We haven't seen a Nürburgring record run in quite some time. The track cracked down on high-speed hustling after a nasty crash that ended with a spectator fatality. But some folks are clearly back at it -- and, in BMW's case, they're breaking records.
The M4 GTS is a hopped-up variant of the standard M4 sports coupe. Power is up from 425 horsepower to 493, and a slick new water-injection system helps keep the intake charge nice and cold (colder, denser air is better for making power). With all those extra baubles, the M4 GTS blasted its way to a 7-minute, 28-second lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Not only does the GTS handily destroy the standard M4's 7:52 lap time, it's the best lap ever turned by a production BMW. It's a supercar-rivaling time, as well -- the M4 GTS' lap ties with the Ferrari 458 Italia and the McLaren MP4-12C. That's some good company, there.
If this is your first time watching a Nürburgring run, you're in for a treat. The man who set the lap also provides a voiceover, giving you a better idea of how the track is run. With 73 corners, many of them blind, it takes a great deal of skill to make it to the line in a respectable time. There's a reason its nickname is The Green Hell.