Ford and Chevrolet have been going back and forth for the fastest lap times at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It started when the 815-horsepower Mustang GTD became the first American car to break the 7-minute mark on the 12.9-mile circuit, initially clocking 6:57 and later improving to 6:52. Chevrolet responded with the 1,064-horsepower Corvette ZR1 at 6:50, followed by the even more powerful Corvette ZR1X at 6:49.
Ford answered with an upgraded Mustang GTD Competition model. It features increased power, improved aerodynamics (including a redesigned rear wing and dive planes), new tires, and lighter magnesium wheels with aero discs. With Dirk Müller behind the wheel, it set a significantly faster lap time of 6:40.853.
To compare fairly, some Corvette laps were driven by engineers rather than professional racers. Ford tested that scenario too—sending its own engineer out in the GTD Competition, resulting in a 6:49.337 lap, nearly identical to the ZR1X’s 6:49.275.
Technically, the original GTD’s time falls under the production car category, while the GTD Competition and Corvette runs are classified as pre-production prototypes, since they aren’t yet sold in Europe (though they’re street-legal in the U.S.). Even so, the GTD Competition’s lap ranks as the sixth fastest ever and would place second among production cars, just behind the Mercedes-AMG One, which holds a 6:29 record.
Ford also boasts several other quick machines: the electric SuperVan 4.0 ran a 6:48 lap, the F-150-based SuperTruck hit 6:43, and the track-only Ford GT Mark IV achieved an impressive 6:15.977, making it the third fastest overall. Chevrolet hasn’t confirmed a return attempt yet, though a professional driver could likely improve the ZR1 and ZR1X times.
Source: Ford
