Lifted Ram Pickup, W124 Motorhome, Smart Fortwo Crane: Here Are Some Of The Weirdest Vehicles To Lap The Nürburgring Nordschleife

Weird Nurburgring Topshot
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More than just an incredible racetrack, the Nürburgring Nordschleife is technically the world’s most thrilling toll road, where thrill-seekers can pay to lap their personal vehicles around the course during Touristenfahren sessions. As such, it shouldn’t be terribly surprising that some seriously unusual vehicles have made it onto the track.

The folks at Auto Addiction have compiled another YouTube video of strange machines on the Ring, and I’ve picked through it to showcase some highlights. Shall we take a peek?

Nurburgring Chevrolet Silverado

Straight out of the gate, it’s time to raise hell and praise Dale, baby. A regular cab short bed Chevy truck with an intercooler where the front grille should be is as American as Waffle House fistfights, so seeing one on the Nürburgring is cause for celebration. Sure, cornering speeds are best described as leisurely, but just listen to that noise.

Nurburgring Ram 1500

That dropped Silverado isn’t the only truck to make this compilation. How a lifted half-ton Ram with stacks made it through Germany without being pulled over, I have no idea, but it’s absolutely bizarre to see this jacked-up brodozer mixing it up with small European machinery.

Nurburgring Audi Hearse

How do I sign up for this? I don’t mean to be morbid, but if you have to go, getting in one last lap on the Nordschleife before you’re in the dirt seems worth it. Also, this Audi hearse is just objectively awesome. Kudos to whoever built it up and continues to drive it around.

Nurburgring Volkswagen Atlas

Oh hey, it’s Jamie Orr’s Harlequin-style Volkswagen Atlas. This unique one-off comes lowered on Solo Werks coilovers, trumpeting its signature VR6 song through a Borla exhaust system. Considering the Atlas is on Volkswagen’s common MQB platform, you can think of this one as a Golf Harlequin XXL. A little bit of fun for the entire family.

Nurburgring Fiat 500

This narrow-tracked Fiat 500 is actually a loophole car. See, if a vehicle’s rear track is narrow enough and its engine detuned to a mere 15 kW, it can legally be driven in Germany by 16-year-olds. Otherwise, Germans have to wait until their 18th birthday to drive a normal car unsupervised, which explains some of the popularity of these conversions. While stability on the Nordschleife doesn’t look brilliant, driving anything is better than not driving at all.

Nurburgring W124 Motorhome

Yep, I need this. W124 motorhome, the best generation of E-Class turned into a spacious getaway for the family. There’s a whiff of Clarkson’s leaning tower of Citroen in how the tall roof seems at odds with the low hoodline, but it seems stable while hauling a reasonable amount of ass.

Nurburgring E23

Cue the M. Bison “Yes!” This epic E23 7-Series is winning all over. From the retro insurance company livery to the excellent set of mesh wheels, this has my name written all over it. What a magnificent machine.

Nurburgring Kitt

Here’s a pro tip: Maybe don’t loop out the Knight Industries 2000 on the Nordschleife. It’s not exactly a move becoming of television’s digitally-enhanced Firebird. However, it’s a move extremely becoming of many third-gen drivers, so pour one out to the ‘80s ‘Birds and Camaros that got wrapped around lampposts and fired backward through hedges.

Nurburgring Smart Crane

I’m not sure what sort of payload this little guy is rated for, but he’s just trying his best. As far as cars with jobs go, this Smart Fortwo seems to be a clever marketing stunt, but more than that, it’s adorable.

Perhaps more than anything, this strange menagerie of vehicles proves that having fun on track isn’t necessarily about what you drive, but how you drive it. You can go open-lapping in something that’s probably ill-suited for track work and still have a ball. Just be safe and have fun, that’s what enthusiasm is all about.

(Photo credits: Auto Addiction)

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16 thoughts on “Lifted Ram Pickup, W124 Motorhome, Smart Fortwo Crane: Here Are Some Of The Weirdest Vehicles To Lap The Nürburgring Nordschleife”

  4. I’ve seen the Atlas before on a Hoonigan video. It looks like the plates on it are from Pennsylvania. Guy took it to Mexico with some of the Hoonigan crew when one of them bought a Mexican market Ford F100 suv.

    1. That is jamie orr, he is good people. the audi 80 hearse was also one that he picked up. he has driven quite a few fun cars around the ring over the years.

  5. The way that the Nurburgring is open to anyone with €25 makes it sound like the automotive equivalent to trying to swim laps at the YMCA swimming pool during a kid’s birthday swim party, senior water aerobics class, and Olympic athlete training all happening in the pool at the same time.

  6. I did my Nurburgring laps in an E34 535i saloon, some of the laps with three passengers. It was hilarious. I used the straights for brake cooling and tried to save enough rear tyre tread for the loooong drive home.

    I’ve driven around other tracks in a hi-top LWB Diesel Transit van, and can confirm that any vehicle can be fun on track.

  7. My lap was in my 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo outfitted with a 305 V8 and a 4 speed with positraction. All factory kit. Didn’t set any records but had a lot of fun hanging the rear end out and letting the twin smitty mufflers sing a nice song. Worth every penny. Vowed to go back with a number of other cars but never managed it. :>( .

  8. That Smart is indeed just an advertising vehicle! I’ve seen quite a few of them online repping various mobile crane companies. Sadly, the baby crane is non-functional.

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