Test drive Clio RS - the fastest compact production car

Here are the recordings of the Nordschleife at the famous Nurembergring.

Instead of high-end racing, North Arc is running a record-breaking standard car race, sort of a turbo marketing for new models. What are the fastest production cars on the legendary 20,832 km stretch, and what stunts are they competing with? Now you will find out. News: Record-breaking tour of the Nürburgring Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy.

Almost every month, automakers flaunt their powder-coated production vehicles and set new records on public roads. Just seven minutes and here is a new record for front-wheel drive cars. Even super-heavy crossovers like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S or Range Rover Sport SVR cannot be saved by the enthusiasm of research engineers.

Records are good for successful marketing

But why such a fuss? Why do all manufacturers set records? A race against the clock is good for a PR battle. The North Arch of the Nürburgring has long been a hallmark of quality and a symbol of sporting spirit. In addition, manufacturers are already resorting to the Eiffel track to test their new models. A feature of the 20,8 km section is the combination of fast and slow sections, where the breast milk of the prototypes is also tested. By the way, the new record is the best marketing and restores the company's image. Of course, and ego.

However, chasing time is difficult compared to fair competition. For the most part, record tours are self-administered and, in principle, do not require an independent body. Verification is usually based on YouTube videos only. This also applies to the condition of cars. Who knows how many times the manufacturer has tightened the screw to give the car extra traction?

This cannot be fixed with internet video. But in place they can, if they are allowed to take control, if they are allowed to. We are in a sports car combined with record holders. Not because we set a record, but because we want the sports car to hit the threshold for our readers. To be able to draw firm and profound conclusions. Our parade test is a super test.

For the 1/2016 release, Renault sent us its Clio RS 220 Trophy. Super test driver Christian Gebhard flew over the Nordschleife with a small racing bullet in just 8:23 minutes. Thanks to this powerful 220 hp. Not only was the Clio 36 seconds faster than its 200-horsepower little brother in the 10/2013 super test, it was also the fastest production car ever tested. In addition, it turned out that the Frenchman jumps against other categories, as evidenced by information from our supertest database: Porsche Cayman S (987c) 8:25 min, BMW Z4 3.0si Coupé (E86) 8:32 min, Ford Focus RS 8: 26 minutes

Honda Civic Type R fastest front-wheel drive

Flowers and roses accompany the record-breaking race, especially in front-wheel drive vehicles. In March 2014, Seat with the León Cupra 280 cleverly overtook rival Renault in the front-wheel-drive production car race. The time to reach the Seat Leon Cupra 280 is 7: 58.44 minutes. Three months later the French presented their Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R. The front wheel drive rounded the North Loop in 7 minutes 54.36 seconds, i.e. almost four seconds faster.

Nine months later, it became known that this best achievement had never been a record. Because Honda, meanwhile, has risen on the horizon. The prototype Honda Civic Type R lit the Nordschleife asphalt during tests in May 2014 with a score of 7: 50,63 minutes. The 2,0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, suspension, brakes and aerodynamic configuration are all identical to the production version that was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

However, the Honda Civic Type R did not completely cover the standard version. The Japanese installed a safety bar. According to them, for more safety, not for increased strength. For weight reasons, Honda has ditched a second front seat, air conditioning, and audio accessories. Honda even announced that it intends to test the R-series before the end of the year and set a record.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S stole Range Rover prize

Among the large liners of the Northern Loop, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S is the fastest with 570 hp. According to Porsche, the crossover will pass under the Eiffel Strip in less than eight minutes (7:59.74 minutes). Thanks to this, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S overtook its rival Range Rover Sport SVR by about 15 seconds. And the British SUV in August 2014 set a new speed record.

According to BMW M Ltd., they will not participate in the record race. They are refraining from breaking a new North Loop record with their new superpower Brumme X6M. That's enough, the powerful 575-horsepower colossus will easily conquer the Range Rover Sport SVR. Is that enough for the Cayenne? Probably no. The BMW X6 M is said to have lasted a little over eight minutes. Maybe that's why BMW is shrouded in a mantle of silence about the days of the powerful SUV.

The situation is completely different with the recently introduced M2 and M4 GTS models. Here BMW went on the offensive on the Nordschleife. According to the concern, the new BMW M2 with 370 hp. went with a bang along the famous route in 7:58 minutes. Slower Renault Megane? Unlike the M2, the Frenchman wears semi-slickers from the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 brand, which give him a few seconds as they have much better grip. In contrast, BMW's new compact Bavarian car maintains contact with the asphalt using conventional road tires (Michelin Pilot Super Sport).

The BMW M4 GTS is 30 seconds faster than the M2 on the North Loop. No surprise, with 130 hp cup tires. more stable beam for greater bending force. Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde was left with a finger in his mouth, it took him 7:39 minutes to conquer part of the Grune Hölle at the Nurburgring. But at least they undermine the BMW M4. The Bayer Leverkusen specialist crossed the Northeast Loop in a super test in 7:52 minutes.

6:57 minutes for the Porsche 918 Spyder

The king of road touring cars is the Porsche 918 Spyder. The hybrid supercar broke the 7-minute sound barrier in September 2013 as the first regular car. Porsche test driver Mark Lieb lit up the asphalt in 6:57 minutes. Wait, North Loop fanatics will tell you right away, but both the Radical SR8 (6:55 min.) and the Radical SR8 LM (6:48 min.) were faster. Yes, that's right, but sports models have British documents and are therefore excluded.

In May 2015, the Porsche 918 Spyder was horrified when the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 SV began testing tires on the Nordschleife. And Lambo, equipped with a 6,5-liter V12 engine, passed Grüne Hölle in his well-engineered boat. His time: 6:59.73 minutes - i.e. below the 7-minute limit, but slightly above the hybrid athlete mark. Oh, 918 must be dead.

Indeed, the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 SV has exactly 137 hp. less than the Porsche, but the Super Veloce makes up for the lower power with lighter weight (1595 instead of 1634 kg). Lambo's fastest lap was with Pirelli's P Zero Corsa tires.

Even McLaren is also testing its Nordic-powered P1 hybrid supercar. According to McLaren, the powerful 916 hp The athlete crossed the track in less than seven minutes, but the exact time of the McLaren P1 has not yet been announced. So one can only guess if the McLaren P1 has overtaken the Porsche 918 or is behind it.

McLaren also said conditions weren't optimal. Because the asphalt had to be colder.

Climatic conditions play a very important role for the route. Higher temperatures mean more warranty, of course they don't have to be that high. Otherwise, the tires will start to lubricate. The driver is an important factor. A good driver like Lieb can catch up in the last few seconds.

Corvette set record with Z06

Seat did indeed lose his Nordschleife record for fastest front-wheel drive car, with the Spaniards attacking with the fastest station wagon. According to Seat Leon ST Cupra, he crossed the Eiffel circuit in 7:58 minutes. It would be exactly the same as Hot Hatchback.

It will be awarded the title of "Fastest electric car in the Nürburgring". Audi R8 e-tron (8: 09.099 min) in 2012. The problem is that the R8 e-tron has not yet been mass-produced. It outperformed the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive a year later. The neon yellow E-racer flew over the Nordschleife in 7: 56.234 minutes. Mercedes was even notarized at that time.

In January 2015, the media reported that the lap time on the Ford Shelby GT7R is 32.19: 350 minutes. It will be the fastest muscle car in the Nordschleife and five seconds faster than the Chevrolet Camaro Z / 28, which was experimented with in 2013. And really in semi-humid conditions, as they said then.

Powerful 600 hp The Nissan GT-R Nismo holds the record for the fastest production turbo-powered car. Godzilla ran the Nordschleife in 7: 08.679 minutes. The Corvette Z7, with its special Z08 performance, took approximately 06:07 minutes for one lap of the North Loop. This was reported by autoweek.com with reference to a source who spent a lot of time in the Nurburgring (and a lot of money was invested).

Therefore, the time should not be published, as there is now a ban on recordings. The reason for this is the measures taken by Nürburgring Ltd. following an incident with Nissan at the inaugural VLN race in 2015 which resulted in the death of one spectator. Portal roadandtrack.com, which received information from an internal source of General Motors, said that the time does not match. Answering the question "sports cars", Chevrolet emphasized the word "rumor".

In our slideshow, you can watch the records and record attempts of conventional road cars on the Nordschleife.