C&D Lightning Lap 2011 at VIR (IS F tested, wow!)
12-30-10, 08:05 AM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
C&D Lightning Lap 2011 at VIR (IS F tested, wow!)
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...p_2011-feature
If you go to the link and scroll down there are tons of vids and links to the individual cars tested and results.
Maybe the Mayan 2012 is for real
b/c C&D was very complimentary to the IS F (after the recent LFA article). The 2011 IS F recieved a revised suspension and the LSD from 2010 and dropped 8.6 seconds off its previous time:eek: C&D is making me eat crow
If you go to the link and scroll down there are tons of vids and links to the individual cars tested and results.
OUR LIGHTNING LAP TEST SEEKS TO FIND THE BEST OUTRIGHT COMBINATION OF POWER, HANDLING, ROADHOLDING, AND BRAKING OFFERED BY THE LATEST HOT PERFORMANCE CARS.
In an ideal world, we'd love to drive these cars on a public road, but running machines such as these at their limit on the highway pre*sents practical problems—things like other drivers, speed limits, and roadside hazards.
Our simple solution nearly five years ago was to look for the track in North America that best approximates a challenging road, with a variety of corners, long straightaways, and plenty of elevation changes. A track meeting this description would allow us to assess all-around perform*ance, expressed in lap times, in a controlled and relatively safe environment. The track we chose is the Grand West Course at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), near Danville, a serpentine 4.1-mile circuit that is the nearest the U.S. has to the ultimate racetrack, the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany. Automakers from around the world converge on the 'Ring for the development of their vehicles, particularly high-performance models; domestic manufacturers also incorporate VIR in their vehicles' testing programs.
Unlike our "Best-Handling Car in America" test [October 2010], where we used the Waterford Hills road course in Michigan as an element of the selection process, we rank finishers in Lightning Lap strictly on lap times, based on the best run achieved by each car during our two-day event (without any subjective criteria). Handling prowess is important for extracting a good lap time at VIR, but brakes and power are even more significant here, which isn't the case on the tight Waterford Hills track.
The 20 new or revised performance cars we gathered for our fifth edition of Lightning Lap are sorted by base price (which includes performance-enhancing options) into five classes.
We didn't bring any non-street-legal cars to the party this time, so there is no LLU (Unclassified) segment.
As ever, there were some real surprises among the vehicles gathered, although nothing beat the outright record of 2:45.9 set by the Mosler MT900S, or the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR's 2:48.6, both of which occurred during our third Lightning Lap in 2008. These two cars are, however, hardly built for the street.
The pace has certainly picked up since our inaugural event in 2006, wherein no vehicle beat the magical three-minute mark. In 2007, two cars scraped below three minutes. In 2008, five cars blitzed that mark. In both 2010 and 2011, six machines beat the figure, which is what happens when you're in the middle of the fiercest horsepower war the auto industry has ever fought.
In an ideal world, we'd love to drive these cars on a public road, but running machines such as these at their limit on the highway pre*sents practical problems—things like other drivers, speed limits, and roadside hazards.
Our simple solution nearly five years ago was to look for the track in North America that best approximates a challenging road, with a variety of corners, long straightaways, and plenty of elevation changes. A track meeting this description would allow us to assess all-around perform*ance, expressed in lap times, in a controlled and relatively safe environment. The track we chose is the Grand West Course at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), near Danville, a serpentine 4.1-mile circuit that is the nearest the U.S. has to the ultimate racetrack, the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany. Automakers from around the world converge on the 'Ring for the development of their vehicles, particularly high-performance models; domestic manufacturers also incorporate VIR in their vehicles' testing programs.
Unlike our "Best-Handling Car in America" test [October 2010], where we used the Waterford Hills road course in Michigan as an element of the selection process, we rank finishers in Lightning Lap strictly on lap times, based on the best run achieved by each car during our two-day event (without any subjective criteria). Handling prowess is important for extracting a good lap time at VIR, but brakes and power are even more significant here, which isn't the case on the tight Waterford Hills track.
The 20 new or revised performance cars we gathered for our fifth edition of Lightning Lap are sorted by base price (which includes performance-enhancing options) into five classes.
We didn't bring any non-street-legal cars to the party this time, so there is no LLU (Unclassified) segment.
As ever, there were some real surprises among the vehicles gathered, although nothing beat the outright record of 2:45.9 set by the Mosler MT900S, or the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR's 2:48.6, both of which occurred during our third Lightning Lap in 2008. These two cars are, however, hardly built for the street.
The pace has certainly picked up since our inaugural event in 2006, wherein no vehicle beat the magical three-minute mark. In 2007, two cars scraped below three minutes. In 2008, five cars blitzed that mark. In both 2010 and 2011, six machines beat the figure, which is what happens when you're in the middle of the fiercest horsepower war the auto industry has ever fought.
b/c C&D was very complimentary to the IS F (after the recent LFA article). The 2011 IS F recieved a revised suspension and the LSD from 2010 and dropped 8.6 seconds off its previous time:eek: C&D is making me eat crow
Three years back, an IS F turned a less-than-impressive 3:14.0. We said then, “A little attention to springs and damping might make this eager contender a real champ,” as the stiffly sprung F zapped confidence in high-speed corners.
Boy, were we right. Lexus has since tweaked all suspension elements. Spring rates are down in the front and up in the rear, and there are larger anti-roll bars, stiffer subframe bushings, and longer bump stops, which effectively increase spring rates when the car is nearing its maximum roll angle. Lexus also lightened the front hubs and control arms and slapped a Torsen limited-slip differential in the rear axle. The result is BMW M3–matching performance around VIR (3:05.4). That’s heady company for Lexus to be keeping. Especially considering that the IS F weighs 3801 pounds (195 more than the M3) and makes only two additional horsepower, at 416.
Lexus also redesigned the gauges, enlarging the tachometer and relocating it to the center of the instrument binnacle. But it could have removed the thing altogether because we did not so much as peep at it: The IS F’s audible shift warning is plenty loud, even when you are wearing a helmet. While the alert is slightly obnoxious on public roads, it lets you keep your eyes up when driving on a track.
The old F rolled around on the track like a keel-less boat in gusting winds. The aforementioned updates quell this tendency and increase confidence. Our backside impressions are supported by numbers: The F exits sector two 13.1 mph quicker than before, at 109.1. Steering is communicative, and the chassis is set up for safe, moderate understeer, but vector adjustment is just a throttle tweak away—the torquey engine (371 pound-feet) can break the rear tires loose easily. The brakes are fantastic, too. The pedal might be a tad wooden (more pliant pine than hard oak), but the system remains fade-free after multiple laps of abuse, something none of the other large sedans could claim this year. The 180-degree character change performed by this Lexus gives us hope that Toyota can still make fun-to-drive cars. Now where’s our Supra?
Boy, were we right. Lexus has since tweaked all suspension elements. Spring rates are down in the front and up in the rear, and there are larger anti-roll bars, stiffer subframe bushings, and longer bump stops, which effectively increase spring rates when the car is nearing its maximum roll angle. Lexus also lightened the front hubs and control arms and slapped a Torsen limited-slip differential in the rear axle. The result is BMW M3–matching performance around VIR (3:05.4). That’s heady company for Lexus to be keeping. Especially considering that the IS F weighs 3801 pounds (195 more than the M3) and makes only two additional horsepower, at 416.
Lexus also redesigned the gauges, enlarging the tachometer and relocating it to the center of the instrument binnacle. But it could have removed the thing altogether because we did not so much as peep at it: The IS F’s audible shift warning is plenty loud, even when you are wearing a helmet. While the alert is slightly obnoxious on public roads, it lets you keep your eyes up when driving on a track.
The old F rolled around on the track like a keel-less boat in gusting winds. The aforementioned updates quell this tendency and increase confidence. Our backside impressions are supported by numbers: The F exits sector two 13.1 mph quicker than before, at 109.1. Steering is communicative, and the chassis is set up for safe, moderate understeer, but vector adjustment is just a throttle tweak away—the torquey engine (371 pound-feet) can break the rear tires loose easily. The brakes are fantastic, too. The pedal might be a tad wooden (more pliant pine than hard oak), but the system remains fade-free after multiple laps of abuse, something none of the other large sedans could claim this year. The 180-degree character change performed by this Lexus gives us hope that Toyota can still make fun-to-drive cars. Now where’s our Supra?
12-30-10, 08:11 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
To compare.........
Times to compare
Times to compare
Virginia International Raceway
1 2:45.9 MOSLER MT900S LL3 11/08
2 2:48.6 DODGE VIPER SRT10 ACR LL3 11/08
3 2:49.8 MOSLER PHOTON LL5 2/11
4 2:49.8 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1 LL3 2/10
5 2:51.8 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO LP570-4 SUPERLEGGERA LL5 2/11
6 2:52.3 KTM X-BOW LLU 2/10
7 2:53.5 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 (Z07) LL3 2/11
8 2:53.9 LAMBORGHINI MURCIÉLAGO LP670-4 SV LL5 2/10
9 2:54.6 FERRARI 430 SCUDERIA LL5 11/08
10 2:55.6 NISSAN GT-R LL3 11/08
11 2:55.9 PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS LL4 2/11
12 2:57.4 DODGE VIPER SRT10 LL3 10/07
13 2:57.5 PORSCHE 911 TURBO S LL4 2/11
14 2:57.6 ARIEL ATOM 3 LLU 2/10
15 2:58.0 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG LL4 2/11
16 2:58.2 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 LL3 8/07
17 2:58.5 CHEVROLET CORVETTE GRAND SPORT LL2 2/10
18 2:59.0 NISSAN GT-R (all-season tires) LL3 11/08
19 2:59.5 AUDI R8 5.2 FSI LL4 2/10
20 3:00.7 FORD GT LL4 11/06
21 3:01.1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 LL3 11/06
22 3:01.2 CHEVROLET CORVETTE (Z51) LL2 11/08
23 3:01.6 DODGE VIPER SRT10 LL3 11/06
24 3:01.8 PORSCHE 911 GT3 LL3 8/07
25 3:03.6 CHEVROLET CORVETTE (Z51) LL2 8/07
26 3:03.8 PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER LL3 2/11
27 3:04.0 CADILLAC CTS-V SEDAN LL2 11/08
28 3:04.0 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 2/11
29 3:04.2 CADILLAC CTS-V COUPE LL3 2/11
30 3:04.5 LOTUS EXIGE S LL3 8/07
31 3:05.4 BMW M3 COUPE LL2 2/10
32 3:05.4 LEXUS IS F LL2 2/11
33 3:05.6 BMW M3 COUPE LL2 11/08
34 3:05.6 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S LL3 2/10
35 3:05.8 PORSCHE CAYMAN S LL3 2/10
36 3:05.8 PORSCHE 911 TURBO LL4 8/07
37 3:05.9 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 8/07
38 3:06.4 JAGUAR XKR LL3 2/10
39 3:06.5 MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG LL2 11/08
40 3:06.5 MERCEDES-BENZ E63 AMG LL3 2/11
41 3:07.4 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 2/10
42 3:08.3 LOTUS EVORA LL3 2/11
43 3:08.4 AUDI TTS LL2 2/10
44 3:08.6 FORD MUSTANG GT 5.0 LL2 2/11
45 3:08.9 JAGUAR XFR LL2 2/11
46 3:09.2 LOTUS ELISE LL2 11/06
47 3:09.3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE (Z51) LL2 11/06
48 3:09.5 PORSCHE CAYMAN S LL2 11/06
49 3:09.5 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS LL2 2/10
50 3:10.0 BMW M6 LL3 11/06
51 3:10.5 BMW 335i COUPE LL2 8/07
52 3:10.6 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION SE LL2 2/11
53 3:10.8 AUDI S4 LL2 2/10
54 3:11.0 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 11/06
55 3:11.0 AUDI RS4 LL3 8/07
56 3:11.7 BMW Z4 M COUPE LL2 8/07
57 3:12.0 NISSAN NISMO 370Z LL2 2/10
58 3:12.5 NISSAN 350Z TRACK LL1 11/06
59 3:12.5 FORD MUSTANG V-6 LL1 2/11
60 3:13.0 CHEVROLET COBALT SS LL1 11/08
61 3:13.3 FORD MUSTANG GT LL1 2/10
62 3:13.3 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION MR LL2 11/08
63 3:13.5 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION IX MR LL1 11/06
64 3:13.7 BMW 135i COUPE LL2 11/08
65 3:13.8 HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE 3.8 R-SPEC LL1 2/11
66 3:13.8 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI SEDAN LL2 2/11
67 3:14.0 LEXUS IS F LL2 11/08
68 3:14.6 AUDI S5 LL2 11/08
69 3:14.8 HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE 3.8 LL1 2/10
70 3:15.0 HONDA S2000 CR LL2 11/08
71 3:15.7 PONTIAC SOLSTICE GXP LL1 8/07
72 3:16.0 MAZDASPEED 3 LL1 8/07
73 3:16.2 MAZDASPEED 3 LL1 2/10
74 3:16.3 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT8 LL2 11/08
75 3:16.5 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX SEDAN LL1 2/11
76 3:16.6 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HATCHBACK LL1 2/10
77 3:16.6 LOTUS ELISE SC LL2 11/08
78 3:16.7 MAZDA RX-8 R3 LL2 2/11
79 3:17.1 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS LL1 2/10
80 3:17.5 INFINITI G37 COUPE SPORT LL2 11/08
81 3:18.2 DODGE CHARGER SRT8 LL2 11/06
82 3:19.0 MAZDA RX-8 LL1 11/06
83 3:19.0 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI HATCHBACK LL2 11/08
84 3:19.3 VOLKSWAGEN GTI MkVI LL2 2/10
85 3:20.6 CHEVROLET COBALT SS SUPERCHARGED LL1 11/06
86 3:20.8 DODGE CALIBER SRT4 LL1 11/08
87 3:20.9 FORD MUSTANG GT LL1 11/06
88 3:21.8 VOLKSWAGEN R32 LL2 11/08
89 3:22.9 MINI COOPER S LL1 8/07
90 3:24.8 HONDA CIVIC Si MUGEN LL2 11/08
91 3:25.1 VOLKSWAGEN GTI MkV LL1 11/06
92 3:26.5 HONDA CIVIC Si COUPE LL1 11/06
93 3:26.6 VOLVO C30 VERSION 2.0 LL1 11/08
94 3:29.3 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA LL1 11/06
1 2:45.9 MOSLER MT900S LL3 11/08
2 2:48.6 DODGE VIPER SRT10 ACR LL3 11/08
3 2:49.8 MOSLER PHOTON LL5 2/11
4 2:49.8 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1 LL3 2/10
5 2:51.8 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO LP570-4 SUPERLEGGERA LL5 2/11
6 2:52.3 KTM X-BOW LLU 2/10
7 2:53.5 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 (Z07) LL3 2/11
8 2:53.9 LAMBORGHINI MURCIÉLAGO LP670-4 SV LL5 2/10
9 2:54.6 FERRARI 430 SCUDERIA LL5 11/08
10 2:55.6 NISSAN GT-R LL3 11/08
11 2:55.9 PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS LL4 2/11
12 2:57.4 DODGE VIPER SRT10 LL3 10/07
13 2:57.5 PORSCHE 911 TURBO S LL4 2/11
14 2:57.6 ARIEL ATOM 3 LLU 2/10
15 2:58.0 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG LL4 2/11
16 2:58.2 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 LL3 8/07
17 2:58.5 CHEVROLET CORVETTE GRAND SPORT LL2 2/10
18 2:59.0 NISSAN GT-R (all-season tires) LL3 11/08
19 2:59.5 AUDI R8 5.2 FSI LL4 2/10
20 3:00.7 FORD GT LL4 11/06
21 3:01.1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 LL3 11/06
22 3:01.2 CHEVROLET CORVETTE (Z51) LL2 11/08
23 3:01.6 DODGE VIPER SRT10 LL3 11/06
24 3:01.8 PORSCHE 911 GT3 LL3 8/07
25 3:03.6 CHEVROLET CORVETTE (Z51) LL2 8/07
26 3:03.8 PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER LL3 2/11
27 3:04.0 CADILLAC CTS-V SEDAN LL2 11/08
28 3:04.0 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 2/11
29 3:04.2 CADILLAC CTS-V COUPE LL3 2/11
30 3:04.5 LOTUS EXIGE S LL3 8/07
31 3:05.4 BMW M3 COUPE LL2 2/10
32 3:05.4 LEXUS IS F LL2 2/11
33 3:05.6 BMW M3 COUPE LL2 11/08
34 3:05.6 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S LL3 2/10
35 3:05.8 PORSCHE CAYMAN S LL3 2/10
36 3:05.8 PORSCHE 911 TURBO LL4 8/07
37 3:05.9 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 8/07
38 3:06.4 JAGUAR XKR LL3 2/10
39 3:06.5 MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG LL2 11/08
40 3:06.5 MERCEDES-BENZ E63 AMG LL3 2/11
41 3:07.4 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 2/10
42 3:08.3 LOTUS EVORA LL3 2/11
43 3:08.4 AUDI TTS LL2 2/10
44 3:08.6 FORD MUSTANG GT 5.0 LL2 2/11
45 3:08.9 JAGUAR XFR LL2 2/11
46 3:09.2 LOTUS ELISE LL2 11/06
47 3:09.3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE (Z51) LL2 11/06
48 3:09.5 PORSCHE CAYMAN S LL2 11/06
49 3:09.5 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS LL2 2/10
50 3:10.0 BMW M6 LL3 11/06
51 3:10.5 BMW 335i COUPE LL2 8/07
52 3:10.6 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION SE LL2 2/11
53 3:10.8 AUDI S4 LL2 2/10
54 3:11.0 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 LL2 11/06
55 3:11.0 AUDI RS4 LL3 8/07
56 3:11.7 BMW Z4 M COUPE LL2 8/07
57 3:12.0 NISSAN NISMO 370Z LL2 2/10
58 3:12.5 NISSAN 350Z TRACK LL1 11/06
59 3:12.5 FORD MUSTANG V-6 LL1 2/11
60 3:13.0 CHEVROLET COBALT SS LL1 11/08
61 3:13.3 FORD MUSTANG GT LL1 2/10
62 3:13.3 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION MR LL2 11/08
63 3:13.5 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION IX MR LL1 11/06
64 3:13.7 BMW 135i COUPE LL2 11/08
65 3:13.8 HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE 3.8 R-SPEC LL1 2/11
66 3:13.8 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI SEDAN LL2 2/11
67 3:14.0 LEXUS IS F LL2 11/08
68 3:14.6 AUDI S5 LL2 11/08
69 3:14.8 HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE 3.8 LL1 2/10
70 3:15.0 HONDA S2000 CR LL2 11/08
71 3:15.7 PONTIAC SOLSTICE GXP LL1 8/07
72 3:16.0 MAZDASPEED 3 LL1 8/07
73 3:16.2 MAZDASPEED 3 LL1 2/10
74 3:16.3 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT8 LL2 11/08
75 3:16.5 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX SEDAN LL1 2/11
76 3:16.6 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HATCHBACK LL1 2/10
77 3:16.6 LOTUS ELISE SC LL2 11/08
78 3:16.7 MAZDA RX-8 R3 LL2 2/11
79 3:17.1 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS LL1 2/10
80 3:17.5 INFINITI G37 COUPE SPORT LL2 11/08
81 3:18.2 DODGE CHARGER SRT8 LL2 11/06
82 3:19.0 MAZDA RX-8 LL1 11/06
83 3:19.0 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI HATCHBACK LL2 11/08
84 3:19.3 VOLKSWAGEN GTI MkVI LL2 2/10
85 3:20.6 CHEVROLET COBALT SS SUPERCHARGED LL1 11/06
86 3:20.8 DODGE CALIBER SRT4 LL1 11/08
87 3:20.9 FORD MUSTANG GT LL1 11/06
88 3:21.8 VOLKSWAGEN R32 LL2 11/08
89 3:22.9 MINI COOPER S LL1 8/07
90 3:24.8 HONDA CIVIC Si MUGEN LL2 11/08
91 3:25.1 VOLKSWAGEN GTI MkV LL1 11/06
92 3:26.5 HONDA CIVIC Si COUPE LL1 11/06
93 3:26.6 VOLVO C30 VERSION 2.0 LL1 11/08
94 3:29.3 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA LL1 11/06
Last edited by LexFather; 12-30-10 at 08:28 AM.
Trending Topics
12-30-10, 11:01 AM
#8
Lexus Champion
damn, still think the Z06 is an excellent car/value.....super car performance (IMO) with Chevy maintenance costs.
why no 370Z tested....?!?!?!?!? why did they waste their time with a RX8?
why no 370Z tested....?!?!?!?!? why did they waste their time with a RX8?
Last edited by bagwell; 12-30-10 at 11:16 AM.
12-30-10, 01:03 PM
#11
Moderator: LFA, Clubhouse
Those are some serious cars the new F beats, like the Cayman S and C2S - both of which were equipped with PDK for Lightning Lap 2010.
Off topic, but what racing video games is VIR featured in? I know it's in Ferrari Challenge. It's a great track, would love to see it in more simulations.
Off topic, but what racing video games is VIR featured in? I know it's in Ferrari Challenge. It's a great track, would love to see it in more simulations.
12-30-10, 02:58 PM
#13
what i am interested in is, whether the m3 with comp package has different results
