Chevrolet Camaro ZR1’s record-setting Nurburgring lap

Chevrolet is trumpeting the speed of the 2017 Camaro ZL1 with a video of it lapping Germany’s famed Nurburgring circuit in under 7min 30sec.

In posting a time of 7:29.60, Chevrolet is boasting that it is 11.67 seconds quicker than the previous ZL1’s fast lap.

We would expect a “new” 6.1-liter supercharged V8-powered ZL1 Camaro that puts out 880 Nm of torque to be faster than the 5th generation ZL1. The only changes from the stock production 2017 ZL1 model were the installation of data acquisition equipment, a roll hoop, and Sparco racing seats with six-point harnesses.

But where does the 7:29.60 lap time fit among those “fastest” around the famed circuit?

Remembering that there is no officially sanctioned organization or process that governs or certifies listed times, the website nurburgringlaptimes.com has what seems the most comprehensive list of fastest production car laps around the 20.8km monster.

The new ZR1’s time would put it in 30th position, just ahead of the Mercedes SLS AMG GT that posted 7:30 in 2012. Other recent lap times the ZR1 has bettered were by the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (2016), Ford Shelby GT350R (2015) and the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 (2014).

However, the ZR1 is significantly slower than the likes of the Porsche 918 Spyder which went 6:57 in 2013, Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce 6:59.73 in 2015 and the Nissan GT-R Nismo 7:08.68 (2015). Other recent (post-2014) times also faster than the Camaro have been set by Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series 7:26.40 and BMW M4 GTS 7:27.88.

The fastest production car Nurburgring lap times belong to the Radical SR8LM (2009) and SR8 (2005) which have posted 6:48 and 6:56.08 respectively.