News that the iconic Nurburgring racetrack in Germany is up for sale probably has every car buff on the planet dreaming of what they’d do if they could come up with the cash.
Built in the 1920s around the village of Nürburg in the Eifel Mountains, the track now features four configurations including the 17.5-mile Gesamtstrecke (Whole Course), the 12.9-mile Nordschleife, the Südschleife (South Loop) and the Zielschleife (Finish Loop).
A new grand prix circuit was added in 1982, which is used for all major events at the track. In addition to the circuit, the Nürburgring complex includes hotels, amusement rides, restaurants and other exhibits, according to Auto Week.
The track complex, which sees the likes of everything from 700 horsepower turbo Porsches to race cars built by carmakers like Mercedes-Benz, could be sold in pieces or as a single entity. The selling price is reportedly 125 million Euros ($161 million).
However, most who dream of owning the Nurburgring, which is said to have five to 10 prospective buyers, would probably be scared to drive it even if they had the cash and a fleet of dream cars to go with it. At least they should.
The north loop is 12.8 miles long and has more than 1,000 feet of elevation change from its lowest to highest points. Once nicknamed by legendary Formula One racer Jackie Stewart as “The Green Hell,” the Nurburgring is widely considered to be one of the most challenging racing circuits in the world.
Over the years, the track has reportedly claimed over 200 lives. Some reports estimate the annual number of fatalities at the track somewhere between 2 and 12 people, according to sources such as Car and Driver.
