Renault deserves all the credit in the world with its stunning 8:07.97 lap time on the Nurburgring, giving it the FWD record and besting some seriously impressive machines such as Audi’s RS4 and BMW’s E46 M3. So it’s without a doubt that we have to share a video of the record setting run from the cockpit.

Watching driver Laurent Hurgon meticulously pilot the sports car through Nurburgring’s rigorous track while pushing the limits on the Megane RS 265 Trophy’s tires is really a treat. It’s a shame North America will never be able to get behind the wheels of one of these machines anytime soon, much like Ford’s Focus RS.

Check out the video after the jump:

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To showcase just how much a few small changes can mean, Chevrolet took the updated 2012 Corvette ZR1 to the Nurburgring, knocking 6 seconds off the car’s previous best time set back in 2008. The new 7:19.63 lap time was set by Corvette engineer Jim Mero and is a solid three seconds off the Viper ACR’s best, but its just shy of the production car record set by the Porsche GT2 RS at 7:18. (Faster lap times do exist by a Radical and the Gumpert Apollo, but it’s not hard to argue that those cars aren’t true production models).

Corvette credits much of the car’s added performance to its new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure tires, which provided an 8 percent gain in lateral acceleration, as well as improved braking. The new tires are available on the flagship 638-hp ZR1 as well as on the 505-hp Z06.

Watch the video after the jump:

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The venerable MINI Cooper has served in almost every form of motorsport possible—rallying, Dakar, racetrack underdog, drag racing, tractor pulls, and setting land speed records. Now, it gets a chance to prove itself at the Nürburgring at its legendary 24-hour endurance race.

On June 25th, MINI Motorsports and three privateer MINI teams will tackle 24 hours’ worth of the Nürburgring with 200 other competitors. MINI has never entered an endurance event prior to this, and as if surviving the ‘Ring’s 14+ miles wasn’t hard enough, teams will have to contend with changing weather, exhaustion, insomnia-induced hallucination, and other racing foibles and mishaps guaranteed to put hair on any race car’s chest.

No idea what car MINI plans to enter in the event—the photo shows the faint outline of a Cooper. And in typical MINI stiff-upper-lip fashion, the entire thing is known as “The Green Hell Adventure.” Good luck, MINI. May they fare better against the Germans than they did at Arnhem.

[Source: Motoringfile]

Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage Zagato race car will be heading to the infamous Nüburgring this weekend for a warm up race as the works team prepares for the 24 hour endurance event on the 25-26 June.

The 51st ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen VLN5 four-hour race will be used as a test session to evaluate the race car’s setup as well as familiarize the drivers with the course. It also marks the first time that both V12 Zagato race cars will have run together in competition.

For this coming weekend’s event, the first of the two cars will be driven by Aston’s CEO Dr. Ulrich Betz, who will be joined by the company’s Nürburgring Test Centre Director, Wolfgang Schuhbauer and experienced amateur racer Peter Cate.

Meanwhile, the second Zagato racer will be piloted by One-77 Engineer Chris Porritt, sports car driver Oliver Mathai and Auto Journalist Richard Meaden.

The 51^st ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen VLN5 four-hour race will begin at 12 noon Central European Time (6.00 am Eastern Standard Time) on Saturday 11^th June and live updates of the Aston Martin team’s progress will available by following the company’s official Twitter feed – @astonmartin.

The RSRNurburg school runs a fleet of brand new Lotus cars at the Nurburgring and Spa-Francorchamps for those feeling the need for speed. Based out of Nurburg, Germany, the company allows drivers to sample a new Lotus Exige S’s and track the car on both the Nuburgring in Germany and the Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

As well as the two track sessions, beautiful twisty turny roads have been selected so the driver gets to experience both road and track. The tour is ended by passing the secret factory workshops of Porshce, Ferrari and Aston Martin. RSRNurburg will teach the driver high speed driving techniques, correst use of the controls, the racing line and the best use of different variations through the convoy training system and finding the importance of balance.

Prices vary from  €249 which includes fuel and insurance for a half day package to €1495 per driver for a full day of racing at the Nurburgring racetrack.

[Source: The Lotus Forums]

When the Nürburgring Nordschleife was built in 1927, the good folks of the ADAC—who were there to promote Socialist Teutonic goodness, eventually—hadn’t expected to carve out a 14-mile merchandising empire among the world’s finest carmakers.

Now Renault has given its hot-hatch Megane RS the full-on Nürburgring treatment, and it promises to be a corker, as the British say—because unlike us, they’ll actually have a chance to pick this Megane up. The Nürburgring edition promises to shave even more weight, like the Megane R26.R, or get more power, like the Megane N4, with an increase over the 247 horsepower in the Megane RS…

Or, it might just come with a serially numbered badge and a few Nürburgring stickers. Either way, fans of fast French hatches have no shortage of choice.

Click the jump to see a video of it in action.

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A McLaren MP4-12C was involved in a severe crash at the Nurburgring race track in Germany, prompting speculation that the car was attempting to record a lap time on the famed circuit before the first cars were delivered to customers.

Reports  from Evo magazine state that the MP4-12C was travelling extremely fast around the track before the incident, and squealing tires and the sound of an impact could be heard at one point. A covered truck then apparently collected the damaged McLaren. Meanwhile, Evo spoke to a McLaren representative claimed that there was no attempted made at setting a lap time, stating ‘The run came as part of the development program. The car was out there completing laps as part of ongoing tests and wasn’t trying to set a benchmark time. At this point we’re not trying to set lap times but we’re confident that the car will be very fast around the Nürburgring when the time comes.”

The representative later claimed that the car would be analyzed at the McLaren Technical Centre in England, and that it was not a production-spec vehicle.

[Source: Evo]

When Peugeot first unveiled the EX1 to the world, we all knew it would be one awesome electric car. Its sleek and futuristic design clearly screams race-inspired and now Peugeot has put it on the track just to prove how awesome it is.

Living up to expectations the EX1 has set the record lap time for an electric car on the Nurburgring with a time of 9 minutes and 1.338 seconds. The vehicle averaged an impressive 85.9-mph on the 12 mile course.

To put it all into perspective, the EX1 shattered the former electric car record by over 50 seconds. Its time also puts it on par with a Chevrolet Cobalt SS Turbo and slightly quicker than a Ford Focus RS. There’s no doubting how rigorous of a test the Nurburgring is on a car and for Peugeot’s EX1 to turn in such an impressive time proves that future electric cars may not be as boring as we all think.

GALLERY: Peugeot EX1 Electric Car Concept

[Source: Worldcarfans]

Despite the stupid April Fool’s prank involving the BMW M3 Pickup, this announcement is not a joke. BMW is bringing a lightweight version of their M3 sedan to the M Festival, an event to be held at the Nurburgring 24 Hours race in late 2011.

Positioned as a stopgap between the standard M3 and the hardcore M3 GTS, the chassis, brakes and exhaust have all been upgraded, but power output should remain similar to the standard car. BMW hasn’t announced how much weight has been stripped out either, and we’re curious to see just how spartan the interior has gotten in the quest to add lightness.

[Source: Autoblog]

James Glickenhaus took his custom made P4/5 Competizione to the Nurburgring ahead of its first race there at the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Driver Mika Salo was able to get ample seat time in the hand-built racer, but co-driver Luca Cappellari was limited to a single lap after a red flag came out for unidentified reasons.

Fortunately, there was plenty of video shot during the session, and no less than 4 clips have surfaced online, and we have them all after the jump.

[Source: P4/5 Competizione]

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Subaru will be represented by Subaru Tecnica International (STI) at this year’s 24-hour of Nurburgring race. Rolling in their new and improved 2011 WRX STI “ts”, the STI team has been very busy testing and tuning in order to compete in the SP3t class. Most recently the STI NBR Challenge 2011, the nickname for the race car, did some testing out at Fuji Speedway.

The car will be powered by a 2.0 Boxer DOHC with a twin scroll turbo pushing out 335-hp and 340 ft-lbs of torque. It’ll be mated to a 6-speed transmission with a front, center and rear LSD. Suspension will be handled by Bilstein while it’ll race on Dunlop tires wrapped around BBS wheels.

Obviously a huge collection of STI products will be on the race car, from clutch and flywheel to trunk spoiler and drive shaft.

Official press release available after the break.

GALLERY: STI NBR Challenge 2011

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After Nissan announced last Fall that it had shaved over two seconds a lap off its Nurburgring lap time, video of the run has now found its way onto the net.

The added power (530-hp in total), as well as numerous upgrades for the 2012 model allowed Nissan to shave 2.48 seconds off the previous time for a 7:24.22 lap.

As Nissan continues to upgrade the GT-R, however, rivals have stepped up their game as well, and the GT-R is still two seconds off the Viper ACR, and six seconds off the Porsche GT2 RS.

See the video after the jump:

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The excited hoardes of car-geeks who drooled over a prototype BMW M3 pickup, spied lapping the Nurburgring, will have to steel themselves for more disappointment, as Road & Track magazine confirmed that this car will not be entering production.

“BMW M did indeed create the pick-up seen on the ’Ring, but it was just an internal project, not something that is in development,” Dave Buchko, BMW’s Advanced Powertrain & Heritage Communications Manager, said to R&T. “There are no plans to produce it.”

Aside from the sheer novelty of it, is there any reason to really lust after an M3 pick-up? The sedan, coupe and convertible provide a good range of bodystyles, and frankly, the only people that would be interest in an M3 pickup wouldn’t have the funds to purchase one.

[Source: Road & Track]

Volkswagen just made the famed Nurburgring 24 hour race even more exciting by announcing their Golf24 touring car will compete at the historic endurance event this year.

Along with some seriously aggressive aerodynamics and a much wider track, the Golf24 touring car is powered by a modified 2.5L five-cylinder turbocharged engine that pushes out 398 ft-lbs of torque in addition to its 434-hp. The power plant is combined with a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters.

“With the new Golf24 we are continuing our successful commitment at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. [The race] represents a very big technical challenge…[and] we want to provide an additional highlight in front of a large audience – right in time for the 35th anniversary of the GTI,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen.

The Nurburgring 24 Hour race takes place June 25-26th.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Golf24 Touring Car

[Source: Worldcarfans]

You’ve seen them on TV, and perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to see them up close in person – or even drive one one of them. And now you can bring your favorite racing circuits into your home with Race Tracks of the World.

These works of art can be hung on your walls and are made from high quality Baltic birch plywood and matte black Formica. Cut by a CNC machine for a precise design, they boast smooth edges and all the curves, turns and straightaways are exactly where they’re supposed to be. Race Tracks of the World measure in at around 36” (depending on the track shape) and they even come with a simple mounting process that doesn’t require nails or hooks.

You can pick from almost every track around the world – including better-known circuits like Monaco, Laguna Seca and Nurburgring – and hang them individually or create a wall of track art. Prices for the Race Tracks range from $200-$220, and you can order yours here.

[Source: Uncrate]

It’s not every day that you get to see a bespoke Ferrari emerge through the design process, but 2011′s Baller Of The Year James Glickenhaus (we just awarded him that title on the spot) has been kind enough to share photos of his custom made Ferrari race car with the interior, in what might be the most expensive “build thread” ever.

The latest batch of pictures show the car’s carbon fiber structure essentially complete, with some chassis components sitting in boxes, although the front brake rotors appear to be attached. With many of the car’s components coming from a cannibalized F430 Scuderia, this one-off should be a fearsome competitor when it takes on the 24 Hours of Nurburgring sometime next year.

Gallery: P 4/5 Competizione

Subaru Impreza STI

The other star of the Subaru booth is decidedly less ostentatious than Travis Pastrana’s hillclimb special, but has an equally impressive motorsports pedigree.

This STi was driven by legendary rally driver Tommi Makinen, who set a production sedan record of 7:55 around Germany’s famed Nurburgring course. While not everyone agrees that Nurburgring times matter all that much, it’s nice to see a bit of Subaru history brought to SEMA.

Gallery: Subaru Impreza STI Nurburgring

Aston Martin‘s most opulent supercar, the $1.7 million One-77 was spotted doing laps of the Nurburgring recently, and the V12 shriek should be enough to move all 77 units directly to the garages of the UAE.

For whatever reason, 22 units are still unsold, so you can still pick one up even if you’re not royalty. For the rest of you plebes, hit the jump to check out the One-77 lapping the Nurburgring.

[Source: AxisAC]

Hit the jump to watch the video

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Oh Nürburgring, how we love thee. Every performance car looks to tackle the famed course in order to prove its real world prowess but sometimes its easy to for drivers to get in over their heads in such high performance machines – on such a terrifying course. And that’s just what happened to the driver of this Lotus 2-Eleven.

Thankfully no one was hurt in this accident, but we have to admit, it’s painful to watch. Unfortunately the driver pushed it just a tad too far, losing control of the 2-Eleven at one of many corners on the Nürburgring where many accidents occur. The moment of impact and what happens to the Lotus quickly afterwards is gutwrenching, but it’s amazing how difficult it is for us to look away. And again, no one was hurt… we’re not really sadistic.

For those not familiar with the car, the 2-Eleven sports 252-hp with a weight of just 1,477 lbs. In other words, it’s more like a go-kart than car when it comes to pushing through the turns.

Watch the video after the break, but make sure you’re on an empty stomach!

And be sure to read AutoGuide’s Lotus 2-Eleven Review by Clicking Here

[Source: GTSpirit]

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Ferrari has announced a virtual racing simulator, titled Ferrari Virtual Academy, that allows any enthusiast to discover what it’s like behind the wheel of a Ferrari F10 single-seat F1 car. And apparently it’s the only PC simulator to do this. Best of all, it’s available for a really cheap price, $19. That gets you access to the Fiorano Circuit. And for another $12.75 you can get access to the Mugello and Nürburgring circuits.

And while we could sit here all day and bore you with the features of the racing simulator, and how 12,000 hours of development time from 15 experts makes it so unique, we wanted to share one cooler aspect of the virtual academy. Every racer that purchases the simulator and indulges themselves in being an aspiring F1 driver are able to record their best lap times online. An international tournament awards the highest-ranked virtual drivers with all sorts of awesome Ferrari prizes weekly. And at the end of it all, the top five ranked drivers win a trip to Maranello, passing through the gates of Fiorano and taking part in an exclusive Ferrari Driver Academy course (with driving instructors of course).

So obviously they have a lot of faith into the technology put into this simulator in making it as realistic as possible. To think that five totally random people that spend a ton of time in the simulator can actually win their way behind the wheel of a Ferrari is pretty impressive. So spare yourself a few of those Big Macs and get yourself behind the wheel of the Ferrari Virtual Academy. Maybe we’ll see you in Maranello.

GALLERY: Ferrari Virtual Academy

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Cadillac has just released its new ‘Competition’ commercial highlighting the brand’s performance side with the CTS-V sedan blasting along Germany’s famed Nürburgring. But more than that, the new spot recognizes where its inspiration came from and where the brand is heading.

Rather than talk about old Caddys, Cadillac directly states that the CTS-V’s was born from the BMW M5 and the Mercedes E63 and a desire to best those two models. This Cadillac achieved, setting a Nürburgring record for a sedan of 7:59 seconds.

The ad then goes on to state that as a brand Cadillac doesn’t see its “world’s fastest production sedan” record as “something to cherish, but rather a starting line from which to keep pushing.” And if the CTS-V is just the start, we can’t wait to see what they’ll do to top it.

Read AutoGuide’s Cadillac CTS-V Sedan Review by Clicking Here

Read AutoGuide’s Cadillac CTS-V Coupe Review by Clicking Here

Check out the video after the jump:

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Cadillac‘s record-setting 7:59 lap of the Nurburgring was set 2 years ago, but that’s not stopping Cadillac from belatedly celebrating by filming a commercial that gives viewers a taste of what it’s like to lap the ‘Ring at a fast pace.

The ad is being filmed at the ‘Ring with a bevy of pro, drivers, camera cars and fastidious auto detailers. The creative genius behind the ad is none other than Jeff Zwart, film director by day, Pikes Peak racer by night. Zwart recently won his class at Pikes Peak, and if anyone can fuse visual arts with driving, he should be it.

The ad isn’t out yet, but Cadillac’s got a behind the scenes video on the web. Check it out after the jump.

[Source: Cadillac]

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German automotive publication Sport Auto has finally gotten their hands on a new BMW M3 GTS, taking it to the Nürburgring to see how it stacks up as a serious sports car. For those not familiar with Sport Auto, they take almost every car to the Ring, where former race car driver turned magazine editor Horst von Saurma runs it through its paces.

And the lap time achieved by von Saurma is an incredible 7:48. For those keeping track, that’s a huge 17 seconds faster than the standard BMW M3. Most certainly a few seconds of the 17 are made up thanks to the GTS’s cup tires.

What’s possibly more shocking, however, is that if you look back to the previous generation E46 M3 CSL, that car managed a 7:50 time – which until now made it the fastest production BMW. And as rare and pricey as the CSL was, it’s nowhere near the $170,000 asking price for the M3 GTS.

GALLERY: BMW M3 GTS

[Source: SportAuto via Bimmerfile]

Automotive News, not generally known for its “enthusiast content” published a blog about Germany’s famed 13-mile Nurburgring race track, and how car companies are touting their ‘Ring times more and more in their advertising campaigns. We can’t help but wonder how many cars will be sold on that basis, and whether it’s worth paying attention to Nurburgring lap times anymore.

Hit the jump for more

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