Chevrolet’s much-anticipated Corvette ZR1 has been spotted at the Nurburgring Nordschliefe conducting some shakedown laps of the 22km circuit,and presumably also attempting to set some scorching laptimes too.
It seems that after Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Jeuchter made the audacious claim that the ZR1 “will be able to take the production-car track record at any racetrack”, Chevrolet are preparing to put their money where Jeuchter’s mouth is and are finally taking to the Nordschliefe in a concerted attempt to unseat the current champ: the Pagani Zonda F Clubsport, who holds the current lap record with a very quick 7:27.
As we’ve said before, Chevrolet would probably be just as happy to top the time of the second fastest car, the R35 GT-R (7:29), which is perhaps the closest match for the ZR1 in both outright performance and price. They’ll need to improve a lot on their past performances though: with the last timed lap of the ZR1 being in the low 7:40s, Chevrolet have got a lot of catching up to do.
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I want to see Chevrolet run somewhere in the seven 20’s with the ZR1, I really do.
I’d be prepared to put a whole $10 on it not bettering the GT-R’s time.
Game on with the GTR I say…………
Mr Klose, for the sake of the underdog ZR1 I might have to take you up on that bet.
Consider it a bet then Dan! I’m feeling confident.
Then a bet it is!
I would sincerely love to see the ZR1 get up on the GTR if not Zonda. Although I am now getting that sinking feeling this will be just ‘another’ American muscle car that lets me down, only this time I have $10 on it.
They say that a fool and his money are easily parted, and that is probably true in my case, but this romantic fool would love to see the sleek Chev win against all odds.
Time will tell…
Does anyone know how many Zonda F Clubsports are being built a year? I honestly can’t see it being made in numbers that much greater than the Radical SR8 that’s apparently not a production car, even though it qualifies under the definition in its country of origin.
Nor is the Zonda exactly built in the same mass-produced conveyor-belt style as your average family hack. The pictures I’ve found show a handful of chassis up on stands while a bunch of guys work on them.
I’m just wondering, since the article calling the Zonda F Clubsport a “production car” doesn’t seem to bat any eyelids.
The other thing, of course, is that Chevrolet’s target time for the tuned model of a tuned model (Z06) of a dedicated sports car (Corvette) is 2s faster than the *base model* GT-R. That’s half a percent.
With a V-Spec being developed, I wonder if Chevrolet’s going to kick the ZR1 out the door as soon as possible so they don’t have to go head to head against the V-Spec.
Let alone try to compete with Nismo releasing their turnkey GT-R, which would be a tuned model of the V-Spec, and therefore in the same “level of tune” as this ZR1.
Interesting points Alan. I’ve had a quick look around and it looks as though there were 25 of the hard-top Zonda F Clubsports being built and about the same for the convertible. It is listed in wiki as the production car lap record holder…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagani_Zonda
I have looked for and can’t find a definition for “production car”. It would be very interesting to find an actual definition!
Another interesting point is that there are lists of Nurburgring production car lap record holders floating around that include the Radical SR8 with a lap of 7:18 (I think) and some places on the net saying it has managed 6:55.
Plenty of debate around as to what the Radical actually is. Road registerable in the UK only and generally thought of as a track car - but this would be where an actual definition for “production car” would be useful as it pertains to the Nurburgring at least.
Good point about comparing apples with apples re ZR1 and GT-R. I don’t think the ZR1 (even being the tuned version of a tuned car) will lap the Ring quicker than the standard GT-R let alone the V-Spec or Nismo versions.
I’ve got $10 riding on it with Dan and I’ll even throw in one of the soon to be created TMR polo shirts if I lose - or more to the point the GT-R loses.
One of Dan’s problem with the Radical being a “production car” is that they only build approximately 150 units a year. My maths is a bit rusty, but the last time I checked 150/year > 50/ever. See here.
I doubt the Veyron, Enzo, Carrera GT or any other supercar is built in numbers greater than 150 per annum either.
Another issue is that its a “track day special”, but that’s irrelevant. Production cars don’t rule out track focused vehicles, as long as they’re street legal. The Zonda F Clubsport is a track day special too. As is the Porsche 911 GT2.
“Production” volumes vary from country to country, I believe. As such, semantic debates emerge because one person’s idea is different to another’s. My attitude, therefore, is that if its considered a production car anywhere in the world, its a production car. After all, there are cars that aren’t sold in certain markets. For example, a Corvette can’t be considered a production car in Australia since General Motors sells a grand total of zero a year.
I’m not a Radical fan per se. If anything I’m a Nissan fan, and I’m proud of Nissan claiming the first sub 8 min production car record. But, facts are facts. In Britain the Radical SR8 is considered a production car and someone managed to get one around the Nurburgring in a video-proofed 6:55.