Ferrari 599XX breaks 7 minute barrier on the Nurburgring, sets new record [Video]

Ferrari has claimed that the Ferrari 599XX completed the 20.832-kilometer Nordschleife circuit at the Nürburgring in 6m 58.16 s.  Ferrari claims this is the first time that a "production-derived sports car" has broken the seven-minute barrier.

This is not really true, as the Radical SR8 had a confirmed time of 6m 55s in September 2005, followed up by the Radical SR8LM last year, which finished in 6m 48s.  Naturally, Ferrari will dispute that the Radical is not a "production-derived sports car."

Still, the time posted by the made-for-the-track 599XX is an accomplishment.  We hope the exhilarating drive quality translates over to the road-ready Ferrari 599 GTO.


The Ferrari 599XX sets a new record on the legendary Nürburgring

Maranello, 23 April - The Ferrari 599XX is the first ever production-derived sports car to break the 7-minute barrier on the classic 20.832 km Nordschleife circuit, lapping in 6 min 58.16 sec.

The 599XX, which inspired the 599 GTO, is an extreme berlinetta designed for track but not official competition use, and is a veritable technological laboratory incorporating a number of innovative solutions. Some of these will remain the exclusive preserve of the 599XX while others have already filtered down to the 599 GTO, introduced today at the Beijing Motor Show. These include the wheel doughnuts of F1 derivation which serve two purposes - to reduce turbulence and thus drag, and improve brake cooling.

Powered by a development of the V12 engine used by the 599 GTB Fiorano, the 599XX features Ferrari's High-Performance Dynamic Concept, a novel integrated design and chassis set-up that uses sophisticated electronics to govern the mechanical limits of the handling for maximum performance.

On the aerodynamics front, the car sees the introduction for the first time of the ActiflowTM System that increases downforce and/or cuts drag depending on the car's trim during cornering. This, together with other careful detailing, ensures that the 599XX boasts extraordinary levels of downforce - up to 630 kg at 300 km/h.

Fundamental to the performance of the car was the development of specific components undertaken together with our technical partners: Brembo for the carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin for the tyres and Shell for the fuel and lubricants.

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 davetibo davetibo
Serious drivin', not a Sunday one! Thanx Ferrari!
April 23, 2010 6:25 am
 EduardoSantos EduardoSantos
Congratulations Ferrari! An important thing: who was the driver?
April 23, 2010 6:43 am
 MTC MTC
It's on the video Raffaele De Simone
April 23, 2010 8:31 am
 tom43 tom43
What kind of record is this? Production-derived sports car using race slick tyres... lol
April 23, 2010 6:52 am
 mightywhelk mightywhelk
Very good point Eduardo, Whilst it's clearly a fantastic car, it needed an equally fantastic driver to haul it around the 'Ring. So come on WCF, report the whole story and tell us who he (or she) is.
April 23, 2010 6:55 am
 BrianWCF BrianWCF
Ferrari didn't release the driver's name.
April 23, 2010 7:55 am
 mmr66 mmr66
the drivers name is at the beginning of the video LOL
April 23, 2010 2:37 pm
 inlinesix inlinesix
production derived my ass. that thing's spec sheet challenges GT1 and GT2 race cars.
April 23, 2010 6:56 am
 manels manels
Rafaelle de Simone
April 23, 2010 6:58 am
 PawL PawL
is this faster than the FXX?
April 23, 2010 7:23 am
 catchmyshadow catchmyshadow
it is a racecar, not street legal.
April 23, 2010 7:27 am
 PawL PawL
is this faster than the FXX?
April 23, 2010 7:31 am
 chris25 chris25
Pointless!! I like this ferrari car but totally not required to do on the Nordschleife track since its not street legal car.
April 23, 2010 9:16 am
 joshg_5 joshg_5
Though it's VERY fast, it's not street legal, and it's not really production.
April 23, 2010 9:33 am
 Melong666 Melong666
Good for them... but no real news b/c its not stree legal.
April 23, 2010 11:21 am
 599FXX 599FXX
Wicked car and a great lap but obviously full race spec: aero, F1 trans, slicks, fully adjustable suspension, approx 700hp V12 redlining at 9k. Ferrari if you want to be taken seriously with this record, you should've thrown the 599GTO around the ring. When you compare this time to the GTR or ZR1's times, it's ridiculously way off the mark. The GTR and ZR1 may be a half minute plus slower, but they're full weight, real road vehicles. and the ZR1 as a man-shift transmission with foot actuated clutch. I love this car and the road variant, but this is typical Ferrari self-loving BS promotion. What record did they actually break? I'm pretty sure a Radical sr8 went 'round faster...
April 23, 2010 11:44 am
 CPTdude CPTdude
If it wasn't for that quick double shift just after the last corner "miss-shift" it could have made it into the 6:57:9x
April 23, 2010 12:13 pm
 catchmyshadow catchmyshadow
The real King of the Ring is still the Porsche 956K with a 6:11,13 min.
April 23, 2010 12:15 pm
 mc959 mc959
Truth, and it's been like that since 1983 RIP Stefan Bellof...
April 24, 2010 6:43 am
 scratchy996 scratchy996
isn't it funny that every car breaks a record on the Ring nowadays ?
April 23, 2010 12:38 pm
 schefar schefar
I don't think Ferrari has officialy claimed it to be a record. Video is probably titled as a record to attract some attention by Ferrari or someone else. ... and same for the other "records".
April 28, 2010 6:10 am
 scratchy996 scratchy996
it's not even faster than the Radical who is street legal.
April 23, 2010 12:40 pm
 DearS DearS
Ferrari has a nice car, but they are arrogant and ignorant in hyping this record up.
April 23, 2010 12:41 pm
 BavarianMS BavarianMS
Give credits where credit is due. Great Job Ferrari, welcome back to ass-kicking.
April 23, 2010 3:14 pm
 4g63 4g63
i am not sure whether this thing can be driven on streets,bt it looks sex
April 24, 2010 5:25 am
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