GM hints the 2025 Corvette ZR1 may have already beaten Ford’s Mustang GTD Nürburgring time, sparking rivalry excitement.
The battle for American sports car supremacy may soon shift to Germany, as General Motors appears ready to challenge Ford’s record-breaking Nürburgring performance with its upcoming 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.
Last year, the Ford Mustang GTD made headlines by becoming the first American-branded car to lap the Nürburgring in under seven minutes, clocking a time of 6:57.685. Ford returned earlier this year for another attempt, improving its own benchmark to 6:52.072, the fourth-fastest lap in the production sports car category.
But GM isn’t content to let the Blue Oval hold the bragging rights. Corvette Chief Engineer Tony Roma recently hinted that the ZR1 has already taken on the “Green Hell,” and the results appear promising. “You can see the effort Ford had to put into the GTD,” Roma told GM Authority. “All I can say is, stay tuned. We did go and drive around the Green Hell, and we’re pretty proud of how the car did.”
Though Roma stopped short of confirming whether the ZR1 beat Ford’s time, he suggested that GM would share details “very soon.” Speculation has run wild that the ZR1 could even challenge the overall production car record held by the Mercedes-AMG One (6:29.1), though Roma tempered expectations, noting that “it’s more difficult than it’s ever been to set a record at the ‘Ring.”
Even without breaking the all-time record, the ZR1’s specs give it a serious edge over the Mustang GTD. GM’s new supercar boasts 1,064 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8, paired with advanced aerodynamics and a relatively lighter weight of around 3,800 pounds. By comparison, the GTD makes 800 horsepower from its supercharged 5.2-liter V8 and tips the scales at roughly 4,300 pounds.
If GM’s confidence is any indication, the Corvette ZR1 may soon snatch Ford’s Nürburgring crown, intensifying one of America’s fiercest automotive rivalries on the world stage.
