Ford GT Mk IV Sets Nürburgring Record as Fastest US OEM

Ford reports GT Mk IV set a 6:15.977 Nürburgring lap, becoming the fastest American OEM. Explore details of the record, car specs, and rivals.

Ford GT Mk IV lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:15.977, becoming the fastest American OEM and one of the three quickest cars ever to tackle the circuit. The result places it among a rare group typically occupied by experimental prototypes and record-focused electric machines.

Behind the wheel was Ford factory driver Frédéric Vervisch, a two-time Nürburgring 24 Hours winner (2019 and 2022). His familiarity with the “Green Hell” proved essential: the 20.8-kilometer track, with its dozens of corners and elevation changes, demands precision as much as outright speed.

This lap is more than an internal milestone. The GT Mk IV surpassed all other American entries to set a new benchmark for U.S. manufacturers at the Nordschleife. It also outpaced the production-record holder Mercedes-AMG One (6:29.090), while remaining behind the outright leaders — Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (5:19.55) and Volkswagen ID.R (6:05.336), both built under different categories and constraints.

A defining factor behind the performance is the car’s track-only status. The GT Mk IV is not road-legal but engineered as a dedicated circuit machine. It features a specially developed twin-turbo EcoBoost engine producing over 800 horsepower, a bespoke racing gearbox, Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve suspension, an extended wheelbase, and a completely new carbon-fiber long-tail body designed for maximum downforce.

Freed from the compromises of road use — such as comfort, emissions, and regulatory limits — the car is optimized purely for speed and stability. That focus is directly reflected in its lap time.

The achievement also carries symbolic weight. The GT Mk IV represents the final chapter of the current Ford GT generation, limited to just 67 units. Its Nürburgring performance serves as a closing statement for a program that began with a class victory at Le Mans in 2016 and traces its roots back to the GT40 legacy of the 1960s.

For Ford, the record goes beyond a headline number. The Nürburgring remains one of the most demanding testing grounds in the automotive world, used to refine chassis, aerodynamics, and powertrains under extreme conditions. The 6:15.977 lap highlights the engineering potential behind the GT Mk IV — and reinforces the role of the Nordschleife as a global benchmark for performance.