The Nürburgring Nordschleife has a new SUV king, and it comes from Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi.
The Xiaomi YU7 GT has beaten the Audi RS Q8 by a significant margin to take the title of the world’s quickest production SUV round the Nürburgring with a lap time of 7 minutes 34.931 seconds. That’s nearly two seconds quicker than the Audi RS Q8’s previous record of 7:36:69 set in 2024.
Interestingly, there’s still room for improvement, as Xiaomi Auto noted that the YU7 GT previously set a lap time of 7 minutes and 32 seconds during Nürburgring Nordschleife testing, according to CarNewsChina. That speaks volumes about the electric SUV’s chassis tuning and high-speed stability.
Xiaomi’s Electric Performance SUV Has a Top Speed of 186 MPH
The YU7 GT is the performance version of the Xiaomi YU7 and it is currently arriving in dealerships across China. Pitched by Xiaomi Auto as a “sports car-level SUV suitable for long-distance travel,” the YU7 GT features a dual-motor AWD system with a combined output of 990 horsepower (738 kilowatts).
Power comes from a 101.7-kWh ternary lithium battery pack that enables a range of 438 miles on China’s CLTC cycle. The Xiaomi YU7 GT is built on an 800-volt electrical platform and can charge from 10% to 80% in 12 minutes, according to the manufacturer.
MIIT
As you can see in the video above, the onboard footage of the record lap looks spectacular, if a bit too quiet given the YU7 GT’s electric powertrain.
It would have been nice if Xiaomi had also shown the range indicator on the screen, which we assume showed a dramatic drop as the electric SUV almost topped out at 298 km/h (185 mph) on Döttinger Höhe, the track’s longest straight. Still, we’re happy to get a speed indicator along with accelerator and brake graphics in the video.
Record-Setting Vehicle Featured a Track Pack Specification
Xiaomi Auto
It’s worth noting that the record-setting YU7 GT featured a Track Pack, which includes Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, ultra-wide 21-inch alloys wrapped in high-performance Michelin tires, and upgrades to the suspension software, active ride stability, and traction control calibration.
In addition, the Track Pack brings a more aggressive aero kit consisting of a deep front splitter, an upgraded front bumper, broader wheel arches, a chunky diffuser, and a ducktail spoiler to increase downforce at high speeds.
Xiaomi Auto
The YU7 GT’s record lap was achieved by Xiaomi chief test driver, Ren Zhoucan, who became the first Chinese national to receive official Nürburgring lap certification.
The Xiaomi YU7 GT is going on sale on May 21 in China, when pricing information will be released. The electric performance SUV’s base price is expected to range between 450,000 and 500,000 yuan (roughly $66,000 to $73,500). Xiaomi only sells two EV models in China, the YU7 SUV and the highly popular SU7 sedan.
MIIT
