2010 GT-R *New* Nurburgring Time 7:26.7

[ZO6 AL-X]

It wasn't long ago that the public spitting contest between Nissan and Porsche regarding the GT-R's lap time around the famed Nurburgring was in the spotlight. Nissan started the tussle by recording an astonishing lap time of 7m 38s around the benchmark circuit and then withered this down to just 7m 29s – a full three seconds faster than the lighter and more powerful Porsche 911 GT2.

Porsche struck back with claims the GT-R was only capable of finishing the 12.9 mile circuit in around 7m 54s, and that the model used for the laps must have been modified. Nissan then retaliated by releasing a video of the run as well as presenting the actual car used so that it could be independently examined as completely stock.

To lay the matter to rest once and for all, Nissan has run its updated 2010 ‘Series II’ GT-R around the Nurburgring - and the lap times are even better than last year's model. Differences between the 2010 model and the outgoing version include a 5hp (4kW) bump in power, a slightly modified suspension setup, stickier tires, and a reprogrammed gearbox.

Driven by Nissan’s head driver and former F1 racer Toshio Suzuki, the GT-R lapped the famous circuit in 7m 26.7s on April 23. The car was completely stock and ran standard Dunlop run flat summer tires.

Unfortunately for Nissan, this time is still a few tenths of a second off from beating the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s lap time of 7m 26.4s that was posted last year. Looks like it might be time for Nissan to start posting lap times for its lighter and stiffer SpecV model.

(MotorAuthority)

[mdickie]

And the ZR1's time was posted with an engineer behind the wheel, not one of the team drivers.

Mark

[ZO6 AL-X]

That's a good point. You have to admit that any car that laps the 'Ring in less than 7:30.0 is pretty much spanking some of the best cars in the world.

Wasn't the ACR Viper also driven by an engineer? I think that car is good for maybe about 7:20.0, perhaps better even?