Fastest ever Nurburgring lap times - the definitive rundown

8 – Porsche 918 Spyder- 6:57.00

The 918 Spyder has carbonfibre construction, a hybrid powertrain and a suspension set-up donated by a prototype racing car. It has a top speed of 214mph.

9 – Lamborghini Aventador SV - 6:59.73

This has a single-clutch automated gearbox and is 50kg lighter than the regular Aventador. The 0-62mph time is claimed at 2.8sec.

10 - Ferrari 488 Pista - 7:00:3

A privateer attempt by German publication Sport Auto saw Ferrari's track-ready 488 Pista lap the circuit in almost seven minutes dead, enough to earn the number nine spot on the leaderboard.

Front-wheel drive Nürburgring lap records

1 - 2019 Renault Mégane RS Trophy-R - 7:40.10 

Packing the 1.8-litre turbocharged unit from the already-snorting RS 300 Trophy, Renault's new limited edition flagship hot hatch took the FWD record (before it had even been revealed) in April 2019. The model owes its celebrity status to a 130kg weight reduction, aerodynamic tweaks and reworked axle components over the 'standard' model on which it is based. 

2 – 2017 Honda Civic Type R - 7:43.80

Honda snatched the front-drive Nürburgring lap record back from the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S less than a year since the German opposition took it from the previous-generation Civic Type R. It's got 316bhp – 10bhp more than both the Golf and the previous-generation Civic Type R.

3 – Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S - 7:47.19

Volkswagen's Golf GTI Clubsport S broke the lap record twice – first setting a time of 7:49.21 in May 2016, then in December, when it shaved more than two seconds from its previous lap time. Both lap records were set by VW test driver Benny Leuchter.

4 – 2015-2016 Honda Civic Type R - 7:50.63

The previous-generation Honda Civic Type R also held a front-wheel-drive Nürburgring lap record, after snatching the title in 2015 from the Renault Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R. It was first announced at the Geneva motor show in 2015. 

5 – Renault Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R - 7:54.36

Renault took the record from Seat back in 2014, with the snappily named Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R.

Four-wheel drive Nürburgring lap records

1 - Lamborghini Aventador SVJ - 6:44:97

Lamborghini proved you don't need an electric powertrain with instant torque delivery to break records. The naturally aspirated Aventador SVJ achieved a blistering time of 6:44:97, thanks to some clever aero upgrades evolved from the Huracan Performante.

2 - Nio EP9 - 6:45.90

When it claimed the electric record, the Nio EP9 also earned first place overall in the all-wheel drive leaderboard, after having previously been sandwiched between the Lamborghini Aventador SV and Nissan GT-R Nismo in fourth place - but now settles for the silver medal in light of the SVJ's record-smashing time. Four inboard electric motors power all four wheels, and the car's total power output is 1360bhp. Only bespoke tyres used for the attempt kept it off the production car leaderboards, where it would otherwise sit in second place.

3 - Lamborghini Huracan Performante - 6:52.01

It might not have taken the overall road car record of the 'Ring, but the Huracán Performante took the crown as all-wheel drive 'Ring record holder before the Nio EP9's second attempt, and is more than 50 seconds ahead of the Civic Type R's front-wheel drive record. It's now third overall in the four-wheel drive category.

4 - Porsche 918 Spyder - 6:57.00

After nearly five years, the Porsche 918 Spyder's reign as all-wheel-drive Nürburgring champ came to an end, before it was bumped down again by the EP9, and then two Lamborghinis. It first set the record in 2012, wearing nothing more extreme than its track-friendly 'Weissach package' and a set of road tyres.

5 - Lamborghini Aventador SV - 6:59.73

The Aventador SV actually reached a much higher top speed on its 'Ring run than its little brother, the Lamborghini Huracán Performante; reaching 202mph where the Huracán only managed 188, but the smaller car's added agility ultimately grabbed it the title.

Rear-wheel drive Nürburgring lap records

1 - Porsche 911 GT2 RS - 6:47.30

2 - Radical SR8LM - 6:48.28

Whether or not it counts as a production car or not given the question mark over its UK single-vehicle approval, there's no doubt the Radical's blistering time is impressive. That power is only being sent to the rear wheels makes it all the more so.

3 - Radical SR8 - 6:55.00

In fact, Radical has two cars in the rear drive top 5, the other being the SR8. 

4 - Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991.2) - 6:56:04

Porsche's old-school approach to record-setting saw few tweaks required to the GT3 RS, with only a racing bucket seat and harness chosen from the options list along with the weight-saving Weissach pack.

5 - Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro - 7:04:6

It may not pack any more power than the standard model, but stiffer suspension and a downforce-enhancing bodykit help the Pro to lap the Nordschleife more than six seconds quicker. 

Electric Nürburgring lap records

1 - Volkswagen ID R - 6:05:336

Volkswagen's purpose-built ID R racer followed up a historic victory at Pikes Peak by becoming the fastest electric car ever to lap The Green Hell. Driver Romain Dumas took the heavily modified single-seater around the 'Ring 40 seconds quicker than the previous record holder, and blitzed the historical record set by Porsche's Stefan Bellof in the process. 

2 - Nio EP9 - 6:45.90

Nio's EP9 stormed into the history books when the electric supercar initially took the electric 'Ring record for the second time, smashing its previous time by almost 20 seconds. The company has also showcased a more mass-market friendly SUV concept. We doubt it'll match its supercar sibling's Nürburgring time, mind.

3 - Toyota TMG EV P001 - 7:47.79

It was way back in 2011 when Toyota claimed the 'Ring record with the TMG EV P001, but its record stuck until just a few months ago. The car's 800lb ft certainly helped it attain the title, and what's more, it managed to claim the crown in road-legal tyres. 

4 - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive - 7:56.23

Mercedes' electric blue SLS AMG Electric Drive is hard to miss, and so was its Nürburgring record in 2013; it walked all over the Audi R8 e-tron's lap time, trouncing it by more than 12 seconds. Its 740bhp and 737lb ft certainly gave it the required shove.

5 - Audi R8 e-tron - 8:09.09

The Audi R8 e-tron held first place on the electric 'Ring record chart for almost a year before Mercedes' SLS AMG Electric Drive came along; the R8 set its 8:09.09 time in July 2012. It had around half the power of the Mercedes, at 376bhp, but had less of a torque deficit, producing 605lb ft. 

Fastest ever recorded Nürburgring laps

1 - Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo - 5:19:546

When it derestricted its Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid prototype racer and sent it on a farewell tour of iconic race tracks before pulling out of endurance racing, smashing the all-time fastest lap of the Nordschleife was all Porsche had in mind.

The car was 39kg lighter than its race spec, with radically reworked aerodynamics that improved downforce by 53%. The 2.0-litre V4 hybrid powertrain was tuned to produce 710bhp, with an additional 433bhp coming from an electric motor.

With Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard behind the wheel, the 919 Evo proceded to obliterate the all-time lap record, first setting a 5:24:375 in practice and then a 5:19:546 in an official run.