Ligier has set a record at the Nürburgring, claiming the slowest ever lap around the Nordscheife.
Its diesel-powered JS50 quadricycle – homologated in the same category as the Citroën Ami so limited to a top speed of just 28mph – took 28min 25.8sec to complete a lap of the 12.9-mile circuit.
This, according to the French microcar manufacturer, “hinted at [its] glorious history in Formula 1”.
The JS50 is notable for not being a conventional car but a ‘voiture sans permis’ – a category of two-seaters that allows French motorists to drive on public roads without a licence, from as early as 14 years old.
Indeed, French journalists Martin Coulomb and Nicolas Meunier drove the JS50 from Paris to the Nordschleife in preparation for its run, completing their 310-mile journey using a single tank of diesel.
They recorded a fuel economy of figure of 94.16mpg, doubtless aided by the pedestrian pace of the quadricycle.
Ligier also set new records in electric versions of the JS50 – one homologated as a voiture sans permis and the other an L7e quadricycle, which is allowed a higher top speed of 47mph.
The two EVs were transported to the Nordschleife rather than being driven, owing to their ranges being rated at just 119 miles.
The slower of the EVs set a time of 27min 55.6sec – almost half a minute ahead of its diesel counterpart, despite being capped at the same top speed.
The L7e version cracked 19min 53.4sec, which, were it not for the slower versions also being tested, would have become the longest ever lap of the Nordschleife.
All of the laps were completed without any other traffic on the circuit.
The previous slowest lap time was 16min 1sec, set by a Trabant P50 in 1960.
The fastest ever production car around the 'Ring, meanwhile, is the Mercedes-AMG One, with a time of 6min 29.1sec.
As part of Autocar’s news desk, Charlie plays a key role in the title’s coverage of new car launches and industry events. He’s also a regular contributor to its social media channels, creating content for Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter.
Charlie joined Autocar in July 2022 after a nine-month stint as an apprentice with sister publication What Car?, during which he acquired his gold-standard NCTJ diploma with the Press Association.
He is the proud owner of a Mk4 Mazda MX-5 but still feels pangs of guilt over selling his first car, a Fiat Panda 100HP.
Ah, les voitures sans permis! They are common round here. I call them mobile chicanes, but they do serve a purpose for some people.
