2012 Camaro ZL1 laps the 'Ring in 7:41.27.... same as current 911 Turbo S

[speeder]

A guy I knew had a really nice '69 Z-28 clone w/ a rat motor and 4-speed. It was the equivalent of a magazine cover car, *best of everything* type street car. Black w/ white stripes and nice racing seats+harness, he would get pulled-over constantly by cops who just wanted to see the car up close and talk. (Many cops are serious gearheads).

I wanted that car bad. The new one, no matter how great the performance, is a pig to look at compared to an early car.

[Tervuren]

I can't get past the bulky awkward styling of the current Camaro's. It ain't no pony car. Ford is at least still making the Mustang appear smaller.

I would rather own a 5.0GT Mustang than this, even if the Camaro is faster. Of course, what I really want is a well setup 944...(getting there)

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by AirKuhl

Awesome car, I love to see an American company do something well.

But, the video also is a very clear reminder to me of why I drive an old 911 when for the same amount of money I could drive a much faster car. Watch the relative ease, quiet and comfort of that incredibly fast lap in the Camaro, then watch this slower lap in an old 911. Ok, a "well set up" old 911.

Not to go too far off tangent, but i think this is shorter segment of the same Ruf CTR with exterior shots for added drama. Quite a handful at the edge by the ballsy factory driver too:



Sherwood

[MarkRobinson]

That video is some 20 years old: so a well set-up torsion-bar suspension'd, 17" tire narrow body/narrow tire 911.

[billh1963]

Originally Posted by AirKuhl

Awesome car, I love to see an American company do something well.

But, the video also is a very clear reminder to me of why I drive an old 911 when for the same amount of money I could drive a much faster car. Watch the relative ease, quiet and comfort of that incredibly fast lap in the Camaro, then watch this slower lap in an old 911. Ok, a "well set up" old 911.

Ease? He's sawing the hell out of that wheel and looks anything but comfortable.

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by billh1963

Ease? He's sawing the hell out of that wheel and looks anything but comfortable.

As MarkRobinson pointed out, the comparison is between two cars with 20 years between them (including tire technology). I guess that's the driving style when driving on the edge with relatively skinny tires. Let's try that with a 1990 Camaro.

S

[911boost]

Thats also a Yellowbird, good luck finding one of those for even close to what the price is of the new Camaro now, even though the RUF is 20 years old.

[livi]

I can´t even begin to comprehend the driver skills of that RUF lap. I have read a lot of testimonials from rather experienced drivers reporting the CTR to be very treacherous to drive on the limit, as were most of the turbo models of that era. This guy is literary all over the road at horrendous speed and yet he managed to keep it from going backward out in the terrain. Absolutely brilliant.

[DaveE]

All these cars that can do one great lap are impressive but they never enter the 24 hour race. Show me one that can last the 'ring and be competitive over the 24 hours, then I'll be impressed.

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by DaveE

All these cars that can do one great lap are impressive but they never enter the 24 hour race. Show me one that can last the 'ring and be competitive over the 24 hours, then I'll be impressed.

+1
As Andy Rooney might have said, "Have you ever notice a Camaro............?

S

[Oh Haha]

Thanks for the link to BigRed, Eric. It STILL is an awesome car by anyone's standards.

Mark Stielow, an engineer with GM, built a similar Camaro around the same time but I don't believe it recieved the same amount of press.

Mark: Adding excitement to new and classic cars | Faces of GM


I dig most any car that is, to me anyway, cool.

Quick story from the drive to the office today-

I took the 911 and was at the end of the freeway exit ramp, waiting to turn right. Directly in front of me, waiting to turn left onto the entrance ramp was a late model Z06. My headlights were shining directly at his side and we exchanged nods.

He let it rip in first gear and into second down the ramp. I rolled my window down just in time to hear the sound. Killer!!! I smiled to myself and went on my way. Just 2 car guys passing in the early morning.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by DaveE

All these cars that can do one great lap are impressive but they never enter the 24 hour race. Show me one that can last the 'ring and be competitive over the 24 hours, then I'll be impressed.

You're right. Chevrolet has never finished a 24 hour race, let alone win several 24 hours at Lemans....

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Quick story from the drive to the office today-

I took the 911 and was at the end of the freeway exit ramp, waiting to turn right. Directly in front of me, waiting to turn left onto the entrance ramp was a late model Z06. My headlights were shining directly at his side and we exchanged nods.

He let it rip in first gear and into second down the ramp. I rolled my window down just in time to hear the sound. Killer!!! I smiled to myself and went on my way. Just 2 car guys passing in the early morning.

Last night, I was headed home (9pm) from work. Traffic was fairly light. I was running about 75-78. The normal flow is 70-75. I came up behind a C6 Vette, not a Z06 or anything, just a regular 'vette. He was in the left lane going about 67. I waited behind him. Some of the lanes to the right opened up so I moved over and started to get around him. He sped up I guess he noticed that someone was going to go faster. He tried about 3-4 times to goad me into racing and gunned it several times. I drive a miata, WTH?!? The way he was driving, I have to assume he was either a douchenozzle or had been drinking. It did sound REALLY good when he got on it though.

He's actually not the first late model vette that's tried to race me when I was driving a miata.

[Oh Haha]

On the way home I was passed(not speeding, just going with the flow), by a sweet Elise. Both occupants gave ME the thumbs up before I could respond.

Speaking of DB's-on the way home last night I was passed, on the right, at a major highway merge point, by a guy in a blacked out older BMW 3 series. Man, he really showed me how cool he was.

[tubwreck]

I happened to be at the Nurburgring on the 19th of last month, and part of the time I was there was a manufacturer's test session, and one of the cars I saw was this:



It did not appear to be turning 7 minute laps, however.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by kaisen

You're right. Chevrolet has never finished a 24 hour race, let alone win several 24 hours at Lemans....

hahah, nice. Fixed it for you.

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by tubwreck

I happened to be at the Nurburgring on the 19th of last month, and part of the time I was there was a manufacturer's test session, and one of the cars I saw was this:



It did not appear to be turning 7 minute laps, however.

cool. I was at the ring two weeks ago. I checked online to make sure it was open to the public. I did three laps in my rental car and had a total blast. The parking lot looked like a cars and coffee e ent ..i've seriously never seen so many GT3RS' in my life. While there, five cars crashed and two had to be towed off. One, an early M3 was totaled. It's a must do if in the area.. btw, i have all three of my laps on video....they look a little different then the videos above

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by masraum

hahah, nice. Fixed it for you.

Beat me to it...

Ford has never won Lemans either...only Porsche, right?

[rrental]

Originally Posted by MMARSH

....... I did three laps in my rental car and had a total blast.......

Guess the damage waiver might be void there...........

[kaisen]

The suspension engineer interviewed here, Aaron Link, made the 7:41.27 Nurburgring blast. Not a hired gun. An engineer.....



Of course, they can't do a 24 hour track test in one shot, the car wouldn't last, right?