Two years ago, the Mercedes-AMG ONE set a 6:35.186 minute lap time around the 12.92-mile Nürburgring; an impressive time that meant the AMG ONE was the quickest production vehicle around the famed circuit, beating out the Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR. While it was an impressive time, the track conditions were less than ideal with some portions of the track being damp, hindering the ideal racing line.
Maro Engel was at the helm of the ONE in 2022 for the record-setting outing and has now returned two years later. The most recent outing to the ‘Ring has resulted in the AMG ONE shattering its previous record, now holding an official lap time of 6:29.090 minutes around the 12.92-mile racetrack. Not only does this mean that it is still the record holder for the fastest production car to ever grace the Nürburgring, but it’s also the first street-legal car to set a time below six minutes and thirty seconds.
Mercedes has cemented the Mercedes-AMG ONE’s standing at the top of the performance-vehicle pecking order, but there are still cars we have yet to see run the ‘Ring that could potentially beat the tri-star firm’s golden child.
The entries on this list are speculative. Nurburgring lap times are more than just scientific and mathematical, with a plethora of variables potentially impacting the result.
10 Aston Martin Valkyrie
$3,250,000
Engine
6.5-liter, naturally aspirated, plug-in-hybrid, V12
Horsepower
1,139 hp
Torque
682 lb-ft
0-60
2.3 seconds
Top speed
220 mph
Out of all the hypercars that have yet to set a time at the Nürburgring, the Aston Martin Valkyrie is the most likely model out of the entire segment that will be able to beat the Mercedes-AMG ONE’s extremely impressive lap time. It has all the makings of an insanely fast-track weapon. At most, the Valkyrie likely tips the scales at 2,646 lbs, it utilizes a kinetic energy recovery system similar to that used in Formula 1 race cars, can tolerate lateral g-forces up to 3.3G, and has a breaking force of 1.9G. That’s just a brief glimpse of its capabilities. Powering the Valkyrie is the highest revving and most powerful naturally aspirated engine ever used in a road-going Aston Martin. And there’s the tiny detail that it was designed by Adrian Newey, who knows a thing or two about designing world-beating supercars.
The Valkyrie is so impressive that it was the one car earmarked by Christian von Koenigsegg as possibly the toughest production car to beat around a race track. “I think if we look at cars out there now, the [Aston Martin] Valkyrie, for example, that car might be tough to beat around the Nurburgring or Spa,” von Koenigsegg previously told us.
Simply put, the question is not if the Valkyrie can beat the Mercedes-AMG ONE’s time, it’s when it will beat it.
9 Bugatti Tourbillon
$4,075,000
Engine
8.3-liter, naturally aspirated, plug-in-hybrid, V16
Horsepower
1,775 hp
Torque
664 lb-ft
0-62
2 seconds
Top speed
276 mph
We never saw the Bugatti Chiron tackle the Nürburgring, but the Tourbillon might be capable of low lap times if it ever reaches the ‘Ring. Unlike its predecessor, the Tourbillon leverages a new hybrid system consisting of competent electric motors, torque vectoring, and four-wheel-drive to transfer its almost 2,000 hp output to the tarmac it rides on. Aside from a bolstering of the powertrain, the Bugatti Tourbillon also features a new suspension system, which, coupled with a lower weight than the Chiron, aids in comparatively better agility and handling. While it may not be as light as the Mercedes-AMG ONE, the significant difference in power may be the Tourbillon’s ace in the hole.
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8 Czinger 21C
$2,000,000
Engine
2.88-liter, twin-turbocharged, plug-in-hybrid, V8
Horsepower
1,350 hp
Torque
Undisclosed
0-62
1.9 seconds
Top speed
219 mph
Touted as the ultimate road and track weapon, the Czinger 21C has already claimed a handful of records on various racetracks, even reclaiming the Laguna Seca record back from Koenigsegg. Not only does it have multiple records under its belt but it is also powered by one of the most power-dense engines in a modern production car, further enhanced by a powerful hybrid drive system consisting of two high-output electric motors. At 200 mph and in its high downforce configuration, the Czinger 21C is capable of generating up to 5,511 lbs of downforce. The 21C is more than capable of setting an astonishingly low lap time around the Nürburgring.
7 De Tomaso P72
$1.7 million (Estimated)
Engine
5.0-liter, supercharged, V8
Horsepower
750 hp
Torque
664 lb-ft
0-60
TBC
Top speed
TBC
The De Tomaso P72 is a modern tribute to the Italian automaker’s P70 racing car that was used in the 1950s. The P72 is the road-going half of De Tomaso’s latest offering, with the P900 serving as the track-only half. An extremely light carbon fiber body and monocoque chassis serve as the skeleton and frame of the two-seater road car, supported by suspension components sourced from GT4 race cars, steering rack designs derived from LMP race cars, and powered by a highly capable V8 engine. It is founded and leverages the experience of multiple years involved in motorsport. There will only be 72 examples of this sultry offering produced.
6 Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale
$844,000
Engine
4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, plug-in-hybrid, V8
Horsepower
1,016 hp
Torque
593 lb-ft @ 6,250 rpm
0-62
2.3 seconds
Top speed
199 mph
The SF90 family has seen the birth of Ferrari’s first road-legal XX model and one that stands, until we see the debut of the LaFerrari successor, at the forefront of the established Italian automaker’s performance barrier. Weighing only 3,439 lbs, the XX variant of the SF90 employs a powerful combustion powertrain paired with an equally powerful electric drive system that has allowed it to lap the Ferrari Fiorano test circuit quicker than any other road-going Ferrari that has come before. The XX lineage has always stood at the pinnacle of Ferrari’s engineering and performance capabilities, and the SF90 XX Stradale is no different.
Ferrari doesn’t do development on the Nurburgring, so this would have to be a privateer attempt. Which one of the 799 coupe owners is willing to give it a go?
5 Gordon Murray Automotive T.50
$3,500,000
Engine
4.0-liter, naturally aspirated, V12
Horsepower
660 hp @ 11,000 rpm
Torque
344 lb-ft @ 9,000 rpm
0-62
2.8 seconds
Top speed
217 mph
Powered by, what has been described by famed automotive designer Gordon Murray as the greatest V12 engine ever, the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 is a dead-ringer for one of the few hypercars that have yet to lap the ‘Ring and dethrone the Mercedes-AMG ONE. It is the brainchild of the same person that spearheaded the engineering of the famed McLaren F1. Driver engagement and control are some of the cornerstone ideals of the T.50, which would undoubtedly allow it to tackle the Nürburgring, and other circuits, with confidence. A lightweight frame, powerful engine, engaging transmission, capable suspension system, and impressive aerodynamic capability will make it a serious contender for a low Nürburgring lap time holder.
The standard T.50 is not necessarily a track weapon – for that, you’d have to look at the non-street-legal T.50s, but with its ultra light weight and great power-to-weight ratio, we’re confident it could put in a strong showing. Enough to topple the AMG ONE? We’d love to find out.
4 Koenigsegg Jesko Attack
$2,800,000
Engine
5.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, V8
Horsepower
1,600 hp
Torque
1,106 lb-ft
0-60
2.5 seconds (est)
Top speed
> 300 mph (est)
The Koenigsegg Jesko Attack is a “get-what-you-pay-for” car and, considering it has a price tag starting at nearly $3 million, it’s certainly a good deal. Weighing only 3,130 lbs, the Jesko can reach incredibly high speeds, as it’s one of the forefront contenders in the hypercar race to 300 mph, albeit in Absolut form. However, in Attack guise, it’s also a truly capable track weapon. Recently, the Jesko managed to secure the record as the fastest production car at the Laguna Seca Raceway, before being relieved of that title by Czinger. Christian von Koenigsegg told CarBuzz he’d love to attempt ap records around Spa and the Nurburgring with the Jesko, too, claiming that the Aston Martin Valkyrie may be the only production car standing in his way.
3 Lotus Evija
$2,100,00
Engine
Electric
Horsepower
1,972 hp
Torque
1,257 lb-ft
0-62
< 3 seconds
Top speed
218 mph
The Lotus Evija has already been established in the upper echelons of the Nürburgring leaderboard, lapping 11 seconds quicker than the original AMG ONE record and 6 seconds quicker than the new one at 6:24.047. But the caveat was that the car that set the record was a modified, track-only variant called the Evija X. It used the production-spec chassis and powertrain, generating 2,000 hp, but was extremely modified in other avenues by Multimatic. There was potentially more in it though, with Lotus hinting to CarBuzz previously that it would love to take the outright ‘Ring record. That never happened, but if the Evija in production form gets anything learned from the Evija X’s exploits, then it may get closer to the AMG ONE’s record than you think.
2 McLaren W1
Price Undisclosed
Engine
TBC
Horsepower
TBC
Torque
TBC
0-60
TBC
Top speed
TBC
The McLaren P1’s performance still holds up to this day and its highly anticipated successor will be a significant step up from what served as a third of the iconic Holy Trinity. McLaren has remained tight-lipped about its new hypercar, which we at least know will be called the W1. The McLaren P1 was capable of lapping the ‘Ring in under seven minutes, with the P1 LM securing a 6-minute 43-second lap time. So, likely, nearly a decade of technological advancement and the bleeding edge technology within McLaren’s ranks will be able to afford the McLaren W1 a fighting chance at besting the Mercedes-AMG ONE.
Fortunately, we don’t have to wait too long to see the McLaren W1 in all its glory, as it will be revealed this weekend.
1 Rimac Nevera R
$2,500,000
Engine
Electric
Horsepower
2,107 hp
Torque
Undisclosed
0-60
1.74 seconds
Top speed
256 mph
The Rimac Nevera was an already capable hypercar that had many records to its name before the Nevera R came along and upped the ante. The Nevera R is the more hardcore rendition of the Croatian electric hypercar, with a greater focus on track driving, a new fixed rear wing, and, as if it needed it, more power to the tune of 2,078 hp from its quad electric motors. The standard Nevera is already the fastest production EV around the Nurburgring, but it never got beneath seven minutes. However, insiders revealed there was more left in the tank, and with more power and more track focus, the Nevera R could go further. The question of how much further is something no one but Rimac can answer, and if we know Mate Rimac and co, we won’t have to wait long before they have another go.
Sources:
Rimac, Koenigsegg, McLaren Automotive, Lotus, Gordon Murray Automotive, Aston Martin, Ferrari, De Tomaso, Bugatti, Czinger