Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept Smashes 4-Door, FWD Nurburgring Records—Sort Of
While the 03 Cyan Concept is road-legal in Sweden, it isn’t a production car yet. So it’s complicated.
After Mercedes-AMG's technicality-fueled four-seater Nurburgring "record" late last year, Cyan Racing (formerly known as Polestar) is similarly taking a Nurburgring crown with a trunk full of asterisks. Recently making its way around the 12.9-mile German track in just 7:23.14 is the Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept, allegedly making it the fastest four-door and the fastest front-wheel-drive car to ever lap the famous circuit. It beats the four-door Jaguar XE SV Project 8 by three seconds and the FWD Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R by a staggering 25 seconds.
Let's get one thing clear right off the bat. This isn't a production car in the same way the Jaguar and Renault are. The company told Motor1 that the 03 Cyan Concept is still just a concept. However, the vehicle used for the record run is apparently road legal in Sweden and a production version of the 03 Cyan in the same spec will soon be offered "in very limited numbers to VIP customers."
So, is the Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept the fastest production four-door and FWD car to ever lap the 'Ring? No—or at least not yet. Is it the fastest road-legal four-door and FWD race-prepped car to ever lap the 'Ring? Sure.
Cyan Racing makes a note of pointing out that it used the longer 12.9-mile configuration instead of the condensed 12.8-mile setup that many other OEMs like to use for their record runs. Using the shorter playing field, the Lynk & Co car lapped the Nordschleife in 7:15.12, more than 3 and exactly 25 seconds quicker than the Jag and the Renault, respectively.
"The car is rewarding to drive no matter the conditions, be it the Nürburgring or the autobahn," said Lynk & Co driver and 2017 World Touring Car Champion Thed Björk. "The record that we achieved here is something I rank on the same level as my racing titles and a highlight in my part of transitioning development from race to road cars."
The Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept is powered by a 528-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-four. A six-speed automatic transmits power to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2-wrapped front wheels, which can sprint from zero to 62 in 4.4 seconds and onto a top speed of 192 miles per hour.
Now, can somebody please build a four-door sedan that beats this, is a full-on production car, has all four seats intact, isn't race-prepped, and is road legal in all 50 States? For the sake of simplicity, please.
