Latest news with #Nürburgring
Top Gear
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
1,562bhp Chinese EV smashes its Nürburgring time, becomes third fastest overall
Electric Xiaomi prototype somehow lops 24 seconds off its original time. What Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading A very yellow, very fast electric car from China has gone unfeasibly fast around a scary racetrack in Germany. Xiaomi, makers of the SU7 Ultra Prototype, has once again sent this mad, bad, 1,562bhp prototype on a hot lap, and hoo boy is it hot. Because where last year this car managed 6m 46.874s – and thus becoming the fastest four-door car to lap the 'Ring – this year it's managed a scarcely believable 6m 22.091s. That makes it the third fastest car overall around the Green Hell, behind only the Volkswagen ID.R and Porsche 919 Evo. Advertisement - Page continues below What. The. Indeed. Xiaomi has not explained exactly how it managed to carve off 24 seconds from its original already-bat***-quick time, only saying this run was timed 'under optimal conditions'. That's a polite way of putting it. Nothing polite about the SU7's drivetrain, of course. It's got something called a 'HyperEngine V8s', which doesn't mean that, sadly, but does mean three electric motors capable of spinning up to 27,200rpm. They're powered by a powerful battery, generating that immense power figure. You might like Naturally the SU7 Ultra Prototype gets bespoke aero – which in last year's record-breaking car could generate 285kg of downforce – so we can only wonder if it's even more bespoke for this year's run. Elsewhere you'll find big brakes, adaptive dampers, and the ability to chalk off 0-62mph in 1.98s (with a one-foot rollout). You'll notice the 'Prototype' in this car's suffix. No, you can't purchase an example like the one that did 6m 22.091s, but Xiaomi is selling a 'Track Package' car – Bilsteins, Pirelli P Zeros, carbon fibre wheel arches, 21s etc – and a 'Nürburgring Limited Edition'. Advertisement - Page continues below That car gets everything the Track Pack offers, along with a six-point harness, racing buckets, roll cage, and various bits crafted from carbon fibre including the underbody aero panels, bonnet, skirts, and rear spoiler. But you don't want to know about that. You want to watch a very yellow, very fast electric car from China go interminably fast around a scary racetrack in Germany. And hoo boy, does it go fast. 6 minutes 31 seconds Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Motor 1
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
This Chinese Sedan Is Faster Than Every Supercar Around the Nürburgring
If you still aren't taking China's EVs seriously, here's further proof that you should. A caged, stripped-out Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 6 minutes, 22 seconds—24 seconds quicker than its previous lap set in 2024 . That means an electric prototype from China is quicker than any production car—gas-powered or otherwise—around the legendary circuit. After seeing the numbers, we aren't surprised. This SU7 Ultra prototype makes 1,548 horsepower from its tri-motor configuration, able to zoom to 62 miles per hour in just 1.98 seconds and on to a top speed of 217 mph. This particular car is not a production model, but a stripped-out, caged track car that's been lightweighted to improve performance. It also used full-on racing slicks for maximum grip. Photo by: Xiaomi Only three vehicles have ever lapped the Nürburgring quicker: the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo, the Volkswagen ID.R , and the Porsche 956, back in 1983. Xiaomi says it was able to achieve this time "under optimal conditions," which were likely cooler and cloudier than the time set last year. While you won't be able to buy this one-off record-smasher, Xiaomi is launching a new Nürburgring edition for its road-going SU7 Ultra sedan to celebrate. You get a roll cage and a host of carbon fiber trim, including a carbon hood and a carbon rear spoiler. Underneath, there are carbon underbody aero panels that add up to 97 pounds of downforce. Inside, you get a set of sweet Sparco bucket seats embroidered with the Nürburgring's logo, as well as six-point harnesses. The Nürburgring edition also comes standard with the SU7 Ultra's Track package, which includes things like Endless brake pads, Bilstein EVO R height-adjustable coilovers, a carbon fiber roof, and 21-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli Trofeo RS tires. Photo by: Xiaomi Photo by: Xiaomi Xiaomi plans to build just 100 examples of the SU7 Ultra Nürburgring edition, priced from 814,900 Chinese Yuan, or around $114,000. Like all Chinese-branded vehicles, you won't be able to purchase this one in the United States. A shame. More on Xiaomi 'I Don't Want to Give It Up.' Ford CEO Jim Farley Loves His Chinese EV This Chinese EV Is Now the Fastest Sedan Around the Nürburgring Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
The Drive
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
2026 Aston Martin DB12 Volante Spied With a Neat Exhaust and New Lip
The latest car news, reviews, and features. A contact in Germany caught the 2026 Aston Martin DB12 Volante convertible ripping around the Nürburgring with some aggressive front aero and a cool vertically stacked dual exhaust setup. Take a look at the car here before you're supposed to see it. The hardtop coupe version was spotted earlier this year, and spy photographers were calling it the 'DB12 AMR,' speculating that it'd be the high-tier version of the lineup. Aston has used AMR nomenclature in that context before. But since then, Aston dropped the DBX S with the same style of exhaust and front splitter—it stands to reason that the car we're seeing here will likely be called DB12 S and feature similar enhancements (minor power bump, tuning) that the DBX S is getting. Looks like that will be more aggressive than the base car, but less pure-performance focused than an AMR model. Word is that Aston Martin is planning for an early 2026 launch of this car, so it remains to be seen if it's a 2026 or '27 model year machine. Swipe through a few more photos we got here, and you can see the exterior from every major angle: We were able to drive and review the current (2024) DB12 droptop twice last year. Both our reviewers generally liked it. Chris Tsui said, 'A car that does many things well is often a great thing, especially if you can only afford one [car]. At this end of the tax bracket, though, I can't help but wish the DB12 Volante was a bit more focused.' Brad Iger was a little more hyped on it, saying, 'Shortcomings in performance and technology have often made modern Astons a heart-over-head proposition, but the DB12 Volante requires no apologies.' I've been lucky enough to drive the DBX 707 and a few versions of the early DB12. All fun cars to drive, though I have to admit the impression that's stuck with me the most is the smell. Aston Martins are my favorite-smelling cars on Earth … so I'd probably skip the convertible personally and soak up the olfactory enjoyment of the car's fine leather. Got a tip? Drop us a line at tips@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Koenigsegg Is Taking Hypercars To A Whole New Level Tomorrow
Koenigsegg Is Taking Hypercars To A Whole New Level Tomorrow originally appeared on Autoblog. As enthusiasts of high-performance cars, we're really being spoiled lately. HWA is taking its epic 190E restomod to the track, the people at Toyota are working on a new Lexus supercar, and the astonishing new Corvette ZR1 family has been making waves everywhere. If none of those raise your pulse, perhaps this will: Koenigsegg has posted a series of clips that tease a new hypercar (or megacar, in Koenigsegg parlance). The Swedish purveyor of speed hasn't said much, though. The most recent of three teaser posts has the caption "Perfection is a moving target," and the one before that says Koenigsegg is "crafting a legend." Happily, the first post tells us when we'll know more: 25 June 2025. That's tomorrow... The post above gives us a glimpse of the front end of the car, with the Koenigsegg badge at the bottom of the frame and a NACA duct directly above it. Behind that, exposed carbon fiber appears to indicate an aero bridge on the clamshell, likely evacuating air that enters at the lower front bumper like the Ferrari S-duct, or, closer to home, Koenigsegg's own Gemera four-seater. The second post in the trilogy also calls to mind past Koenigsegg designs, revealing a rear end with a massive wing that seems not dissimilar to that of the track-focused Jesko Absolut. However, in this application, there's a vertically oriented central stop light giving strong motorsport vibes. Finally, the most recent post seems to show more aerodynamic devices, including vents in the front wheel arches that likely help smooth airflow running along the sides of the car. So what are we looking at here? Well, it's highly unlikely that Koenigsegg would be building a hardcore version of the Gemera, and the imagery appears to show something very sleek with a small cockpit, so it's certainly a two-seater. The easiest guess to make is that this is a more hardcore, more focused, potentially track-only version of the Jesko. Could this be a Nürburgring record chaser or a hint at an entry into motorsports? Koenigsegg hasn't had the greatest luck at the Nürburgring, with a few crashes marring its early visits to the Green Hell, and the last time it tried to enter endurance racing, the rules changed before the CCGT could compete. When asked by Top Gear last year if he would ever consider dipping another toe into the World Endurance Championship, company founder and CEO Christian von Koenigsegg bemoaned the many hoops a car must jump through to meet Balance of Performance regulations, arguing that the current regulations deprive automakers of the ability to showcase their unique individual we doubt that this will be a track-only special, though the aero devices indicate it will be one of the most hardcore 'Seggs yet. Other possibilities include that it may be an all-new model or even a hardcore take on the CC850, but that sort of thing is generally revealed at Monterey Car Week. Our best guess is that this is a one-off Jesko Absolut turned up to 11 for a single wealthy commissioner, but the caption "perfection is a moving target" could easily apply to any of the Swedish company's creations. Whatever the facts, we'll bring them to you as soon as possible tomorrow. Koenigsegg Is Taking Hypercars To A Whole New Level Tomorrow first appeared on Autoblog on Jun 24, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Car and Driver
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2027 Lexus LFR: What We Know So Far
Overview The Lexus LFA was one of the most critically acclaimed debut supercars of all time, and now Lexus is finally preparing a sophomore effort 15 years after the sun set on its production. Everything that we think we know about the new Japanese supercar is still speculative, but we can sketch a rough outline from rumors and spy photos. We think that it will be called the LFR, and a set of quad exhaust pipes suggests that it will feature an internal-combustion engine under its lengthy hood. While the LFR isn't likely to pack a powertrain sonorous enough to equal the LFA's V-10 banshee scream, we predict that it will feature a twin-turbo hybrid V-8 that can more than match its predecessor's performance. What's New for 2027? While we lack concrete information about the production LFR, both Toyota and Lexus have been feeding the public scraps for a while. We got our first sneak peek of a model resembling the LFR when Toyota unveiled its GR GT3 concept car at the 2022 Tokyo Motor Show. At the time, Toyota said that the low-slung coupe was developed with GT3 racing competitiveness at the top of the priority list, with production readiness taking a back seat. Since then, the LFR has been spotted testing at the Nürburgring and on public roads in California. From spy shots, we've noted quad exhaust pipes and yellow hazard stickers (usually hinting at the presence of some form of electric propulsion), leading us to believe that it will use a twin-turbo V-8 combined with a hybrid system. A production date is also up in the air, but with a prototype model now testing on public roads, a 2027 debut isn't far-fetched. Pricing and Which One to Buy The price of the 2027 Lexus LFR is expected to start around $550,000. LFR $550,000 (est) 0 $250k $500k $750k $1M When the LFA debuted, its $375,000 MSRP was so prohibitively high that Lexus struggled to sell just 500 units. However, the appetite for mid-six-figure exotics has increased since then. We wouldn't be surprised to see the LFR fetch over half a million dollars, which is around what the LFA would cost today if adjusted for inflation. KGP Photography | Car and Driver As more information becomes available, we'll update this story with more details about:
