Ligier, a French microcar manufacturer, has achieved a unique distinction at the Nürburgring: the slowest verified lap time in the circuit’s history. The company’s diesel-powered JS50 quadricycle completed a lap of the 12.9-mile Nordschleife in a staggering 28 minutes and 25.8 seconds.
The Slowest Lap: A Deliberate Stunt?
The JS50 isn’t designed for speed; it’s a “voiture sans permis” (car without a license) category vehicle, capped at a maximum speed of 28 mph. This means drivers in France as young as 14 can legally operate it. Ligier cheekily frames this as a nod to its “glorious history in Formula 1,” despite the obvious contrast.
To prove the JS50’s efficiency, two journalists drove it 310 miles from Paris to the Nürburgring on a single tank of diesel, averaging 94.16 mpg at a leisurely pace. This highlights the vehicle’s practicality for short-distance, low-speed driving rather than performance.
Electric Alternatives: Still Slow, But Faster
Ligier also tested two electric versions of the JS50. The slower, license-free EV completed the lap in 27 minutes and 55.6 seconds – still slower than most cars but nearly half a minute quicker than its diesel counterpart despite the same speed cap.
The faster, L7e-homologated EV (capable of 47 mph) set a time of 19 minutes and 53.4 seconds. However, both EVs were transported to the track due to their limited range of around 119 miles, underscoring the practical constraints of these small, low-speed vehicles.
Why This Matters
This isn’t about breaking speed records. Ligier has turned a tongue-in-cheek stunt into a publicity exercise, highlighting its unique position in the automotive market. The “voiture sans permis” category caters to a specific niche, and the Nürburgring lap serves as an absurd but memorable demonstration of the JS50’s… endurance rather than performance.
This highlights how automotive manufacturers can leverage unconventional achievements to gain attention, even if the “record” is intentionally slow. The JS50’s lap proves that any vehicle can technically complete the Nordschleife, regardless of its speed or intended purpose.
