The Nürburgring Nordschleife doesn’t care where a car comes from, how much it costs or which badge it bears. With 73 corners over 12.9 irreconcilable miles, this is the most honest test for the overall performance of a car. And the latest times of Chevrolet’s Corvette list made it painfully clear – especially if you consider how the BMW M4 CSL was positioned as one of the most focused and capable of BMW.
Chevrolet has just confirmed that his upcoming Corvette ZR1X set a 6: 49,275 round at the Nürburgring, which was ever recorded by a US production vehicle. The 1,064 hp-ZR1, which completed its lap in 6: 50.763, was right behind. But the most meaningful comparison comes from the naturally sucked Corvette Z06, which led a 7: 11,826 – over six seconds faster than BMW.
Because the BMW M4 CSL, although it was the fastest BMW around the Nordschleife, recorded a 7: 18.137. And on paper it is easy to understand why.
Raw specifications tell the story
Let us collapse.
| car | Nürburgring round time | Motor | Horsepower | Drive train | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corvette ZR1X | 6: 49.275 | Twin-Turbo 5.5l Dohc Flat-Plane V8 | 1,250 hp | RWD | 3831 LBS |
| Corvette ZR1 | 6: 50.763 | Twin-Turbo 5.5l Dohc Flat-Plane V8 | 1,064 HP | RWD | 3,670 LBS |
| Corvette Z06 | 7: 11.826 | Of course, 5.5 l V8 sucked | 670 PS | RWD | 3434 LBS |
| BMW M4 CSL | 7: 18.137 | Twin-Turbo 3.0l inline-6 | 543 PS | RWD | 3640 LBS |
The M4 -CSL has long been praised for its precision and serenity. But these virtues do not change physics. There are 127 hp at Z06, over 500 hp to the ZR1 and more than 700 hp on the ZR1X. This is important – especially on a route like the Nürburgring, in which power is translated directly to the sections obtained on the devices and obtained uphill. Even the weight is not on BMW’s side. Despite the larger and medium -sized Engined, the Z06 is about 200 pounds lighter than the CSL. This advantage in combination with a stricter aerodynamics and a flat-plane crank V8 that turns to 8,600 rpm, it is not surprising that the Z06 achieved a time that would have been through the headlines messages if it had not been completely overshadowed by the Twin Turbo-ZR1S.
What the Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring Times shows is how much the performance – especially for American manufacturers moved. The BMW m division now finds its flagship coupé over 6 seconds behind a naturally sucked Z06. Of course, the M4 -CSL is not intended as a power brute. It is a balance between driving dynamics, steering feeling and driver loyalty. But when it comes to lap times – what car manufacturers publish to prove their technical mettle – BMWS is the best. Currently.
BMW has achieved its own record in the Nürburgring today today, with the M3 CS touring becoming the fastest tour in the green hell.
All of these records go under the classification “Prototype”
It is important that all three corvettes were driven by GM engineers, not by racing drivers, similar to BMW M their own rounds. These were also not round of rounds for races. Each car had US production specifications with security add-ons such as a roller reference, a containment seat, fire suppression and a six-point cable tree. The reason why they are officially listed under “prototype” is that they are not for sale in Europe because they had a pre-production in performance. The BMW M4 -CSL shot was reached with a camp car at Michelin Cup 2 R tires.
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring effort is still impressive. But BMW M4 CSL is still an impressive service vehicle, although it is not the fastest in the ring. [Image: Chevrolet Newsroom]
