Nürburgring redesign in the works with rollercoaster, steak house and a disco!
Click above for more renderings of the new Nürburgring
The Nürburgring in Germany has gained notoriety of late as being the battleground on which automakers pit their weapons-grade production sports cars against each other for lap time bragging rights. Open to the public through the months of April and October, it is also the Mecca for any motoring enthusiast worth his or her salt. We're told a whole heck of a lot of construction is going on at the track right now, which is part of a €215 million investment in upgrades that will help the Green Hell attract more patrons and open it up for the entire year.
The new development includes some outlandish additions, so much so that we checked the calendar to see if the first day of April had come early. They include a 15,000 square-meter theme park with the world's fastest roller coaster that runs alongside the track; a 6,000-seat arena for "everything from boxing matches and beach volleyball to new car presentations"; 100 budget condos; a second hotel; a casino, steakhouse, bar and disco; a heli-pad; new Welcome Center; motorsport mall with Ferrari, Aston Martin, Nissan, Yokohama and Bilstein showrooms.
The Nürburgring and the area surrounding the track currently don't offer much in the way of food and entertainment for those who make the journey, so this new development work may be welcomed by petrol-addicted pilgrims. We're told work started a year ago and its completion is still on track for a June 11, 2009 deadline.
Gallery: The new Nurburgring
[Source: CAR Magazine]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Eric Liberatore 3:15PM (11/13/2008)
In other news, Germany falls into recession, faces grim outlook.
http://www.reuters.com/article/economicNews/idUSLD49634420081113
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Franz 3:15PM (11/13/2008)
All the more reason for me to go there now. It'll be the next destination on my list... after the Brazilian GP next year.
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3seriesisking 4:13PM (11/13/2008)
You don't think it's kind of a sell-out to the Rings' heritage?
Franz 4:23PM (11/13/2008)
I suppose when you put it like that it's a bit of a let down from that perspective, but truthfully I'd be more drawn to it because of the possibility of someplace close by to stay, eat & perhaps find alternative entertainment when I'm all tired out from doing flying laps. I guess for me, I'll be quite fine as long as they don't mess with the actual track.
Artie Lange 3:18PM (11/13/2008)
Who knew something as big as a racetrack could jump a shark?
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dukeisduke 3:20PM (11/13/2008)
This isn't really auto-related, but how do I create a profile on here?
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dukeisduke 3:24PM (11/13/2008)
Okay, I guess what I really want to know is how I can get set up so I don't have to type in my email address and password every time I want to post. It's freaking annoying.
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VP 3:37PM (11/13/2008)
If you want to stop typing your email address and password everytime start using FireFox. That's the only solution i have.
If you want to make changes to your profile just click on your name in any post. Hope that helps.
Bondtastic 3:37PM (11/13/2008)
100 budget condos...
If I am able to get one, would Autoblog just give me a job so I could live the life I was always meant to live?
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Mobius_1 5:50PM (11/13/2008)
Well, there will be 99 others to compete with.
Dude 3:46PM (11/13/2008)
I have a bad feeling that the cost of keeping these new facilities operational will end up destroying the track.
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duo 3:49PM (11/13/2008)
I don't know about this one. Seems to me this whole project will ruin the pilgrimage aspect of the trip to the Nürburgring. A trip meant to immerse the enthusiast in something unadulterated instead of another commercialized attraction.
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jerryl 4:45PM (11/13/2008)
That's the exact same thing people have said about Sebring and Watkins Glen. Those are still great places to go for a race.
mestguy182 4:31PM (11/13/2008)
Agreed. When you finally get there and it's not a race day, and you don't see a million people everywhere, the experience is much better, I took an hour just walking around checking everything out and felt it felt like it was just me and the cars...and the wife. Adding a bunch of tourists to the equation will ruin it.
Alex 4:11PM (11/13/2008)
The picture of the motorcross race is hilarious. What direction, exactly, are the racers going?
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Rocketboy 4:23PM (11/13/2008)
I almost did not look, thanks for pointing that out. I laufed.
Razor 9:46PM (11/16/2008)
I was going to ask the same thing. Heck I'd buy a ticket to that area just to watch them all run in to each other! Maybe they can make some kind of Red Bull Championship series out of it, last man standing or something like that...
Elite 4:42PM (11/13/2008)
A DISCO !!!!! LOL !!!Break out the gold chains,mullets,Euro style,"Stayin Alive"Me drive Audi with mullet and gold galore....
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dinnercoat 7:10PM (11/13/2008)
From what I understand what is called a "club" in North America is called a "disco" in Europe.
It does not actually refer to the "disco" style of music that died in the 70s.
NT 4:41PM (11/13/2008)
SO much for the beautiful German landscape. And the last of the great tracks of the world gets turned into a commercialized Disney world.
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