Category: Speed

The updated 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 unveiled earlier this month may be the last time Porsche’s track star is offered without turbocharging or hybrid technology. In an interview with Autocar published on Tuesday, Andreas Preuninger, Porsche’s head of development for GT-badged cars, said stricter Euro 7 emissions regulations planned by the European…

• A Xiaomi SU7 Ultra completed a lap of the Nurburgring Nordschleife quicker than the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
• The record-breaking vehicle is a stripped-out prototype with a carbon fiber body, so it’s lighter and quicker than the production version.

Xiaomi clearly wants its SU7 electric performance sedan to rival the Porsche Taycan. There is certainly a lot of Porsche in its design, right down to the font used for the “Ultra” text on the car, which looks very similar to the one Porsche uses to write “Turbo.” Now, the Chinese newcomer has taken a stripped-out SU7 Ultra prototype to the Nurburgring Nordschleife, where it put down a quicker time than the quickest Taycan, the Turbo GT, with the optional Weissach package.

Update Friday, Nov. 1: After this story ran, a Porsche Cars North America spokesperson pointed out that this Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype and the Taycan Turbo GT completed their Nürburgring laps in different classes. So while the Xiaomi was quicker, it’s not as apples-to-apples as many initial stories implied. Our original story follows below. 

Yesterday, on October 28, the SU7 Ultra prototype managed to complete a lap of the famed circuit that measures 12.9 miles (20.8 kilometers) in 6:46.874, which is quite a bit quicker than the Porsche’s 7:07.55 time. What makes it even more impressive is the fact that the SU7 lost power for 12 seconds during the record run and was still able to complete the lap ahead.

[embedded content]

The SU7 Ultra is powered by three electric motors, with one powering each of the rear wheels and another sending its power to the front axle. It has a combined output of 1,548 horsepower and it can accelerate to 62 mph (100 km/h) in under 2 seconds and to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 5.98 seconds. Its top speed is 217 mph (350 km/h).

With these numbers, it’s faster and more powerful than any other sedan in the world (electric or otherwise), beating the Lucid Air Sapphire’s 1,234 hp, the Tesla Model S Plaid’s 1,020 hp or the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT’s 1,092 hp.

Now, it’s worth noting that even though Xiaomi brands the SU7 Ultra as a road-legal vehicle, the car they used for the record run appears to have a fully stripped-out interior and roll cage. This means it’s lighter and stiffer than the actual roadgoing model, which will be slightly slower around a track. Manufacturers are known to do this when they set out to break Nurburgring records, so it’s no surprise that Xiaomi’s record breaker is tweaked to get the most possible out of it.

Earlier this month, Xiaomi opened pre-orders for the SU7 Ultra, which costs 800,000 yuan ($112,500) in China. One of the big changes between the record-breaking prototype and the actual production model (expected to be revealed next year) is that it won’t feature the former’s full carbon fiber body, so it will be slightly heavier as a result. Having a full interior will drive the weight up further, so it will be much closer to the Taycan Turbo GT in terms of lap times.

What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Kia Telluride? What does it compare to? Kia’s Telluride is a well-equipped, value-oriented crossover SUV with three seating rows. Its cousin, the Hyundai Palisade, is its closest competitor, though other rivals include the Subaru Ascent, Ford Explorer, Volkswagen Atlas, and Nissan Pathfinder. Is the 2025 Kia…

Plymouth GTX Electromod concept to debut at 2024 SEMA show Concept features electric crate motor rated at 335 hp Electric motor borrowed from 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV The crate engines offered via Stellantis’ Mopar division are some of the best in the business, but in the near future buyers will likely have the additional option of an…

I’m in the driver’s seat of the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO—the off-road-focused flagship of the Ram lineup—in the dirt, and being invited to get as sideways as I feel comfortable with. Further, I’m feeling stoked to be sampling its signature Baja drive mode on a course that Stellantis engineers say really showcases this…

Brabus Rocket GTS shooting brake is based AMG SL 63 S E Performance Plug-in hybrid powertrain delivers 986 hp and 1,195 lb-ft of torque Production limited to 25 units Brabus is a German tuning company known for its powerful yet conservatively styled builds. Every now and then, though, the company takes a trip on the wild side, and this time one of…

What kind of car is the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5? What does it compare to? Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 is a small hatchback EV with value baseline pricing. Rivals include the VW ID.4, Tesla Model Y, and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Is the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 a good car? Yes. This Hyundai is one of the better options in its segment, with peppy performance…

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz won the 2024 Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix McLaren leads the Constructors’ Champion Reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing leads the Drivers’ Championship Just a week on from its win at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Ferrari has followed up with another win at this past weekend’s Mexican Grand…

A 2006 Ferrari 248 F1 race car is headed to auction Michael Schumacher drove the F1 car before his temporary retirement An F1 car previously driven by Schumacher sold for $14.8M in 2022. Michael Schumacher remains one of Formula 1’s most successful drivers, with most of that success coming in a dominant era with Ferrari in the early 2000s. The car…

What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Ford Super Duty F-250? What does it compare to? The F-Series Super Duty lineup of full-size heavy-duty trucks compares well with the Ram Heavy Duty, Chevrolet Silverado HD, and GMC Sierra HD. Is the 2025 Ford Super Duty F-250 a good truck? If you actually need its capability, the Ford Super Duty lineup delivers…