Porsche Panamera takes Nurburgring record

There are endless ‘Records’ set around the Nurburgring. Every class and category of car aims to take a record in its own category. Most of the noise on Nurburgring records of late has been on the Nissan GT-R Nurburgring record – which Porsche are unimpressed with – but now Porsche appears to have gone out and set a new 4-door production car record in the new Porsche Panamera.

Surprisingly – but not if you’ve driven one – the previous record was held by the Cadillac CTS-V which set a sub-eight minute time last year. Which in itself is surprising – a whole year with no one managing to break the time. But Porsche has been out to prove that the Panamera is exceptional, and has now posted a time of 7 minutes 56 seconds, beating the bonkers Caddy by three seconds.

It’s hardly a big surprise that the Porsche Panamera has managed such a cracking time, with its 500bhp and 0-60 time of around 4 seconds, and there doesn’t seem to be anything else on the horizon that could compete. Of course, if we were talking about a time set by the Panamera S, then there is every chance that the new Jaguar XJ Supersport with its clever chassis and 510 bhp could be up to the task. But unless Jaguar decides to make an out and out barnstormer – a new Jaguar XJ Supersports R – then the Porsche looks like it will be ‘King of the ‘Ring’ for 4-door saloons for a while.

Unless Cadillac go back and try again.