A Formula engine under the hood and sophisticated hybrid tech enabled the AMG One to beat the previous North Loop champion – the Porsche 911 GT2 RS – by 8.5 seconds.
Piloted by DTM racing driver Maro Engel, the hypercar completed the full 20.8-kilometer lap in 6 minutes 35 seconds 183 milliseconds. The previous record of 6:43.3 had been held by a 911 GT2 RS lightly modified by Manthey Racing.
The manufacturer claims that the result could have been even better if it were not for the weather and the time restrictions. The track was reportedly wet and dirty in places, and Mercedes was only able to book a time in the evening – the car crossed the finish line a minute before the track was closed for the day.
The AMG One has a rated top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph), and it was actually able to reach 338 km/h (210 mph) at a straight section of the track.
Several other companies are still determined to set a new best time at the Nürburgring. The list includes Aston Martin with their Valkyrie hypercar and the resurrected French car brand Delage with the D12 model rated at 1,115 PS (1,100 hp / 820 kW). Keep in mind that these are all actual production cars competing in the corresponding category. The absolute North Loop champion among non-production cars is a Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo racer with a lap time of 5 minutes 19.5 seconds.