Lotus Evija X outdid Mercedes-AMG One at the Nürburgring

Lotus has just smashed through a big North Loop record, letting its electric hypercar Evija lap it up in 6 minutes 24 seconds – whole 11 seconds faster than the formidable Mercedes-AMG One. There’s a catch, though.

Specifically, the AMG One won the title of the Nürburgring’s fastest street-legal vehicle. In contrast, the Evija that apparently hit the track last fall was far from stock – it was a one-off build with no street driving permission.

The British automaker outfitted the electric coupe with a humongous front splitter and a similar-sized rear wing, ensuring that the aero kit can exert as much as 4.5 metric tons (9,920 pounds) of downforce at the car’s peak acceleration. The powertrain was left standard.

Just as we said, the record-breaking Green Hell run took place last fall, but Lotus hadn’t released any info about it until this week. Once the formalities are settled, the modified Evija may still be eligible for a record as a custom car based on a mass-produced chassis.