King of the 'Ring: Pagani Zonda F sets new Norschleife lap record

You can make a car that accelerates. You can make a car that brakes. You can make one that handles. One that corners. One with a high top speed. But to make one that does it all is a different story entirely. That's why automakers go to the Nürburgring. Its northern loop is twenty-two kilometers of twists, turns, dips, straights, chicanes...even a carousel. And it's got a new champion.

The Pagani Zonda F recently lapped the track that claimed Lauda's ears in a scant 7:27:82, edging out the previous ruler, the Porsche Carrera GT (which it also rivals for carbon-fiber content in its construction). The Zonda's hot lap shaved a mere two milliseconds off the Carrera's time, but those are two milliseconds the German supercar evidently couldn't muster on its own home track. How embarrassing, ja?

The specific model that hit the high time was a Clubsport version, which itself will be trumped by the even more extreme Zonda R before designer Horacio Pagani goes back to the drawing board for the Zonda's successor.

[Source: Motor Authority]