
GTD, GT3 RS, And ZR1 Comparison Results In Another Production Car Lap Record
It seems that Christmas has come early for the Corvette camp, and Ol’ Saint Nick is being cosplayed by the C8 ZR1, delivering record lap after record lap under the tree. This morning, Hagerty released a new episode of their Cammisa’s Ultimate Lap Battle, hosted by professional goofball Jason Cammisa and co-hosted by the race-track honed specialist Randy Pobst. This episode pits the Mustang GTD versus the 911 GT3 RS versus the Corvette ZR1, and (spoiler alert) the end result is another production car lap record for the C8 ZR1.

Like all Hagerty videos on their YouTube channel, this simply wasn’t just a lap test of the three, resulting in a production car lap record for the twin-turbo Corvette, but a comprehensive breakdown of each car’s strengths and how that translates on the race track. That race track is Sonoma Raceway’s 12-turn, 2.52-mile-long course in California which is a very comprehensive and technical course for any performance car. Each car is being tested unmodified with a set of factory fresh tires mounted on all four corners, which, in this case, is a set of Michelin Pilot Cup 2Rs.

Ford Mustang GTD
At the back of the pack, but still showing what the front-engine muscle car can do with a bottomless Ford back account and engineering backed by Multimatic in Canada, is the ultimate American pony car: the Mustang GTD. The GTD is powered by a dry-sump version of Ford’s 5.2-liter, 815-horsepower DOHC Predator V8 connected via a torque tube to a rear-mounted TREMEC TR-9080 8-speed DCT (very similar to the Corvette’s). The suspension and aero are race spec, but the GTD’s weight is as shocking as its $327,960 price tag at 4343 pounds.

Even Ford themselves might be a little aware of the embarrassing bloat for America’s pony car. Under the FAQ section for the GTD on their own website, a section named “how much does the GTD weigh?” is simply answered by Ford with “less”, rather than an actual number. Less than what? An F150? Regardless, the advanced active aero and completely reengineered Multimatic suspension helped the Mustang put down an impressive lap time of 1:38.710.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Make no mistake, here at Car Junkie Mag, we certainly prefer our American cars and V8s, but there is no denying the track weapon that is the Porsche 911, especially the GT3 RS version. The 992-generation GT3 RS has been with us for a few years now, but it has only improved with every generation and is still just as relevant. We made fun of the GTD’s high price and its need to put the fork down, and maybe the need for an Ozempic prescription; the GT3 RS, on the other hand, has it beat in both departments. With a starting MSRP of around $241,300 and a curb weight of only 3,215 pounds.

But where the other two have brutal American V8s with forced induction, the GT3 RS aims for a different approach. The 4.0-liter flat-fix that hangs out the back just behind the rear bumper makes 518 horsepower and screams to an unearthly 9,000 rpm. When paired to Porsche’s own 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, they call the PDK, it can accelerate to sixty in 3.4 seconds and set lap records at racetracks like the ZR1. What was the lap time here at Sonoma? A 1:37.286 to beat the GTD by almost a second and a half.

“When compared to the Corvette ZR1, there was no sector, corner, or part of the track where the GTD was faster.” — Jason Cammisa

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Speaking of the lap-record-holding ZR1, the last contender needs no introduction. Ever since its announcement earlier this year, the C8 ZR1 Corvette has been dominating the headlines. A 233 mph top speed. A 0-60 time of just 2.3 seconds. A 1,064-horsepower twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8. And a now growing list of production car lap records. And now the ZR1 can add Sonoma Raceway to the long list with a lap time of 1:34.941, cementing another production car lap record.
Current C8 ZR1 production car lap records:
Ten Tenths Motor Club, full circuit: 1:12.97
Autobahn Country Club, south circuit: 1:22.44
Sonoma Raceway, full circuit: 1:34.94
Mosport, grand prix circuit: 1:18.22
Road America: 2:08.56
Watkins Glen, full circuit: 1:52.73
Road Atlanta: 1:22.85
Virginia International Raceway, full course: 1:47.74
Virginia International Raceway, grand course: 2:32.30




