Car and Drivers new Lightning Lap

[Early93Viper]

Car and Driver has a new idea for ranking performance cars. They think of it as a Mini-Nurburgring style test. The track is VIR and the cars will be everything from Hondas to Ford GTs . They kicked off the new ranking system by running a whole bunch of cars around the track and recording the lap time.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/11755/the-lightning-lap.html

The lap times at VIR (in order from the slowest to the fastest)

2006 Mazda MX-5 - 3:29.3
2006 Honda Civic Si - 3:26.5
2006 Volkswagen GTI - 3:25.1
2006 Ford Mustang GT - 3:20.9
2006 Chevy Cobalt SS - 3:20.6
2006 Mazda RX-8 - 3:19.0
2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 - 3:18.2
2006 Mitsubishi EVO MR - 3:13.5
2006 Nissan 350Z Track - 3:12.5
2007 Ford Shelby GT500 - 3:11.0
2006 BMW M6 - 3:10.0
2006 Porsche Cayman S - 3:09.5
2006 Chevy Corvette - 3:09.3
2006 Lotus Elise - 3:09.2
2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe - 3:01.6 ***********
2006 Chevy Corvette Z06 - 3:01.1
2005 Ford GT - 3:00.7

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Read the whole article and it proves to many of us that the drivers never quite got to the full potential of the Snake. Whenever I read an article that says it was easy to drive the Viper fast , I realize along with many Viper Days racers, Comp Coupe racers, T1 drivers ( Cindi Lux and Scotty B. White come to mind ), that the authors were not at the limit of this serpent. With the small variances between the top three I would imagine that they are all very close in an actual race ,with a stellar driver showing the true difference. Heck the last test had the track times reversed with the Viper the quickest. With the best brakes of the bunch, the best handling and g forces, I would take the Snake on a 30-45 minute romp over the other two. All in all , it shows how close the top American machines are in raw performance.

Respectfully Submitted,

Bill Pemberton

 

[Vic]

We need some EYE-talian iron to round out the participants!

(Gallardo, Muci, F430, etc)

and don't forget the PGT, and Saleen TT!

 

[Early93Viper]

We need some EYE-talian iron to round out the participants!

(Gallardo, Muci, F430, etc)

and don't forget the PGT, and Saleen TT!

According to Car and Driver there going to do this "Lightning Lap" with just about every car tested.

 

[03gobluecobra]

I actually got a new subscription to C&D just to keep up with how cars do on the lightning lap.

 

[Viper X]

Yes, good concept by CD.

 

[Bonkers]

Wait a sec... the best the pro drivers of C&D could do in
an SRT is 3:01??? The best lap in my GTS at VIR in VERY
HOT/HUMID weather on very old tires was 2:30. No wonder
these magazine guys are all about dissin the viper - they
can't drive the thing!!!

PS - for reference, the time seperating me (first time at
VIR) and the fastest VRL WCCC car was 30sec... or roughly
the amount of time between me and the fastest C&D driver.