When Chevrolet announced it had finally begun production of the highly anticipated 2020 mid-engine Corvette in early February, it also released a trailer for an in-house documentary that takes a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to make the car. In that trailer is the new Corvette’s much-awaited Nürburgring lap time: 7:29.9.
The time, first spotted by Roadshow, is hidden around the 0:52 mark in the trailer above, superimposed onto the track as a virtual piece of graffiti art, intended to blend in and act as a sort of easter egg. A Chevy spokesperson confirmed the unofficial time to Road & Track, telling us it was a Z51 package-equipped car that did the job. The $5000 package includes Michelin summer tires, a rear spoiler that GM says helps make 400 pounds of downforce, added cooling hardware, a better exhaust, and an electronic limited-slip differential.
According to GM, it was Corvette Racing factory driver Oliver Gavin who set the time, accompanied by a group of development engineers. Gavin is a five-time Le Mans 24-hour class winner, so if anyone could set a quick time, it’d be him.
The 7:29.9 time makes the C8 Corvette faster than the previous-generation C7 by around 10 seconds. Impressively, it’s also quicker than the new 992-generation Porsche 911 Carrera S, which set a 7:30.41 lap time in fall 2019 at the hands of German publication Sport Auto.
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