Ford GT Mk IV Shatters Nürburgring Lap Record By 12 Seconds
Ford GT Mk IV Shatters Nürburgring Lap Record By 12 Seconds...
Ford's limited-edition GT Mk IV hypercar demolished the Nürburgring Nordschleife production car lap record today, completing the 12.9-mile circuit in 6:43.06. The blistering time—12 seconds faster than the previous record—was achieved during final validation testing ahead of the car's 2026 delivery to customers.
The achievement is trending among U.S. automotive enthusiasts as footage of the lap spread across social media this morning. Ford Performance confirmed the record at 9:30 AM EST, with professional driver Lars Kern behind the wheel of the 800-horsepower track-focused variant.
This marks Ford's first Nürburgring production car record since the 2017 GT. The Michigan-based automaker developed the Mk IV specifically for wealthy collectors, with only 67 examples being built at $1.7 million each. All units sold out within hours of announcement last November.
Automotive analysts note the record reinforces America's competitive edge in high-performance engineering. The lap was 3.2 seconds quicker than Porsche's 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar, previously considered the benchmark for road-legal vehicles at the German track.
Ford Performance chief Mark Rushbrook stated: "This proves our bespoke 3.5L EcoBoost V6 can outperform European hybrids twice its price." The achievement comes as U.S. automakers face increasing pressure to demonstrate combustion engine viability amid tightening emissions regulations.
Enthusiast forums and dealerships reported surging interest in Ford Performance vehicles following the news. Several owners of standard Ford GTs have already inquired about upgrade packages to approach the Mk IV's capabilities.
The Nürburgring lap record remains the gold standard for validating supercar performance. Ford's achievement is particularly notable as the Mk IV uses conventional gasoline power rather than hybrid assistance like most recent record-holders.
Final validation testing continues this week before customer deliveries begin in June. Ford confirmed all 67 buyers are U.S.-based, with several being previous Ford GT owners.
