The Nürburgring (Nordschleife) track, built in the 1920s, has 12.944 miles, a gradient of 300 m, and 73 corners. Nicknamed the "Green Hell,” the track tasks both driver and vehicle with the burden of overcoming tricky corners, treacherous gradients, and different road surfaces. Apart from races, it is used extensively to test the integrity of cars, and lap times are accepted measures of performance.
Vehicles of different categories, SUVs included, all make the pilgrimage to the Nürburgring for various tests or simply to set records. Despite their height and weight, SUVs are now in a constant battle for the fastest in their category. Defying the laws of physics, they unleash their considerable fury on the track and set up records that would make many sports cars envious. Come with us for a ride with the fastest SUVs around the Nürburgring and their impressive lap times.
10 Porsche Macan: 8:27
Like the jungle cat it is named after, the Macan (Indonesian for tiger) is sleek and powerful. And like its bigger sister, the Cayenne, the Macan offers the performance and thrilling ride characteristics of sports cars while retaining the practicality of SUVs.
Power is provided by a 3.6-liter 400 hp V6 that sends it to 60 mph in 4.2s and a top speed of 164 mph. With such numbers and its car-like qualities, the Macan can tempt daddies into moonlighting as street racers.
9 2015 BMW X6M: 8:20
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Since, unlike other SUVs, the X6M doesn't offer much utility, maybe we should just focus on the sporty side of things. The X6M relies on a twin-turbo V8 engine that displaces 4 liters to produce 567 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque for track conquering speeds.
Paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, it sends the 5202 pounds X6M to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. Exploiting the wild acceleration and a top speed of 160 mph, Horst Von Saurma could ride the X6M to Nurburgring prominence.
8 2015 Range Rover Sport SVR: 8:14
Whenever the name "Range Rover" is mentioned, what comes to everyone's mind quickly is the luxury interior and its legendary off-road capabilities. That conception was changed in 2014 when the 2015 Range Rover Sport SVR became the fastest production SUV around the Nurburgring.
For a 5438 pounds beast to move that fast, motivation was gotten from a 5-liter supercharged V8 churning out 550 hp and 502 lb-ft of twist. The 2015 SVR makes the 0-60 mph run in 4.3 seconds and clears the quarter-mile in 12.8 seconds.
7 2013 Porsche Cayenne Turbo(958): 8:13
You won't be off the mark if you describe the 2013 Porsche Cayenne Turbo (958) as a practical sports car for the family. It hauls five passengers comfortably with their gear, tows 5000 pounds, and has speed that many sports sedans would envy.
A 4.8-liter turbocharged V8 cranking provides 500 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque to hurl it from 0-62 mph in 4.7s. During a test in 2012, the Cayenne Turbo (958) joined the elites of the Nurburgring track with its time of 8:13.
6 2016 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S: 7:59
Backed up by a 570 hp powerplant Walter Röhrl made Nurburgring history once again at the wheels of a Porsche. This time, the 2016 Cayenne Turbo S became the first production SUV to complete the lap in less than 8 minutes.
An incredible feat, but not surprising though, since the big SUV sprints to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and has a maximum speed of 176 mph. Porsche uses composite ceramic brakes supported by several high-tech driver-assist features to keep the rampaging beast under control.
5 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: 7:51
Outwardly, the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio may be an SUV, but it is an SUV that can outrun many sports cars. This was proven in 2017 when Fabio Francia piloted the 2018 Stelvio straight into the history books by breaking the record for the fastest production SUV.
Thanks to the 505 hp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 under its hood, it was able to shave a good 8 seconds off the previous record time. Paired with a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission, it hurls the Stelvio to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.
4 2019 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S: 7:49
The 2019 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S secured its spot on the list with the efforts of Markus Hofbauer, who steered the SUV for the record-breaking lap in 2018. In a display of superior engineering, it was able to edge past the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio to become the fastest SUV at the Nurburgring.
This motivation comes from the 503 hp 4-liter twin-turbo V8 mill mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Apart from its unbelievable speed, the 2019 GLC 63 S also boasts a full complement of bells and whistles.
3 Lamborghini Urus: 7:47
The Lamborghini Urus is a high-performance cocktail of quality German engineering and Italian design based on the Volkswagen MLB Evo platform. Power is supplied by a Volkswagen sourced 4-liter twin-turbo V8, producing a whopping 641 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque.
An 8-speed automatic transmission sends the power to the four wheels to blast the Urus from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Phenomenal speed and exceptional handling kept the Urus on top until the 2020 Audi RS Q8 smashed its record in 2019.
2 2020 Audi RS Q8: 7:42
Before being dislodged by its corporate cousin (the 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT) in June, the 2020 Audi RS Q8 was the fastest SUV around the Nurburgring track. This was achieved in September 2019 when Frank Stippler shaved 7 seconds off the previous world record in the Audi.
Under the hood sits a 4-liter twin-turbo V8 powerplant with an output of 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Working through an 8-Speed automatic transmission, it sends the Audi to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds.
1 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT: 7:39
The 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is a superbly crafted machine that achieved a previously impossible feat at the Nürburgring track. On 14th June 2021, with Porsche factory driver, Lars Kern behind the wheel, the new Porsche Cayenne bested the 7:42 lap time of the Audi RS Q8 to become the fastest SUV at Nurburgring.
Powering the 5000 pounds SUV is a twin-turbocharged charged V8 engine producing 631 hp and 626 lb-ft of torque. Pairing the machine with an 8-Speed automatic transmission shoots the Cayenne Turbo GT to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 186 mph.