[SFV1LE]

I hate to say this but the famous 7:16 lap time is a lie, and the video proof is undeniable...

GM reported this time as a 20.8 KM Nordschleife lap time, but it was in fact a 20.6 KM time and ~4 sec slower for the claimed 20.8 distance--so the correct time was ~7:20ish

DETROIT — The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE has conquered the Green Hell in a new video from Chevrolet, lapping the Nürburgring’s 12.9-mile (20.8 km) Nordschleife (“north loop”) in only 7:16.04, making it the fastest Camaro to ever lap the famed German track.

https://news.gm.com/newsroom.detail....20Nordschleife.

From a post in a thread I engaged in on the M4/CSL forum on Bimmerpost:

"While I agree with most everything you say about the Camaro being a remarkable track monster, the 7:16.04 lap you are citing began timing at the 20.6km lap start point. At this same start point the CSL lap time for the 20.8km lap already had ~4sec on the timer."

If you check the video and supporting pics below, this guy is right. If the ZLE was running the 20.8 KM distance, the start point is the same line as the finish line, but you can clearly see in the ZLE video that the timer starts ~.2 KM (650 ft) past the finish line.

The new BMW CSL fastest 20.8 KM time of 7:18 starts and finsihes on that same line.

Here are pics, if you don't believe it check/pause the CSL and ZLE videos yourself to verify--it took me about 15 minutes to do this using guidance from this post.

[Bumbleboy92]

Now we know why the Chevy YouTube channel deleted the video a while back

[SFV1LE]

I didnt know anything about the 20.8 vs 20.6 Ring distances before this, I assumed all Nordschleife "North loop" times were the same until joining Bimmerpost and watching these CSL videos recently. I assumed there was no need to check but it's obvious that the for the 20.8 distance, the Start line is the same narrow white painted line as the Finish line, just around that last right corner--it's very easy to see. The 20.6 start begins .2 KM or ~650 ft past that finish line--where the ZLE timer starts.

All I can say is WTF? Are we supposed to believe that GM, Al Oppenheiser head of ZLE development, and Bill Wise the driver and ZLE engineer, didn't know they were driving 20.6 KM and notice 6 years ago that GM published it as a 20.8 KM time? That is some serious BS! I know it's only 4 secs and at the time of the lap 6 YEARS ago everyone would have been basically just as impressed with that time, why lie?

Maybe GM Press made a mistake in the release and then they didn't want to unwind it, but I doubt it. People need to know the truth about this (in)famous lap and amazing video.

And we all know GM recently took the ZL1 1LE video down from YouTube and the press release link some time in the last 2 months. Luckily I saved a copy using MacOS screen video capture. Weird how GM taking it down coincided with these new CSL videos that focused attention on the ZLE vs CSL rivalry and the 20.8 vs 20.6 times, I think this had to do with the sudden and inexplicable removal of this video by GM, many on this site were wondering why they removed it.

[SFV1LE]

Originally Posted by Bumbleboy92

Now we know why the Chevy YouTube channel deleted the video a while back

Yes, exactly! See my follow up post above. It's pathetic really, I wonder if the forum who depends on good GM relationship will delete this :-)

[Xelor]

Bimmerpost is FOS

[NG329]

Even if it was the 20.6, the Camaro started the run on cold tires and that has been well documented. If they'd had been given the warm up run like most manufacturers, the run would have been several seconds quicker. (Record shows they did a sim of a 7:13 run had the tires been properly warmed up)

Still can't take anything away from the ZLE and it's half the cost of the $hitwagon CSL.

[hrpiii]

What, I purchased my car based on that video. Now I have to sell it to find a 4 second faster car on the Nürburgring.

Do we know if the Van that ran the ring time is correct, that was my second option.

[NG329]

Originally Posted by hrpiii

What, I purchased my car based on that video. Now I have to sell it to find a 4 second faster car on the Nürburgring.

Do we know if the Van that ran the ring time is correct, that was my second option.

May Sabine rest in peace....

[Owl3]

Originally Posted by SFV1LE

I hate to say this but the famous 7:16 lap time is a lie, and the video proof is undeniable...

GM reported this time as a 20.8 KM Nordschleife lap time, but it was in fact a 20.6 KM time and ~4 sec slower for the claimed 20.8 distance--so the correct time was ~7:20ish

DETROIT — The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE has conquered the Green Hell in a new video from Chevrolet, lapping the Nürburgring’s 12.9-mile (20.8 km) Nordschleife (“north loop”) in only 7:16.04, making it the fastest Camaro to ever lap the famed German track.

https://news.gm.com/newsroom.detail....20Nordschleife.

From a post in a thread I engaged in on the M4/CSL forum on Bimmerpost:

"While I agree with most everything you say about the Camaro being a remarkable track monster, the 7:16.04 lap you are citing began timing at the 20.6km lap start point. At this same start point the CSL lap time for the 20.8km lap already had ~4sec on the timer."

If you check the video and supporting pics below, this guy is right. If the ZLE was running the 20.8 KM distance, the start point is the same line as the finish line, but you can clearly see in the ZLE video that the timer starts ~.2 KM (650 ft) past the finish line.

The new BMW CSL fastest 20.8 KM time of 7:18 starts and finsihes on that same line.

Here are pics, if you don't believe it check/pause the CSL and ZLE videos yourself to verify--it took me about 15 minutes to do this using guidance from this post.

The world is coming to an end!

[Z OH 6]

But does it really matter since no one will actually drive their ZL1 1LE on the Nürburgring? This is why I've always thought it was silly that owners of these cars brag about this time when no one here will actually drive theirs on that track nor come close to matching the time.

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by NG329

May Sabine rest in peace....

she was awesome, and such a fun attitude. She will be missed.

[GearheadSS]

[Katech_Zach]

GM should run it back with the A10, start at the correct place, and shave a couple seconds off of their 7:16 run just to show BMW who the real champ is... at nearly half of the MSRP.

[m6-lt1]

I actually always thought the finish line was slightly before the start line because you cannot haul ass all the way to the finish line if it’s where the start line is because you will run off track/into the wall if you don’t brake before getting back to the original start line.