Once again we assemble the newest, hottest vehicles on the market and subject them to a reference lap on the fearsome Virginia International Raceway. We call it the American version of their Nürburgring times. You can just call it Lightning Lap. Subscribe! bit.ly Historical results here: bit.ly Recommended Playlists: Comparison Tests: bit.ly Car and Driver Tested: bit.ly Driven: bit.ly Supercars: bit.ly CAR: Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG LOCATION: Southern California MAG EDITORS: Csaba Csere Connect To Car and Driver: Twitter: bit.ly Facebook: on.fb.me Hosted by the editors of Car and Driver magazine, this show puts the audience into the action on new-car reviews, comparison tests, auto-show coverage, and more. Our experts drive and test the latest models, attend automotive events around the world, and check out the latest in-vehicle technology like massaging seats and night-vision systems. Viewers will also have the opportunity to write in and extend the conversation. Each week, the Car and Driver YouTube Channel will launch episodes of Car and Driver: Abroad, Car and Driver: Tested, Popular Mechanics Saturday Mechanic and How’d They Do That, and Road & Track Presents.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
please test an sls amg gt version
Anything you guys show i would watch even a yaris with twin turbo i would watch hahahahahah
what about the SRT Viper? or was that already tested
i remember reading somewhere that akira iida said it would be good for 7:12 under perfect conditions
旧 車 集 会 lol
You guys have always been my favorite car magazine. I’ve been subscribed since about age 5, and you never disappoint. As much as I love Motor Trend (Road and Track and Automobile are also fine magazines), Car and Driver has always been just a cut above the rest.
The fastest GTR they tested did a 2:53, the ferrari 458 in this vid did a 2:49. So you’re wrong, the 458 smoked it.
Lol, thanks. I try to be consistent. Yes, I agree that the 458 is the overall “better” car….but (key word) that wasn’t what I was talking about. My argument was on overall performance and how the ZR1 is a “close match”…. assume what you want though. It’s becoming fairly clear that your bias won’t concede that….even though years of “evidence” suggests otherwise.
Car and Driver quotes in this video that the Lexus LFA curb weight is over 3600 lbs, I have searched all over the net and found that it is more under 3300 lbs, closer to 3200lbs.
A full carbon fiber chassis and body, rear wheel powered, with addition of the lightest production V10 in the world should produce a car at about 3k to 3400lbs.
I hope they did not factor in a fat American bloke in the driver seat?
If you want to talk “bullshitting” lets talk about Ferrari’s “priming” of their cars before handing them over to journalist. Of course you “dont’ buy it”. GM has been more forthcoming with their cars than the “bullshit” that Ferrari and Porsche have been pooping out. Lol, you might want to read more slowly. I like how you derived that I think the ZR1 is “better”… I was referring to the performance aspects as I said “close match”, and it is. Sorry bud, read a little more careful next time
CARandDRIVER – you really expect us to believe that a 458 weighing 3285 lbs is not a factory ringer? They probably knew the exact target lap time because they prob went to the track before the test and setup the car specifically for VIR, just like Chris Harris says they do.
And no he didn’t just turn it, the video was from Feb 2012 and I don’t buy it. GM has a habit of bullshitting.
You said the same thing on “car in web” lol this is funny. The 458 is a better car, sorry.
The 458 is an amazing and beautiful car. Top notch in every aspect of performance and finish. With that said, the ZR1 is actually an extremely close match to the 458 in terms of performance/handling/ride. Reviews have repeated that and track times indicate that (fastestlaps). I would give the edge to the 458 for it’s 7spd F1 DCT….especially in a drag. Beating the last yrs ZR1 by 0.8secs actually says more about the ZR1 than the 458. Btw, Jim Mero just turned an official 2:45 in the 2013 ZR1.
Whoa the Ferrari 458′s time is insane! Has it been revised for the new year? Seems amazing that it managed to beat the ZR1 from last year!
If you have the magazine issue this was in you’ll see the 458 was faster than both the ZR1 and LFA. I meant street car being the fastest non hardcore race car. The faster cars that beat the 458 were hardcore race cars including the ACR Viper.
The same “magneride” that BWI purchased (in 2009) from the GM founded subsidary, Delphi? The same Delphi company that licensed technology found on the 599… and it goes further back and on to the 458. Now, at this time Delphi was a free business but GM retained much of the intellectual property rights to “magneride”. And yes, if you look further back….into the late 80s. So, if you want to split hairs about it…No, GM did not directly sell them MSR… but Yes, the GM founded subsidiary did.
GM sold the all rights and patents for magneride to beijing west industries when they went bankrupt…. ferrari didnt pay gm anything…
Please define “street car”…. of the fastest cars here, I would say the the ZL1 is by far the best “street car”…. in terms of reliability/durability, practicality, performance, ability to be easily modified. Also, track use does not void the ZL1s 100k warranty. The 458 is the best performer of the bunch but i would dare say it’s the best “street car”. Maybe the best “supercar” here…. but you could argue the LFA side also on that one.
For all those bitching about there being no GT-R, the Lightning Lap rules are the same as those in Motor Trend’s Best Driver’s Car competition; only new models and significantly altered/improved models are allowed. The 2013 GT-R already ran in the 2012 Lightning Lap back in February(I think), and nothing has changed since then.
So if your favorite car isn’t here, actually think before you bitch. Either the car has already been run before, or they just couldn’t get one.
the only difference is a fixed rear wing the LFA nurburgring edition unofficially set a faster time than the Viper ACR… it was a test drive with two people in the car and the LFA was like 5-10sec faster
Maybe the VIR lap time will take on a life of itself apart from Car and Driver, like how the Nurburgring is now.