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 lap time positioned it impressively in 30th place, showcasing its velocity simply before the Mercedes SLS AMG GT, which achieved a time of 7:30 lower back in 2012. Notably, the ZR1 outpaced recent lap facts set by using high-overall performance automobiles together with the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio in 2016, the Ford Shelby GT350R in 2015, and the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 in 2014. This remarkable feat highlights the ZR1’s outstanding overall performance in contrast to different famous sports cars in recent years.

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 manufacturing car Nurburgring lap instances are held via the Radical SR8LM (2009) with a blistering time of 6 minutes and 48 seconds and the SR8 (2005) follows closely behind at 6 minutes and 56.08 seconds. These impressive lap instances showcase the first-rate performance abilities of those Radical models on one of the world’s most difficult race tracks, demonstrating their agility, speed, and precision through the twists and turns of the Nurburgring. Both automobiles have left a long-lasting mark on the automobile world with their remarkable track times, solidifying Radical’s popularity as a producer of high-performance racing machines.