Credit where it’s due to Corvette, it really doesn’t entertain any half measures. Why have just one model with more than a thousand horsepower, when you could have two? Why offer just the 655hp hybrid, when you could offer a 1,200hp twin-turbo one? And why take one model to do a scorching Nordschleife lap, when you could take three?
That’s what they’ve just done, a Z06, ZR1 and ZR1X all taken to the Nurburgring – despite the latter two not being sold in Europe. But we all know why it’s been done, and that’s to show the Mustang GTD who is really king of the ‘ring. Which they’ve duly done, with both ZR1 and ZR1X lapping faster than the Ford; the 1,078hp ZR1 went around in 6:50.763, the 1,267hp X in 6:49.275. The Mustang’s best is 6:52.072. Which is some going for a front-engined car with 200-odd horsepower less than even the ZR1, but then laptimes don’t really care for such subtleties; if you aren’t faster, you’re slower.
There may even be more time to be had, because the laps were achieved by Corvette engineers (Drew Cattell in the ZR1X, Brian Wallace in the ZR1, Aaron Link in the Z06) rather than full-time racers. Clearly, they’re very handy drivers, but just imagine if the cars were offered for sale in Europe, production versions could be lapped – and cars other than Porsches could be at the top of the Nurburgring tree. That would be pretty cool.
Moreover, it’s interesting to note just how little time separates the ZR1 and ZR1X, despite the latter’s additional power and extra pair of driven wheels. You would have expected, purely on the stats, for it to be further ahead. Either way though, it’s some display of performance from Corvette.
The 679hp Z06, for what it’s worth, lapped in 7:11.826. A seriously fast time in any other scenario, particularly for a naturally aspirated car, if a little outdone this time around by the turbocharged models. All the Corvettes, despite posting eligible times for the Pre-production/Prototype category, were running the carbon wheels and Michelin Cup 2R tyres available from the factory. The Z06 had the Z07 Performance Package, then both the ZR1 variants were equipped with the ZTK Performance Package. We know you know what that means.
“No auto manufacturer has done a Nürburgring lap attempt like this before,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “From development through production, and now at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the Green Hell, we have clearly shown there is no limit to what our GM engineers and vehicles can accomplish. These are the best Corvettes in history, period.” Your move, Ford…