Despite everyone’s sincerest efforts, the Corvette ZR1 has managed to fall off the internet’s radar over the past two weeks. The last we heard was that the ZR1 was in Germany making it’s “official” laps of the Nurburgring. Where it has been since then is anyones guess. Even the Cadillac CTS-V has already been to Germany and back, complete with video evidence and a new lap record to boot. So, what gives? Someone leak something already, this waiting is making me anxious.
BridgeToGantry.com has some new photos up of the Corvette ZR1 making some laps on the Nurburgring.
Without insider knowledge it would be difficult to confirm, but I think they may have been looking for a lap time today. From my office window I spotted a helicopter chasing something that sounded very V8 and awfully supercharged…
You’ll notice that they’re still testing the ZR1 with two people in the car, so I’m not convinced that they’re actually trying to set an official lap time yet. Having a passenger in the car is usually a pretty good indication that they’re still doing some last minute testing and/or tuning.
Autoblog.com also has a nice hi-res gallery online.
The Nissan GT-R, that recently posted a 7:29 lap of the ‘Ring, might have a bit of a problem on it’s hands in it’s pursuit of the production car lap record of the Nurburgring…
But wait, didn’t we quote Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter as saying that the ZR1 “will be able to take the production-car track record at any racetrack”? Yes, we did. What we didn’t mention was that in the same interview, Juechter said that, while the company didn’t yet have a full-production ZR1 to test at Nürburgring’s old track, he confidently predicted the super-Vette would do the deed in “Seven minutes, twenty-something seconds.”
When Tadge Juechter makes a prediction like “seven minutes, twenty-something seconds”, its not really a prediction. No one of his importance in a company as big as GM can make “predictions.” What he is almost certainly saying is that while they’ve yet to have a true production Corvette ZR1 hit the ‘Ring, they have however had ZR1 test mules lapping in the 7:20 range.
[Source: Insideline]
The summer is near, and what better way to spend it then behind the wheel of some of the world’s greatest cars? Ok, so that’s not really an option for us, but if it were, here are three of the cars we’d most like to spend time with:
1. 2009 Corvette ZR1
Could there be a better way to spend your summer then by doing 205mph in America’s preeminent supercar? We think not. With 638hp on tap and a lowly hp to weight ratio of 5.25, the Corvette ZR1 is in other worldly territory .. territory previously only frequented by cars like the Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo.
Even better then all of that? The car’s motor uses a sleeved aluminum block and completely forged internals: from the rods to the pistons to the crankshaft. What this means to you is that adding another 100+hp to the ZR1 will be potentially as easy and carefree as upping the boost a few PSI (thank of the ZR1’s LS9 motor the way we think of the Supra’s 2JZ-GTE: bullet proof). Here’s a TDC guarantee for you: full after market bolt-ons for this car will have it making 700+rwhp (roughly 740hp at the crank).
2. 2009 Nissan GTR
If your idea of summer fun is destroying your local road course’s track record, then the 480hp Nissan GT-R is the car for you. With enough technology and power to commandeer a small third world country, the Nissan GT-R is truly a world beater.
Reasons we want this car? A remarkable Nurburgring time of 7:38, 1/4 mile in 11.8 and a 0-60 of 3.5 seconds. Also, the car’s launch control system is guaranteed to keep us entertained at every red light in the country.
3. 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
With all the world beating and supercar destroying business taken care of by the Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R, we’ll probably also need something a little more practical and family oriented for the summer. Right? WRONG! We’ll need something even MORE outlandish and impractical then either of those two previous cars! This is the summer after all, so we don’t have time for practicality! Thankfully the 457hp Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG clearly and unequivocally meets and satisfies our desire for the impractical and slightly nutty.
Why is this car so great? Because it masquerades as a nice civilized four door sedan, when in all actuality its as civilized as a D1 Grand Prix car! The 457hp will have you screaming around corners like Keiichi Tsuchiya, and the car’s four doors just means that all your friends will be there to cheer you on. Perfect.
The GMNext.com live chat with the Corvette ZR1’s chief engineer Tadge Juechter took place earlier today. No real new information was shared-as expected-but here are some of the most interesting tidbits (full transcript after the jump):
On the “most fuel efficient 600hp car” claim:
Tadge Juechter:
We have not run our fuel economy testing yet. It will be somewhat less than a Z06 and we expect a small gas guzzler tax. However, the ZR1 will be the most fuel efficient 600 hp car you can buy in the world.
On record breaking:
Tadge Juechter:
As you probably saw, we announced the top speed (2 way, 1 mile average) as 205 mph. The ZR1 has also been extremely durable in our testing, so the car certainly has the potential to take the World Speed Endurance Record. However, we are currently focused on a perfect launch and getting the ZR1 into production. We will talk about record attempts later.
On performance numbers:
Tadge Juechter:
We expect to announce pricing in May and all performance numbers will be run with production vehicles over the next two months.
Continue reading ‘RECAP: GMNext.com chat with Tadge Juechter’
Don’t forget, tomorrow is your chance to chat with the Corvette ZR1’s Chief Engineer Tadge J. Juechter on GMNext.com. Hopefully everyone gets some good questions in. I suggest everyone ask about the car’s Nurburgring time and where the ZR1 stands in it’s claimed ability to set the production car lap record on any road course in the world. However I’m guessing he most likely won’t reveal too much.
Excited about the ZR1? Chat with Vehicle Chief Engineer Tadge J. Juechter about the history of the ZR1 and the legacy it leaves on the road.
Tadge J. Juechter, Corvette Vehicle Chief Engineer
2008-April-29
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT
Edmunds Inside Line has some more details on the 2009 Corvette ZR1’s recent 205mph run down the ATP Papenburg test track in Papenburg, Germany.
Luke Sewell, a powertrain engineer on the Corvette platform team, told Inside Line that Patrick Herrmann, a European engineer, was behind the wheel during the top-speed run. Sewell says Herrmann isn’t part of the Corvette team, but that he’s certified to drive the ATP Papenburg course.
Sewell said he himself spent time in the 2009 ZR1’s right seat during the testing, and that the vehicle used was an “integration” vehicle, a mule, that was different from a production car only in that it was equipped with a roll cage and instrumentation for monitoring speed, cooling temps and such.
Full Article: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Goes 205 mph-Plus!
GMNext.com released a video earlier today of the new Corvette ZR1 doing a pull from 100mph to 200mph. Having watched the video, I brought out my trusty stop watch to get some incredibly unofficial performance numbers for the car. Heres what I found:
100mph to 150mph: 9.7 seconds
The Porsche Carrera GT (the reigning king of the Nurburgring) does 100 to 150mph in 10.4 seconds. So the ZR1’s time of 9.7 should give you a good indication of what the car will be capable of. Watch the video after the break and try to time it for yourself.
Continue reading ‘2009 Corvette ZR1: faster then a Carrera GT from 100mph to 150mph’
