Xiaomi clearly isn’t content with simply being one of the fastest cars to ever lap the Nurburgring. It just went and made that record even faster. Less than a year after securing a top-five finish for its prototype and taking the number one spot for production electric cars, the company returned for another round. This time, not only did the team succeed, but they shaved nearly 24 seconds off their previous time at the hands of driver David Pittard.

Read: Xiaomi SUV’s Tesla-Beating Pricing Sparks Frenzy With 289,000 Orders In An Hour

For reference, that record was 6:46.87 for the SU7 Ultra prototype. If you’re scratching your head a bit, don’t worry; it’s not just you. Xiaomi has been setting separate record times for both the prototype SU7 and the production version of the same car, which can certainly make things a little tricky to follow.

The production car arguably has an even more impressive record, despite going slower (7:04.957) because it’s the sole leader in the production EV category. To achieve that, it beat the Porsche Taycan and none other than the Rimac Nevera. Yes, the bonkers hypercar was slower than this four-door Chinese sedan. All of that said, this new prototype record is no joke.

The New Record: 6:22.091

The not-for-sale stripped-down SU7 Ultra managed a 6:22.091 lap. That usurps the Lotus Evija X prototype that did it in 6:24.04. Now, the SU7 Ultra sits in third place, and that’ll likely be where it stays. Bumping the second-place finisher, the VW ID.R down would mean going faster than 6:05.33. First place is out of reach for just about everyone. That’s the record set by Timo Bernhard of 5:19:546.

Special Editions: Track Package and Nurburgring Edition

Still, Xiaomi’s performance here is deserving of praise, provided everything is above board. That said, the brand is celebrating the new record with two new special editions. The first, simply called the Track Package, will cost 100,000 yuan (approximately US$13,950 at current exchange rates). It adds a track-grade high-power battery pack, upgraded cooling, optimized brakes, Nurburgring-tuned suspension components, and a top speed of 217 mph (350 km/h).

An even more exclusive version is on the way, dubbed the Nürburgring edition. This special model comes with unique underbody panels, a new roll cage replacing the rear seats, and aerodynamic tweaks on the exterior to set it apart from the rest of the SU7 lineup.

Priced at 814,900 yuan in China (around $114,000), Xiaomi will produce just 10 examples for 2025, with total production capped at 100 to “ensure exclusivity.” Sure, that’s a hefty sum no matter where you are, but the level of performance you’re getting in return is undeniably impressive.

Under the slinky Porsche-esque design, you’ll find three electric motors that make a combined 1,527 hp (1,138 kW) and 1,306 lb-ft (1,770 Nm) of torque. It’s one thing for a brand to claim that it’s capable of building fast cars and a very different thing to put hypercar makers on notice.

Credit: Nurburgring

Breaking speed records isn’t just reserved for hypercars these days. Xiaomi, better known for smartphones than for chasing lap times, caught out attention last year when a prototype of its SU7 electric sedan clocked a 6:46.874 at the Nurburgring. Now it’s back with something more official. The production version has secured the title of fastest electric vehicle at the Green Hell, posting a verified lap time of 7:04.957.

More: Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Smashes Taycan Turbo GT’s Lap Record At Shanghai Circuit

Despite being a full 18 seconds slower than the stripped-out prototype that came with more aggressive aero, the production Xiaomi SU7 Ultra was faster than the Rimac Nevera hypercar (7:05:298) and the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT (7:07:55).

Faster Than a Rimac. Yes, Really

While the new time is a full 18 seconds slower than the earlier prototype run, which featured stripped-out weight savings and more aggressive aerodynamics, the production SU7 Ultra still managed to outpace all the heavy hitters. It not only beat the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT’s time of 7:07.55, but also edged out the Rimac Nevera, which previously clocked a 7:05.298.

Xiaomi hasn’t confirmed who was behind the wheel for the Nurburgring run, but it did clarify that the car used was a production-spec model fitted with the optional track package.

CEO Lei Jun added that this won’t be the last we see of Xiaomi at the ‘Ring, suggesting the company is settling in for the long haul. To back it up, Xiaomi released an onboard video of the lap, which was also picked up by the official Nurburgring website and YouTube channel.

The video shows that the EV reaching 345 km/h (214 mph) on the long straight, just shy of its claimed top speed of 350 km/h (218 mph). Powering that performance is a tri-motor setup delivering a combined 1,527 hp (1,138 kW or 1,548 PS) and 1,306 lb-ft (1,770 Nm) of torque. That’s enough to send the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra from 0 to 100 km/h (0–62 mph) in just 1.89 seconds.

More: Xiaomi’s First SUV Looks Like A Ferrari But It’s Priced Like A Tesla

Interestingly, SU7 Ultra owners don’t get the full 1,527 hp right out of the box. By default, the car delivers around 888 hp (900 PS or 662 kW). To unlock the rest, drivers need to complete a qualifying lap on a Xiaomi-approved track. The car’s onboard Qualifying Mode logs and verifies the lap time, proving whether the driver can handle the extra power.

Hypercar Numbers, Mid-Range Price

Despite offering performance and specs that rival hypercars, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is surprisingly affordable. The performance flagship starts at ¥529,000 (about $73,600) in China, making it significantly less expensive than the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, which starts at ¥1,998,000 ($278,000) locally.

Xiaomi

The drama at Xiaomi’s automotive division doesn’t seem to be winding down anytime soon. Just days after the company was forced to apologize to owners of the SU7 who spent $6,000 on an aero hood only to find out the vents were little more than cosmetic, and not long after a software update nearly reduced the Ultra’s 1,526hp to a mere 888hp, Xiaomi now claims it’s uncovered what it calls a smear campaign against the brand.

The news comes just days before Xiaomi is set to reveal the YU7 electric SUV and the Xring 01, its first in-house developed smartphone chipset. In a posting on their social media page, Xiaomi’s legal team posted an update saying they had uncovered a coordinated effort to defame the company across nearly 10,000 social media accounts. Several suspects are now under investigation by Chinese authorities.

More: Xiaomi Recruiting BMW Execs For European R&D Center

As reported by several local media including Car News China, the criminal gang was allegedly active since December 2024. The company claims that the bad actors used automatic copywriting software to fabricate false information about Xiaomi, and manipulated nearly 10,000 social media accounts to maliciously spread rumors and false statements. The group reportedly engaged in tactics such as stirring up online opposition and pitting rival brands against each other, all in an effort to damage Xiaomi’s reputation.

In a statement, Xiaomi described the situation as a new form of online “water army” crime, where a criminal gang uses automated software to generate fake content on a massive scale. “The distribution chain is complex, and the scale of the operation is enormous,” the company said. “This has had a severely negative impact on both the online environment and our corporate reputation.”

Who’s Behind It?

Even though no names were named, any number of rivals could be at play here. Cars are nowadays more tech-defined than ever and are bound to become even more so in the near future, as the chipset and automotive industries become more intertwined. Thus, when a disruptor comes along and threatens to change the status quo, apparently all gloves are off since there are billions of dollars at stake.

More: Xiaomi SU7 Outsells Tesla’s Model 3 In China

In the epic Iliad, Helen of Troy’s beauty sparked a war that would go down in history. Now, nearly three millennia later, Xiaomi has found itself in the strange position of being the brand that launched 10,000 social media accounts, each working to smear it in the months leading up to its first electric crossover. If anything, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and if rival companies are going to such lengths to bring down Xiaomi, it’s clear they fear what’s coming next.

Owners of the Xiaomi SU7 have been quick to share their enthusiasm for the innovative electric vehicle, but they’ve also been equally eager to voice their concerns when things go south. Recently, this has included a backlash over a software update that drastically reduced the SU7 Ultra’s peak power from a 1,526 horsepower to a more modest 888 hp. Now, the latest source of frustration is the optional carbon fiber hood.

This new carbon fiber hood comes with a hefty price tag of 42,000 yuan, or about $5,800, and takes its design cues from the hood seen on the original SU7 Ultra prototype. It’s equipped with a pair of huge air ducts that Xiaomi claims enhance cooling. However, several Chinese automotive bloggers recently put the hood to the test, only to find it provides virtually no extra air flow, meaning it’s a mostly cosmetic, and not a performance upgrade.

Read: Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra Software Upgrade Was A 650-HP Downgrade

One blogger, as reported by CarNewsChina, conducted a simple test by placing a piece of paper near the vents and positioning a fan at the front of the car. The result? The paper remained perfectly still, proving that the cooling benefits were nonexistent. It’s a bit of an embarrassing reveal for Xiaomi.

The Chinese automaker moved quickly to address the issue. It issued an apology, clarifying that the hood was primarily intended to mimic the design of the one from the SU7 Ultra prototype. Furthermore, Xiaomi admitted that the carbon fiber hood option was never part of the original plan during the development of the production model.

To pacify disgruntled customers, the company announced that those with undelivered orders could switch to the standard aluminum hood. For those who had already received their cars with the carbon fiber hood, Xiaomi promised 20,000 reward points, which translate to a meager 2,000 yuan, or around $275 at current exchange rates.

Understandably, this gesture has done little to satisfy everyone. Reports suggest that up to 300 owners have banded together to demand full vehicle refunds, with many feeling that the promised upgrade was little more than an overpriced piece of carbon fiber with no real benefits to back it up.

While Xiaomi has built a brilliant performance sedan with the SU7 Ultra, it seems its marketing team needs to improve its messaging, as any slip-up or using too much hyperbole may come back to bite it.

Have you ever upgraded your phone or computer to the latest operating system and instantly regretted the decision, wishing you could just go back to the earlier version? That’s a scenario familiar to Chinese owners of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra who discovered an update cost them around 650 hp.

The Ultra is the halo car in Xiaomi’s phenomenally successful SU7 lineup, a rival to the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT that costs a quarter as much and has laid waste to the German car at various racetracks thanks to its incredible 1,526 hp (1,548 PS / 1,138 kW) triple-motor drivetrain.

Related: First Fatal Xiaomi SU7 Crash Sparks Questions About Self-Driving Tech And Locked Doors

But owners were furious to learn that version 1.7.0 of its software reduced power to around 888 hp (900 PS / 662 kW) unless they could prove they were worthy of the true maximum. To unlock it, drivers had to complete a qualifying lap time on a Xiaomi-approved track that would be logged and verified by the SU7’s onboard Qualifying Mode laptime assessment feature, Car News China reports.

The update also made drivers wait an agonizing 60 seconds before the launch control function was ready to showcase the Ultra’s possible 1.89-second zero to 62 mph (96 km/h) times, ruling the tech out for impromptu stoplight races.

Xiaomi claimed the version 1.7.0 update’s power restrictions were designed with safety in mind, claiming the maximum performance potential was only created with track use in mind and by drivers who could handle all those Watts. But while some owners appreciated the sentiment, many took to online forums to complain that they now owned EVs with far less performance than they’d paid for, and which Xiaomi had advertised.

Following the backlash, Xiaomi pulled a U-turn, scrapping the performance limitations and promising to be more up-front about future software updates.

“We appreciate the passionate feedback from our community and will ensure better transparency moving forward,” Car News China reports a company representative saying.

Do you think Xiaomi was right to demand drivers prove their skills before being allowed the SU7’s full power?