Xiaomi YU7 GT becomes the world's fastest SUV on the Nürburgring, dethroning the German titans
The Chinese tech giant is showing off its raw power on the “Green Hell.” The new 990-hp electric SUV has shattered records held by Audi and Porsche, even before its official launch.
In a move that is sending shockwaves straight into the offices of traditional European automakers, Xiaomi has officially announced the establishment of a new all-time record on the legendary German Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. The Chinese manufacturer, originally known for smartphones and recently transformed into a formidable player in the electric vehicle market, brought its new performance SUV, the Xiaomi YU7 GT, to the circuit in the Eifel mountains with one goal in mind: to rewrite the world rankings.
Said and done. Equipped with the Track Package performance package, the Xiaomi YU7 GT covered the more than 20 kilometers of the Nordic loop in just 7 minutes and 34.931 seconds. With this amazing time, the Chinese model officially dethrones the old leader, the Audi RS Q8 Performance, being faster than it by 1.76 seconds (the German model had recorded a time of 7:36.698). Moreover, the electric SUV from China also left behind another sacred monster of German engineering, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT (7:38.925).
A historic first: A Chinese pilot conquers the "Green Hell"
Beyond the raw numbers, this record marks a historic milestone for the industry and sports racing in China. At the wheel of the model was Ren Zhoucan, chief engineer and chief test driver of the Xiaomi Auto brand. With this achievement, Zhoucan became the first Chinese professional driver in history to obtain official certification of a time record on the Nürburgring.
Although the record lap was set in complete discretion on April 2 of this year, Xiaomi chose to keep it a secret until now, generating a real marketing explosion just a few dozen hours before the car was revealed to the general public.
Extreme Engineering: The Engine That Spins at 28,000 RPM
To withstand the extreme forces on the track, the car has undergone several specific modifications for safety and dynamics. The Xiaomi YU7 GT has been equipped with a full roll cage, and to reduce weight, the rear seat has been removed – a standard practice for official speed tests in this category.
But the real innovation lies beneath the bodywork. The performance SUV uses a dual-motor system capable of producing a colossal combined output of 738 kW (990 horsepower) – with 386 hp on the front axle and 604 hp on the rear. The technology behind this monster is the new V8s EVO electric motor, developed in-house by Xiaomi, capable of reaching an astronomical 28,000 rpm and an efficiency of 98.38%, thanks to ultra-thin silicon steel sheets of just 0.15 mm and a silicon carbide (SiC) power module.
On the huge Döttinger Höhe straight at the end of the Nordschleife lap, the Xiaomi YU7 GT reached a GPS-verified top speed of 299 km/h (the maximum design speed is limited to 300 km/h). This powertrain is powered by a 101.7 kWh battery supplied by CATL, capable of providing a range of up to 705 kilometers in the Chinese CLTC test cycle.
European DNA and an unbeatable marketing strategy
Raw power would have been nothing without exceptional handling. The car's calibration was substantially contributed by the new research and development (R&D) center opened by Xiaomi in Munich, Germany, where a team made up largely of European specialists works. They developed the dedicated "Jiaolong" (Master Edition) chassis, equipped with adaptive CDC dual-valve shock absorbers, ideal for suppressing body roll in corners, complemented by a massive carbon-ceramic brake system.
Xiaomi's strategy is proving to be brilliant. Instead of long advertising campaigns based on promises, the company chose to put the clock on the table. The official presentation and commercial launch of the YU7 GT will take place this week, on May 21st, at a special event at the Beijing Auto Museum.
The SUV has already started arriving at 268 showrooms in 82 cities in China, where customers can only admire it from the outside for now. According to early estimates, the hardcore GT version will have a starting price of around 400,000 yuan (about 51,500 euros). Although it is considerably more expensive than the base YU7 model (which starts at around 32,500 euros), it is only a fraction of the price of its rivals from Audi or Porsche, whose prices easily exceed 150,000 euros.
With this record on the Nürburgring, Xiaomi demonstrates to the whole world that Chinese electric vehicles are no longer just affordable and technologically advanced alternatives, but have become machines capable of outdoing the elites of European automotive engineering on their own turf.