The Lotus 3-Eleven, the quickest series production car to come out of Hethel, has set the fastest lap time ever recorded by highly-respected German car magazine sport auto.

It lapped the Hockenheimring short circuit in one minute 6.2 seconds on standard road tyres and in less than perfect weather with temperatures no higher than 8C.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus, said: 'With 460hp on tap and race car handling at your disposal, this car is the ultimate giant killer.'

Christian Gebhardt, a highly-accomplished driver and sport auto road test editor, said after his record-breaking drive: 'The Lotus 3-Eleven is an amazingly fast and track-focused car in which to have a lot of fun at the limit.'

The 3-Eleven is the company's quickest and most expensive series production car ever with the road version from £82,500 and track-only Race at £116,500.

The revised 460hp V6 supercharged engine develops more than 500hp per tonne, making it capable of 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 180mph.

As part of its development the Lotus 3-Eleven spent time at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, where it was one of the fastest road-going cars to ever tackle the track, capable of lapping in less than seven minutes.

Production is limited to 311 cars over the next two years.

Sport auto's top 10 times for production cars at Hockenheimring short circuit:

1 Lotus 3-Eleven, 1.06:2 min

2 Porsche 918 Spyder, 1.06:3 min

3 Gumpert Apollo, 1.07:2 min

4 Radical SR3 SL, 1.08:1 min

5 Lamborghini Gallardo Squadra Corse, 1.08:2 min

6= Corvette ZR1, Ferrari 488 GTB, 1.08:3 min

8 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, 1.08:4 min

9 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991), 1.08:5 min

10 Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series, 1.08:6 min