Xiaomi Auto has returned to the Nürburgring record chase, this time with the YU7 GT.
It said its performance electric SUV-coupé had set a new Nürburgring Nordschleife SUV lap record, with the car clocking 7min 34.931sec before its China launch on May 21.
The company announced the run on its official Weibo account. Xiaomi Auto chief test driver Ren Zhoucan was behind the wheel, and Xiaomi said Ren is the first Chinese driver to receive official Nürburgring lap-time certification.
The claimed time beats the previous SUV benchmark of 7min 36.698sec set by the Audi RS Q8 Performance. Before that, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT Coupé held the mark with a 7min 38.925sec lap.
Xiaomi had not disclosed the full Nürburgring test specification together with the lap-time announcement.
That leaves the car’s weight open. Published production-car data lists the YU7 GT at 2,460kg, but that figure should not be treated as the weight of the Nürburgring record car. The lap car appears to have used track-safety equipment, and at least one report said the rear seats may have been removed to fit a roll cage.
The YU7 GT is the performance version of Xiaomi’s YU7 electric SUV. Previously disclosed figures point to 738 kW (1,003 PS), a 300kph top speed and 705km CLTC range from a 101.7 kWh battery.
The YU7 GT uses a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, with 288 kW (392 PS) at the front and 450 kW (612 PS) at the rear. It measures 5,015mm long, 2,007mm wide and 1,597mm tall, with a 3,000mm wheelbase.
The Nürburgring run also reflects Xiaomi’s investment in German vehicle development. Xiaomi opened its Munich research and design centre in September 2025 as its first EV R&D base outside China, covering performance projects, electric powertrain technology, intelligent driving and cabin/interface design.
The centre is led by former BMW engineer Rudolf Dittrich, while vehicle dynamics is handled by another BMW veteran, Claus-Dieter Groll.
The Munich team includes people with BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce and AMG backgrounds, with the YU7 GT expected to be the first model to receive major input from the German group.
For Xiaomi, the lap gives the YU7 GT a serious marker before sales begin. It gives the young EV brand a headline Nürburgring claim on ground long owned by German performance SUVs.
