Despite being a lifelong car enthusiast and a full-time automotive journalist for over a decade, it wasn’t until this summer that I finally made it to the Nurburgring. A combination of never putting in the extreme effort to actually get there and not being in the right place at the right time when an automaker extended an invitation meant I always heard from people what an incredible experience it was, yet I was always a little skeptical.
I finally decided to travel earlier this year, so during an extended work/personal stay in Europe this summer, I spent a weekend in the gearhead mecca – and while I very likely picked the wrong dates, it was nothing short of mind-boggling. I was able to drive a variety of cars over the course of two days, but before I set out to explore all 13 miles of the Nurburgring Nordschleife on my own, I took a ride to get a taste of the lay of the land.
While tagging along with Genesis in France for the hypercar’s debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it emerged that the Korean automaker offered a Ring Taxi service at the Ring. They offered me a ride if I was in the area, so after working out the logistics, with no idea what was about to happen, I hopped into the passenger seat of a G70 sedan. The downside? It was Saturday so it was absolutely packed. Also, the ambient temperature was 102 degrees. It was above 107 on the tarmac.
Was this going to be a cold lap? Was it going to be all-out? Who was the driver? What were his credentials? Is the car modified? Should I talk to the driver or keep my mouth shut? I didn’t really get much of a chance to think about or inquire about possible answers to those questions when the boom gate arm was already rising and, without saying a word, my driver was making it clear that he was in a great hurry.
Within seconds of entering the track on the Döttinger Hohe straight, we were hitting around 135 mph, and despite coming up a few corners he showed no signs of slowing down. It wasn’t until we got to the tight corners before and after the official start-finish line that I really understood how much business this guy was. He was an old, very fit man with a white beard and looked exactly like one of those “Sexy Santa” Christmas cards. He was wearing some sort of yellow driving glasses and his movements were extremely precise and effortless. He clearly knew what he was doing.
Our Chariot was a Genesis G70 3.3 Sport Prestige RWD, meaning it was equipped with a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, which, coupled with the optional variable exhaust, makes 368 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. It can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 167 mph. However, what was more important at the same moment were the G70’s 13.8-inch, ventilated Brembo brakes, because we definitely needed them.
Suddenly, and while making a casual trip at 150 mph through the Kottenborn section, he suddenly asked: “First time?” I replied, “Yes, I’ve only played tracks on video games before.” He laughed and said, “In real life you can’t reset,” and continued driving straight ahead.
The car absolutely felt like it was on fire, although not literally. However, with the extreme heat, the hot and dirty air of the traffic all around us, and the engine being pushed to its limits, the A/C was definitely struggling. And I was like that too. I almost didn’t get to the point of vomiting, but being pushed around again and again didn’t feel good at times. Luckily, those Genesis folks are smart and keep sick bags in each door pocket.
When the lap was finally over I felt a combination of joy and disappointment, because it meant I could regain my composure, roll down my window and let some fresh air into the cabin, only to then realize that the air outside was hot and steamy. I also learned that my driver has been racing at the Nurburgring (including the annual 24-hour endurance race there) for about 15 years and has hundreds of thousands of laps under his belt. On a day like a Saturday, when the Ring Taxi service is fully booked, he would make around 35 to 40 trips that day alone. No wonder he knew every inch of the place.
Here comes the kicker: The nice little USB drive that Genesis gave me with the onboard footage of my lap turned out to be faulty, and I didn’t realize it until I got home. So, sadly I don’t have the footage that I can put here and show you my experience. I have just a few clips I shot with my iPhone, which you can see in the Instagram embed above. Either way, that’s okay, because if there’s one thing there is an abundance of on YouTube, it’s ‘ring lap videos’.
Later that day and the next, I had the chance to drive a Polo GTI around the Nordschleife, and later, a fully prepared Mini JCW race car. They were both amazing, but Mini was an absolute blast. I don’t really like to throw out the word “pilgrimage”, but going to the Nurburgring is exactly what car enthusiasts do.
If you haven’t experienced it yourself, you really should try. And if you are interested in Genesis Ring Taxi, you can click Here For more information.
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