The Nordschleife of the Nürburgring is recognized as the most demanding racetrack in the world. To set a new lap record here takes more than just a powerful engine and a top-notch driver with intimate knowledge of the track, it also takes a perfectly tuned suspension.

The Porsche 911 Turbo-based GTR 600 came to the Nürburgring track to break the record for street legal sports cars. With 600 hp / 445 kW from an 3.6 liter bi-turbo engine, professional race driver Wolfgang Kaufmann at the wheel and with a height-adjustable threaded suspension by H&R the car set a new lap record of sensational 7 minutes, 32.5 seconds.

The suspension of the record car is based on the height adjustable H&R Coil Over suspension, available for the Porsche 996 series 911 Turbo. This road-going sport suspension features single-tube shock absorbers front and rear that offer a somewhat firmer ride than their production counterparts, but still provide enough ride comfort for everyday driving. The ride height can be adjusted to suit each customer's individual preference: The H&R sport suspension allows the ride height to be lowered between 20 and 50 millimeters on the front axle, and between 20 and 40 millimeters in the rear.

For the attack on the Nordschleife lap record H&R utilized its know-how from decades of successful involvement in top racing series: H&R is exclusive provider for the DTM teams from Audi, Mercedes and Opel, and R&D partner and manufacturer of suspension components for the Porsche MotorSport division.

For the record-setting lap the H&R sport suspension of the GTR 600 was fine-tuned to the conditions on the 'Nordschleife' track: For the breathtaking uphill and downhill trip at racing speeds the H&R crew selected somewhat firmer damping characteristics. Additionaly, the spring struts were set to achieve the lowest possible center of gravity for the coupe weighing in at 1,482 kilograms.

The success of these suspension modifications - executed by H&R's racing department - was apparent after a look at the stopwatch: Wolfgang Kaufmann piloted the GTR 600 in exactly 7 minutes, 32.5 seconds through the 20.8 kilometers long "Green Hell" of the Nürburgring - faster than any street-legal car before.

"This time is only possible with a perfectly tuned suspension," says Wolfgang Kaufmann after his record-setting lap. "The H&R Coil Over suspension is designed not only for optimal damping and spring, it is also designed to give the driver the trust and feedback necessary for such a fast lap."

The data collected from the measuring equipment used by "sport auto" magazine for this record trip, underscore his statements: In a street-legal car a speed of 278 km/h at the exit from the 'Schwedenkreuz' or 244 km/h in the notorious 'Fuchsröhre' are only possible with a perectly tuned sport suspension - such as the one from H&R.

High performance the H&R way. Quod erat demonstrandum.