It's amazing how much performance has improved over the years...

[slngsht]

The new Chevy Cobalt SS circled the ring in 8:22. Sure, that's not in the Z06 / GT3 /new Skyline territory, but just a few years ago, it took a C5 or M3 to get those kinds of numbers...

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/28/officially-official-2008-chevy-cobalt-ss-bows-at-sema/

 

Not bad for a FWD econo performance car.

[slngsht]

here are some comparison times...

 

8:20 --- 148.320 km/h -- BMW M3 E36, 321 PS (Autocar magazine 1997)

8:20 --- 148.320 km/h -- 2008 Honda NSX, 500 PS/??? kg, http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/225863/

8:20 --- 148.320 km/h -- Porche 993 GT3, Walter Roehrl (Car magazine 10/99)

8:22 --- 147.749 km/h -- BMW M3 E46, 343 PS/1584 kg (sport auto 12/00)

8:22 --- 147.749 km/h -- BMW M Coupe, 321 PS/1445 kg (sport auto 10/98)

8:22 --- 147.749 km/h -- Mercedes-Benz C55 (sport auto07/2004)

8:22.38 147.617 km/h -- Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R :rofl: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ua_wcOnPkxk

8:22.85 Cobalt SS (not yet official)

8:23 --- 147.435 km/h -- Aston Martin DB7 GT, 442 PS/1833 kg (sport auto 07/03)

8:23 --- 147.435 km/h -- Porsche Boxster S, 280 PS/1426 kg (sport auto 04/06)

8:23 --- 147.435 km/h -- Porsche 996 Carrera 4, 300 PS/1466 kg (sport auto 01/02)

8:24 --- 147.143 km/h -- Mercedes SLK 55 AMG, 360PS/1566kg (sport auto 04/05),

8:24 --- 147.143 km/h -- Subaru Impreza WRX STi (sport auto 05/04)

8:25 --- 146.851 km/h -- Audi RS4, 375 PS/1675 kg (sport auto 10/00)

8:25* -- 146.851 km/h – 2007 BMW M5 Touring, 507 PS (*mfr.)

[Ian7]

Certainly impressive, but need to be sure its an apples-to-apples comparison. The 'ring has two timing distances, the full circuit (used less often) and a timed segment that starts some way away from the pit exit, and stops short of the pit entrance (for safety). IIRC, the difference is about 20 seconds... Google would probably find the specifics.