"Wheelerguy" (wheelerguy)
01/23/2018 at 10:45 • Filed to: Comparison Test, lap times, Car And Driver, 2017 Ford GT
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"Wheelerguy" (wheelerguy)
01/23/2018 at 10:45 • Filed to: Comparison Test, lap times, Car And Driver, 2017 Ford GT | 0
| 10 |
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! This development is of special interest to this nerd, the only one in the world who gives two shits about this kind of thing.
1. All that Ford needs to do now, then, is set a faster lap than the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR at Laguna Seca. For that, Motor Trend has to get a hold of one and should put it up against any one of the following cars:
McLaren 720S
Lamborghini Huracan Performante
Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1
Porsche 991 GT2RS
...the four cars that are about the best matches for the Ford.
2. See, the thing is, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ...which is an immense !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! And it’s not like Randy Pobst is a slouch—he’s certainly better than the scribes of C/D.
3. Other records prove to add an extra wrench to this battle. The Huracan, 720S, and GT !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! All three cars and the 991.2 Turbo S are slower than the ACR by an average (1:23.05) of 1.81 seconds. This I find weird, because as short as Big Willow is, it’s quite open, benefiting cars that can get past 180mph real quick and has the aero and tires to keep up with. On the other hand, 1.81s is still close enough of a gap that it wouldn’t raise red flags as to how stock the ACR really is—and remember, Dodge-SRT isn’t that big an outfit compared to the VAG group, so there’s less incentive for augments beyond what shows up on the options list.
3. This brings us back to the main stage. Comparing stats as measured by MT the three MR heavyweights have more go than the ACR, but it does seem as if only the Lambo can get close to, or surpass, the ACR in terms of handling, with the new GT being a 200mph version of the ACR (95ft 60-0 braking seems a bit long, though).
4. Still, the year is young, and we’ve yet to see the 991 GT2RS and C7 ZR1—two cars that are supposed to supersede the GT3RS and Z06, respectively—go around publication testing. They might be faster than the Ford and Huracan, certainly enough to dethrone the ACR, but then, we’ve seen the laps set by supercars in their tier, and they’ve only barely cut past the Viper. I really am genuinely interested at how these might pan out.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Well that’s it for me tonight. I went on for too long and feel like I wrote nothing substantial, and yet I just can’t help but go nuts at this tier. All these superstars coming together in one year, tested in more than one circuit...really, all I want is to see these come up as little toys I can buy. Most people have mellowed, if not soured, on supercars. I still am not. Is there something wrong with me?
Arrivederci
> Wheelerguy
01/23/2018 at 11:16 |
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The GT2RS is a beast on the Nurburgring , but I wonder how it’ll do on tracks where it can’t stretch its legs quite as well.
BeaterGT
> Wheelerguy
01/23/2018 at 11:17 |
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It would be cool to see the Ford GT go up against other homologation specials. If the C7 ZR1 manages to surpass the others, that is truly an achievement.
StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8
> Wheelerguy
01/23/2018 at 11:29 |
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It’s still amazing how a ‘16 ACR is still up top on so many tracks against such amazing cars that have come out since. Also, for the price it was / is selling at, even better value.
Thomas Donohue
> Wheelerguy
01/23/2018 at 11:31 |
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Too bad they couldn’t get a Performante as well. Keep in mind this test was done in January, not September (or whenever they do the Lightning Laps). Better for the turbos, but I have to think that a 42 degree track temp hurt the times. Also, they only had the car for one day, not three.
I just found the historical list of Lightning Laps.... I can’t wait to do some comparison laps in Forza, a la DaftRyosuke @ Laguna Seca.
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Wheelerguy
> Thomas Donohue
01/23/2018 at 11:47 |
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Probably not until LL12. Still an interesting prospect, though.
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Wheelerguy
> Arrivederci
01/23/2018 at 11:49 |
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The 991 GT3RS did 1:33 at Laguna Seca. A 1:30 doesn’t seem too hard.
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Arrivederci
> Wheelerguy
01/23/2018 at 11:50 |
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I’m just curious if it’ll be able to get its power down effectively. I’m sure they’ll have the wing setup for maximum attack.
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Wheelerguy
> StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8
01/23/2018 at 11:53 |
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At 140k with no appre or markup, few cars can touch it.
djmt1
> Wheelerguy
01/23/2018 at 12:10 |
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I wonder why McLaren won’t run the 720s on slicks like everyone else. I thought it might of been an availability thing with the lightning laps but with both Autocar and Motortrend doing the same, I’m starting to wonder if McLaren are trying to make a point.
feather-throttle-not-hair
> Wheelerguy
01/23/2018 at 13:23 |
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Eh....i always take laptimes with a grain of salt. Conditions day to day can make a huge difference with modern high performance tires that operate best in a pretty narrow temperature range and crucially, may not like being heat cycled multiple times.
Drivers are also going to vary this a huge amount. Obviously there’s talent gap, but beyond that we have to consider driving style. Even if everything else was the same, Randy Pobst for example, might be 1 second faster than X journalist when both drive a corvette, but then 4 seconds faster than the journalist when both drive 911's due to comfort and preferences for vehicle configuration.
In general i think they’re helpful for ballpark estimations, but there are just far far to many moving pieces for them to be definite. And Grand West is huge.
Edit: that said, i don’t think what you’re doing is pointless, because obviously its fun to do this kind of stuff and that should be celebrated.