The Blue Oval developed the Ford Mustang GTD with one particular goal in mind, aside from making it the most track-capable production pony car ever – lapping Germany’s famous Nurburgring in less than seven minutes. Ford accomplished that goal, becoming one of just a few vehicles to do so with a lap time of 6:57:685, after which it managed an even better time of 6:52.072. However, Ford’s cross-town rival General Motors has also had its eye set on beating that mark with its new Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X, and it has done precisely that as well.
The Mustang GTD’s reign as the quickest American vehicle to ever lap the Nurburgring was short-lived, as GM managed to take that title with not just one, but two Corvette models – the ZR1 and the ZR1X – and with non-professional drivers behind the wheel, each of whom is a Chevrolet engineer that helped design them. The hybrid, all-wheel drive ZR1X lapped the ‘Ring in 6:49.275 with ZR1X vehicle dynamics engineer Drew Cattell driving, making it the fastest ever lap by an American production vehicle, as well as the fastest completed by any non-professional race car driver and the fifth-best overall.
As for the rear-wheel drive, non-hybrid ZR1, it managed a best lap time of 6:50.763 at the hands of ZR1 vehicle dynamics engineer Brian Wallace, good enough for the seventh-fastest lap of any production vehicle ever, and enough to move the Mustang GTD back to eighth place.
Both of these Corvette ZR1 variants were regular production vehicles with only necessary safety modifications including a roll hoop, a full containment race seat, six-point safety harness, and fire extinguisher on board.
“No auto manufacturer has done a Nürburgring lap attempt like this before,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “From development through production, and now at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the Green Hell, we have clearly shown there is no limit to what our GM engineers and vehicles can accomplish. These are the best Corvettes in history, period.”
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Probably would have set new record with professional drivers.
They might not be professional drivers, but engineering at this level requires great racing experience. They would have to drive the vehicles during testing and be beyond experts. Professional driver is simply a label in this scenario and worth maybe a couple of seconds.
Farley needs to go work for one of the Chinese EV companies he loves so much. Ford is a joke these days…
ahole
Only joke was that comment. GTD is one impressive vehicle and it’s expensive because of special manufacturing and very low volume.
Now how about we run a Ford supercar vs the Vette and see what the Ford GT can do. The mustang was never meant to compete with a Corvette, unless it’s a drag race!
Really… the S550 GT350 was able to beat a C8 Corvette Z51 with Pobst at the wheel in the vette (you know the situation where the Brand-X crowd is saying the ZR!X would be 10 seconds faster with a guy like Verstappen at the wheel) and a Ford engineer at the wheel of the Shelby on the same course at VIR.
Now I’m not saying the C8 isn’t ultimately the better car, but Ford has done a pretty good job honing the Mustang into a proper road course machine. The idea that the Mustang is only capable and should only be built for going in a straight line needs to die along with the knuckle draggers that insist that is all a Mustang should ever be.
And, the Mustang is a 4 passenger car, whereas the Vette is only 2 person.
Why isn’t the Corvette’s lap time being compared to that of the Mercedes-AMG One, which in 2024, set the record at 6:24.03 (a difference of 25.245 seconds)? I’m assuming a 20.6 km lap for both cars. I’m also assuming that driving the Corvette the best driver in the world could not equal or beat the 6:24.03 time, but I don’t know, so I’m encouraging GM/Corvette to try doing so, but at least we could see how close the Corvette could come to the AMG One lap time. Now that would mean something.
I’m low-key hoping this is the start of a beautiful performance war between the Blue Oval and the Bow Tie. Just like the old days.
I still don’t get it. Why are people still competing a sport car with a pony car? A four passenger that’s 500 pound heavier then a 2 passenger fiberglass sports car might I add a sport car that also has a bigger engine and is a mid engine SPORT CAR! GM bring back the camaro and then and only then challenge the mustang.
To be fair the GTD is two seat as well and the ZR1 is marginally larger at 5.5L vs 5.2 in the GTD. I agree though they are two very different vehicles.
The GTD isn’t even close to a regular Mustang, plus it costs a 100k more than a ZR1x.
No matter what they do, the Mustang will always be a lowly Mustang.
Clearly someone who knows absolutely nothing about the GTD.
Closer observation of Nurburgring lap times shows that three different Porsche 911 variations clocked superior times to that of the Corvette ZR1X (6:49.275). June 14, 2021 a Porsche 911 GT2 RS Manthey Performance Kit ran 6:38.835 on the 20.6 lap. October 5, 2022 a Porsche 911 GT3 RS (992.1) ran 6:44.848 on the 20.6 lap. On September 9, 2017 a Porsche 911 GT2 RS (991.2) ran 6:47.25 on the 20.6 lap. Furthermore, on July 26, 2018 a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ 770-4 ran 6:44.97 on the 20.6 lap. On November 4, 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series ran 6:43.616 on the 20.6 lap. In addition all of these vehicles achieved these times with considerably less horsepower than the ZR1X. To sum it up, in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022 vehicles posted superior lap times on the Nurburgring than did the ZR1X in 2025. No matter what Chevy/GM does, the Corvette will always be a lowly Corvette.
LOL, the other cars run from Porsche 911 GT2 RS Manthey Performance Kit all in runs almost $400,000, double the cost of the “lowly” Corvette ZR1x. The Lambo is $750,000. Your AI search didn’t factor that in.
You’re right, those lap times make the GTD look sick. A 300k boondoggle that’s been beat by the aforementioned cars.
Try convincing those in charge of official Nurburgring timing to rank vehicles by purchase price.