The Ford GT Mk IV Is the Fastest American Car in Nürburgring History
Ford wasn’t joking around this April Fools’ Day.
The Detroit giant just announced that the GT Mk IV circled the Nürburgring’s north loop in 6:15.977 minutes on Wednesday. Not only is that third fastest time posted at the track, but it also makes the track-only supercar the fastest American-made and gas-powered vehicle in its history.
Ford Racing factory driver Frédéric Vervisch was behind the wheel for the GT Mk IV’s record-setting run. The Nordschleife, or the motorsports complex’s norther track, is sometimes known as the “Green Hell” and with good reason. The circuit stretches over 12.9 miles, features 73 officially recognized turns (33 left and 40 right), and over 1,000 feet of elevation changes. To make matters even tougher, weather conditions limited top speed to 193 mph on the day for safety’s sake.
Video posted by both the Nürburgring and Ford shows Vervisch looking relatively unbothered as he guides the vehicle around the notoriously difficult track. “The car is an absolute weapon, a true extension of your will,” said in a statement following the lap. “Every input is met with an immediate, precise response,” Vervisch said in a statement following the lap.”
The GT Mk IV’s time places it only behind the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (5:19.546 minutes) and Volkswagen ID.R (6:05.336 minutes) in Nürburgring history. As anyone who watched the Winter Olympics in February knows, there’s no shame in finishing third. It’s time comfortably beat bested the previous American record of 6:49.275 minutes, which was set by the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X last summer, something Ford was happy to mention in its triumphant press release.
The Ford GT Mk IV circles the Nürburgring Nordschleife
Ford
The Nürburgring views the GT Mk IV—like 919 Hybrid Evo, ID.R, and Corvette ZR1X before it—as a prototype. But unlike those vehicles, which were developed specifically to tackle the Nordschleife, the American speed machine was available for purchase—though it was not street legal. The ultimate version of the second-gen GT is also its most hardcore. Announced at the end of 2022, the supercar features a longer-wheelbase, redesigned body, racing-derived six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and a bespoke 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that makes over 820 hp.
Unsurprisingly, it was also the most expensive second-gen GT, carrying a starting price of $1.7 million, which might be why examples were still up for grabs last year.
