One Ring To Rule Them All?

I’ve never been to Germany, but I have driven round the Nürburgring. Because of this track’s severe repuatation, and its Top Gear-fuelled rise into the wider-public conscious, the Nürburgring Nordschliefe has warranted immortalisation in the most recent driving simulators, meaning I can mount an attack on the lap record virtually every time the mood takes me, simply by picking up an Xbox controller. So far, my attempts to set a new record have been fruitless. Must be a dodgy controller...

Experiencing ‘The Green Hell’ itself is a more challenging affair. Hidden away between the trees of the Eifel Mountains in Western Germany, the pilgrimage to this bastion of the petrolhead is only the start of the associated challenges of the ‘Ring. Prices charged for the privilege of lapping the 12.9 mile toll road have skyrocketed in recent years, due to the financial woes of the parent company brought on by ill-advised theme park development (are you listening, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi?) and slim profit margins from track days. Drivers who do stump up to take on the world’s most challenging race circuit also do so fully aware that a lack of run-off areas make mistakes potentially very expensive (even deadly) and all repair costs to the circuit must be fronted by the offending driver.

However, despite the fiscal outlay and mortal danger, the Nurburgring remains a legend. Manufacturer-endorsed lap times around the Nordschiefe have become as much an anticipated example of irrelevant performance indicators as the much loved 0-60mph sprint, or a car’s top speed. Porsche were just as keen to admit their new Boxster can conquer the ‘Ring in 7 minutes 58 seconds as they were to note it’s capable of 35mpg. Such is the obsession with performance and durability testing at the circuit, we’ve had cars named in its honour: from the £22,000 hooligan Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nürburgring, to the £63,000 (!) Lexus will charge you to add the Nürburgring Pack to its limited edition LF-A supercar; the 'base model' itself a snip at £330,000.

Because of the mystique and reverence attributed to the ‘Ring, it’s small wonder there’s been rumours lately of duplicate tracks being built in other locations, allowing more drivers the chance to try their hand at the challenge, and improving access to facilities for PR-hungry manufacturers. The locations banded around have been the rather Eifel-alike south Wales, and the decidedly Martian-in-comparison Nevada desert, USA.

Starting from scratch has its benefits – proper run-off areas could be engineered into the layout to allow a bit of margin for error, while simply not having to make our way all the way to Germany would ease the burden on the original ‘Ring. But could it ever be done? One of the ‘Ring’s defining characteristics is its 302m of elevation change, difficult to recreate in rolling rural Wales, yet alone a snooker table-smooth wilderness. And would enthusiasm for such a venue continue long enough to justify a £200 million build estimate, not to mention the complaints of a loud and proud environmentalist/noise-averse lobby?

I doubt a campaign to create a Welsh ‘Ring replica will ever hold much water in recession-dogged, nanny state Britain, much as we'd love to hear the valley's alive to The Sound of Motorsport. But, America’s love with the automobile is still going strong and their manufacturers are some of the most faithful customers of the Nordschliefe’s facilities. In the same arid state that Las Vegas thrives like a neon beacon for human excess, a playground for cars as well as high-rollers could be a masterstroke waiting to happen. In the meantime, ‘Nevadaring’ remains nothing but a hypothetical pipe dream, and the original Nürburgring reigns supreme as the world’s deadliest, most captivating driving challenge. For €26 per lap.

Do you live somewhere that would benefit from a Ring-a-like springing up next door? Or have you taken on the real thing and lived to tell the tale? (PlayStations don't count, kids) Get stuck in on the comments below.