Chris Harris was granted the exclusive opportunity to test out the record-breaking VW ID.R during filming of Top Gear’s latest season and made sure to put the car through its paces.

The British journalist has had the opportunity to drive some of the planet’s fastest racing cars over the years, including the Porsche 919, but the ID.R is something very special.

Interestingly, the ID.R is all-electric, a radical decision by the German automaker made to help promote its venture into the world of mass-market electric vehicles. The electric powertrain used by the ID.R is good for 680 hp and 881 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque and can rocket the racer to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 2 seconds and 124 mph (200 km/h) in roughly 5 seconds. That’s acceleration that truly boggles the mind and Harris’ reaction to the speed is quite something.

In a bid to show just how quick the ID.R is, Top Gear brought along a McLaren 720S, one of the quickest road cars currently on sale, and lined up the two for a drag race down the straight of the Portimao circuit. Off the line, the Volkswagen leaves the McLaren for dead, spinning up its tires and rocketing into the distance.

As a means of showing just how blisteringly quick electric vehicles can be, the ID.R is certainly the way to do it. It holds records up the Goodwood hillclimb, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Nurburgring, Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road, and will soon hit Sonoma raceway chasing a record.