Ford vs. Porsche: The Battle for Nürburgring Supremacy
Both automakers recently broke records, we explore both and why they matter.
The Nürburgring Nordschleife has long served as the gold standard for performance benchmarks, especially among brands obsessed with precision, power and legacy. In early 2025, that battleground heated up once again. Porsche kicked things off by setting a new record for the fastest manual-transmission production car. Ford, never one to sit quietly on the sidelines, responded in kind, returning to the ‘Ring and knocking out one of the fastest production car laps ever recorded.
Porsche’s Statement
Porsche’s record run came courtesy of the 911 GT3 equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox and the optional Weissach Package. Driven by Porsche ambassador Jörg Bergmeister, the car lapped the 20.832 km Nürburgring course in 6:56.294, beating the previous manual-transmission record by over 9.5 seconds.
Even more impressive? The GT3 outpaced its own PDK-equipped predecessor by more than 3.6 seconds, despite having no bump in power. The 510 hp naturally aspirated flat-six remains unchanged, but thanks to a revised chassis setup derived from the GT3 RS and a shorter gear ratio, the car felt sharper on turn-in and more confident over curbing. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 R tires and ideal spring conditions also played to Porsche’s advantage. It was a clear message: even in a tech-driven age, pure mechanical connection still has a place at the top.
Ford’s All-Out Assault
But the celebration didn’t last long. Ford returned to the Nürburgring shortly after and obliterated its own previous lap with a 6:52.072 in the Mustang GTD. That’s not only four seconds faster than the GT3’s time — it also places the GTD as the fourth-fastest production car ever around the ‘Ring, behind only the Mercedes-AMG One, AMG GT Black Series and Porsche’s own 911 GT3 RS.
Ford didn’t get there by chance. According to Road & Track, the GTD received significant upgrades over last year’s run, including a stiffer chassis, reworked ABS and traction systems, refined aerodynamics and updated powertrain calibration for the 815-hp supercharged V8. Conditions also played a role, while 2024’s laps were limited by poor weather, this year’s clean slate allowed Ford to fully unleash the GTD’s potential, with Multimatic Motorsports’ Dirk Müller behind the wheel.
Why It Matters
This back-and-forth matters for more than bragging rights. Porsche and Ford are proving two different visions of performance can exist side-by-side — one built on purity and control, the other on brute force and race tech. More importantly, Nürburgring lap times remain a trusted benchmark for what today’s production cars are capable of, and in 2025, the pace just got even quicker.
