NTMD8R

I know... this is a Corvette forum.....
BUT.... this run is amazing.
And we have had a Corvette (or 2 or 3) drive the "Ring" in about 7:20 or so....
This is just a real amazing run...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POUcGxbzFSw

I think I saw the Speedo needle hit 320 (kph)

69427

Watched part of it. Lost interest. With the sound of the engine going up and down, and the guy never taking a hand off the wheel, it was like watching someone driving an old Nova with a powerglide.

I honestly don't understand the attraction of paddleshifters.

VetteDrmr

It's a fabulous car, and driven by an excellent driver, with great video,...


but...............


It doesn't inspire me. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because the F599XX is unobtanium. It might as well be an F1 car. Interesting to watch, but doesn't grab me like a Vette's run, or even a Porsche, or a GTR. Those are at least cars for mortals, and I can at least fantasize about driving/owning one.

Us humans are weird folk.

Thanks for sharing, though, and have a good one,
Mike

63Corvette

Mike, I have a slightly different take on this. I think it doesn't grab our attention because "WE" haven't driven the Nurburgring, and therefore have no reference point. I think if we had driven it, as have many of the Forum members, we would have a very different perspective.

95jersey

OK, I call outright BS on this right now. Here is an except on some of the specs.

"The Ferrari 599XX comes with slick tyres (29/67 R19 Front and 31/71 R19 Rear) specifically developed to maximise stability in cornering and increase lateral acceleration. They are fitted to 19 x 11J wheel rims at the front and 19 x 12J at the rear."

Put a set of Hoosiers on a ZR1 and on a track like the Nurburgring you;d see the vette time of 7:20 drop to a close, equal or better time. You can pick up 5+ seconds on a 1.8 mile track with Hoosiers, imagine how much time you'd pick up on the ring...please

TOTAL BS TIME.

Also, take a look at this thing...center wheel locks, lexan windows

http://www.netcarshow.com/ferrari/2010-599xx/


"Ferrari 599XX, while based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano with the same transaxle layout and engine type, is an extreme track car. Ferrari's engineers have carried out extensive work on the engine's combustion chambers and inlet and exhaust tracts. These modifications, combined with the fact that internal attrition has been reduced and the maximum revs have been boosted to 9,000 rpm, helped achieve the target power output of 700 hp at 9,000 rpm."

If you put a set of Hoosiers on a ZR1 or a 700hp Z06, my guess is you more than beat this time. I mean come on guys, I am trying to take off my Corvette hat here to be fair, but serioulsy if ZR1 had slicks, you don't think it could match or possibly beat this time??

sleeper02Z06

Amazing and impressive. Good driver+well setup car is sometimes a "bore" for some to watch because it just doesn't look fast. I'm often amused by those that watch and cheer people in lurid powerslides all over the track yet blow off good, clean, fast driving. I also find it odd that the F1 paddle shift/SMG/DSG transmission gets everyone in a wad, with comments of disconnectiong from the driving experience, boring, etc etc. This only seems to happen when said vehicle is faster than whatever car that person might like. Odd how nobody talks about how boring they are when it comes to an F1 car, or how F1 drivers must be pushovers because they aren't racing with a pattern shifter. Each to there own I guess......

Joe

WNeal

gmccreary

I drove the Nurburgring in a rental Audi A4 with snow tires. It ain't easy.

sleeper02Z06

I don't agree. I think a more fare comparo would be the same tires, same driver, and on the same tires I doubt even the ZR1 would pull that time. What do center wheel locks have to do with anything? You can get them for many p-cars, F-cars and even our vettes can be converted to center locks for tons of money. It doesn't matter, it is only a performance advantage in the pits. That kind of HP from a naturally aspirated engine is very impressive, especially when it is so seamless and reliable. If you cannot agree with that, you are just blind with brand loyalty. My wife used to have an E46 M3 with the SMG trans. I wish I could stick that thing in my race car I liked it so much. I try to see the good in all marques.

fej

That is damn fast in a seriously unbelievable machine.

Calling that a production car is a bit of a stretch IMO, kind of like calling Lake Tahoe a pond.

I love all performance machines, but I just don't see this as a fair comparison to the ZR-1, P cars, GTR etc. Real production vehicles, not one off race cars built for the incredibly rich and/or stupidly connected.

Not a bad watch nonetheless. But as 95jersey pointed out, "special" slicks does not = street car.

Fej

TLGunman

Impressive run, period.

The problem with the 'ring, is there is no sanctioning body, or set of rules as to what a "production" car is, or what a "street legal" car is, so you get the XX claiming production, and the Radical SR8 claiming "street legal", and Vette owners crying foul None of it matters as far as records go, without any sort of standard.

I hear rumor of a Mosler MT900 being prepped for a return to the 'ring.

VetteDrmr

I guess my post was misleading.

I think the 599XX is an astounding machine, but it's not a street machine, not licensable as I understand it. And Hoosier tires aren't what's on the Ferrari, they're competition slicks, probably more akin to the Goodyears on an Indycar (or whatever brand they're running these days, I don't get Versus).

I *love* watching 'ring videos, including this one. But when I see a Ford panel van get around the ring in a shade over 10 minutes I'm astonished. When I see vids of someone taking their car around in xx minutes I'm envious.

One thing I'd like to dig out of my "bucket" of things to do is to go to the 'ring and run my 'vette. or some spiffy rental. Heck, even a run in the 'ring taxi would be a blast.

Anyway, still enjoyed the vid; thanks for sharing, and have a good one,
Mike

Anomir

It is a track car, why do some of you guys get so upset over it having track parts?
Why hate paddles? Keeping your hands on the wheel at all times is GOOD not bad.

Sigh, I guess I am a CAR guy not just a Vette guy. I can see, appreciate and admire any nice car.

95jersey

First, I pointed out center wheel locks simply to set the tone and state the level of ovreall prep of the car, not that they in themselves add any performance.

I do agree the car is awesome, but I do not agree on full slicks that the time is that impressive based on the car's specs. From just my experience on any track, comparing the best street tires to Hoosiers, you are talking 5+ seconds easily just on short tracks (2 miles or less). I beleive the ring is 13 miles long. I could easily see a set of Hoosiers pick up 20 seconds on an 7 minute lap (without question). And this is saying the tires are equal to Hoosiers, some are saying they are probably better.

Unfortunately, you'll never see a Hoosier'd ZR1 officially documented, but just based on pure mathmatical fact, I beleive the ZR1 could match or most likely beat this time on Hoosiers

TS Motorsport

+1 Some people can't get past the V8.

The 599XX is the second race car built by ferrari recently aside from the Enzo fxx.

Joe_Planet

All GM has to do is release a "new" corvette.. a zr1 with slick tires and some bs weight reduction and it'll set a record. When I switched from street tires to r comps at the track I was totally blown away... I can only imagine what racing slicks are like.

rustyguns

THEY HAVe SOME REALLY NICE RACE CARS FOR RENT THERE AROUND 1500 A DAY FOR A FAST ONE but not bad if you think about it i drove a fully prepped turbo golf and it was a lot of fun... they would not let a first time guy drive the v8 M3 it was prepped and looked like fun! the ring is like driving on an old bumpy country road in the mountains

rustyguns

I am surprised no one has driven a ZR1 with some nice full race Dunlaps on it at the Ring? Somebody must have by now?

Wayne O

That's an incredible run! Criticisms notwithstanding I'm impressed with the Ferrari's controlled MR coil-over suspension. It seemed to transition through the carousel and some other areas quite well. Although it wasn't always so, it seems the Corvette is forever wedded to the transverse leaf spring. I realize there are pros and cons to each suspension but I wish Corvette would offer a competition-oriented, controlled MR coil-over suspension. Of course, I wouldn't mind if Corvette offered 'track' models similar to the Viper ACR-X and the Competition Coupe either.

Someone didn't understand "the attraction of paddleshifters." IMHO, if you have a transmission capable of shifting like the one in the 599xx (or a 'seamless' shifter like an F1 car) one huge advantage is you can keep both hands on the steering wheel as you shift.

rustyguns

Hey Wayne! You should read a couple of engineering design reports on the tranverse leaf spring.... properly tuned it is fricken amazin! Also........... if you add the weight savings-space savings-cost savings- it blows most stuff away! I think Corvette proved that in quite a few won races

Paddle shifters rock! But I want a clutch to get me out of a squirley situation and help get any loose tires to grip!

PS what does this Ferrari THING Cost ???????????????????????????????