With a lap time of 7:32.070 minutes, the new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Electric has become the fastest sedan ever to lap the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. The record was officially certified in the presence of a notary.
The new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Electric has already demonstrated its extraordinary capabilities on the Nürburgring, setting the fastest-ever lap time for a production sedan on the famous “Green Hell” with a time of 7:32.070 minutes.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 shares its technology with its larger sibling, the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. It is powered by three liquid-cooled Yasa axial-flux electric motors—two at the rear and one at the front—that deliver a combined output of 500 kW (680 PS), enabling the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.7 seconds.
This remarkable performance was made possible not only by its immense power but also by its fully variable torque distribution between the front and rear axles and between the two rear wheels through torque vectoring.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 features an adaptive suspension with a three-link front axle and a multi-link rear axle, adjustable through the Comfort, Sport, and AMGFORCE S+ driving modes.
Another important contributor to the record was the active radiator shutter system, which operates in eight stages. The shutters remain closed whenever additional cooling is unnecessary, improving aerodynamic efficiency by reducing drag and directing airflow underneath the vehicle to minimize front-axle lift. In addition, the 94 kWh battery features an optimized thermal management system that keeps it within its ideal operating temperature range, ensuring consistent performance throughout the lap.
Another key factor was the Predictive Performance Manager (PPM), which analyzes the layout of the circuit and optimizes energy usage according to the track’s topography and driving conditions. As a result, maximum power is delivered precisely where it has the greatest impact on lap time. On a demanding circuit such as the Nürburgring, the fastest lap is not achieved by using maximum power continuously, but by intelligently distributing the available energy over the entire lap. The driver can choose between SPRINT mode, optimized for a single flying lap, or RACE mode, designed for multiple consecutive laps.
For the record attempt, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 was fitted with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires.
The test car was also equipped with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package, which adds the RACE driving mode and an active rear spoiler that remains permanently deployed while RACE mode is engaged.
To put the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45’s achievement into perspective, we have included below a list from Wikipedia of production cars that have recorded similar Nürburgring lap times. It is particularly noteworthy that the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 was faster than the Porsche Carrera GT, Pagani Zonda F, Porsche Taycan Turbo S, Ferrari 458 Italia, and Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.
The overall Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record is still held by the Mercedes-AMG One, which completed the circuit in 6:29.090 minutes. The record was set by Maro Engel on September 23, 2023. It will be fascinating to see whether the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe will eventually be able to surpass that benchmark.
