Randy Pobst sets new Production Car Track Record at Laguna Seca...twice in one day!

[Bruce H.]

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...he_918_spyder/

Since it's starting to look like the Gen V laps fairly close to the ACR without the extra aero, suspension and best tires, is it possible a Gen V ACR with those improvements and a couple of others might shave 4 seconds to take back the record?

[donk_316]

Posted in the wrong section of forum dude

[Rapidrezults]

This is very relevant to this forum. It shows us that a stock TA can simply bolt on some slicks and keep up with million dollar "hyper" cars on the track at a fraction of the cost. Gotta love it. I wonder what a Viper would do with a set of Trofeo Rs. Too bad they won't make us any.

[Schen]

The hilarity when you read that Ferrari wouldn't allow them to publish lap times and data even WITH a privately owned car. Seriously.

Can you imagine Ferrari threatening you to take your $1M LaFerrari away because their afraid to lose their dignity? LOL Hell, they basically sent a cease and desist letter to a DJ to remove a vinyl wrap of a pixelated pop-tart cat off his 458 with 'Purrari' badges. Nissan quickly picked up on that PR moment! That was great.

Anyone remember Rush?

Niki Lauda: [Testing his Ferrari at Fiorano] It's terrible. Drives like a pig.
Lauda's Mechanic: [Offended] Oh, you can't say that.
Niki Lauda: Why not?
Lauda's Mechanic: It's a Ferrari!
Niki Lauda: It's a s**tbox! It under-steers like crazy and the weight distribution is a disaster. It's amazing - all these facilities, and you make a piece of crap like this.

--RS

[Bruce H.]

Yep, that's typical Ferrari.

[ViperSmith]

Those cars are just insane.

[FLATOUT]

Yep, that's typical Ferrari.

Gotta protect the brand lol.

[ViperSmith]

Posted in the wrong section of forum dude

Uh

Lap times aside, the magnitude of these cars' accomplishments deserves the most attention. Here we have two plug-in hybrid street cars with EV modes on street tires posting lap times that that would qualify them mid-pack in most sports car races at Laguna Seca. It's when you contextualize their data against "normal" fast cars such as the SRT Viper TA and Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 -- both previous lap record holders here -- that the evolutionary jump these two have made becomes clear. Literally, there's a gap in the acceleration curves where the P1 and the 918 seem to have skipped years of development and technological improvements. They've leaped far into the future, blazing a trail for everyone else to follow.


Considering either car costs $1m more at a minimum, Id hope they were leaps ahead!

[Coloviper]

I applaud Ferrari! That magazine has lost all credibility though. Can't buy it. These. cars should smash records.

[Schen]

I applaud Ferrari! That magazine has lost all credibility though. Can't buy it. These. cars should smash records.

They also couldn't come to an agreement on Top Gear either. I believe Ferrari and McLaren were in it, depending whatever stipulations the manufactures set out. Porsche was the last piece to that puzzle.

But we all know that will never happen there, now will it?

I just wish Chris Harris would do it. Pretty sure he's the only one that hasn't ticked anyone off and is on pretty stable ground with everybody. While I agree about a certain degree of credibility, we've seen it with the Viper, the level of begging and pleading that must be going on to get those three on a track together must be insane. Motor Trend was the closest, by far. No matter what the outcome, the article no matter who writes it, is going to give each car praise for it's technical prowess because technology, then pick out the pros and cons of all three, finally picking a winner, a decent pick and the loser. Problem is all three want to be the winner.

--RS

[Snakebit10]

I remember reading this on Mclarenlife a few weeks back. It seems both Randy and the P1 owner (some of you remember Traynor) thinks the P1 lost due to the ABS calibration not being optimized properly. Nice win for the Porsche though and it was not even a full Weisach Package 918. Both great cars. Hopefully Mclaren tweaks the ABS in the near future and we can have a retest. Ferrari will be Ferrari.

[Murpowa]

Impressive for sure

[v10enomous]

I can't wait to see how the new FGT stacks up. Makes you wonder how long it will be before this level of performance becomes more attainable. Records are made to be broken and all that.

[Joel]

Two things I am pretty sure about. One, I'll never drive like Randy Pobst or any other professional hot shoe for that matter. Two, who cares about how fast cars built of unobtainium and that cost $1 million each can go because most of us can never own one?

[ACRucrazy]

Now if Dodge can come along with a new ACR and take the six figure girlfriends from Porsche and McLaren after setting a new record that would be great..

[Voice of Reason]

Two things I am pretty sure about. One, I'll never drive like Randy Pobst or any other professional hot shoe for that matter. Two, who cares about how fast cars built of unobtainium and that cost $1 million each can go because most of us can never own one?

Agreed on point one. But be careful on the second point, that's what Mustang and BRZ drivers say about us. To them the Viper may as well cost a million dollars because $100k and $1m are both equally unobtainable.

I like these high end articles because they show just how much our car is able to do with Stone Age steel frames and giant gas guzzling engines.

[serpent]

Agreed on point one. But be careful on the second point, that's what Mustang and BRZ drivers say about us. To them the Viper may as well cost a million dollars because $100k and $1m are both equally unobtainable.

What? I post on SVTP and I dont ever remember reading about how a viper is unobtainable. They get a ton of praise over there and a few of the members move on and get a Viper.

[Voice of Reason]

What? I post on SVTP and I dont ever remember reading about how a viper is unobtainable. They get a ton of praise over there and a few of the members move on and get a Viper.

I used to post on SVTP as well (same user name actually) and I guess I don't lump GT500 owners in with the typical Mustang crowd that I'm referring too. If you're successful enough to afford a $70k Mustang then a Viper isn't a terrible leap. I'm referring to the larger majority that are still in 2V and 3V cars that spend more time cutting springs and swapping rims than actually racing.

[Snakebit10]

Whatever the case may be I can't wait to see the Gen 5 ACR around Laguna in Randy's hands. 1:30 on slicks from TA so Im picturing the ACR being fairly close to the hypercars numbers even with all of its "comparitive" yestertech.

[Bruce H.]

Chris Harris was on the outs with Ferrari over negative comments he made regarding various problems he had with a 575 that he had for a brief time and then sold. Along the lines of it being monumentally expensive to keep running or something. I was actually surprised that they let him test the new 488, but perhaps figured he had learned his lesson. Or perhaps Ferrari discovered that prospective buyers really want to see him review their next purchase first!

Those cars have to be all considered winners by prospective buyers of those marques who may actually not care about lap times as much as some might think. I know of the three I'd pick the 918 even if it came in dead last in any given performance test.

I just wish Chris Harris would do it. Pretty sure he's the only one that hasn't ticked anyone off and is on pretty stable ground with everybody. While I agree about a certain degree of credibility, we've seen it with the Viper, the level of begging and pleading that must be going on to get those three on a track together must be insane. Motor Trend was the closest, by far. No matter what the outcome, the article no matter who writes it, is going to give each car praise for it's technical prowess because technology, then pick out the pros and cons of all three, finally picking a winner, a decent pick and the loser. Problem is all three want to be the winner.

--RS

[Stealth]

P1 has lost twice now to the 918. Personally, I think the P1 is much faster and more exotic. However, while MacL may be great a designing/sorting/prepping race cars, they are almost never great at designing/sorting/prepping their street cars. 5th Gear ripped the 12c a new one. The recalibrated version was a bit better. Most reviews of the 650S and even the p1 mention turbo lag. If I purchased the P1 (I wish!) I would be more than a little angry that it has now lost to the 918 on 2 tracks with 2 different drivers. Just unacceptable. The La Ferrari has also pulled well away from a Buggati and I believe a 918 in long drag races. Whether you like Porsche designs or not, a Porsche model always comes ready with well-designed, well-sorted cars. It is my least favorite of the 3 new hypercars, but it would be my choice to win a 2 hour track contest.

It would be interesting to see how a TA 2.0 and an ACR do against these hypercars on the track (not top speed or 1/4 mi.).

[Schen]

Chris Harris was on the outs with Ferrari over negative comments he made regarding various problems he had with a 575 that he had for a brief time and then sold. Along the lines of it being monumentally expensive to keep running or something. I was actually surprised that they let him test the new 488, but perhaps figured he had learned his lesson. Or perhaps Ferrari discovered that prospective buyers really want to see him review their next purchase first!

Those cars have to be all considered winners by prospective buyers of those marques who may actually not care about lap times as much as some might think. I know of the three I'd pick the 918 even if it came in dead last in any given performance test.

Wow, did not know that. I've never understood their reasoning behind 'if you say something negative will ban you' rule. Isn't any kind of feedback taken into consideration, good or bad, to improve the next?

And I agree on the 918. Porsche has been and will be my least likeable brand period. But like the Carrera GT, it's the only the 2nd one I actually like. The epitome of supercars in the 90s was the McLaren F1. No matter how fast the P1 is, it just cannot top that car. The LaFerrari looks good from behind but that front fascia looks unfinished.

Great, now I can't drive Ferrari's. I didn't feel like becoming a rolling BBQ anyway.

--RS

[viper_eddie]

They also couldn't come to an agreement on Top Gear either. I believe Ferrari and McLaren were in it, depending whatever stipulations the manufactures set out. Porsche was the last piece to that puzzle.

But we all know that will never happen there, now will it?

I just wish Chris Harris would do it. Pretty sure he's the only one that hasn't ticked anyone off and is on pretty stable ground with everybody. While I agree about a certain degree of credibility, we've seen it with the Viper, the level of begging and pleading that must be going on to get those three on a track together must be insane. Motor Trend was the closest, by far. No matter what the outcome, the article no matter who writes it, is going to give each car praise for it's technical prowess because technology, then pick out the pros and cons of all three, finally picking a winner, a decent pick and the loser. Problem is all three want to be the winner.

--RS

Wow, did not know that. I've never understood their reasoning behind 'if you say something negative will ban you' rule. Isn't any kind of feedback taken into consideration, good or bad, to improve the next?

And I agree on the 918. Porsche has been and will be my least likeable brand period. But like the Carrera GT, it's the only the 2nd one I actually like. The epitome of supercars in the 90s was the McLaren F1. No matter how fast the P1 is, it just cannot top that car. The LaFerrari looks good from behind but that front fascia looks unfinished.

Great, now I can't drive Ferrari's. I didn't feel like becoming a rolling BBQ anyway.

--RS

I was going to say the same as Bruce H; If I remember correctly Ferrari banned any dealer from selling a new Ferrari to Chris Harris and warned its new car owners not to give him one to review. Not to mention the whole Top Gear thing in addition to them not letting anyone test their cars unless they send a whole team. Can anyone say INSECURITY?

Regarding Top Gear, Porsche simply said yes but we don't have any right now. Ferrari was being a little b with their typical excuses and I forgot what McLaren complained about, something about tires on the Ferrari?

Good job for the Viper, competing with cars worth so much more with so much more technology. I'm not a forced induction guy but I think it's inevitable the Viper will go to it because of the competition...imagine a blown or turbo'ed Viper ACR!

[serpent]

Whatever the case may be I can't wait to see the Gen 5 ACR around Laguna in Randy's hands. 1:30 on slicks from TA so Im picturing the ACR being fairly close to the hypercars numbers even with all of its "comparitive" yestertech.

Do you have a video of this? I don't remember seeing or hearing of a time faster than 1:33.

[Rapidrezults]

Do you have a video of this? I don't remember seeing or hearing of a time faster than 1:33.

At the end of the TA strikes back motortrend video you will see they list the time with slicks.