Audi RS Q8 Performance Two Years On: Xiaomi Took Its Nürburgring SUV Record
Audi's 640-PS RS Q8 performance lapped the Nordschleife in 7:36.698 in 2024. In May 2026 Xiaomi's electric YU7 GT went 1.8 seconds faster.
Contents · 4 parts
In June 2024 Audi announced that the new RS Q8 performance had become the fastest production SUV around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The record lasted almost two years, and it fell to a car that did not exist when it was set.
The 2024 story
With racing driver Frank Stippler at the wheel, the RS Q8 performance lapped in 7:36.698, almost six seconds quicker than the earlier RS Q8. According to Audi, its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 makes 640 PS (471 kW) and 850 Nm, good for 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds. The price was €155,700.
What happened next
In May 2026 Xiaomi's YU7 GT, an electric SUV with 990 hp from two motors, lapped in 7:34.931, Carscoops reported. Xiaomi says the car passed the Nürburgring's production certification, though the record car carried an optional track package, semi-slick tires, a roll cage and a stripped interior.
2024 vs 2026
| Audi RS Q8 performance | Xiaomi YU7 GT | |
|---|---|---|
| Nordschleife lap | 7:36.698 (2024) | 7:34.931 (May 2026) |
| Powertrain | 4.0 V8 twin-turbo | Two electric motors |
| Output | 640 PS | 990 hp |
| Record car | Production spec | Track package, roll cage |
Our read
The margin is small, and the Xiaomi's track hardware makes the comparison less clean than the headline. Still, a German brand has lost an SUV record at its home track to a Chinese newcomer, a year after Xiaomi's SU7 Ultra sedan lapped faster than Porsche's Taycan Turbo GT. The Nürburgring has become a marketing stage for China's carmakers, and the established brands now have to defend times they once set unopposed.
