Two years ago, Corvette lead engineer Tadge Juechter stated the 2016 C7 Corvette Z06 had completed an official factory lap time at the Nürburgring. Since then, the video evidence never surfaced and the C7 Z06 is one car GM has never produced an official lap time for.
That hasn’t stopped outsiders from tackling the famed circuit, though. Sport Auto got their hands on a 2017 C7 Corvette Z06 outfitted with the Z07 package and a seven-speed manual. How’d its driver do? Not too shabby—the Corvette Z06 clocked an impressive 7:13.9. For reference, that’s nearly as quick as a Mercedes-AMG GT R the publication has tested. And its drivers aren’t rookies, either.
Still, the time would likely be quicker with a seasoned Chevrolet driver behind the wheel and an eight-speed automatic taking care of shift duties. With the 2018 C7 Corvette ZR1 poised to be the nameplate’s halo car once again, we doubt the Corvette team will ever set an official time with the Z06. What the Corvette ZR1 will be capable of is a different story, however.
Comments
With the 8-speed automatic option and another driver who knows the car better; and makes no mistake when he changes gears, the Z06 would have done better; at least 10 seconds faster than this time.
As I suggested in the past, I think the “Tadge” is gunning for the 6: minute mark for C7 ZR1. It would be a proper statement for the C7 in the cars 11th hour!
This just shows it is completely within reach!
About time, I was waiting on a lap time for 2 years lol. I seen where he said the time was coming soon and that was when the Z06 came out.
If I’m not mistaken MotorTrend said that the ZL1 1LE Camero did an unofficial 7:13 on the Nurburgring, but they couldn’t count it due to it not being recorded.
I wonder what the current spec F1 car can do around this place with Vettle behind the wheel?
That thing scorched it, waiting to what they drop in the zr1
I’d pick the ZR1 ‘sweet spot’ in the 7:05 ~ 7:10 time range, based on historical records of official timing history on Z06 and ZR1 models and subsequent timed improvements on later models. I can’t see it pulling a 6-something as the true supercars pulling 6s are vastly more expensive and finessed machines – but I’d be happy to eat my hat if I’m wrong 😉
Fleetman; i think the ZR1 will break the 7 minutes barrier.
Here’s how I got to 07:05 ~ 07:10. You don’t have to care, but it’s a reasonable analysis not a shot from the hip.
Official times:
2009 ZR1 – 07:26.4
2012 ZR1 – 07:19.6 (an improvement of 6.8s
2015 ZR1 – no official times, just a whole blag of unofficial timings.
2018 ZR1 – it’s essentially the same engine, RWD setup as the 2012 model. (The 2018 Z06 did an unofficial 07:13)
There is only so much improvement available from driveability improvements; aero applications, stance, tyres (grip), lower drag co-efficient, suspension, driver ability, etc. It’s a law of diminishing returns unless the horsepower vastly overcompensates the aforementioned tweaks. It’s called the law of physics.
Even if the improvements were straight-lined at -6.8s per 3 year period, that only gives a 13.6s improvement from 2012 to 2018 (without accounting for diminishing returns). So 07:19.6 down to about a 07:05.00.
Like i said I’d eat my hat if they do an OFFICIAL time under 7 mins (it has to be a GM production model too, no NOS, aftermarket or special gizmos to get there!)
It’s not the same engine… It’s a new LT5 DOHC 6.2 a lot more torque,hp, and rpm than the LT4