Xiaomi just can’t stop snatching Nurburgring lap records away from its European rivals. After the SU7 Ultra grabbed the four-door record in late 2024 before losing it again to the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Manthey, the company has returned to take the outright production SUV record.

With chief test driver Ren Zhoucan behind the wheel, the new YU7 GT went around the Nordschleife in 7:34.931. That figure is enough to displace the Audi RS Q8’s 7:36.698, which itself had taken the record from the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT Coupe at 7:38.925.

Read: Xiaomi’s 990 HP Family SUV Costs Less Than A Base Macan EV And Outguns The Turbo

There is, predictably with most Nurburgring record runs, an asterisk. The YU7 GT that set the time wasn’t the standard, or base, if you will, version you buy from a Xiaomi dealer. The Chinese carmaker says the vehicle was equipped with what appears to be an optional “Track Professional Package,” which sounds a lot like the Manthey upgrades Porsche uses for its record-setting cars.

Xiaomi has at least spelled out part of the kit. The package brings 265mm front and 325mm rear semi-slick tires, along with widened rear wheel arches to cover them. But there’s more.

“At the Nürburgring’s request, we performed safety modifications inside the car, including a full-cage roll cage, racing bucket seats, and six-point harnesses,” the company said. “We also removed some interior trim to balance the added weight of the roll cage. This is a production car that has passed the Nürburgring’s official certification and testing.”

The onboard video tells you the rest. The cage is in, the rear seats are gone, and the driver is sitting in what looks like a single lightweight bucket.

That said, the previous record holder in the category wasn’t exactly bone stock either. The RS Q8 also ran the mandatory roll cage and what looks from the video to be a lightweight safety bucket, with the rear bench pulled out for the run as well.

What Powers It?

Xiaomi presented the YU7 GT to the world at last month’s Beijing Auto Show. While not as extreme as the SU7 Ultra, it still offers the kind of power and performance once reserved for multi-million-dollar hypercars and previously unthinkable for a luxury SUV.

Beneath the skin is a 101.7 kWh battery pack that drives a 386 hp electric motor at the front wheels and a 604 hp motor at the rear wheels, delivering a combined 990 hp. There’s no official word yet on how quickly it can hit 100 km/h (62 mph), but it should leave most performance SUVs sold in the West for dead off the line.

Aiding in the YU7 GT’s on-track prowess is the fact that it uses a trick suspension that offers adjustability for the compression, rebound, and ride height, a setup that was specifically honed at the Nurburgring.

Bentley’s customers cannot seem to get enough of the Bentayga, so the company in Crewe is expanding its SUV lineup with a second model. Expected to wear the Barnato name, in tribute to Woolf Barnato of Bentley Boys fame, the new model will slot in below the Bentayga and ditch combustion entirely.

While it remains to be seen how much demand Bentley will see for the new model in markets like the US, where EV sales have stagnated, it will certainly appeal to those seeking the most serene and comfortable driving experience. The use of electric power will also help Bentley lower its overall fleet emissions. Bentley is expected to reveal the new EV later this year, with customer deliveries reportedly beginning in 2027.

Read: Bentley Just Told Us What The Barnato SUV Will Cost, Sort Of

Spied here doing the rounds at the Nurburgring, this prototype is wearing the same camouflage we’ve seen on others. As such, key areas of the vehicle’s design remain hidden, though we can see the blacked-out lower grille.

Concept Looks

SHProshots

Earlier test cars used lighting designed to resemble the twin-headlamp setup of the Flying Spur and Bentayga, but this prototype is closer in style to the single-unit design of the Bentley Batur. The clusters also feature four separate LEDs, similar to the arrangement found on the Porsche Macan and Cayenne Electric.

It’s hard to say exactly what the grille will look like, though we expect it to be body-colored and used largely for visual effect rather than cooling duties. The design could take inspiration from last year’s EXP 15 concept. Cooling is instead handled by functional air intakes in the lower front bumper, while a radar sensor sits at the center of the fascia.

Porsche Power

We know the Barnato uses the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, as do other VW Group models, including the Cayenne Electric. Carscoops understands it’ll come equipped with a sizeable 113 kWh battery pack that supports DC fast charging, adding 100 miles (160 km) of range in under seven minutes.

Bentley is also expected to lean on the Porsche parts bin for its electric motors, with the Cayenne Electric the most likely donor. Output in the Porsche ranges from 402 hp at the entry point to 1,156 hp at the top, and the Crewe interpretation is tipped to offer more than 1,100 horsepower in its flagship forms.

The similarities to the Cayenne Electric will continue with the in-car technology. While these spy shots captured only a small portion of the interior, previous prototypes have shown that several tech components will be shared with Porsche, including a curved OLED central display running Android Automotive OS. Bentley is expected to give the cabin its own identity through more extensive use of leather, wood, and metal trim throughout.

SHProshots

It seems luxury car buyers can’t get enough of the Bentley Bentayga, so the British brand is working on a second SUV for its range. Tipped to be dubbed the Barnato, the new model will be smaller than its older sibling but, more importantly, all-electric.

While it remains to be seen how much demand Bentley will see for the new model in markets like the US, where EV sales have stagnated, it will certainly appeal to those seeking the most serene and comfortable driving experience. The use of electric power will also help Bentley lower its overall fleet emissions.

Read: Bentley Just Told Us What The Barnato SUV Will Cost, Sort Of

Spied here doing the rounds at the Nurburgring for the very first time, this prototype is adorned with all of the same camouflage that we’ve seen on others. As such, key areas of the vehicle’s design remain hidden, though we can see the blacked-out lower grille.

Concept Looks

SHProshots

The headlights look to be temporary, although the upper LED strip is expected to be retained for the production model. It’s hard to say what the grille will look like, but we expect it to be body-colored and mostly used for decorative purposes, not for actually cooling the SUV. The grille could resemble that of last year’s EXP 15 concept.

Other important elements visible in this prototype include a large panoramic glass roof and a roofline sitting noticeably lower than the Bentayga.

Porsche Power

We know the Barnato uses the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, as do other VW Group models, including the Cayenne Electric. Carscoops understands it’ll come equipped with a sizeable 113 kWh battery pack that supports DC fast charging, adding 100 miles (160 km) of range in under seven minutes.

It’s likely Bentley’s electric motors will also be borrowed from the Cayenne Electric. Power in the Porsche ranges from 402 hp to 1,156 hp, and the British alternative may offer similar figures.

The similarities to the Cayenne Electric will continue in the cabin. While these spy shots only captured a small part of the SUV’s cabin, previous ones have shown that many parts will be lifted from the Porsche, including the curved OLED central display running Android Automotive OS.

SHProshots

The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT was already the apex predator of Zuffenhausen’s electric lineup, but Porsche apparently decided that wasn’t enough. The flagship sedan has just been treated to a new Manthey Kit, layered on top of the existing Weissach Package, and the result is a 6:55.553 lap of the Nürburgring with development driver Lars Kern at the wheel.

That impressive time is 12 seconds quicker than a standard Taycan Turbo GT and more than nine seconds clear of the production-spec Xiaomi SU7 Ultra’s 7:04.957, which means Porsche has clawed back the title of fastest production EV in the executive segment after watching the Chinese newcomer take it last year. It is worth noting that a Xiaomi prototype clocked an even more impressive 6:22:091 in June 2025, although that doesn’t count as a production EV.

More: The Manthey Porsche Just Ran A Near-Perfect Nürburgring Lap. A Mustang Still Beat It

The Manthey Kit is the product of a joint effort between Porsche’s Weissach development center and Manthey’s engineers in Meuspath, with the brief drawn straight from motorsport. The package includes a reworked aero kit, a more potent powertrain, lighter wheels, track-focused tires, and a retuned suspension.

It Looks Like A Race Car

Visually, the Manthey-prepped Taycan Turbo GT goes full track weapon, with an aggressive carbon fiber aero kit doing most of the talking. The nose gets an adjustable splitter flanked by canards and GT3-style gills cut into the fenders.

More: Honda’s Civic Type R Held This Record For 3 Years, VW’s 321 HP Golf Just Took It Back

The profile gains wider fender extensions, deeper side skirts, and lighter 21-inch forged aluminum wheels fitted with carbon aero discs on the rear axle. The new wheels use titanium bolts, cut 6 pounds (2.7 kg) of unsprung mass, and wear wider performance tires. Around back, Porsche added a boxier diffuser and a larger manually adjustable rear wing.

According to Porsche, the Manthey upgrades generate more than three times the downforce of the standard model. At 200 km/h (124 mph), the car produces 310 kg (683 lbs) of downforce, up from 95 kg (209 lbs). That figure climbs to 740 kg (1,631 lbs) at the top speed of 309 km/h (192 mph), which is 5 km/h (3 miles) faster than before.

More Power, More Speed

As for the power boost, the combined output of the electric powertrain rises to 804 hp (600 kW / 815 PS) in standard form and 978 hp (730 kW / 993 PS) in Attack mode. Those figures mark increases of 27 hp and 40 hp respectively over the Taycan Turbo GT.

More: Porsche’s Next Sedan Could Replace Both The Panamera And Taycan

When launch control is activated, total output remains at 1,019 hp (760 kW / 1,033 PS), but maximum torque climbs by 22 lb-ft (30 Nm) to 936 lb-ft (1,269 Nm). Even so, those figures still fall short of the rival Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which produces 1,526 hp (1,138 kW / 1,548 PS) and 1,770 Nm (1,305 lb-ft) of torque.

The added downforce and extra power are paired with a revised setup for the Porsche Active Ride suspension, four-wheel steering, and AWD systems. Braking performance has also been upgraded with 440 mm (17.3 inches) front discs and performance brake pads.

Porsche development driver Lars Kern said the Manthey Kit turns the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package into “the ultimate track tool.” The upgrades allowed him to carry 14 km/h (8.7 mph) more speed through the “Lauda-Lefthander” section of the Nurburgring compared to his previous run.