GM is reporting that their new 550+hp Cadillac CTS-V has just lapped the Nurburgring’s North Loop in 7:59.32. That makes it one of, if not the fastest lap of any current production sedan. GM also mentioned that video footage of the record setting run will be available in the coming days.
For some perspective on just how fast a 7:59 lap of the ‘Ring is, here’s a run down:
The Cadillac CTS-V is now as fast or faster then…
7:59 - Chevrolet Corvette C6
7:59 - Porsche 997 Carrera S
8:01 - Bugatti EB 110 SuperSport
8:01 - Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
8:01 - Nissan Skyline V-Spec R33 GT-R
8:02 - Mercedes CLK 63 Black Series
8:03 - Porsche 996 GT3
8:04 - Audi R8
8:05 - Ferrari 575 Maranello
8:05 - 2008 BMW M3 (E92)
8:05 - Mercedes CLK 63 Black Series
8:09 - Ferrari 360 Modena
8:13 - BMW M5
[Source: GM]
PRESS RELEASE: 2009 CTS-V Blisters Nurburgring
Breaks 8-minute barrier - potentially the fastest documented lap time for a production sedanIn testing today at Germany’s Nurburgring, Cadillac’s upcoming new 2009 CTS-Vcompleted a lap of the legendary Nordschleife in 7:59.32. This blistering time appears to be the fastest ever publicly documented for a production sedan.
Cadillac is nearing the completion of testing for the highly anticipated CTS-V, the limited-edition high-performance model based on the award-winning CTS sport sedan. John Heinricy, GM Performance Division executive and an acclaimed racing driver, piloted the CTS-V through its sub-8 minute lap. The car itself had no performance modifications outside of those planned for consumer production, which is scheduled to begin this fall.
Estimated at 550-hp, the CTS-V is at the moment going through the final stages of intensive testing and development. One of the realistic objectives of the Cadillac team is to make the CTS-V the world’s fastest production sedan, as a part of the overall goal to make the V-Series Cadillac’s ultimate expression of performance and technology. More updates will be released in the coming weeks as testing is finalized, including the car’s certified SAE power ratings, acceleration specifications and U.S.-market pricing.
Video documentation of the car’s breakthrough Nordschleife performance will be posted online in the coming days at http://cadillac.gmblogs.com
The eight-minute mark has long been recognized as a major Nurburgring milestone, reserved for race cars and the fastest exotic sports cars. While there’s no single official repository for Nurburgring data from private test sessions, numerous reputable websites and publications report lap times from race teams, automakers and independent sources.The new 2009 CTS-V includes a suite of advanced performance technologies, including a new version of Cadillac’s acclaimed Magnetic Ride Control suspension and the LSA 6.2-liter Supercharged V8 engine. For the first time, CTS-V will include the choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions, with the new automatic sporting steering wheel-mounted shift buttons.
Hey…the video has officially been released…check it out here: http://www.gmnext.com/Details/Videos.aspx?id=0aeed2e7-ab49-42f1-9f2f-3d2dc9b6b16f
Thanks for the heads up =)