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Auto Blog
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Corvette ZR1 Could Smash AMG ONE Nürburgring Record, Claims Engineer
ZR1 Backed To Beat Nürburgring Record The Nürburgring's Nordschleife is still the golden standard by which performance cars are often judged. Setting a time below 7 minutes is a feat reserved only for the most focused of performance cars, and according to ex-Corvette engineer Jim Mero, the new ZR1 could blast well past that barrier. In fact, he believes the 1,064-horsepower C8 can beat the lap time set by the Mercedes-AMG One, a record for production cars that was reset on September 23, 2024, with the watch stopping at 6:29.09. According to Mero, using some very sketchy car enthusiast math, the ZR1 could probably do a 6:23 lap. Not-Very-Scientific Sums, But The ZR1 Might Surprise Speaking on the HorsePower Obsessed podcast, Mero suggested that, if the gaps between C8 Corvettes are roughly similar to the gaps between C7 Grand Sport, Z06, and ZR1 variants, which he helped develop, then that scale should mean that the C8 Z06's time of 7:10.52 (set by Auto Motor und Sport's Christian Gebhardt, it must be noted) would translate to a ZR1 lap time of 6:23. 'If I put the C8 Z06 at seven minutes and use a scale factor, I get a 6:23,' he said on the show. He added that he's probably going to 'get into a lot of trouble for that, but it's speculation with some background.' Interestingly, he believes that the AWD, hybridized ZR1X might not set a faster time around the track, citing concerns over how long the electric motor's 186 horsepower would be available during the lap, as well as the question of how any extra weight may impact handling when the battery is depleted. Again, this is pure speculation from somebody who has no hands-on access to the car, and underestimating what the Corvette team has achieved there may be to one's chagrin. We'll Know The ZR1's Nürburgring Time Soon Enough According to CorvetteBlogger, the team behind the ZR1 is preparing to set a lap time very soon, but until it's close to achieving its goals, we doubt we'll hear anything about their own official estimates and expectations. The publication says that the Corvette team has booked a session at the track for some time this month, and if that's true, we can expect YouTubers and trackside photographers to have news for us before the official word is out, just as was the case with the Mustang GTD's sessions at the Nordschleife. Ford's 850-hp GTD set a time of 6:52.072, and you can be absolutely positive that the Corvette team will be aiming to smash that by a long distance with its 1,064 ponies and mid-engine layout, among other tricks. As Ford and Multimatic engineers can attest, the toughest foe to overcome at the Green Hell is typically the weather. Thus, any theoretical lap times may still be impossible to achieve without perfect timing, maximum commitment, and a dash of luck. Hopefully, we'll know the truth within a week, but if the ZR1 does beat (or even come close to) the time set by the $3 million AMG One, it won't matter when we find out – it'll still mean something epic for American performance. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Miami Herald
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Corvette ZR1 Could Smash AMG ONE Nürburgring Record, Claims Engineer
The Nürburgring's Nordschleife is still the golden standard by which performance cars are often judged. Setting a time below 7 minutes is a feat reserved only for the most focused of performance cars, and according to ex-Corvette engineer Jim Mero, the new ZR1 could blast well past that barrier. In fact, he believes the 1,064-horsepower C8 can beat the lap time set by the Mercedes-AMG One, a record for production cars that was reset on September 23, 2024, with the watch stopping at 6:29.09. According to Mero, using some very sketchy car enthusiast math, the ZR1 could probably do a 6:23 lap. Speaking on the HorsePower Obsessed podcast, Mero suggested that, if the gaps between C8 Corvettes are roughly similar to the gaps between C7 Grand Sport, Z06, and ZR1 variants, which he helped develop, then that scale should mean that the C8 Z06's time of 7:10.52 (set by Auto Motor und Sport's Christian Gebhardt, it must be noted) would translate to a ZR1 lap time of 6:23. "If I put the C8 Z06 at seven minutes and use a scale factor, I get a 6:23," he said on the show. He added that he's probably going to "get into a lot of trouble for that, but it's speculation with some background." Interestingly, he believes that the AWD, hybridized ZR1X might not set a faster time around the track, citing concerns over how long the electric motor's 186 horsepower would be available during the lap, as well as the question of how any extra weight may impact handling when the battery is depleted. Again, this is pure speculation from somebody who has no hands-on access to the car, and underestimating what the Corvette team has achieved there may be to one's chagrin. According to CorvetteBlogger, the team behind the ZR1 is preparing to set a lap time very soon, but until it's close to achieving its goals, we doubt we'll hear anything about their own official estimates and expectations. The publication says that the Corvette team has booked a session at the track for some time this month, and if that's true, we can expect YouTubers and trackside photographers to have news for us before the official word is out, just as was the case with the Mustang GTD's sessions at the Nordschleife. Ford's 850-hp GTD set a time of 6:52.072, and you can be absolutely positive that the Corvette team will be aiming to smash that by a long distance with its 1,064 ponies and mid-engine layout, among other tricks. As Ford and Multimatic engineers can attest, the toughest foe to overcome at the Green Hell is typically the weather. Thus, any theoretical lap times may still be impossible to achieve without perfect timing, maximum commitment, and a dash of luck. Hopefully, we'll know the truth within a week, but if the ZR1 does beat (or even come close to) the time set by the $3 million AMG One, it won't matter when we find out - it'll still mean something epic for American performance. Related: This $760,000 Mercedes 190E Restomod is Coming For Supercars at the Nurburgring Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Race-Prepped C8 Z51 vs Stock C8 Z06 vs Porsche Turbo S: Track Showdown Delivers a Surprising Winner
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious In a rare and revealing track day comparison, three high-performance sports cars—the race-prepped Chevrolet C8 Z51 Corvette, a factory-stock C8 Z06, and a stock Porsche 911 Turbo S—went head-to-head in a back-to-back shootout that offered more than a few surprises. The test, organized and driven by Time Attack champion Andy Voelkel, took place with consistency and fairness in mind. Voelkel piloted all three vehicles himself, including his own Gridlife-winning, track-optimized C8 Z51 Corvette, which served as the benchmark. Voelkel's Z51, fitted with aero and suspension modifications for competition, has already proven its capability by capturing a championship title. But the question remained—could it hold off the raw power and engineering prowess of the 2023 C8 Z06 and Porsche 911 Turbo S in a real-world track environment? The Z06, with its 670-horsepower flat-plane crank V8 and advanced cooling and handling systems, was expected to be a top performer. Meanwhile, the Porsche Turbo S, with its all-wheel drive and relentless 640-horsepower twin-turbocharged flat-six, has long been considered a gold standard in real-world usability and track performance. Each car was tested back-to-back under similar conditions, with Voelkel focusing on consistency and lap time data over subjective impressions. While the Z06 and Turbo S delivered expected levels of blistering pace and refinement, it was the prepped Z51 that made the biggest statement. Leveraging its weight balance, tuned suspension, and driver familiarity, the race-ready Corvette proved more than capable of outpacing its showroom-stock rivals in lap time—showing that setup and skill can trump spec sheets. 'The Z06 and Porsche are monsters right out of the box,' Voelkel said. 'But when you've got a well-sorted car and know it like the back of your hand, that's a tough combination to beat.' Watch the full video to see the results unfold—and learn which car walked away with track-day bragging rights.
