From Hockenheimring to the Italian Job: 318km/h in a 911 R

Combining the lightweight 911 R with an iconic track and one of Italy’s most recognizable locations is a recipe for success. Sport Auto’s Christian Gebhardt takes the naturally-aspirated 911 R to an astounding 318km/h. While many readers are probably familiar with the Hockenheimring, the Nivolet Pass may need more of an introduction. The Pass Colle del Nivolet is perhaps best known for appearing in the Italian Job. The pass reaches 8,665 feet at its highest point, and the road is bordered by steep dropoffs.

The driver, Christian Gebhardt, is one of Sport Auto’s very capable testers. Gebhardt’s resume includes a blistering lap time at the Nurburgring of 7:42 with a Cayman GT4 last year. Christian’s Youtube channel features top speed runs in a wide variety of exotic machinery along with performance and track tests.