Lightning Lap 2016: Audi TTS Class: LL2 Lap time: 3:07.7 Base price: $52,825 As-tested price: $57,525 292 hp • 3223 lb • 11.0 lb/hp Tires: Pirelli P Zero, 255/30R-20 (92Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Lexus GS F Class: LL3 Lap time: 3:05.9 Base price: $85,390 As-tested price: $86,770 467 hp • 4132 lb • 8.8 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Super Sport F: 255/35ZR-19 (92Y), R: 275/35ZR-19 (96Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Chevrolet Camaro 1LE Class: LL1 Lap time: 3:04.0 Base price: $34,495 As-tested price: $43,185 335 hp • 3516 lb • 10.5 lb/hp Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric3 RunOnFlat F: 245/40ZR-20 95Y, R: 275/35ZR-20 98Y Lightning Lap 2016: Ford Focus RS Class: LL2 Lap time: 3:03.9 Base price: $38,765 As-tested price: $42,245 350 hp • 3451 lb • 9.9 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, 235/35ZR-19 (91Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Class: LL3 Lap time: 3:03.5 Base price: $69,235 As-tested price: $73,725 707 hp • 4564 lb • 6.5 lb/hp Tires: Pirelli P Zero, 275/40ZR-20 (106Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Jaguar F-type Project 7 Class: LL4 Lap time: 3:02.2 Base price: $165,995 As-tested price: $175,995 575 hp • 3766 lb • 6.5 lb/hp Tires: Continental ContiForceContact F: 255/35ZR-20 (97Y), R: 295/30ZR-20 (101Y) Lightning Lap 2016: BMW M2 Class: LL2 Lap time: 3:01.9 Base price: $52,695 As-tested price: $54,495 365 hp • 3455 lb • 9.5 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Super Sport F: 245/35ZR-19 (93Y), R: 265/35ZR-19 (98Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Audi R8 V10 Plus Class: LL4 Lap time: 2:56.1 Base price: $193,950 As-tested price: $202,750 610 hp • 3771 lb • 6.2 lb/hp Tires: Pirelli P Zero F: 245/30ZR-20 (90Y), R: 305/30ZR-20 (103Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE Class: LL2 Lap time: 2:54.8 Base price: $44,400 As-tested price: $45,700 455 hp • 3743 lb • 8.2 lb/hp Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 F: 285/30ZR-20 (95Y), R: 305/30ZR-20 (99Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Porsche Cayman GT4 Class: LL3 Lap time: 2:54.0 Base price: $97,780 As-tested price: $104,870 385 hp • 3058 lb • 7.9 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 F: 245/35ZR-20 (91Y), R: 295/30ZR-20 (101Y) Lightning Lap 2016: BMW M4 GTS Class: LL4 Lap time: 2:52.9 Base price: $134,200 As-tested price: $134,200 493 hp • 3538 lb • 7.2 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 F: 265/35ZR-19 (98Y), R: 285/30ZR-20 (99Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Class: LL2 Lap time: 2:51.8 Base price: $63,495 As-tested price: $66,495 526 hp • 3718 lb • 7.1 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 F: 305/30ZR-19 (98Y), R: 315/30ZR-19 (100Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Acura NSX Class: LL4 Lap time: 2:50.2 Base price: $186,800 As-tested price: $203,100 573 hp • 3854 lb • 6.7 lb/hp Tires: Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R F: 245/35ZR-19 (93Y), R: 305/30ZR-20 (103Y) Lightning Lap 2016: McLaren 570S Class: LL4 Lap time: 2:47.4 Base price: $206,050 As-tested price: $219,670 562 hp • 3189 lb • 5.7 lb/hp Tires: Pirelli P Zero Corsa F: 225/35ZR-19 (88Y), R: 285/35ZR-20 (104Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Class: LL3 Lap time: 2:47.1 Base Price: $79,930 As-tested price: $92,060 460 hp • 3445 lb • 7.5 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 ZP F: P285/30ZR-19 (94Y), R: P335/25ZR-20 (99Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Porsche 911 GT3 RS This is what the GT3 RS was built for. Class: LL4 Lap time: 2:47.0 Base price: $189,760 As-tested price: $195,020 500 hp • 3155 lb • 6.3 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 F: 265/35ZR-20 (99Y), R: 325/30ZR-21 (108Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Ferrari 488GTB Proof that the turbo era at Ferrari is going to be a great one. Class: LL5 Lap time: 2:45.1 Base price: $295,043 As-tested price: $358,383 661 hp • 3428 lb • 5.2 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 F: 245/35ZR-20 (91Y), R: 305/30ZR-20 (103Y) Lightning Lap 2016: Dodge Viper ACR Class: LL4 Lap time: 2:44.2 Base price: $130,290 As-tested price: $139,790 645 hp • 3400 lb • 5.3 lb/hp Tires: Kumho Ecsta V720 ACR F: P295/25ZR-19 90Y, R: P355/30ZR-19 90Y
Audi TTS at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Lexus GS F at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Chevrolet Camaro 1LE at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Ford Focus RS at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Jaguar F-type Project 7 at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver BMW M2 at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Audi R8 V10 Plus at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Porsche Cayman GT4 at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver BMW M4 GTS at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Acura NSX at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver McLaren 570S at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Porsche 911 GT3 RS at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Ferrari 488GTB at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver Dodge Viper ACR at Lightning Lap 2016 ? Feature ? Car and Driver
Nice read. The corvette is surprising and it's not even the Z06. The 488 did very well. I'm glad to see that. It is considerably more expensive as tested than the others. The viper is a beast on the track but not something I personally would want to own. I would like to thrash it around though. The GT4 and GT3 RS did reasonably well but I expect more from Porsche. It's also funny how the Ford Focus RS is only 0.4 sec slower than the high HP Hellcat. Thanks for the post.
So apparently they were by different people, making comparison not that easy. I watched the R8 lap and it looked really bad. Was driven in automatic mode and clearly wasn't a good lap. Should take all times with a grain of salt I guess. American car times look great. Huge value for their performance. I'm not sure where they are getting their base prices. None seem right. Tested price may be accurate, but base price seems way off on some cars, like the 488. Assuming laps were decent, NSX is the biggest disappointment given the Trofeo R tires it was on. Grand Sport is the most impressive, then again, look at those freaking tires -- 285/335! The article points out that the Corvette front tires are the size of the 570S rear tires. Surprising that the 570S had the highest VMAX of the day, would be nice to see that car on much wider tires. 488 is quick as expected, price as tested seems pretty crazy for a coupe.
The line on the R8 lap didn't look bad, but it definitely seemed like automatic mode had the car in the wrong gear multiple times. The other thing is that the R8 is one of only 2 supercars with less than a Trofeo R or Michelin Sport Cup 2. The 570S being the other one, but the 570S is much lighter. I figured there would be some differences between drivers but some of the lines these drivers were taking were terrible. Some of those lines are unacceptable from a student in the Intermediate run group. The Tony Quiroga laps and KC Colwell laps were decent, although in some of them there were several mistakes and missed apexes. Watch the M4 GTS lap, missed the apex in turn 1. The 488 definitely left some significant time on the table (multiple slides, offline in the infield), the NSX lap was bad, and several other laps were middling at best. I'm glad they posted these videos though, now we everyone can understand that these lap times are a rough guide at best, useless at worst.
Makes sense, the R8 time was surprisingly bad. That's a car that I think theoretically should be performing up near the GT3 RS.
Hold on, if i got it right, last year the mclaren 650s Spyder did a 2:45,8 with the same topspeed of the 570.. says the article. those numbers are a bit weird "Last year, the 3276-pound McLaren 650S Spider hit 162.8 mph on the front straight of a lap lasting 2:45.8. This year, the 3189-pound McLaren 570S hits 162.8 mph there in a lap just 1.6 seconds slower. " and why is the mclaren spyder 200pounds lighter than the 488..
I'd venture because its got a carbon tub (and thus also needs no reinforcing of anything to go topless)
No way the R8 could get near the RS. It's not wearing track day rubber (e.g. Sport Cup 2 or Trofeo R) and it's heavier and sprung more softly than the Huracan, which does seem to be fairly close to the GT3 RS.
The 650S was a bit heavier, Spider, and it naturally has more downforce than the 570S as far as I know. 570S has an improve transmission IMO, and probably some other refinements as well. The 570S is no slouch when it comes top acceleration. Probably the only reason it's slow than the 650S Spider on the track is that they intentionally put it on skinnier tires. And of course, different day, different driver. McLarens have always been very light. They use a carbon tub, thus the Spider's additional weight is mainly the mechanical bits. No reinforcement needed. Spider and Coupe performance for these cars are usually very, very close.
I meant base price. They said 488 base price was $295K, which is nowhere near true as far as I know. Same for the 570S. They said $206K, but I'm almost positive it's $185K. As tested prices look normal. This doesn't really matter in the scope of things, but just seems way off.
The 488 GTB performance is amazing considering how short on power it is vs the 918 Spyder (2:43.1 2014 Lightning Lap laptime).
Impressive performance from 570 in terms of lap time v GT3. The car looked very ragged though and the Porsche planted. I wonder if the Porsche driver was trying quite as hard as the McLaren? On the other hand, overdriving is not always quicker. 488 lap was fast, and more composed than for the 570, though not as composed as for the Porsche. The lap was also done with spots of rain hitting the camera. The G meter showed really high lateral grip for the Porsche and, surprisingly, the 488, whereas the 570 quite low. The aerodynamics and downforce working well, but also the tyres - the 488 wore MPSC2 it seemed to say? I didn't think they 488 came with those?
+1. I believe Billy still holds the track record at Buttonwillow. If he says the driver's aren't proficient (except for maybe 1) then they probably arent.
The Grand Sport tested has the Z07 suspension package with the CCBs and Sport cup 2 tires, has to be the best bang for the buck track car out there. I was considering buying one, but bought a F430 instead. Not much of a track guy anymore...
It seems like they should... Not to take anything from the editors who were driving (all cars seemed competently driven), but having several drivers in all these cars introduces a huge amount of variability to the lap comparisons, all associated to driver differences and skills, that it makes some of these comparisons somewhat meaningless. Nonetheless, it's certainly entertaining to check out the in-board videos and data of these cars being competently pushed on track. Cheers! Ruben
The 570S is badly under-tired so that's probably a lot of why the driver was sawing at the wheel so much. The editor driving the GT3 RS had good lines, just wasn't leaning on the tires as much as he could have been. Still, like you said, smooth is fast. Between the two cars the GT3 RS lap probably left more time on the table, but it's hard to really know without putting the cars in the hands of a pro.
