The C8 Corvette Just Assaulted The Nürburgring

It’s been more than a decade since Chevy last published a Nürburgring lap time for the Corvette—the 1,250-horsepower hybrid Corvette ZR1X clocked a blistering 6:49.275 lap around the Nordschleife, making it the fastest American production car to ever lap the circuit.

The ZR1X's time places it among the top 5 fastest production cars to lap the green hell. It also bests Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS benchmark and undercuts the Ford Mustang GTD’s 6:52.072 American production car record. The 1,064-hp ZR1 followed close behind at 6:50.763—also beating the Mustang for those keeping score at home—while the naturally aspirated Z06 laid down a 7:11.826.

Unlike both Ford and Porsche, Chevrolet’s times were set by the engineers who developed the cars, rather than professional racing drivers. Vehicle performance manager Aaron Link piloted the Z06, while vehicle dynamics engineers Brian Wallace and Drew Cattell set times in the ZR1 and ZR1X, respectively.

“We’ve created a different kind of relationship between our cars, iconic tracks, and our engineers, it is how we develop our vehicles,” said Senior Vice President of Product Programs, Safety, Integration and Motorsports, Ken Morris.

“These Corvettes weren’t piloted by pro racecar drivers. They were driven by the same engineers who designed, engineered and tuned them. Brian, Aaron and Drew have grown into world-class drivers and even better engineers. Their lap times now rank among the fastest ever recorded by non-professionals at the ‘Ring, which is so cool.”

All three Corvettes used their respective performance packages and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. Minor safety upgrades—roll hoops, bucket seats, six-point harnesses, and fire-suppression systems—were the only deviations from standard production spec.

The Nürburgring trip added another scalp to the Corvette’s shrine. The ZR1 already holds production-car lap records at iconic U.S. tracks including Road America, Road Atlanta, and Virginia International Raceway.

Chevy also released a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the effort, offering an inside look at the extensive simulation work and logistical hurdles required to pull off record laps.

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