These Are The Cars You Want To Drive Around The Nürburgring

Spurred by new lap records from BMW and Chevrolet, last week I asked the Jalopnik audience to tell me what cars they’d want to drive around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. My choice was the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, so I could recreate the infamous, nearly impossible Mission 34 challenge from Gran Turismo 4. The final mission in the game, you had to catch up to half a dozen Mercedes sports cars and pass them, only getting gold if you could pass the leading 300SL Gullwing before the end of the lap — and that car got a two-minute head start. While I wouldn’t want to attempt that challenge in real life, I’d love to cruise around the Green Hell in an SLR at a more leisurely pace to relive those childhood memories.

You all had varied answers for my question, which always makes me happy. From hot hatchbacks to race cars, keep reading to hear about some of the cars that Jalopnik readers want to drive around the Nürburgring. As usual, I picked my favorites of the bunch, with bonus points if you explained why or had personal stories.

Miata. Because it’s the answer to everything and I’d like to spend as much time as possible on track :).

Miata is absolutely my answer too. But mostly because I’m pretty sure the Green Hell would kill me in something faster.

Same. I know my limitations, and I’d rather toss around something lightweight and fun than try to desperately get a supercar to not kill me.

Submitted by: Brandon Walker, dolsh, Dante

Getting this one over with early.

Definitely Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, never expecting that kind of car from cheap chinese smartphone maker

Sure most of you argue it doesn’t count since it has tons of modification, race slick etc. But remember it’s based on its mass-production 4-door family sedan SU7 Ultra, not a stand-alone bespoke dedicated platform sportcar / supercar

not to mention it’s still somewhat affordable. Of course it’s hella expensive for unknown chinese car brand, however if you want to buy somewhat a similar performance cars from reputable brands then I bet it will be much more outrageous in price, just look at recent Mustang GTD

and it’s cheap chinese phonemaker that start making cars for like less than a decade ?? Definitely not as long as Porsche Taycan and Tesla S

Submitted by: Derry

I would also love to try the SU7 Ultra on track, but I think at the ‘Ring I’d rather drive a Lucid Air Sapphire.

Benz Patent-Motorwagen just for laughs.

Submitted by: Giantsgiants

Mercedes should do this with the Patent-Motorwagen replica it has in the museum.

My old RX8 race car. I loved that thing, and it would be fabulous fun. It had way more grip than power, so it would be very appropriate for safe-ish fun. The brakes were magical and it made such a great noise. And I had a passenger seat so I could take a friend. 

Submitted by: Poorsche

I love the RX-8, that would be a blast.

BAC Mono …

Submitted by: IB007

Normally I’d be annoyed that you didn’t expand on this, but I get it.

So many sensible answers to a hypothetical question. Yawn.

That being said, McLaren MP4/4. I’m sure I could get it out of the pit.

Submitted by: Oprah Winfrey

Oprah, you’ve got good taste, and I believe in you.

A Unimog. Sets a whole different ‘ring time.

Submitted by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

I would love to see that.

Since we are living in Fantasy land, my choice would be a Porsche 917 longtail. These ruled the track when I first started following “road racing” and my lust for them has never diminished.

Submitted by: KOZEG

An excellent choice.

I wanna go out in a blaze of glory: RUF Yellowbird with washers on the wastegates (more boost) and a damp ‘ring.

Submitted by: TheDuke

I can’t believe more people didn’t say this.

Back when living in Germany 2002-2005 I drove about 12 different rental cars on the Nordschliefe, most fun being Opel Speedster (100+laps), SMART roadsters (similar), BMW Z4, and one weekend in a diesel Beetle Cabrio on winter tires. Same weekend as TG filmed Clarkson in a Jag vs Sabine in Van. Camera crew ran to get footage of me and 3 passengers heading onto the track, but must not have fit with their “worlds deadliest track” theme so never aired. Was hilarious fun throwing the VW around.

Submitted by: Kurt Edelbach

I appreciate the personal YouTube video! That sounds like a blast.

I suppose I oughta choose something like a Porsche 911 RSR. Go hard or go home, right? But, I have neither the skill nor the balls to drive a car of that nature around the Ring and have any fun. So, how about the original Renault Sport Megane R26.R? Oui, s’il vous plais! Plenty of power (for me), track-focused enough (for me), and every review I’ve read says it’s terrific.

Submitted by: NotForest

One of my favorite hot hatchbacks ever.

A Black ’59 Eldorado Biarritz would be my weapon of choice, for no other reason other than it would be hilarious to watch it waft around the track. It might not be fast, but I’d get around in style, and after all, why not? Maybe I can break the track record for small yachts.

More realistically I’d take my ’06 Sonata, because I have the most experience driving it, and I know exactly where its limits lie, and what it feels like as it’s reaching them. Also not fast, but it’s probably the car I’d be able to put down the fastest lap in.

Submitted by: Racer09

A giant land yacht like that would be pretty hilarious.

Articulated Bus full of children

Submitted by: FFVIII

All buckled in, surely?

My 1999 Saab 9-3 was fun there. Put 120 laps at the Nurburgring back in 2002/2003.

2.0t tuned to 270 hp, 5 speed manual, suspension and brake upgrades.

Submitted by: 926HR1

That is rad.

A manual Ram SRT-10, because I know I couldn’t rip anything designed for the Ring as well as the people who designed it.

Submitted by: manbearpig

Hell yeah brother.