Autoblog

Schumacher to drive Mercedes F1 car on Nürburgring Nordschleife

Seyth Miersma — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:31:00 EST

In advance of this year's 24 Hours of Nürburgring race, and as a "thank you" to German motorsports fans, Mercedes-Benz has arranged quite the driving demonstration at the legendary German track. Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will pilot a the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 W02 - the team's 2011 F1 car that carried the Silver Arrow name - around the Nordschleife. As far as we know, this will be the first time that an F1 car will have lapped the North Loop since Nick Heidfeld drove a BMW Sauber car around it in 2007.

This will be far from Schumacher's first go with the Nürburgring: In 2011 he drove a classic Silver Arrow Stromlinie W196 (pictured above) for a demo lap around the Grand Prix track, and in 2007 he infamously punted a Ferrari prototype on the Nordschleife.

There's no word from Mercedes as to how exactly Schumacher will drive for his 'Ring run this time. Heidfeld's lap was slowed massively by his car wearing hard, demonstration tires and for slow-downs to film the event. We have every expectation that Schumi will be subject to the same demands of safety and public relations.

Of course, having the all-time fastest lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in your CV is something that we'd guess might tempt the über-competitive driver, and he'll certainly have the car to make that happen. Stefan Bellof holds the record for the fastest-ever lap of the 'Ring in its current configuration and length, with a time of 6:25.91 in 1983, at the wheel of a Porsche 956. (Niki Luada has the record at the original length, with a lap of 6:58.6 in 1975, in a Ferrari 312T.) Pundits analyzed the fast bits of Heidfeld's 2007 run, and figured his full-pace time, on admittedly unsticky tires, would have clocked in at around 6:12.

Again, we're not suggesting that Schumacher will have the green light to drive at full speed, but it does sound as though the now one-year retired driver is amped for the opportunity. Said Schumacher, "Posting a lap in a modern Silver Arrow on the most beautiful and most testing circuit in the world, what a brilliant mix - it's every motor racing driver's dream!" We'll keep our fingers crossed on May 19, and hope that the lap is a hot one.

Continue reading Schumacher to drive Mercedes F1 car on Nürburgring Nordschleife

Schumacher to drive Mercedes F1 car on Nürburgring Nordschleife originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan planning another Nürburgring record run with 2013 GT-R

Zach Bowman — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Japan, Luxury

Nissan is reportedly gearing up for another assault on the Nürburgring. According to The Truth About Cars, the company believes the refinements it made to the 2013 GT-R will be enough to skip the supercar around the track in record time. Chief Engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno says there's "quite a bit of margin" in the car's current 7-minute, 18-second time for the course. That's just over five seconds slower than the unofficial time by the Dodge Viper ACR. But Nissan has something special up its sleeves.

The company has whipped up a new Track Edition that Mizuno says is good for under seven minutes. That machine makes use of the same engine as the production car, but lacks a full interior in the name of weight savings. Likewise, there's a set of super-sticky Dunlop race rubber on all four corners. The car isn't legal in Japan because it does not come equipped with the required 112 mph speed limiter. Even so, we can't wait to see what it does around the Green Hell.

Nissan planning another Nürburgring record run with 2013 GT-R originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harley-Davidson V-Rod hits the 'Ring while Yamaha R1 sets new lap record

Zach Bowman — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Europe, Videos, Motorcycle

It's been 10 years since Harley-Davidson decided to stick a pinkie toe into new product development with the V-Rod. The crew from Bridge to Gantry decided to celebrate the liquid-cooled V-Twin's birthday by taking it out for a little fun around the Nürburgring.

If it seems odd to pair the V-Rod with one of the world's most challenging road courses, it is. Technically, Porsche lent a hand in developing the 60 degree, 130-horsepower engine at the heart of the modern cruiser, but punishing the carousel probably wasn't high on HD's list of development goals. We imagine it ranked in the same neighborhood as taking the gold in the Paris-Dakar.

Even so, the bike has plenty of power on hand just waiting to throw machine and rider down the course's longer straights, but as Bridge to Gantry points out, it just isn't at home kissing apexes. That's not to say the 2012 V-Rod isn't an improvement over its predecessors. With new Michelin tires, Bridge to Gantry says the bike can now take better advantage of its suspension for some relatively reasonable handling.

So, now that we know that a V-Rod isn't the most desirable weapon with which to tackle the 'Ring, what is? You could certainly do worse than starting with a modern liter-bike, like the lightly modified 2005 Yamaha R1 used by Andy Carlilse recently to set a new two-wheel lap record of seven minutes and 10 seconds.

Scroll down below to watch both machines blaze their own distinct trails down the snaking Nürburgring.

Continue reading Harley-Davidson V-Rod hits the 'Ring while Yamaha R1 sets new lap record

Harley-Davidson V-Rod hits the 'Ring while Yamaha R1 sets new lap record originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge releases official video of Viper ACR reclaiming 'Ring title

Zach Bowman — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Dodge, Racing

When Dodge first made waves about the company's Viper ACR whipping around the Nürburgring in 7:12, the world immediately began clamoring to see video of the lap in action. Well, clamor no more. SRT has officially released a video of the mighty Mopar doing the deed around the infamous German track. As you may recall, Tomball Dodge in Texas provided a set of brand-new 2010 Viper ACR models just for the task, as the Viper has been discontinued, and the trio was prepared for Nürburgring duty by the minds at Mintgen Motorsports.

With driver Dominik Farnbacher behind the wheel, team SRT was able to see the Viper around one of the world's most challenging road courses in blistering time, beating out the unofficial record set by the Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition by nearly two seconds. Farnbacher knows his way around a race car thanks to his extensive experience in the American Le Mans Series, Rolex Grand Am Series and the European Le Mans Series, among others. Hit the jump to check out the video.

Continue reading Dodge releases official video of Viper ACR reclaiming 'Ring title

Dodge releases official video of Viper ACR reclaiming 'Ring title originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus confirms LFA Nürburgring record with new footage

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Lexus

The Interwebs were recently aflutter with rumors that Lexus had set a new Nürburgring production car record with its LFA supercar. The Japanese automaker has stepped forward to lend credence those rumors... by producing an official video of the record-breaking 7:14.64 run. That figure represents a mighty quick 20.6-kilometer jaunt, besting efforts put forth by a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Nissan GT-R and even a Porsche 911 GT2 RS.

Lexus used an even more limited-edition version of its already limited LFA known as the Nürburgring Edition. Only 50 examples are to be built, which represents 1/10th of total planned LFA production. The differences on this limited, limited-edition car can be found in the added aero bits, track-tuned suspension, custom wheels and an extra 11 horsepower. That extra oomph brings total power up to 563 horses, compared to the "standard" car's 552.

That power boost is clearly enough to push the LFA around the track more quickly than any production car has gone before. However, the inquisitive minds at The Truth About Cars bring up a good point with regards to "production car" records set on the 'Ring. Lexus only built 500 examples of the LFA, and just 50 of those are Nürburgring Edition cars. Should we consider that small production run enough for the car to qualify? If so, why can't we consider the times produced by a pair of Radical entries and a Gumpert Apollo Sport as part of the production class? If we do, then the LFA's time would actually fall to fourth. None of the aforementioned vehicles are mass-market units, but they are sold in the States, if in very limited numbers.

Still, we don't want to take anything away from Lexus on a truly amazing blast around this famed German circuit. Click past the jump to watch the video ride-along for yourself.

Continue reading Lexus confirms LFA Nürburgring record with new footage

Lexus confirms LFA Nürburgring record with new footage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package smashes Nordschliefe production record with 7:14 lap

Zach Bowman — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Lexus

The web is afire with news that Lexus has managed to demolish the standing production-car record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The news comes courtesy of EVO Magazine's own Chris Harris and Lexus itself via the miracle of Twitter. Lexus test driver Akira Iida reportedly managed to twist the LFA Nürburgring Edition around the infamous circuit in 7:14. If true, that time puts the carbon-fiber exotic four-seconds ahead of the previous production-car champion, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, at 7:18, and it puts the LFA Nürburgring Edition in the top five quickest vehicles to ever run the track.

Impressive.

We'll keep you posted with more information as Lexus releases details on the run. Here's hoping they had the video cameras rolling while they were out laying waste to the Green Hell.

Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package smashes Nordschliefe production record with 7:14 lap originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota smashes electric vehicle record with 7.47:79 Nürburgring lap time [w/video]

Autoblog Staff — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Toyota, Electric, Racing

Toyota's TMG EV P001 - perhaps trying to outrun its boring name - smashed the existing lap record for an electric vehicle on the famed 12.93-mile Nurburgring Nordschleife track with a time of seven minutes, 47.79 seconds. This beats the previous electric car time by a healthy margin and puts Toyota's electric racer on par with the lap times recorded by vehicles like the Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 Turbo, but is still a ways off the any-powertrain-goes record of 6:48. The just-bested EV record was set by Peugeot's EX1 earlier this year at 9.01:33 (watch a video of that run here). The EX1 averaged a rather impressive 85.9 miles per hour on the grueling track. Prior to the EX1's blazing run, a modified Mini E held the electric vehicle record at the Nürburgring with a time of 9 minutes 51 seconds.

The new record, comfortably under Toyota's pre-attempt target of eight minutes, should help TMG sell the heart of the EV P001 when commercial sales start next year. The powertrain includes components from Rational Motion and EVO Electric. We should also see at least some sort of improvement in Toyota's other electric vehicle offerings, since Pascal Vasselon, TMG's Technical Director, said in a statement, "We also wanted to learn more about the operation of our electric powertrain in extreme circumstances... We have enhanced our electric powertrain development thanks to the information our engineers have gained and our future EV products will benefit from this project."

Given the rapid advancements in electric vehicle technology, we'd assume that Toyota's record will be challenged in the near future, but we don't expect Toyota to give up its spot without a fight. There's video of Toyota's electrifying Nurburgring run after the jump.

Continue reading Toyota smashes electric vehicle record with 7.47:79 Nürburgring lap time [w/video]

Toyota smashes electric vehicle record with 7.47:79 Nürburgring lap time [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota shooting for electric vehicle 'Ring record on August 29

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Toyota, Peugeot, Electric

Toyota Motorsport GmbH has announced its intention to smash the existing electric vehicle lap record at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife on August 29.

Some speculate the on-track demonstration by Toyota Motorsport GmbH is a prelude to Toyota's racing division inking a powertrain deal for an electrified Formula 1 racing series. Whether or not that's true remains unknown, but Toyota says its lapping of the Nürburgring will prove that "green thinking motorsport" generates emotion, just as fossil fuel racing has done for more than a century.

The current electric vehicle lap record at the 'Ring stands at 9:01.338, a time that Toyota says it has already beaten during informal testing. On August 29, it will hit the track with a battery-powered two-seater that can reach a claimed top speed of 162 miles per hour, rip from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and is loosely based on the radical Alpha-1 SRF, a vehicle developed by Toyota Motorsport GmbH for the German firm e-Wolf.

Rob Leupen, Toyota Motorsport's director of business operations, told the Charging Point, "We are extremely confident we can break the record by some distance, which is an indication of how electric vehicle performance is continuously improving." We'll let you know if Toyota's attempt to tame the 'Ring blows a hole through the existing record, which is held by the spectalur Peugeot EX1.

Continue reading Toyota shooting for electric vehicle 'Ring record on August 29

Toyota shooting for electric vehicle 'Ring record on August 29 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sportauto runs 8:15 Nurburging lap in BMW 1 M Coupe

Michael Harley — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 16:07:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, BMW

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe - Click above for high-res image gallery

The new BMW 1 Series M Coupe has finally taken a timed spin around the Nürburgring, and the results aren't bad. According to Sportauto, the rear-wheel-drive, 335-horsepower compact two-door ran an 8:15, putting it slightly ahead of the Audi TT RS and the Audi RS 3 Sportback. (Both Audis share the same 340-hp 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder and all-wheel drive.) More impressively, the newest addition to the M Family beat a 320-horsepower rear-wheel drive Porsche Cayman S by two seconds and left the 300-horsepower BMW 335i coupe eating its dust a full eleven seconds later.

According to the publication, the 1 Series M Coupe could have done better. It wasn't wearing sticky racing compound tires and the suspension was a bit too firm - a compliant suspension improves traction on bumpy circuits. In other tests of the new M Coupe, Sportauto clocked a 0-100 kph (62 mph) time of 4.7 seconds and a sprint to 200 kph (124 mph) in just 17.2 seconds. Okay Audi and Porsche... your turn.

Sportauto runs 8:15 Nurburging lap in BMW 1 M Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peugeot EX1 rips 'round the 'Ring with record-setting EV run

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Europe, Peugeot, Specialty, Electric

Peugeot EX1 sets electric vehicle 'Ring record - Click above to watch video after the jump

For decades now, automakers have turned to the famed Nürburgring in Germany to put vehicles to the test. On April 27th, Peugeot sent its radically styled EX1 electric 'round the 'Ring, setting a record for battery-powered vehicles with a time of 9 minutes 1.338 seconds.

The Nürburgring actually consists of several interlacing tracks, with the main stretch, the Nordschleife, comprising almost 13 miles of hairpin turns, undulating surfaces and lengthy straightaways.

Peugeot's electric sports car averaged a rather impressive 85.9 miles per hour on the demanding 12-plus mile Nordschleife track. The EX1 smoked the previous electric vehicle record of 9:51, set by a modified Mini E back in 2010. Hit the jump to catch official video of the EX1 whizzing 'round the 'Ring.

Continue reading Peugeot EX1 rips 'round the 'Ring with record-setting EV run

Peugeot EX1 rips 'round the 'Ring with record-setting EV run originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lord of the 'Ring: Ferrari breaks the 7-minute Nürburgring barrier

Zach Bowman — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Ferrari, Luxury

Ferrari 599XX laps the Nurburgring - Click above to watch video after the jump

We know what the detractors say. We've heard all the arguments that claim Nürburgring times are worthless because of the infinitely changing variables that shift from one day to the next. We know that different cars driven by different drivers will produce vastly different results, and that measuring manhood by whipping out your Nürburgring track times isn't exactly comparing apples to apples. That's okay. We just don't care.

Why? Because as long as manufacturers are willing to do battle by flogging their latest wares around Green Hell, we get to enjoy delicious videos like the one after the jump. You see, Ferrari has just broken the seven-minute barrier for production cars by laying down a scorching 6 minute, 58.16 second lap time around one of the world's most grueling courses in the new 599XX.

Watching the 700 horsepower beast devour the German tarmac is mesmerizing, as is the sound of that melodious V12. If, like us, you were wondering why Ferrari was keeping its mouth shut while manufacturers like Nissan, Chevrolet and Dodge laid claim to previous records, now you know. Go ahead and say goodbye to your productivity, hop the jump and enjoy the show.

Only one question remains. How long has Ferrari been employing demi-gods like test-driver Raffaele De Simone?

Gallery: Beijing 2010: Ferrari 599 GTO

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Lord of the 'Ring: Ferrari breaks the 7-minute Nürburgring barrier

Lord of the 'Ring: Ferrari breaks the 7-minute Nürburgring barrier originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texas tuner developing turbocharged V6 Camaro to take on GT-R's 'Ring record

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

2010 Chevrolet Camaro RS -- click above image for high-res gallery

Must. Beat. Godzilla. For some reason. Here's the skinny. A tuner company called East Texas Muscle Cars is fitting a couple of turbos to a 2010 V6 Camaro in order to "beat" the 'Ring time laid down by none other than the Nissan GT-R. That leaves us with two questions then: how and why?

Lots of folks are going to buy V6 Camaros, grok the 304 hp V6, scratch their heads and say, "More power." In other words, there's a market. ETMC will rip the guts come out of the 3.6-liter LLT and throw in forged rods, crank and pistons. And then, of course, you get the two Squires Turbo Systems turbos. These are remote-mounted turbos that bolt up under the car near the exhaust. With such a system, you're basically trading a bit of lag for increased cooling and no need to mess around with new headers. East Texas thinks they can wring 500 horses out of the system no problem.

Then there's the matter of dealing with the stock Camaro's "tremendous understeer and cradle walk." That's pretty necessary if you want to do battle with a R35, which neither understeers nor cradle walks nor really does anything bad or sloppy. East Texas Muscle Cars will be addressing those issues via harder bushings and Pedders coil-overs, along with a Baer big brake kit and lightweight forged 20-inch wheels.

Then there's the question: Why? Why go after Godzilla, such a high profile target? Unless you're building Clubber Lang, why call out Rocky? Publicity, obviously. Would we even be writing about a bolt-on turbo kit for a V6 Camaro unless they publicly challenged one of the production car 'Ring masters? Probably not. But there is one part of their scheme that we do like. Once the Camaro is finished, ETMC will be flying it and a friend's stock GT-R out to Germany to run 'em both simultaneously. Since that's the case, no need to even mention the inherent fallacy of Nurburgring lap records. Good luck boys.

Gallery: 2010 Chevy Camaro

[Source: Inside Line]

Texas tuner developing turbocharged V6 Camaro to take on GT-R's 'Ring record originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fun while it lasted: Porsche Panamera Turbo reportedly tops Cadillac CTS-V's 'Ring record

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Cadillac, Porsche

2010 Porsche Panamera - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's been just over a year since Cadillac captured the title of fastest production four-door car when John Heinricy circulated the Nürburgring's north loop with a CTS-V in under eight minutes. Considering the pace of leap-frogging between the Nissan GT-R, Corvette ZR1 and Viper ACR it's a bit surprising that it took this long for someone to top the super-Caddy. What's not surprising is that it was a Porsche that finally outran the CTS-V.

Now that the four-door Porsche Panamera has been thrust upon the world, it was only a matter of time before one the test drivers from Weissach brought the crown back to the fatherland. The 500-horsepower Panamera Turbo lapped the Nordschleife in 7 minutes, 56 seconds, 3 seconds faster than the Cadillac.

When Heinricy set his 7:59 time last year, it was done in an automatic CTS-V in a single hot lap at the end of a test session. With any luck, we'll see Heinricy or perhaps one of the Corvette C6.R drivers like Johnny O'Connell head back to the Eiffel mountains for another go.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Porsche Panamera

All Photos Copyright (C)2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: TopSpeed]

Fun while it lasted: Porsche Panamera Turbo reportedly tops Cadillac CTS-V's 'Ring record originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bertone Mantide owner eyeing Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring record run?

Noah Joseph — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Supercars, Specialty

Bertone Mantide - Click above for high-res image gallery

Some coachbuilt custom supercars are all show. But the owner of a Bertone Mantide is eager to prove that his has got the go to back up his show. Dan Watkins, the British gentleman-racer who bought the first Mantide, is so eager, in fact, that he's pondering personally financing a run at the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's Nürburgring lap record. And there's every reason to believe his car could reach that goal.

At 7 minutes, 26.4 seconds, the 2009 ZR1 holds the current lap record for a stock, street-legal, series production automobiles (excluding such track-focused machinery as the Viper ACR and Radical SR8). Nissan has its eyes on the ZR1 and is closing in fast, but as delicate and fragile as it may look, the Mantide arguably stands the best chance of besting the supercharged Vette's time - mostly because it's based on the ZR1. Only it's 80kg (176 pounds) lighter and 30% more aerodynamic, thanks to the improvements made to the body by Jason Castriota and his team at Stile Bertone.

To test the theory, Watkins is mulling renting out the 'Ring for three days, hiring an expert Nordschleife driver, and of course, donating the use of his $2 million supercar. All in pursuit of the ultimate bragging rights. If it happens, well, be watching.

Gallery: Bertone Mantide

[Source: PistonHeads]

Bertone Mantide owner eyeing Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring record run? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Revised Nissan GT-R clocks 7:27.56 lap time at the Nürburgring

Noah Joseph — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Supercars, Nissan

2010 Nissan GT-R at the Nurburgring - Click above for a hi-res gallery

Enough is never enough. Not when you're talking supercars and Nürburgring lap times. As if enough jaws weren't dropped when Nissan posted their fantastic initial time of 7:29 around the vaunted Nordschleife (besting Porsche's best), the automaker's engineers went back to the garage looking for a little extra for 2010. They came back with a slightly updated version, with five extra horsepower and revised dual-clutch transmission with updated launch control, plus a bigger fuel tank, new tires and a retuned suspension. So what effect would these modifications have on the GT-R's 'Ring run? About a second and a half off the record, which now stands for the Japanese supercar at an awe-inspiring 7:27.56.

According to Nissan, the time was posted using a 2010 GT-R with the optional V-Spec wheels and tires, driven by former F1 tester Toshio Suzuki. Fantastic as that time is, it's still another second short of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's 7:26.4 (to say nothing of the Dodge Viper ACR's 7:22.1), so Nissan will be back at it. And without the dirt and dust which the Japanese team says was coating the track to impede its lap time, they figure they just might find enough extra speed to claim the record. Details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan GT-R sets 7:27.56 Ring lap time

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Revised Nissan GT-R clocks 7:27.56 lap time at the Nürburgring

Revised Nissan GT-R clocks 7:27.56 lap time at the Nürburgring originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Focus RS heads to 'Ring in search of a class record

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Hatchback, Ford, Renault, Specialty

2010 Ford Focus RS - Click above for high-res image gallery

Pretty soon, it seems like the start of Nürburgring lap time season will take its place on motorsports calendars the same way you find with Formula 1 and NASCAR. The 'Ring season officially began last week, and the title card pitted the 2009 Ford Focus RS against the Renaultsport Megane R26.R. The Ford's numbers are 297 hp and 324 lb-ft; the Renault posts 230 hp and 229 lb.-ft, and the Megane's time stands at 8:16.9 (not 8:12) on its Toyo track-friendly rubber.

For the first round, the detuned 250 hp Focus RS test car managed 8:27 on "standard Continental tires," so Ford is reportedly looking at the full-fat 297 hp car to do around 8:15. Word is if they can get that close, they'll consider adding the Toyo Cup tires to the customer options list, which could subtract at least three seconds from the Focus' time and allow it to take home the 'Ring trophy for hot hatches. Ford will be back at the 'Ring next week to give it a go. Cheating? Perhaps. Pointless? Maybe. Fun for us to watch? Definitely. Hat tip to yaroukh

Gallery: 2009 Ford Focus RS (blue)

Gallery: Renaultsport Megane R26.R

[Source: Driving Spirit]

Ford Focus RS heads to 'Ring in search of a class record originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corvette ZR-1 knocks four seconds off 'Ring time

Michael Harley — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Supercars, Chevrolet

Click above for our high-res ZR-1 burnout gallery

Back at the Nürburgring, the hot Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 has just ripped four seconds off its claimed 7:26 lap. The new time, with Jan Magnussen at the wheel, is a claimed 7:22.4 for the full 12.93-mile loop. While the number is pretty bloody fast, it is still .3 seconds off the time earned by the Dodge Viper ACR (ouch, those three tenths really have to hurt!). We take these lap times with a grain of salt, as we've yet to see everyone on the 73-turn course under the same conditions, and with officially certified timing equipment. Again, so you don't have to Google the competition's best-claimed Ring times yourself, here they are: Porsche GT2 - 7:32, Nissan GT-R - 7:29, Corvette ZR1 - 7:22.4 and the Dodge Viper ACR - 7:22.1. Thanks for the tip, Xeyad!

Gallery: Covette ZR1 burnouts

[Source: Motor Gears]

Corvette ZR-1 knocks four seconds off 'Ring time originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More 'Ring running: Maserati MC12 beats world's best in super comparo

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Maserati

Click above for more high-res shots of the Maserati MC12

Despite the fact there is no real "Official 'Ring Record" for production cars, manufacturers never miss the chance to time their fastest cars as they lap the famous German race track. After all, there's a great bit of marketing to be had by claiming that your car is faster than everything else. Maserati realizes this just as much as the next company, and the Italian automaker's MC12 is still 'super' even though it's now three years old. Perhaps even more so, as it recently managed to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 7:24.29. Not only is this an extremely fast time, it betters the marks set by such enviable performers as the Ferrari Enzo, Koenigsegg CCX, Pagani Zonda F Clubsport and Porsche Carrera GT. All of these cars are owned by one (very lucky) man and were tested with the same driver (American Le Mans Series racer Marc Basseng) at the same time and under the same conditions, while lap timing duties went to Europe's evo magazine. All of this lends a dose of credibility to the Trident's accomplishment that's lacking from the incredible 'Ring times that automakers have been claiming lately. So, while not all 'Ring times are created equal, some bragging rights now belong to Maserati.*

*The only car we know of that claims a faster time is the Dodge Viper ACR, which unofficially managed the deed in just 7:22. Your lap times may vary.

Gallery: 2005 Maserati MC12

[Source: Maserati]

More 'Ring running: Maserati MC12 beats world's best in super comparo originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi insider claims V10 R8 will beat ZR1 around the 'Ring

Noah Joseph — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Audi

Click above for gallery of the Audi R8 V10

Them's fightin' words, but when we're talking about a V10-powered version of the Audi R8, you'd better be taking them seriously. According to an Audi insider as reported by Auto Motor und Sport in Sweden, the more powerful R8 will set a new lap record for a production car at the Nurburgring. That would mean coming in under the 7:26 lap time claimed by the Corvette ZR1 (and taken by the Pagani Zonda F), and faster than the Nissan GT-R's 7:29, but the big question remains whether it could out-gun the GT-R V-Spec's purported 7:25.

The R8 V10 - with whatever name it will adopt - is expected to make its production-guise debut at the Paris Motor Show this coming October. That'll make for some delicious eye-candy, but the real treat will be to see how the German supercar holds up against the Americans and the Japanese on the 'Ring.

Gallery: Audi R8 V10 spied at quattro GmbH

[Source: Auto Motor & Sport (Sweden) via Motor Authority]

Audi insider claims V10 R8 will beat ZR1 around the 'Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rain dampens Ultima GTR 'Ring record attempt

Noah Joseph — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, UK

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ultima GTR720 at the Nurburgring

There is no shortage of automakers out there claiming to make the ultimate "race car for the road", but few of them can touch the Ultima GTR. While others try to make their road cars as close to racing cars as possible, the British sportscar-maker set about making their Noble-based racing car as close to a road car as possible. The result is blistering performance, with the latest GTR720 setting several Guinness-verified world records, including a 0-60 time of 2.6 seconds, a quarter mile below ten seconds and a 0-100-0 time in 9.4. With those numbers in the books, Sport Auto Magazine set its sights on setting a new Nurburgring road car lap record.

Unfortunately, after booking two, half-hour sessions at the 'Ring, the heavens opened up and soaked the track, so the attempt was aborted. The current record, held by the Pagani Zonda F Clubsport, stands at 7:27, but Ultima ambitiously projects that its car could undercut that with what would be a staggeringly fast lap time under 6 minutes, 55 seconds. Sounds impossible? Consider the performance stats quoted above, and that the lightweight track demon has hit a top speed of 231 mph. That was with the previous gearing setup, but with a taller fifth gear ratio, Ultima thinks it can reach even higher speeds. After the disappointment of a failed attempt due to the bad weather, the company's founder Ted Marlow turned around and headed back to England, claiming to have hit 220mph on a derestricted Autobahn along the way. We'll just have to wait until a more successful attempt to see if the record is shattered, but in the meantime we can enjoy the images in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Ultima GTR720 Nurburgring record attempt

[Source: Ultima]

Continue reading Rain dampens Ultima GTR 'Ring record attempt

Rain dampens Ultima GTR 'Ring record attempt originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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