Automotive

AMG GT R hot lap topples Nürburgring lap record

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Mercedes has set a new record for rear-drive cars at the Nordschleife
The AMG GT R makes its way around the Nordschleife
Mercedes has set a new record for rear-drive cars at the Nordschleife
The GT R was developed at the Nurburgring
The AMG GT R makes its way around the Nurburgring
The V8 in the AMG GT R is twin-turbocharged
The grille on the AMG GT R is called a Panamerica design
AMG puts the GT R to the test in the wind tunnel
The GT R made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier in 2016
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The Nürburgring Nordschleife has become the ultimate test bed for anyone who wants to prove their sports car is the real deal. Records around the 20.8 km (12.9 mi) stretch of German tarmac have started tumbling with alarming regularity recently, most notably among a new breed of hyper-hatch. Now, Mercedes has set a new rear-drive record for production cars with the AMG GT R.

Like so many of the new record holders around the Nurburgring, the AMG GT R was designed with a real focus on clocking out an seriously impressive lap. It was launched at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year, but much of its testing and development was carried out at – you guessed it – the famous German racetrack.

That development drove Mercedes to fit a new rear-wheel steering system, which turns in the opposite direction to the front wheels at low speed, and in the same direction at higher speeds for a greater sense of stability. A special race-inspired traction control system with nine different settings also features, and active underbody aerodynamics help shove it into the road even harder than before.

The end result is a car that lapped the Nordschleife in a scarcely believable 7:10.9 seconds, making it the sixth-fastest production car ever to clock a timed-lap. It's the quickest time from a rear-drive production car, too, comfortably usurping significantly more expensive cars like the Lexus LF-A and Ferrari 488 GTB.

As always, debate is likely to rage around the spec of the car that set the record lap. Every time someone sets a new record, naysayers (and the recently-usurped company) come out and argue the car was fitted with super-sticky tires, or running more power than stock. In this case, Mercedes has turned to sport auto for backup. The lap was filmed by the German magazine, which says no slicks or cut-slicks were used.

You can check out the record lap in the video below.

Source: Daimler

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7 comments
Nairda
At high speed, by turning the rear tires in to the turn it pulls the car into bends, resisting the tendency to over steer. This is something obvious when you think on it but I've never seen it actually applied
ripshin
That was one of the best sounding engines I've ever heard. Great job Mercedes. Respect!
rip
Bob
Is this really a production car with steerable front and rear wheels or just a one off experimental one?
Grunchy
1990's vintage Dodge Stealth / Mitsubishi 3000 GT had 4 wheel steering. Same as Bigfoot monster truck!
Dan Parker
That engine sounded like it was barely breathing hard.
MQ
@Nairda. Lots of cars have passive rear wheel steering, the multilink etc. can be set up so that toe at each rear corner is altered with body roll. For cars with significant aerodynamic down force it can be set up to be speed sensitive (or bump sensitive). Active 4 wheel steer as already commented is nothing new, though it does add another "dimension" (or 4) to the stability control algorithm, just as with electric cars the ability to use a negative torque input (commonly used in industrial processes such as rolling mills where brakes don't provide the degree of control - QC of thickness produced- that a "tensioning"/backing/reversing motor can) can alter the dynamics massively.
One thing to note is that by steering and powering a car by the rear wheels additional traction force is generated (in a different direction) thereby increasing the tendency towards "loss of traction"/oversteer at lower g-forces (if done poorly). There's no free lunch in engineering, just optimise and compromise, that's the only promise you get in the real world.
KaiserPingo
Whats that black car overtaking ? Without that, timing might have been even better.