The Porsche 918 Spyder deserves the credit for forging the hybrid supercar territory trodden by the likes of Ferrari and McLaren, even if the car's venture to market has been a long one. But that lag time between concept and production has allowed Porsche to attain some pretty spectacular achievements, one of which is the production car lap record for the Nürburgring.

During final testing for the 918 Spyder, which made its public debut this week at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show, Porsche factory racing driver Marc Lieb managed to set a blistering 6:57 lap time for the full Nürburgring- Nordschleife, smashing the old record of 7:11.57 set by another German supercar, the Gumpert Apollo Sport, back in 2009.

In case you doubt Porsche’s claims, the company had Sport Auto present to serve as an objective observer and also produced this thrilling video. It shows Lieb’s record-breaking run from the cockpit and demonstrates just how dramatic it is running the ‘Ring in under seven minutes. Be sure to watch it in full screen mode and with the volume turned up!

It should be noted that the 918 Spyder was fitted with the car’s available ‘Weissach’ package. This includes weight-saving features and some aerodynamic aids. In total it helps shed around 100 pounds from the standard car’s 3,715-pound curb weight. Peak output, however, remains fixed at 887 horsepower and 940 pound-feet of torque.

Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche’s head of R&D said after the feat, "We promised a great deal with the 918 Spyder, namely to redefine driving pleasure, efficiency and performance. We have kept our word."