Official ZR1 Ring Times!

[culver]

Wait, weren't all the Corvette fanboys crying bloody tears of rage that the GTR didn't do a standing start lap?

Not exactly. The issue seems to have been that with the first GTR lap times it appeared that Nissan was lapping much faster than GM. However, that difference may have been much smaller than the numbers suggested if Nissan were to have done rolling start to GM's standing start. That isn't to say the GTR wouldn't have gone faster anyway but with the fan boys on both sides holding the ring times as some sort of ultimate measure it is worth pointing out when there is a discrepancy in the test.

Personally, the ring times really aren't worth much in the end. I like the Cayman better than the 911 despite being slower around a track. If getting ground a track is the name of the game a Formula Continental will run away from any of these supercars. Fifth Gear showed just how much quicker a Euro spec Formula Ford (similar to US spec but for more HP) was than a Ford GT. The GT could take the FF in a line but was nothing to it on the track.

A FF can be had for $15k used. If we are worshiping lap times we should at least be looking at obtainable racing cars. Heck, unlike a $100,000 Corvette, I could see buying a FF.

[Ingolstadt]

-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.

What are they saying? Of course the industry does rolling starts. Who would go all the way to N ring and do 1 lap and leave? They freakin lap it for numerous laps and take the fastest result. Even in races, only the first lap is a rolling start.

[Klemmel]

Every furhter thread about the plastic car or the Datsun makes me dislike them a little bit more.

Now don't bring Datsun into this, you piece of $ith

Kidding

[Ferrer]

Now don't bring Datsun into this, you piece of $ith

Kidding

I technically was the sixth person to mention the Datsun.

[henk4]

I technically was the sixth person to mention the Datsun.

if GM considers lap times to be important they should realise that it about 150 more horsepower and about 300 kg less to be a whopping 3 seconds fast than a car we will not name...

[digitalcraft]

If the Nissan fanboys hadn't made such a big deal about it, it probably wouldn't be.

[Kitdy]

if GM considers lap times to be important they should realise that it about 150 more horsepower and about 300 kg less to be a whopping 3 seconds fast than a car we will not name...

Yeah, and after people have had replicating acceleration times that Nissan has quoted, it makes me wonder if their ring time was entirely accurate.

EDIT: Also consider that the ZR1 gives CGT a run for it's money - so is it a case of the ZR1 being bad?

No, it is a case of the GT-R being so good or it being a ringer.

[P4g4nite]

Yeah, and after people have had replicating acceleration times that Nissan has quoted, it makes me wonder if their ring time was entirely accurate.

Has anyone outside the US had trouble with 'slow' GTRs? EVO mag tested an 'as delivered' car (not a thrashed journo hack) and it was plenty fast, got around their West Circuit track quicker than a Gallardo Superleggara, it may have even had it's 112mph limiter still activated since the top speed was 111.9 and everything else near it including the less powerful R8 has higher peak speeds.

Maybe the problem is detuned cars for US fuel or just cars too abused by journos.

[Kitdy]

Has anyone outside the US had trouble with 'slow' GTRs? EVO mag tested an 'as delivered' car (not a thrashed journo hack) and it was plenty fast, got around their West Circuit track quicker than a Gallardo Superleggara, it may have even had it's 112mph limiter still activated since the top speed was 111.9 and everything else near it including the less powerful R8 has higher peak speeds.

Maybe the problem is detuned cars for US fuel or just cars too abused by journos.

This could well be the case, but the differences were substantial it seemed.

I really have to do more investigation in this matter, as for my stance, I am pretty neutral as to this whole GT-R thing - I respect that Nissan has made such a great car and hope that they weren't doing anything fishy to get the times that they got.

[Viper007]

I want to see the T1 take on the ring.

I'd rather not see anymore fires fed by that car.

The ZR-1 and the GT-R are good cars and I look forward to seeing more test with them. They may not have the exclusivity of a other cars like the Enzo, Reventon, CCX, etc (pretty much nothing does), but still they are such great bang for the buck. Comparing these two cars is like comparing painkillers, either way you're going to be feeling pretty good no matter which one you pick.

[Kitdy]

I'd rather not see anymore fires fed by that car.

What do you mean?

I've just learned that the ZR1 has the fastest non-track special time on the ring.

It is fast.

[Viper007]

At 160mph: There was a slight loss of power, I looked in the mirror and saw some smoke, there was a slight smell of oil and then suddenly there was this intense heat. The car spontaneously erupted into a ball of flame and I was sat in the middle of a fireball. I hit the brakes, brought the car to a stop as quickly as I could and jumped out.

The T1 has had quite a few problems. I don't know if they have done much to fix them, but I wouldn't be willing to take that risk if I had the money to buy one.

[P4g4nite]

This could well be the case, but the differences were substantial it seemed.

Well I have no answers for that apart from the specualtion I offered, but the fact that a factory delivered (speed limited) GTR pipped a Superleggara on their circuit lends it credibility in my eyes.
Hopefully EVO will be able to test out the ZR1 shortly.

I'd rather not see anymore fires fed by that car.

Has anyone but Clarkson driven the thing while it was in working order? I admire what they were able to do with respect to the ultimate performance you could get from a road car...but "ultimate performance" and "road car" are pretty stupid concepts to tie together IMO.

The ZR-1 and the GT-R are good cars and I look forward to seeing more test with them. They may not have the exclusivity of a other cars like the Enzo, Reventon, CCX, etc (pretty much nothing does), but still they are such great bang for the buck.

The GTR is something like $80k and the ZR1 is what, $100k? In my books that's sliding a little off the BFYB scale and into "expensive toy" territory.

[henk4]

If the Nissan fanboys hadn't made such a big deal about it, it probably wouldn't be.

I dont' know who started the hype about fastest lap times for production cars, but when Jan Magnusson thrashed the Z06 around the Ring, there was not a new Nissan in sight, and production of the R34 had already stopped.

Personally I am looking forward to see a time being set by the Novitec F430 Scuderia, which produces around 720 bhp with the assistance of two superchargers, yet it seems to be a civilised road car.

[Kitdy]

Well I have no answers for that apart from the specualtion I offered, but the fact that a factory delivered (speed limited) GTR pipped a Superleggara on their circuit lends it credibility in my eyes.
Hopefully EVO will be able to test out the ZR1 shortly.

And then the Spec V.

The dickwagging contest between Nissan and Chevrolet goes on.