ZR1 does a 7:25.4 on the Ring
Discussion
From
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/gauntlet-thrown...
Tadge J. Juechter, Corvette's chief engineer, announced this morning that Jim Mero, GM's development engineer, drove the ZR1 around the Nurburgring in 7:26.4. According to the GMNext blog, the run took place earlier this morning and that conditions were good on the track, with the exception of a strong headwind down the main straight. Mero mentioned that he felt there were a few places where he could have gone faster, although no details were provided about why and where.
Juechter makes it clear that the ZR1 that lapped the 'Ring was instock trim, with the exception of safety and communications equipment. As such, the ZR1 was wearing the same Michelin Pilot Sport 2s found on the production model, the chassis alignment and vehicle height were set to factory specs and the unmodified engine was running on pump gas.
The lap began with a rolling start – which falls in line with current industry practices – and the time was confirmed both through an electronic timing system and two hand-held stopwatches. The ZR1 team will be posting a video of their run when they return from Germany and we'll be keeping our eye out for it when it's online the week of July 7th.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/gauntlet-thrown...
Tadge J. Juechter, Corvette's chief engineer, announced this morning that Jim Mero, GM's development engineer, drove the ZR1 around the Nurburgring in 7:26.4. According to the GMNext blog, the run took place earlier this morning and that conditions were good on the track, with the exception of a strong headwind down the main straight. Mero mentioned that he felt there were a few places where he could have gone faster, although no details were provided about why and where.
Juechter makes it clear that the ZR1 that lapped the 'Ring was instock trim, with the exception of safety and communications equipment. As such, the ZR1 was wearing the same Michelin Pilot Sport 2s found on the production model, the chassis alignment and vehicle height were set to factory specs and the unmodified engine was running on pump gas.
The lap began with a rolling start – which falls in line with current industry practices – and the time was confirmed both through an electronic timing system and two hand-held stopwatches. The ZR1 team will be posting a video of their run when they return from Germany and we'll be keeping our eye out for it when it's online the week of July 7th.
Well DUH. The original question was "Why are car manufacturers so concerned with getting good lap times at the 'Ring all of a sudden?" The track was built in the 20's so it's been there for 80 years yet all of a "sudden" it seems to make a difference with car manufacturers marketing bumf. Personally I don't think it makes the slightest difference to the average person not being a professional racing driver.
Its not all of a sudden.
Your probably just too young to realise it.
The Nissien Skyline WAS BUILT to beat the record at the ring!
The Engineers wanted to build a car that could drive on a real world road and beat the then best of Porche!
ALL Manufacturers have tried to prove their cars are the best.
Bently went to LE Mans to do in the 20's!
Toutist Trophy races were supported by manufactureres to prove the reliablilty and performance of their machines right from the 1900's!
In a world full of ecob
ks, it is probably seen as bad publicity.
Unfortunately the real truth is out there!
300,000 scientits signed a petition againsts that stupid film "Inconvenient Truth". 8,000 of those have Phd level qualifications!
AL Gore did it to make fuel use and price increases seem like the right thing to do! And the Yanks fell for it! Someone is making "Billions"!
And all those eco-muppets go and belive it as it supports their own self interests and loony beliefs.
Ah thats better!
Your probably just too young to realise it.
The Nissien Skyline WAS BUILT to beat the record at the ring!
The Engineers wanted to build a car that could drive on a real world road and beat the then best of Porche!
ALL Manufacturers have tried to prove their cars are the best.
Bently went to LE Mans to do in the 20's!
Toutist Trophy races were supported by manufactureres to prove the reliablilty and performance of their machines right from the 1900's!
In a world full of ecob
ks, it is probably seen as bad publicity.Unfortunately the real truth is out there!
300,000 scientits signed a petition againsts that stupid film "Inconvenient Truth". 8,000 of those have Phd level qualifications!
AL Gore did it to make fuel use and price increases seem like the right thing to do! And the Yanks fell for it! Someone is making "Billions"!
And all those eco-muppets go and belive it as it supports their own self interests and loony beliefs.
Ah thats better!
8/10 for your rant
I'm young enough to remember Armstrong setting foot on the Moon I didn't know that about the Nissian. I know that manufactures have obviously used racing to prove their cars superior to others since the early days of motoring but until recently I personally hadn't heard as much about manufactures & the ring, It seems that more & more must be realizing about the popularity of the ring & possibly jumping on the band wagon.
In these days with the problems on our roads I really don't see the point in it I'm afraid. Yes I can see the point if someones rich & wants a race car & I can understand the point of using 0 - 60 & to a certain degree top end speeds, but even that in this day & age is getting a bit pointless. In the 60' & 70's & before, the differences were more remarkable some cars would probably only do 60 - 70 mph maximum so advertising something that did 120 mph was a big thing. But these days everything is faster than you could sensibly use (unless on track days of course)
So to me saying that one family or average car can go round the ring maybe 1 or 2 seconds faster than another means nothing if they can both do maybe 130 mph. in the first place.
I'm not sold on the green issue at all but millions of people are so for that reason I think it is getting to the stage where it may be considered a bad or even stupid marketing strategy. I own a 67 Camaro with a 7.5 ltr engine which I fitted & you wouldn't believe some looks of disgust I get in petrol stations etc. No one has ever said anything yet but I think it's only a matter of time.
I'm young enough to remember Armstrong setting foot on the Moon
I didn't know that about the Nissian. I know that manufactures have obviously used racing to prove their cars superior to others since the early days of motoring but until recently I personally hadn't heard as much about manufactures & the ring, It seems that more & more must be realizing about the popularity of the ring & possibly jumping on the band wagon. In these days with the problems on our roads I really don't see the point in it I'm afraid. Yes I can see the point if someones rich & wants a race car & I can understand the point of using 0 - 60 & to a certain degree top end speeds, but even that in this day & age is getting a bit pointless. In the 60' & 70's & before, the differences were more remarkable some cars would probably only do 60 - 70 mph maximum so advertising something that did 120 mph was a big thing. But these days everything is faster than you could sensibly use (unless on track days of course)
So to me saying that one family or average car can go round the ring maybe 1 or 2 seconds faster than another means nothing if they can both do maybe 130 mph. in the first place.
I'm not sold on the green issue at all but millions of people are so for that reason I think it is getting to the stage where it may be considered a bad or even stupid marketing strategy. I own a 67 Camaro with a 7.5 ltr engine which I fitted & you wouldn't believe some looks of disgust I get in petrol stations etc. No one has ever said anything yet but I think it's only a matter of time.
Edited by 109 Bob on Sunday 29th June 14:16
skylinecrazy said:
109 Bob said:
cesc said:
Why are car manufacturers so concerned with getting good lap times at the 'Ring all of a sudden?
I agree, good question.
(And that was scary enough for me)109bob
I could almost agree with you totally. BUT I WON'T GIVE IN JUST YET!
In ten years we could (the lucky ones) be driving hydrogen fuel cell "Authorised" computer controlled robot cars that won't let us do anything naughty. Its not that far off now.
So being able to own and drive a dinosaur, while it lasts, gives me a huge sense of satisfaction that I can be different.
But then I have always been a bit of a rebel ever since I watched Mad Max! Ha-Ha!
Steve
I could almost agree with you totally. BUT I WON'T GIVE IN JUST YET!
In ten years we could (the lucky ones) be driving hydrogen fuel cell "Authorised" computer controlled robot cars that won't let us do anything naughty. Its not that far off now.
So being able to own and drive a dinosaur, while it lasts, gives me a huge sense of satisfaction that I can be different.
But then I have always been a bit of a rebel ever since I watched Mad Max! Ha-Ha!
Steve
Old Geezer said:
109bob
In ten years we could (the lucky ones) be driving hydrogen fuel cell "Authorised" computer controlled robot cars that won't let us do anything naughty. Its not that far off now.
Nah I don't think that will happen for a long time because the powers that be will need to find another large source of tax income before they would let it happen. In ten years we could (the lucky ones) be driving hydrogen fuel cell "Authorised" computer controlled robot cars that won't let us do anything naughty. Its not that far off now.
Old Geezer said:
So being able to own and drive a dinosaur, while it lasts, gives me a huge sense of satisfaction that I can be different.
But then I have always been a bit of a rebel ever since I watched Mad Max! Ha-Ha!
Yeah I'm much the same but my hero was Evel Knievel But then I have always been a bit of a rebel ever since I watched Mad Max! Ha-Ha!
7:26.4 actually.
But don't worry, the GTR will be along in a few seconds.
http://blog.gmnext.com/?p=194
Does that make the ZR1 King Kong?
But don't worry, the GTR will be along in a few seconds.
http://blog.gmnext.com/?p=194
Does that make the ZR1 King Kong?
cesc said:
Why are car manufacturers so concerned with getting good lap times at the 'Ring all of a sudden?
As has been mentioned already, it's not all of a sudden, it's just something that gets more publicity and notice than it did years ago, largely because of the internet etc.The German manufacturers in particular as well as Ford-Europe etc have been using the 'ring as a bench-mark test track for decades because of it's demanding nature.
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