2013 GT500 laps the ring quicker then ZL1

[BaylorCamaro]

I'm not sure about the actual time, since the timer was edited into the video that won't be 100% accurate. HOWEVER, given the overlay of the video against the ZL1 run, I think it is nearly impossible to argue that the GT500 is running very similar to the ZL1.

What I do find interesting is that the GT500's brake issue didn't factor in more. Randy had brake fade starting half way into the first lap at LS and was made more evident in the second and third lap. Well time wise the 'Ring is about 3 times as long as LS. So I would think the GT500 would start to really suffer from brake fade about half way through the 'Ring.

Originally Posted by Bhobbs

First
I wouldn't be surprised if it ran a fast time. The GT500 did beat the ZL1 around a few tracks. Add in the straights were the ZL1 ran down the Z/28 and that GT500 does the same but even faster.

Agreed, I was going to say the exact same thing.

Originally Posted by newmoon

Watching the side by side video you can see the ZL1 is quicker in the tight S's, but the 500 pours it on in the straights.

Originally Posted by bpmurr

Is the driver better or is the car just easier to drive? I think the ZL1 is a lot easier to drive to the limit than the GT500.

I think that is an accurate assessment. It seems that every automotive journalist that reviews these two cars comes to the same conclusion.

Originally Posted by NVmyZL1

Is any of this going to change anyone's mind on which car they will buy? Doubtful, so all of this is just justification for some individuals for why they bought what they did.

'ring times are nothing more than a tool for the marketing department. Ford has elected not to use them for that purpose, GM has decided they would. 99% of people buying these cars don't even know what the 'Ring is, let alone does it influence their buying decision, IMHO.

Exactly, which is why I also find it funny that people are making a huge deal out of the Z/28 not being able to run in SCCA or other sanctioned events. Most of the market that is going to buy the Z/28 has no intention of racing it in those events.

What will happen is that auto journalists / auto magazines will get to drive the Z/28 and they will likely pit it up against some sort of Mustang (and other cars as well), and THAT is what people are going to be interested in.

[Truck Norris]

Originally Posted by BaylorCamaro

What I do find interesting is that the GT500's brake issue didn't factor in more. Randy had brake fade starting half way into the first lap at LS and was made more evident in the second and third lap. Well time wise the 'Ring is about 3 times as long as LS. So I would think the GT500 would start to really suffer from brake fade about half way through the 'Ring.

My guess is that they changed the brake fluid to DOT 4 just like the owners manual suggests to do when racing, just like I'm sure they did the 1,500 mile break-in and diff service on the ZL1 as per the owners manual before sending it on the track.

In independent testing DOT 4 fluid has been proven to cure the GT500's brake fade issues.

[1QwikZ28]

I honestly don't understand why the public believes manufacturer claims on the 'Ring. They are going to do everything possible to put down a good time, does not matter if it' s Ford, Chevy, Nissan, or any other company. Just as mostly everyone here is suspect of the GT500s 'Ring time, I am also suspect of the ZL1s time...and every other car for that matter. Only way to truely have a believeable Ring time is to have an independent company test these cars. Otherwise, Ring times are just that, "manufacturer claims"....

[Fenderaddict2]

Eh, it's fast. But the GT500 that ran the ring was different than the final car. Remember the nose winglets? In any case, I don't buy into any "ring time. Just marketing hype, with too many variables.

[strych9]

I will never run on the 'ring. I doubt anyone here will, either. That said, why bother? They're both high-perf vehicles, just different flavors. Pick your flavor, pay the man, then GTFO.

[brt3]

What do other folks here think of this? I'm not sure this makes sense to me, as I think the handling of the ZL1 is more important that the power of the GT500. Maybe the GT500 catches and passes the ZL1 on the Döttinger Höhe, where straight-line speed begins to be more important?

ORIGINAL STORY HERE

GT500 LAP HERE

The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang Beats the Camaro ZL1 Around the Nurburgring
BY PATRICK RALL G+ 2013-10-30 15:58

Quite a while back, spy shots showing the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang in action on the famed Nürburgring hit the internet but no lap times were announced but thanks to the folks at SVTPerformance.com, we have video footage of the super-Stang ripping around the Ring – with a time that makes it faster than the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

It was no secret that Ford Motor Company was testing the 2013 Shelby GT500 Mustang last year and after those spy shots hit the web, many expected that a release would be issued in the weeks following with lap times for the supercharged pony car. However, that release never came and GT500 lap times became a major discussion point across the online Mustang community but there was still no word from Ford – until now. The video below surfaced via the folks at SVTPerformance.com and it shows what appears to be the 2013 Shelby GT500 Mustang in action on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. There is also a handy timer displayed in the top right corner and as the 662 horsepower Mustang crossed the finish line, the timer stops at 7:39.28.

Now, that time hasn’t been made official by Ford (or anyone else) but a time of 7:39.28 makes the 2013 and 2014 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang quicker around the Nürburgring than the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to which it is most often compared. Back in October 2011, GM test driver Aaron Link lapped the Ring in a 2012 Camaro ZL1 in 7:41.27 so when compared to the GT500 time displayed in the video below, the GT500 is about 2 seconds quicker than the ZL1 on the most grueling road course in the world.

While this is cause for Ford and Mustang fans alike to rejoice, they shouldn’t be too quick to claim the Shelby GT500 Mustang as the greatest muscle car ever. While it is the most powerful factory built and street legal muscle car ever with 662 horsepower, the time of 7:39.28 on the Nürburgring Nordschleife is 1.81 seconds short of the time recorded by the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 earlier this month of 7:37.47. That time by the new Camaro Z/28 makes it the fastest muscle car to ever lap the Ring and it should come as a huge surprise considering that the Z/28 is stripped out and designed specifically for road racing. Most impressively, that run was made in the rain so another trip to Germany for some high speed testing with dry conditions could yield even better times but with an unofficial time of 7:39.28 – the GT500 seemingly claims another small battle with its arch nemesis…the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

What we have to wonder if why Ford didn’t issue this video and announce this 7:39.28 lap time previously. Provided that this video was captured between November 2011 and September 2013, Ford would have been able to brag about the 2013 GT500 Mustang being the fastest muscle car to ever tackle the Nürburgring Nordschleife and Ford would have held that title until earlier this month when the Camaro Z/28 ran its 7:37 in the rain. There is the possibility that Ford wasn’t happy with this time – even though the GT500 beat the ZL1 – so they didn’t bother to make a big fuss about the record run. There is also the possibility that there was some question about the timing system so Ford opted not to make an official claim without pinpoint accuracy.

In any case, the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 continues to hold the record for being the fastest American muscle car around the Nürburgring but if these times should become official, the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang has one more piece of the puzzle that helps to make it the best muscle car on sale in America today. The Z/28 might be faster on the Nürburgring but when compared to the similarly loaded up ZL1 – the GT500 is the king of the muscle car hill.

[Bhobbs]

The timer was added by a SVTPerformance member, not by Ford themselves and he did it by going frame by frame and guessing where the start and stop lines were. The time is nowhere near official and may not even be correct.

[Deki]

Originally Posted by SUKXOST

ANOTHER one? sheesh....this is all over already

There is another thread on this? I've searched and couldn't find it.


My opinion, that track is so long, that being within a few seconds of each other means nothing. Few seconds could be difference in one driver braking 2 feet earlier prior to half the turns on the 150+ turns at that track. Not only that, you can see how much better controlled the ZL1 is during the whole lap. The GT500 seems to make up the ground only on the power sections of the track. Still impressive for a car with smaller tires and live rear though.

[90503]

Interesting how the muscle car term is thrown around these days. Doesn't quite jive with the Ring, fully-loaded, etc...Seems like "muscle car" includes everything except the 1/4 mile...sort of waters the term down to me.

[Camaro_Corvette]

Originally Posted by 90503

Interesting how the muscle car term is thrown around these days. Doesn't quite jive with the Ring, fully-loaded, etc...Seems like "muscle car" includes everything except the 1/4 mile...sort of waters the term down to me.

IMO the muscle car era died a long time ago.

[Sven59]

There is no way Ford would not be boasting this if it was official and beat the ZL1.

[brt3]

Originally Posted by Bhobbs

The timer was added by a SVTPerformance member, not by Ford themselves and he did it by going frame by frame and guessing where the start and stop lines were. The time is nowhere near official and may not even be correct.

If that's true I regret posting this. The author implies that Ford was somehow behind this release...

[brt3]

Originally Posted by 90503

Interesting how the muscle car term is thrown around these days.

I think they were just trying to figure out a way to say, "High-Performance American cars excluding the Corvette"...

[90503]

It says the video "could" have been taken between November of '11 and September of '13....two years?....How would a '13 GT500 show up in Nov. of '11...?