Nordschleife
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VW's electric ID.R racer smashed a Nürburgring efficiency record
VW's ID.R wasn't just running laps around the Nürburgring in June to set electric performance records. The automaker has confirmed that the EV also set an efficiency record while blasting through the Nordschliefe, using 24.7kWh to complete a lap in 6 minutes and 5.34 seconds. The car was not only faster around the circuit than a Porsche 911 GT3, according to VW, but used a quarter of the energy. While that's not a figure you'd brag about to your fellow car enthusiasts, it could make a compelling case for EV racing going forward.
Hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder beats Nordschleife track record by miles (actually, 14 seconds)
Porsche's hybrid 918 Spyder did double duty this week, making its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show and setting a world record at Nürburgring's grueling Nordschleife circuit. Stuttgart's pride burned around the North Loop at an average of 112MPH to finish the circuit in 6:57, a full 14 seconds faster than the previous record holder: the gas-burning Dodge Viper ACR. Check out the video after the break and you'll discover that this Spyder is throaty -- especially compared to those purely electric (and rather screechy) Formula E racers.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive breaks Nurburgring EV lap record
There's no question that the SLS AMG Electric Drive is faster than most EVs. However, Mercedes-Benz wants to prove that the car is fast in any category -- and it just broke a Nurburgring record to underscore its point. Merc's 751HP clean machine recently ripped through the track's Nordschleife section in 7 minutes and 56 seconds, beating a production EV record set last year by Audi's R8 E-tron. While that lap time won't rival the absolute EV record, let alone those of faster conventional cars, it puts the electric SLS firmly ahead of its peers. That may be all that matters for buyers picking up their cars this month: when you've dropped half a million dollars on a new ride, some bragging rights are in order. Video of the run awaits after the break.
