Chevy’s Corvette ZR1X Becomes America’s Fastest Car at the Nürburgring

On a cold morning at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife, a 12.9-mile monster of a track known as the Green Hell, Chevrolet’s Corvette ZR1X ripped through corners and straights to post a blistering 6:49.275, becoming the fastest American car to ever lap this legendary circuit. It beat Ford’s Mustang GTD by 2.8 seconds. American muscle can shine, even if the Europeans still hold the crown.

Chevrolet brought three cars: the 1,250-horsepower ZR1X, the 1,064-horsepower ZR1, and the 670-horsepower Z06, all driven by GM engineers, not pro racers—a bold move. Drew Cattell, a vehicle dynamics pro, drove the ZR1X to the record time. Brian Wallace went 6:50.763 in the ZR1, just 1.5 seconds behind, and Aaron Link lapped the Z06 in 7:11.826. All three times, verified by the Nürburgring, are a first: no manufacturer has ever brought three cars, three non-pro drivers, and three recorded laps in one go.

The ZR1X is a beast, with a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 and electric motor for all-wheel-drive hybrid power. The ZR1 skips the electric boost but still roars, and the Z06, with its naturally aspirated V8, holds its own. Equipped with carbon-fiber wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires, and massive carbon-ceramic brakes, these U.S.-spec cars were track-prepped with roll hoops, race seats, and harnesses, ready to take on the Green Hell’s 73 turns and brutal terrain.

The Nürburgring is a global proving ground, where every corner tests a car’s soul. Chevy’s engineers—Link with 800 laps, Cattell with 600, and Wallace with 425—know it like their backyard, having tuned GM cars there 31 times. Their times are among the best by non-pros, a feat celebrated in the documentary Homegrown Speed: A Corvette Story, which follows their journey from Michigan to Germany.Ford’s $328,000 Mustang GTD went 6:52.072, now behind the $173,300 ZR1X and ZR1.

So it’s a budget win for Chevy. But the European giants, the Mercedes-AMG One (6:29.090) and Porsche 911 GT2 RS (6:43.300) are still ahead, their older cars beating Chevy’s latest. So there’s work to do. But Chevy’s decision to use engineers as drivers proves a point: the people who build these cars can push them to the limit.

For Corvette fans, this is a reason to cheer. The ZR1X and ZR1 have beaten the Mustang GTD, so American cars can play with the big boys. But Europe’s best are still ahead and Ford will be back. The Nürburgring has spoken, but the Corvette’s story is far from over and it’s one to watch.