Xiaomi YU7 GT Is The New King Of The Ring; Breaks Nurburgring SUV Record

We live in weird times. Weird because we’re in the era where a smartphone brand is embarrassing performance SUVs from legacy German carmakers in their own backyard, the Green Hell. Xiaomi has claimed the Nurburgring SUV lap record with the upcoming YU7 GT electric SUV, clocking a time of 7 minutes and 34.93 seconds around the Nordschleife, making it 1.76 seconds quicker than the previous benchmark set by the Audi RS Q8.

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At the helm was Xiaomi’s chief test driver Ren Zhoucan, making it the first officially recorded Nurburgring lap time set by a Chinese driver. The timing of the announcement is no coincidence either. Xiaomi has revealed the record just days before the YU7’s global debut, making it a perfect run-up to the global unveil.

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This isn’t Xiaomi’s first fast lap at the ‘Ring either. Its first production-ready EV, the SU7 Ultra sedan, posted a seriously quick 7:04.95 lap time. Before that, an SU7 Ultra pre-production prototype had managed an absurd 6:22.09 run.

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Coming back to the YU7 GT, the record car appears to be heavily track-focused. Onboard footage shows a full roll cage and no rear seats, aimed at shaving weight and improving rigidity. Xiaomi says the SUV was equipped with an optional Track Package, details of which will be revealed during the official unveiling. Under the skin, the YU7 GT is expected to pack a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup producing close to 990hp.

Reports also suggest a claimed top speed of 300kmph and judging by Nurburgring footage showing a GPS-verified 299kmph on the long straight, that number seems entirely believable. Power is likely to come from a 101.7kWh battery pack, with a claimed range of up to 705km under the Chinese CLTC cycle. Real-world figures will obviously be lower, but despite that, it would be impressive.

Also Read: Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Launched In China; Track Package & Nürburgring Limited Edition Introduced

Nurburgring lap records were once dominated by the likes of Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG and Lamborghini. Now, a Chinese EV startup backed by a tech giant is entering that box and winning. And the scary part for traditional performance brands is that tech companies seem to be learning very quickly.