Xiaomi YU7 GT breaks Nürburgring SUV record

Xiaomi's electric vehicle unit Xiaomi EV announced Monday that its upcoming high-performance SUV, the YU7 GT, has set a new lap record at Germany's renowned Nürburgring Nordschleife track, clocking a lap time of 7:34.931

Xiaomi's electric vehicle unit Xiaomi EV announced Monday that its upcoming high-performance SUV, the YU7 GT, has set a new lap record at Germany's renowned Nürburgring Nordschleife track. 

Driven by Xiaomi's chief test driver Ren Zhoucan, the YU7 GT test vehicle completed the lap in 7 minutes and 34.931 seconds, marking a significant breakthrough for Chinese automotive brands in this arena. 

The challenge shattered the historical lap record for production SUVs at the track and made Ren the first Chinese professional driver to receive an official Nürburgring lap certification. 

The 7:34.931 result surpassed the previous Nürburgring SUV production record set by the Audi RS Q8 performance, which recorded a lap time of 7:36.698 in 2024. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT Coupé previously recorded a 7:38.925 lap in 2021. 

The announcement comes two days before the official launch of the Xiaomi YU7 GT on May 21 at 19:00 in China. Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun previously said the YU7 GT was developed as a “pure-blood GT” performance SUV. 

The YU7 GT is equipped with a dual-motor system delivering a maximum power of 738 kilowatts, translating to a staggering 990 horsepower of output, according to previously released information. It uses a dual-motor AWD setup with 288 kW (386 hp-391,5 Cv) at the front and 450 kW (604 hp-611,8 Cv) at the rear, for a combined 738 kW (990 hp-1003,4 Cv). 

The motor reaches a maximum speed of 28,000 rpm and uses a self-developed Silicon Carbide (SiC) power module, improving output by 5.9%. It also adopts 0.15 mm ultra-thin silicon steel laminations, with a claimed efficiency of 98.38%. 

The model features carbon-ceramic brake discs and was jointly tuned by Chinese and European experts, aiming to strike a balance between cornering stability and premium driving dynamics. 

The new model boasts a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour and a pure electric range of 705 kilometers under CLTC conditions, targeting consumers who pursue extreme performance and long-distance comfort. 

The YU7 GT is a five-seat electric crossover measuring 5015/2007/1597 mm with a 3,000 mm wheelbase, making it 42 mm longer, 21 mm narrower, and 8 mm higher than the Ferrari Purosangue. 

The high-performance variant is expected to be priced around 400,000 yuan ($58,810), significantly higher than the starting price of the standard YU7 model launched last year.