This Car Holds The Slowest Lap Time At Germany’s Nürburgring

Slow and steady wins the race?

Under normal circumstances, we only hear about Germany’s infamous Nürburgring track when a supercar, hypercar, or some obscure exotic vehicle shatters some sort of record. In this instance, however, it’s quite the opposite. Ligier, a French automaker, sent its JS50 Revo D+ microcar across the border with the sole purpose of taking the title of slowest lap time.

For us Americans, our only exposure to Ligier is likely through its performance models, but the brand also did a 20-year stint in the Formula 1 World Championship. The French automaker’s Formula 1 team was last active in 1996, 30 years ago. These days, Ligier develops and produces a number of vehicles, including microcars and minibuses, and features a division dedicated to restoring historic race cars. While the manufacturer may not compete in Formula 1 these days, Ligier still builds high-performance models, like the JS2 RS.

A microcar with a 28-horsepower engine under the hood

If you think the JS50 Revo D+ looks more like a child’s toy than an actual car, you’re partially right. In Europe, the microcar isn’t actually considered a car. It comes powered by a 0.5-liter diesel engine that tops out at eight horsepower and 20 lb-ft of torque. That performance gives it a top speed of just 28 mph, which technically makes it a quadricycle. As a result, French residents can drive the JS50 on public roadways starting at 14 years old, no license required.

French journalists Nicolas Meunier and Martin Coulomb set out for Germany’s Nürburgring in a JS50, earning over 75 mpg along the way. In total, Ligier brought three vehicles to the track, including the diesel-powered JS50 and two electrified versions, one of which was capable of hitting 47 mph. Zoom, zoom.

The diesel-powered JS50 Revo D+ managed the slowest time, coming in at 28 minutes and 25.8 seconds, officially giving it the title. The electric version was around 30 seconds quicker, and the more powerful EV managed to complete a lap in 19 minutes, 53.4 seconds. Take note that while the JS50 Revo D+ now holds the title of slowest lap time, it could have potentially taken even longer to complete the run if it had made the attempt on stock tires.

The Ligier JS2 RS brings a new level of performance

While Ligier’s Formula 1 team hasn’t seen the track in 30 years, the French automaker still has several performance-driven models on its roster. Ligier introduced the JS2 R in 2018 for the brand’s 50th anniversary. That same nameplate took second place in the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Today, there are more than 120 examples of the JS2 R on track around the world.

The JS2 RS was introduced last year and builds on the success and performance of the JS2 R. Under the hood lies Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. That combination delivers 650 horsepower and a top speed of roughly 186 mph. The new model gets an aerodynamic package that adds functional flair to the track-ready car, including a carbon splitter and rear diffuser. While it won’t be competing in Formula 1 anytime soon, and it isn’t street legal, you can get a JS2 RS for just shy of $300,000.

Final thoughts

Heading out to the Nürburgring track typically means gunning for high speeds and quick lap times, two things EVs have been excelling at in recent years. While Ligier builds some performance models, it was the JS50 microcar that stole both the spotlight and the title of the car with the slowest lap time. It’s a breath of fresh air, frankly, considering all we normally hear about is models that post the fastest lap times. It isn’t often an automaker sets out to get the slowest time, so I have to applaud the French journalist and Ligier’s ambition in doing so!