgring circuit with various route variants, including the then 22.8-km Nordschleife. It is estimated to have cost 27 million euros converted to today’s monetary value.

Nicknamed ‘The Green Hell’ by 3-times F1 champion Jackie Stewart, the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit is used for certain world championship events, especially endurance races. On days when there are no races, the circuit is open to the public who, after paying a fee, of can drive their own cars around during the ‘tourist sessions’. There are all sorts of cars – as well as vans and even buses!

For those who want an extreme experience but don’t have the necessary skills for high-speed driving, there are also ‘taxi rides’ available. Professional drivers will be at the wheel and there’s a range of supercars to choose from.

First zero-emissions performance SUV for taxi rides
But until now, there has never been a fully-electric taxi at Nurburgring and Jaguar’s RACE eTAXI service with the I-PACE performance SUV is the first. The public can now experience the sportscar performance of the all-wheel drive I-PACE around the 20.8-km, 73-corner track. The zero-emissions SUV has a claimed acceleration time from 0 – 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds with its 400 ps/696 Nm powertrain that is fed energy from a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

One lap as a co-driver in the I-PACE will cost €149 (about RM690) and you are provided with a helmet and drinks. The introduction of the first all-electric RACE eTAXI is another step in Jaguar’s electrification strategy as it enables more people to experience Jaguar’s I-PACE first-hand.

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Final testing for first Aston Martin SUV before December launch

Aston Martin has confirmed that its first SUV – the DBX – will be launched in December this year. That’s just a little over 3 months away and the engineers are busy completing what is described as the most comprehensive test regime of any Aston Martin. Extensive everyday real-world driving and high-performance track evaluation has been taking place at locations worldwide to confirm the capabilities and durability of the most versatile product in the brand’s history.

The locations include two key engineering centres – at Silverstone in the UK and the Nurburgring in Germany. While conducting durability testing at the demanding Nurburgring, the DBX has delivered cornering speeds on par with the Vantage, while achieving braking figures greater than the Super GT, DBS Superleggera. This has already seen Aston Martin’s engineering team regularly achieve sub 8-minute lap times during their regular testing of the SUV.

550 ps V8, top speed over 290 km/h
The new DBX will be powered by a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 similar to the one in the existing Vantage and DB11. However, for DBX application, the engine surpasses the performance credentials of these models, delivering 550 ps/700 Nm. High speed testing has already proven that the DBX can consistently exceed 290 km/h.

With a focus on creating a broader, more solid acoustic note, the SUV’s exhaust system has been tuned to reflect a deep bass with increasing mid-tones, creating true auditory exhilaration, particularly in more sporting drive modes.

Commenting on the test programme, Matt Becker, Aston Martin’s Chief Engineer, said: “We have concentrated our work to ensure that the calibration and tune of this 4-litre twin-turbo V8 delivers both the everyday usability and refinement expected by SUV owners. However, we have also focused heavily on matching that with the engaging driving dynamics that are commanded by our brand and inherent in every Aston Martin and early indications of the car’s overall performance have been incredibly promising.”

Jaguar XE SV Project 8 does it again at Nurburgring (w/VIDEO)

The Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations-developed XE SV Project 8 has demonstrated its performance capability by setting the fastest Nurburgring Nordschleife lap time for a 4-door production car again: 7 minutes 18.361 seconds.

The Project 8 is also the first vehicle to set an official whole lap record in the Nurburgring’s mid-range production car class, lapping the circuit in 7 minutes 23.164 seconds.

2.9 seconds faster than previous benchmark
This new officially-verified time on the 20.6-km lap is 2.9 seconds faster than Project 8’s previous benchmark set in November 2017, and 7 seconds faster than any other 4-door production car has achieved.

Returning to the legendary German circuit in a production-specification 2-seat Track Pack version of Project 8 was development driver Vincent Radermecker. The car’s height-adjustable twin-spring coil-over suspension was set in ‘track’ ride height, with adjustable front splitter and carbonfibre rear aerodynamic wing positioned for maximum downforce and stability.

To maximise performance and steering precision, for the final record runs, the car was fitted with new off-the-shelf ultra-high performance Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres. Tested and chosen by SV engineers for their capability on the track, the road-legal tyres use rubber compounds directly transferred from Michelin’s competition tyres.

The original Nurburgring time set by Jaguar XE SV Project 8 demonstrated the extreme performance envelope of the world’s fastest production sedans, but the SV team is driven by a motorsport mentality and knew Project 8 could go even faster.

600 ps V8 and all-wheel drive
Powered by the most highly tuned 600-ps version of Jaguar’s 5.0-litre Supercharged V8, the all-wheel-drive Project 8 is capable of 0 – 100 km/h in a claimed 3.7 seconds, and a top speed of 320 km/h). It features a fully-enclosed flat underbody for enhanced aerodynamics, which is key to its performance.

Production of the limited-edition Project 8 will finish this year. There are three distinct 4-door specifications available, with the Touring specification – the ultimate Q-car – limited to 15 units worldwide. Prices start from £149,995 (equivalent to RM770,300) in the UK.

Hyundai offers special ‘N Homecoming’ at Nürburgring 24 Hours

300 lucky motoring enthusiasts will be receiving invites for a very special ‘N Homecoming’ hospitality experience at the 2019 Nürburgring 24 Hours Race. The sad news is that the invites will only be from countries that sell N vehicles where Malaysia is not a part of…yet. (more…)

SUNDAY SPECIAL: New Porsche 911 GT3 RS – 6:56.4min Through The ‘Green Hell’! [+Videos]

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS set another benchmark for road-approved sports cars at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit in Germany: Porsche works race driver Kévin Estre set a lap time in 6:56.4 minutes with the 520hp GT3 RS. The Frenchman’s lap time was a whopping 24 seconds faster than the best time achieved with the previous GT3 RS model.

Porsche development driver Lars Kern was sharing driving duties with Estre. Following the 918 Spyder and the 911 GT2 RS, the new GT3 RS is the third production Porsche sports car with a notarised lap time of less than seven minutes on the world’s most demanding race track, known as the ‘Green Hell’. As is customary for record drives, the time was measured around the 20.6-kilometre lap. Here’s the in-car footage of this feat…

Frank Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars, commented; “No other Porsche model gets as close to racing as the new GT3 RS. Many innovative ideas from top-level motorsport were transferred; for example, from the 911 GT3 R. This is what our philosophy for GT models is about: Highest technology must be fascinating but tangible. In this regard there is no harder test for our ideas than the Nordschleife.”

Here’s a look at the GT3 RS in action from the outside at the Nurburgring Nordschleife recently…

Andreas Preuninger, Director GT Model Line, added; “All four lap times of both drivers were below seven minutes and only tenths of a second apart. This proves not only the outstanding power of the GT3 RS, but also its extraordinary driveability at the limit. A perfectly composed overall system allows for highly dynamic performance even with a relatively modest engine power. For a driver, each of the car’s thousands of parts have to feel like one – that’s an unbeatable strength of the GT3 RS. And what especially delights me is how much fun Lars and Kévin (below) had when driving that car.”

29-year old Estre (below) began the record lap at 11:40 am in ideal conditions, with 14 degree Celsius ambient and 18 degree Celsius track temperature. “This lap was a sensational experience for me”, he revealed afterwards. “Through the fast corners and on the brakes in particular, the GT3 RS is unbelievably close to our racing car GT3 R. This is also thanks to the new generation of tyres for road going sports cars. I like the engine of the GT3 RS a lot. Up to 9,000 revs per minute from a six-cylinder engine just feels fantastic. The sound is a dream and the torque is massive.”

L-R: Lars Kern (Porsche test driver) and Kévin Estre (Porsche factory driver) after the hot lap at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.

Since 2016 Kévin Estre belongs to the squad of Porsche works drivers. He competes with the Porsche 911 RSR in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) that includes the Le Mans 24-Hours. In the ADAC GT Masters he races the 911 GT3 R.

The 911 GT3 RS with motorsport-bred chassis and 383kW (520hp), four-litre, naturally aspirated engine had its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in early March this year. The high-performance sports car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, reaching a top speed of 312 km/h.

Jaguar crushes Nurburgring record with Project 8

The Nürburgring lap times seem to be the yardstick to which automotive greatness is measured. Automakers’ bring their latest and greatest creations to what’s regarded as one of the most challenging tracks on earth, just to prove how quick they are. And breaking the lap record, allows you the proper bragging rights.

In the case of Jaguar, its business as usual. This time, the British automaker placed its hardcore track focused XE, named the XE SV Project 8, to lap the Ring in the shortest time possible. This nearly 600bhp car completed the 21km circuit in 7 minutes and 21.23 seconds making it the fastest four-door vehicle to get around the track.

John Edwards, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations Managing Director, said, “SVO exists to push the boundaries of performance, luxury and all-terrain capability. The hand-assembled XE SV Project 8 takes that principle to the limit, extracting supercar-beating performance from Jaguar’s most compact four-door sedan.”

“The Nürburgring Nordschleife record underlines our commitment to deliver the most extreme Jaguar ever to Project 8 clients, who will soon experience this sensational sedan for themselves,” he added.

It was nearly 11 seconds quicker than the previous record holder, and faster still, than some sports and supercars. Despite it looking very similar to the standard XE, Jaguar is adamant that 75% of Project 8’s mechanicals are new and that only the roof and front doors have been carried over.

The company’s SVO design and engineering team have worked their magic by turning a regular executive sedan into a fire breathing monster. Despite what many might say, making a sedan as fast as a sports car is no easy feat, it require re-engineering and extensive mechanical changes.

Unlike the base XE, this particular car gets a massive rear wing and other aerodynamic upgrades that set it apart from the rest of the Jaguar stable. It is powered by a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 that enables the car to sprint from 0-100km/h in a mere 3.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 322km/h.

This won’t be the end of the story though, because Jag’s achievement won’t sit well with its competitors. They are probably already trying to figure out how to best the British automaker in the shortest amount of time possible.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is fastest SUV around Nurburgring

Alfa Romeo managed to set a new lap record at the Nurburgring with their soon to be launched 2018 Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Piloted by the same daredevil who made the Giulia Quadrifoglio the fasted four door sedan around the legendary circuit, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio has become the fastest SUV to do so.

“We specifically engineered and designed the Stelvio Quadrifoglio to set world-class benchmarks and it did not disappoint with a world-record Nürburgring lap time of 7 minutes and 51.7 seconds,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Alfa Romeo.

“We’re proud to now hold two Nürburgring lap time records with the Giulia Quadrifoglio as the fastest four-door production sedan and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio as the fastest production SUV,” he added.

Lapping the infamous proving ground of mainstream automakers in just 7 minutes and 51.7 seconds, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is the halo vehicle of the Stelvio line up. It features some of the best tech of the entire line up and includes the following options:

Ultra-lightweight carbon fiber shell Sparco racing seats, providing maximum lateral support during extreme cornering thanks to more aggressive bolstering, and designed to be the lightest in the segment, while providing comfort for long road trips
Ultra-high-performance Brembo carbon-ceramic material (CCM) brake system

Fabio Francia, hurled the SUV around banked corners with great aplomb as he chased the elusive title of fastest SUV to lap the Nurburgring. The Performance SUV segment isn’t a big one and Porsche has pretty much been the King of the Hill until recently.

But that should change soon as automakers such as Jaguar, Aston Martin and Maserati are gunning to be crowned the best of the best. This is why Alfa Romeo hopes that its latest achievement, proves that the Stelvio Quadrifoglio offers the best mix of high performance, capability and design.

Powering the vehicle is a 2.9-litre V6 twin-turbo engine that produces 505bhp and 601Nm of torque. This colossal amount of power is sent to all four wheels via Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, which is said to deliver better performance and superior control.

The latest feat makes Alfa Romeo the only manufacturer at the moment to hold the lap record for a production four-door sedan and an SUV. But if these vehicles don’t tickle your fancy, Alfa does offer more docile variants of these performance vehicles for much lower prices.

That said, check out the youtube video below to witness Alfa’s record breaking attempt at the Nurburgring:

Lamborghini Huracán Performante arrive in UK for demo purposes

The First Lamborghini Huracán Performante demonstrators have reached the UK’s H.R. Owens , where the iconic Lamborghini London dealership will put the exotic track-focused car on display as well as demonstrate to customers, what it can accomplish.

It’s the very same showroom that was named the No.1 Lamborghini dealership worldwide in 2016. It has also displayed a number of other iconic cars, which include the Centenario, Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo racer and the 1988 Countach QV.

This is considered the first wave of demos in the UK and allow Lamborghini customers to experience the sheer agility and acceleration that this car has to offer compared to the standard Huracan.

It’s considerably lighter than the base Huracan, weighing about 40kg lighter at 1,382kg in dry weight. This was achieved through extensive use of carbon fiber and forged aluminium. The changes that set it apart from the base car are new front and rear bumpers, carbon fiber bumper skirts, new rear spoiler and a new interior that features a different digital speedometer.

Carbon fibre has been used extensively throughout parts like the rear spoiler, front splitter, rear diffuser as well as other elements of the car. Together, they form the active aerodynamic system of the car that move independently to ensure clean airflow for better grip and higher top speed. Like the Sesto Elemento, several body panels have been hollowed out to reduce weight, an extreme way to make a car lighter.

Though the engine is the same 5.2-litre V10 that is in the rest of Huracan variants, but the one in the Perfomante produces 631bhp and 601Nm of torque, allowing it to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in under 3.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 325km/h.

Thanks to the extensive weight saving measures and a more powerful engine, the Huracan Performante managed to set a new lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in October of 2016. Its considered one of the more special Lamborghinis right now.

Subaru attempting to break record at Nurburgring

Subaru, a name that needs no introduction in the rallying world, has announced that its American division, is hoping to shatter the Nurburgring lap record for a four door sedan. The Japanese automaker is a attempting this feat with a WRX STI Type RA NBR Special later this year.

The company is known for producing some of the best road-going rally cars for the masses. Recently it used a near production WRX STI to set a record at the Isle of Man TT, a haven for adrenaline-pumped junkies looking to prove what they are worth.

There’s no word yet on specification of the WRX STI Type RA NBR Special, but the company has stated that more information will be made available on June 8th. Till then, check out the promo videos and the picture gallery and let us know what you think about Subaru’s latest obsession.

Volvo broke Nurburgring lap record in 2016 but didn’t tell anyone!

Bragging rights at the Nurburgring is very important to many manufacturers. A hot lap around the Green Hell is the default standard used to gauge a performance car’s worth. Forget top speeds and 0-100km/h times, their significance pales in comparison to how fast a particular car can get around the insanely tricky and dangerous German track.

When an automaker one-ups the competition, it makes sure the whole world knows about it. It will publish an elaborate press release that is supplemented by a few videos to jack up the hype further. This is considered the norm these days, which is why its rather puzzling why Volvo, decided to do the exact opposite.

After the completion of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) at the Nurburgring, in typical fashion automakers pack up and head home. Volvo on the other hand, chose to stay on to do more research and development. It decided to put several of its race and road cars on the legendary course and push them to their limits to see how fast they would actually go.

The road going S60 Polestar managed to blitz the previous lap record to become the fastest four door production car to lap the infamous Nurburgring. After doing so, Volvo decided to keep the information to itself. Opting instead to make relevant changes to the racing and road cars from what was learnt on that day. The Swedish automaker hopes that, by deciding to keep mum about last year’s accomplishment, it might have a formidable advantage on track in this year’s WTCC.

Check out the video to understand what really happened behind the scenes in 2016 that led to Volvo’s best achievement on the most important proving ground.