The Ford GT Mk IV has become the fastest pure-combustion car to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife, rounding the 12.9-mile circuit in 6min 15.977sec.

It makes the track-only version of the GT the third-fastest car around the circuit, trailing only the electric Volkswagen ID R (6min 5.336sec) and the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (5min 19.546sec). There remains potential for Ford to set a faster time with the Mk IV, however: its top speed was limited due to cold weather.

The record run also means Ford has retaken its crown as the fastest American manufacturer at the ’Ring, beating the 6min 49.275sec lap time set by the 1250bhp Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X last June. It should be noted that Ford employed Nordschleife veteran Frédéric Vervisch for its run, whereas the Corvette was not piloted by a professional racer but Drew Cattell, a dynamics engineer.

"Driving the Ford GT Mk IV at the Nürburgring is an experience unlike any other," Vervisch said. "The car is an absolute weapon, a true extension of your will."

The fastest road-registered car at the Nordschleife remains the Mercedes-AMG One, which set a time of 6min 29.090sec.

The Mk IV is the swansong iteration of the current-generation GT, built exclusively for track use and limited to 67 units (in reference to its forebear’s win in the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours). 

Power is up from the road-going GT's 650bhp to 789bhp and it's sent to the rear wheels through a specially developed sequential gearbox. The car also gets adaptive suspension developed by Multimatic, which also had a hand in the Ford Mustang GT3 and GTD.

The GT’s full Nordschleife run can be viewed below.