http://blog.gmnext.com/?p=194

Over the last two weeks, we have been doing our final tuning and testing there before we start ZR1 production cars. This morning (Friday June 27), General Motors development engineer Jim Mero drove the Corvette ZR1 around the Nürburgring in a time of 7:26.4.

 

http://blog.gmnext.com/?p=194

By: Tadge J. Juechter
Corvette Chief Engineer
I know many people have been very interested in how fast the ZR1 would be at the Ring…
Most car enthusiasts are quite familiar with the Nürburgring. Built in the 1920’s near Cologne, Germany, “the Ring” is considered to be the toughest and most challenging race track in the world.
Over the last two weeks, we have been doing our final tuning and testing there before we start ZR1 production cars. This morning (Friday June 27), General Motors development engineer Jim Mero drove the Corvette ZR1 around the Nürburgring in a time of 7:26.4.
Jim commented after the lap that conditions were good except for a strong headwind down the main straight and that the lap was solid, but he felt there were a few places he could have gone faster.
The car was bone stock with the exception of the communications and safety equipment. The tires were production Michelin Pilot Sport 2’s. These tires have been developed specifically for the ZR1 and will have impressive wet traction and wear (tread wear rating = 220), in addition to excellent dry road holding. Chassis alignment and vehicle height were set to factory specs. Likewise, the engine calibrations were absolutely stock, emissions compliant and the car ran on pump (not racing) fuel. The vehicle was exactly like the cars that will be built in Bowling Green, Kentucky and sold around the world later this summer.

 

Ahhhhhh you just beat me!!

 

Well, with the recent nonsense over the GTRs times and how fast it was, I'll wait to say "omgwtfbbq" till the lap time is made official. I'm glad GM went with standard Michelin tires for the ZR1 though, as I bet that had a bit to deal with it.

Still, if that's an "official" time, that is stupidly fast. I wish there was a HD in car video of it though, cause that would be worth taking the afternoon off from work to go home and watch it on the big screen with popcorn.

(Yes, a regular vid is coming, but i want HD picture and sound!!)

 

nice numbers. the gtr did a 7:29 right?

 

Hmmm... still a second behind the GT-R's questionable lap time and 2 seconds behind Lexus' LF-A lap time.

But as mentioned who knows... maybe GM's time is legit and the others aren't... maybe none of them are. We're going to have to get a standards agency to take over all officially endorsed and approved ring times.

 

So GM did a rolling start to compare to Nissans rolling start numbers. Interesting. I wonder what a z06 would do with the same start.

 

Flying start, standing start? I'm pretty sure GM does all their lap times from a standing start correct? I like how the chief engineer actually goes into detail on what the car has done to it to take out all the questions like the Nissan had.

Dan

 

The regular "GTR" time is clocked at 7:29.03 - the video of said lap shows a rolling start, just as the ZR1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smxFKOlF_tk

Do I believe it beat a Porsche GT2 (which was lighter, more powerful, and had racing tires vs the GTRs run flats) by 3 seconds with the reported 480hp, or was that a "hot" version? With all the nonsense around the GTR I'm not going there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordsch...test_lap_times

The laptimes page wasn't updated when I first found it during my post above. Its since been updated to include the ZR1 time

 

GM does rolling starts. The CTS-V video shows that.

 

GM will do rolling starts now, which is a departure from their previous practice of standing starts.

I'm cool with that as it makes it a bit more standardized.

Quoted from the blog release:

"The timed lap was run with a rolling start, a departure from our previous practice of standing starts. This is more aligned with current industry practice. The lap was electronically timed and confirmed with two hand-held stopwatches. An in-car video will be posted when the engineering team returns from Germany. Look for it the week of July 7!"

 

It's legit. As for the other times?

That's for other manufacturers to deal with...That's the problem for the integrity and nervousness of their legal departments.

 

How are you sure it's legit? Were you there to witness the car in 100% stock trim?

I don't think it's a legal issue for the other car manufacturers. Their times were never declared by the manufacturer... they were taken from bystanders with stop watches hanging out on the side lines.

 

Here's my favorite ring video....guy just beating the crap out of a RUF porsche

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adqYPPnW15Q

 

I like how he made it a point to mention every detail that was suspect in the GTRs lap time.