The BMW M4 CSL has broken its previous Nürburgring record. After holding the title of the fastest production BMW and mid-range vehicle record for over a year, the Garching-based company aimed to improve. Test driver Jörg Weidinger reattempted the Green Hell circuit and shaved over two seconds off the lap time, clocking in at 7:18.137 minutes.
This extends the lead over its closest rival, the Jaguar XE SV Project 8, to over five seconds. The BMW M3 CS (G80) lags more than 10 seconds behind at 7:28.760 minutes, and the M3 Touring (G81) station wagon is nearly 17 seconds slower than the coupe. The video of the new record lap, featuring commentary by Jörg Weidinger, provides insights for Nordschleife enthusiasts.
The record comes as no surprise to us. Last year, while riding shotgun at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Weidinger mentioned that when he raced the M4 CSL on the Nurburgring, the weather conditions were far from ideal. At the time, he mentioned that a few seconds could easily be shaved off if “all stars” align.
However, for those who aren’t well-versed in Nürburgring parlance, it’s crucial to understand the context of lap times. The time of 7 minutes and 18.137 seconds mentioned earlier encompasses the full 20.832-kilometer lap of the circuit. In contrast, the more commonly discussed lap times by car magazines are based on a slightly shorter route of 20.600 kilometers, excluding a straight section in the start-finish area.
This achievement surpasses the officially recorded time for the M4 CSL by more than 3.5 seconds, underscoring the car’s exceptional capabilities on this iconic track. On the very same day, Weidinger also lapped the Green Hell in the M2 G87, crossing the finish line in 7:38.70 to set a new record among compact cars.
