Chevrolet did not take the Mustang GTD’s Nürburgring triumph lightly. When Ford became the first American manufacturer to break the seven-minute barrier at the 20.8-kilometre circuit, it was only a matter of time before a Corvette arrived to spoil the party.
That time has now come. It came twice.
Two Records, One Track
The prototype Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X posted an official lap time of 6 minutes 49.275 seconds, making it the fastest American car to lap the Nordschleife. Just behind it, the standard ZR1 clocked 6 minutes 50.763 seconds—still quicker than the 6 minutes 52.072 seconds set by the Mustang GTD.
For context, both Corvettes sit neatly around the Porsche 911 GT3 RS on the leaderboard, but still trail the astonishing Mercedes-AMG One at 6 minutes 29.090 seconds.
How Much Power, How Much Money
While Chevrolet has yet to publish final specifications, the ZR1X is expected to cost over approximately USD 200,000 in global markets, with the standard ZR1 positioned significantly below that. Both cars carry the C8 platform’s reputation for offering supercar-rivalling performance at a fraction of the European price tag.
The Mustang GTD, by contrast, is believed to be significantly more expensive than even the ZR1X—making this result an even bigger headline for Corvette fans.
Driven by the People Who Built Them
In a refreshing twist, these record laps were not set by seasoned racing drivers, but by the engineers who designed and tuned the cars themselves. Brian Wallace, Aaron Link and Drew Cattell traded CAD files for crash helmets and managed lap times that rank among the quickest ever by non-professionals at the ‘Ring.
As Ken Morris, GM’s senior vice president of Product Programs, Safety, Integration and Motorsports, put it: “It’s how we develop our vehicles. These engineers have become world-class drivers and even better engineers.”
What’s Under the Skin
The cars that set the records were fitted with Chevrolet’s optional ZTK package, which includes aerodynamic upgrades, track-focused suspension tuning and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Safety additions for the record runs included a roll hoop, race seat, six-point harness and fire extinguisher—but otherwise, these were production-spec cars.
A Rivalry Rekindled
With Ford already having improved its Mustang GTD lap time once, the temptation to strike back will be strong. A few seconds is all that separates the Blue Oval from reclaiming the title, and Nürburgring rivalries have a habit of spiralling into long-running score-settling exercises.
For now, though, Chevrolet holds both the fastest and second-fastest American car records at the Nürburgring. Somewhere in Dearborn, there’s probably a stopwatch ticking.
