Renault aims for a sub-8min ‘Ring time

Renault wants revenge. Via the medium of Facebook, it has revealed a cryptic teaser with the hashtag "Under8" which can only mean one thing: it wants to get around the Nürburging in less than eight minutes.

Well, at least we think it wants it to. The only details we've been given are this shot of the rear of a Megane with an Akrapovic exhaust system, and another with a list of sponsors. The company itself is keeping very quiet, saying only that there are "two months to go..."

To get anywhere near eight minutes around the Nürburgring is - even in today's world of Porsche 918 Spyders and McLaren P1s - still an incredible achievement, but allow us to provide some context first.

Way back in 2011, Renault's Megane RS 265 Trophy managed to scorch a path around the Nürburgring nine seconds quicker than the previous title-holder, the Megane R26R. That time was 8m 07.97s.

An astonishing achievement for a front-drive, road-legal hatch that stood for some time. Until earlier this year, when Seat strapped touring car champ Jordi Gene into a 276bhp Leon Cupra 280 and set him loose. Gene, utilising the witchcraft of those Nürburgring forests, managed a time of 7m 58.4s, setting a ‘record' for a front-wheel-drive production car.

Of course, as we've maintained time and time again, there is no official ‘Ring lap time governing authority, nor is there agreement on exactly where a lap should start and finish.

But regardless, Seat is the current king of the front-drive hatches, and Renault is peeved. Honda wants in on this battle too, because it recently announced its new Civic Type R will also be able to complete a lap of the 'Ring in under eight minutes.

Renault will release more details in June. Get ready for a war...

Want to see what Renault's up against? Watch Seat's Leon 'Ring lap time here

And now, watch the McLaren P1's Nürburgring lap