Porsche 918 smashes Nurburgring record

Fresh from its reveal on the eve of today’s Frankfurt motor show, Porsche claims the all-new 918 Spyder has become the first homologated road car to lap the 20.6km Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than seven minutes.

Porsche says the plug-in hybrid hypercar’s 6:57 lap time -- a whole 14 seconds better than the previous production car record, which stood for four years – was broken in its first attempt on the morning of September 4, with Porsche factory driver Marc Lieb at the wheel.

In fact, three 918 drivers went under the previous record of 7:11, with former European rally champion Walter Röhrl and Porsche test driver Timo Kluck also dipping under the seven-minute mark “on numerous occasions” in two different 918 Spyders.

Lieb’s 6:57 lap time equated to an average speed of 179.5 km/h, as measured by independent organisation Wige Solutions, with editor-in-chief of sportscar magazine Sport Auto, Marcus Schurig, on hand as an objective observer of the record-breaking runs.

Both of the 652kW 918 Spyders were equipped with the optional Weissach package and fitted with standard Michelin tyres developed specifically for the ground-breaking new model.

"We promised a great deal with the 918 Spyder, namely to redefine driving pleasure, efficiency and performance. We have kept our word,” said Wolfgang Hatz, member of the Porsche AG Board of Management in charge of Research and Development.

The 918's sub-7:00 time easily betters that of the Gumpert Apollo Sport (7:11.57), Dodge Viper ACR (7:12.13) and Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition (7:14.64), not to mention the Nissan GT-R (7:24.22) and the 918's spiritual predecessor, Porsche's Carrera GT, which posted 7:28 at the hands of Walter Rohrl in 2004.