Camaro Z/28 Nurburgring time = 7:37.47 !! [VIDEO]

[Sven59]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

Put me in the disappointed camp...at least somewhat.

Not necessarily disappointed in the Z/28, but just for the fact that GM chose to use this time as the first official ring time, when it sure sounds like the time could have been much faster.

I tend to wonder if all this ring testing is bogus anyways. Its been said that the engineers will spends weeks out there, just dialing in the car section by section so that they can finally make a lap going all out. Well I guess that is fine...but only if those settings are what make it into the final production car. Is that what happens? Does the production car really get the exact same setup as used on the ring?

Anyways, now all GM has done is give the haters and competition fanboys reason to balk about how much this car sucks. All the hype and only about 4 seconds faster than the ZL1. It certainly makes you wonder. How many all out runs did they make? Was this, even with bad weather the best one? It must have been. Could GM not have stayed another few days to a week and gotten a better time? I guess if the weather forecast looked bad that could have been true.

I hope I'm wrong and the car gets the respect it deserves. I hope GM can give us a better time eventually, from a Z/28 spec'd out like what can be bought at the dealership.

I think it was the second time there. It would be great to get another time but I am sure they have limited time and funds to do this. I think it is amazing anyway that two camaros are running so high on this list beating cars two or three times the price. I think it makes Ford look bad, and just think how it must make Porsche feel.

[Zfatuated]

Originally Posted by 90503

I agree. They weren't sniveling or making excuses....It is what it is.

But, Z, at least that six seconds gives you an ace-in-the hole at the track when you go quicker than they expect....lol....

It's GT3RS fast at half the price and carries an explicit warranty during track use. I'm stoked to go Porsche hunting next spring ;-) Season opens in March 2014...lol. Need to get Stand21 to make me a camo driving suit! Ha!

[mkorgan]

I am not sure why everyone is saying this car is capable of a faster time. GM understands marketing. I can't remember a domestic car with more hype in recent memory. Evrrything about this car has been sealed tight until this announcement. If they could have posted a better time they would have with as tighly controlled as the information has been held. I have said it once and I will say it again...if the weather significantly impacted the time, they would have ran the car a different day under better conditions. For those saying the car can crack the 20's, why would Chevy post this time if that was even in the realm of possibility? When you market a product, you do it under the best case scenario. If you think GM just settled for this time because they ran out of track time, you simply do not understand how marketing works. I believe they ran the car on better days and did not get a better time. Thus they posted the best time, regardless of the conditions that may lead some to believe it could have been better. They will sell all they can build so it does not really matter anyway.

[radz28]

MT posted this:

"No one expected GM to show a 500-hp naturally aspirated 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 coupe at the New York auto show earlier this year, but ever since the automaker did, bow-tie fans have been eagerly awaiting Nürburgring lap times. Now, Chevrolet has released a new video showing an in-car view of the 2014 Camaro Z/28 as it laps the famed track in 7 minutes, 37.47 seconds — in the rain. With that time, the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 slots in between the Ruf RT12 (7:35), and 991 Porsche 911 Carrera S (7:37.9). That time is also ahead of the supercharged C6 Corvette ZR1 on Michelin Pilot Sport ZP run-flat tires (7:38) and the Camaro ZL1 (7.41:27) coupes as well as the C6 Corvette Z06 (7:42.99) — the car that shares its engine with the Camaro Z/28. The 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 makes 505 hp and 481 lb-ft of torque in the Camaro Z/28.

Update: Chevrolet released more information regarding the 2014 Camaro Z/28′s Nürburgring lap time. While the 7:37.40 lap time puts the Camaro Z/28 in good company, Chevrolet claims the track-capable muscle car would go faster in more ideal conditions:
“One of the challenges of testing at the ‘Ring is that the track is so long that conditions can change radically in a single lap,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, in a release. “Adam Dean, the development driver for Z/28, did a heroic job driving in deteriorating conditions. Based on telemetry data from our test sessions, we know the Z/28 can be as much as six seconds faster on a dry track.”
2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 at Nurburgring left side 1 300x199 imageIn order for the Camaro Z/28 to be considered track capable, it had to go through GM’s “24-Hour Test” where the car is pushed at 10/10ths on the track for a total of 24 hours. Only brakes and tires are replaced during testing. The Camaro Z/28 accumulated 10 hours and nearly 1000 miles on the track alone, with every lap coming in under eight minutes even with traffic.
With a focus on lap times, much of the sound deadening and audio system has been removed, while air conditioning is optional. The Camaro Z/28 is 300 pounds lighter than the supercharged ZL1 model. Other track-oriented updates include thinner rear glass, shocks featuring individual adjustment of bumper and rebound settings for both high- and low-speed wheel motions as well as 305/30ZR-19 Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tires — possibly the widest front tires available on a production car — on all four corners. GM claims the Camaro Z/28 can pull 1.085 lateral g average and up to 1.5 g in braking with its large Brembo brakes."


http://wot.motortrend.com/2014-chevr...eo-416573.html

[Camaro_Corvette]

Originally Posted by mkorgan

I am not sure why everyone is saying this car is capable of a faster time. GM understands marketing. I can't remember a domestic car with more hype in recent memory. Evrrything about this car has been sealed tight until this announcement. If they could have posted a better time they would have with as tighly controlled as the information has been held. I have said it once and I will say it again...if the weather significantly impacted the time, they would have ran the car a different day under better conditions. For those saying the car can crack the 20's, why would Chevy post this time if that was even in the realm of possibility? When you market a product, you do it under the best case scenario. If you think GM just settled for this time because they ran out of track time, you simply do not understand how marketing works. I believe they ran the car on better days and did not get a better time. Thus they posted the best time, regardless of the conditions that may lead some to believe it could have been better. They will sell all they can build so it does not really matter anyway.

Reading the whole thread might help.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by mkorgan

I am not sure why everyone is saying this car is capable of a faster time. GM understands marketing. I can't remember a domestic car with more hype in recent memory. Evrrything about this car has been sealed tight until this announcement. If they could have posted a better time they would have with as tighly controlled as the information has been held. I have said it once and I will say it again...if the weather significantly impacted the time, they would have ran the car a different day under better conditions. For those saying the car can crack the 20's, why would Chevy post this time if that was even in the realm of possibility? When you market a product, you do it under the best case scenario. If you think GM just settled for this time because they ran out of track time, you simply do not understand how marketing works. I believe they ran the car on better days and did not get a better time. Thus they posted the best time, regardless of the conditions that may lead some to believe it could have been better. They will sell all they can build so it does not really matter anyway.

I don't think it would crack '20s, however, I believe it's been posted GM doesn't actually rent the entire track. They run with other paying customers on the track at the same time, so not only do the times have to reflect favorable weather conditions, they also have traffic conditions to content with, too. Maybe that changed since I remember reading that, but that's what I recall.

It's pretty clear the driver had to slow down, too, for the run because of the rain, so I believe this is also why so many think it can go faster.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by Camaro_Corvette

Reading the whole thread might help.

There's that, too...

[JusticePete]

...

Originally Posted by JusticePete

I am guessing this is the best time they ran on this trip and to date, which is not to say it is the best lap the Z/28 can post.

I don't think the video 'leaked'. Who would have access to in car video outside of GM?

Adam Dean was doing the driving in the video.

I only watched the video once. After the rain hit, Adam stayed in it hard. The revs were pegged at 6k down the straight in the rain. He lost some time in wet braking, entry and exit speeds, but he ran the Z hard and put her in the garage wet.

My guess for the six second faster estimate by Al O in the press release is he based that on a best lap target created by computer. I have no idea how many sectors they divide the 13 mile ring run, but by taking the best sector actual lap times and pasting them together you end up with a theoretical best lap time.

I am sure Adam Dean is a top flight driver for GM. What I don't know is how much time he has spent driving at the Ring. Seat time at the Ring directly correlates to lower lap times more so than most tracks. 13 miles is a lot of track to learn inside out so that you can almost drive it with your eyes closed.

As the story develops we'll learn more details and then the real speculation can start. Just how fast can the Z/28 run the ring?

[TripleBlkZL1]

Originally Posted by 90503

...That would make the Z/28 number "28" on the list...what a coincidence...lol

That list doesn't have the up to date 2012 C6 Z06 time.. it ran a 7:22.68

[Sven59]

To bad they didn't have Aaron Link driving both.

[mkorgan]

Originally Posted by Camaro_Corvette

Reading the whole thread might help.

lol...i posted in page 1 and have been monitoring this thread since inception. They posted their best time in the release. Period. They ran on dry days and could not turn a better time. I just wish we could appreciate what it is rather than make excuses for what it isn't. It is a fantastic car that ran its best time in the rain. The "ifs" and "buts" in this thread are a little over the top.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by mkorgan

lol...i posted in page 1 and have been monitoring this thread since inception. They posted their best time in the release. Period. They ran on dry days and could not turn a better time. I just wish we could appreciate what it is rather than make excuses for what it isn't. It is a fantastic car that ran its best time in the rain. The "ifs" and "buts" in this thread are a little over the top.

Did you miss the video then?

Nevermind... moving on...

[TripleBlkZL1]

Originally Posted by doc7000

Pretty impressive, especially when you also consider the low temperatures (you can see the out side temperature on the radio at points). It was 56 degrees with the track probably being in the 30 degree range, it was more then just the rain slowing the Z/28 down. Something tells me that when they post a dry weather lap time we will see this car break into the 7:20 range.

After re watching the video and paying close attention he is having traction issues through out the whole run, the ambient temperature in the car starts at 56 degrees and drops to 55 degrees. There are sections in which he isn't pushing the car at all. Toward the end of the run he certainly started to back off on the throttle a good deal as well, toward the end the ZL1 Camaro is taking corners at higher speeds then the Z/28.

7:20 range?? No way. I can see low 7:30 range. 2012 Z06 did the ring in 7:22.68 and it's 3,150 pounds.

[ParisTNDude]

He got into the throttle a little too soon between the Carrosel and the next corner and I bet he puckered just a little. I was surprised at the lack of traction in the first sections of the track. But, if it was raining in one section, the track was probably wet in other areas as well. Overall, that's an awesome run for a heavy Camaro and if you subtracted an estimated 6 seconds for the wet conditions, the Z/28 is running in the midst of some fairly formidable company.

Dang!...is that the stock exhaust??? Pretty loud!