Latest news with #BillWise
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The C8 Corvette ZR1 Just Keeps Winning
Read the full story on Backfire News The new C8 Corvette ZR1 is quite the machine that just keeps on winning, despite the shrieks of Europeans and diehard Blue Oval fans. It's a legitimate supercar from America that can hit 233 mph while also carving through some of the fastest tracks in this country, setting record times. This has been done over and over without professional racecar drivers behind the wheel, which is even more total, the C8 ZR1 has racked up five lap records at four separate facilities with four different GM employees behind the wheel and the ZTK Performance Package installed. More records might be coming, but for now this is an excellent start, proving the newest Corvette model should be taken seriously as a track weapon. The ZR1's first record lap was set at Watkins Glen in Upstate New York on the Watkins Glen Long Course. Behind the wheel was Lead Performance Engineer for Chassis Controls, Bill Wise. Even though he's not a NASCAR or IndyCar driver, he smoked the previous record at a scorching 1:52.7. Watch his run for yourself. Next up is Road America in Wisconsin, where Lead Vehicle Dynamics Engineer Brian Wallace carved through the turns and blasted down the straightaways to set a new record of 2:08.6. Road Atlanta was the venue for the third track record. Lead Development Engineer Chris Barber, who again isn't a professional racer, was behind the wheel, crossing the finish line in 1:22.8. That's fast. Finally, Global Vehicle Performance Manager Aaron Link went to Viriginia International Raceway and set two lap records. The first one was for the Full Course at a scorching 1:47.7. Then he whipped through the Grand Course in 2:32.3. Anticipation for the C8 Corvette ZR1 has been high, but these lap records speak volumes about how worth the wait the American supercar has been. We wonder what kinds of times professional drivers could set on the same tracks with a ZR1 running the ZTK Performance Package. Maybe some new records will be set when they do? Image via Chevrolet
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing at Lightning Lap 2025
From the March/April 2025 issue of Car and Driver. Class: LL3 | Base: $135,890 | As Tested: $145,580 Power and Weight: 668 hp • 4137 lb • 6.2 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R; F: 285/35ZR-19 (103Y) MO1, R: 305/30ZR-19 (102Y) For 2025, the CT5-V Blackwing sports a facelift and, far more intriguing, a Precision package, a $9000 bundle of chassis upgrades such as stiffer springs and bushings, more aggressive alignment, and stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires. Despite the extra stiffness, the Blackwing still inhales curbing with the best (thanks, magnetorheological dampers). Its adjustable Performance Traction Management, which allows you to dial in the amount of traction- and stability-control intervention, remains a wonderful sidekick, trimming power to optimize traction. You can hear it working when the exhaust note goes from rip-roaring to garbled. But it's acting out of necessity, as turning everything off was a short-lived experiment in how sending 668 horsepower through two tires equals a lot of powerslides. A quick lap in the Blackwing requires a tight line [see 'Cutting Corners,' below] and attacking apexes early. Getting the fastest lap needs to happen when the tires are fresh, because after one lap, the grip slightly subsides, and the Blackwing settles into a pace that's about two seconds slower per lap. But unlike most street cars, especially luxury sedans, the Blackwing is happy to hot-lap for the duration of its 17.4 gallons of fuel, which translates to about eight 4.1-mile laps. And the carbon-ceramic brakes (a $9000 option required to spec the Precision package) never show a hint of fade. Compared with the Blackwing we ran three years ago, the new Precision-package car is a little quicker nearly everywhere: a couple of miles per hour through the Climbing Esses, where the new car is easier to place, a few more through the off-camber left that follows, and an average of nearly two miles per hour in the tight Infield. Times through Sectors 1 and 4 improved by a half-second apiece and in 2 and 5 by a few tenths each. In Sector 3, the two cars were in a near dead heat, leaving the latest Blackwing ahead by 1.5 seconds. That means the CT5 pulls in front of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door and, surprisingly, the C8 Corvette Z51. The lap comparison with the Porsche Panamera Turbo S, the quickest gas-powered four-door, is interesting, with the Cadillac ahead by 0.8 second at Oak Tree but the Porsche reeling back all of that time, primarily in the Infield, leading to a photo finish in which the Caddy comes up a tenth short. Whittling down lap times is our goal during Lightning Lap, but in addition to carrying more speed, you can also work the other side of the equation by reducing distance traveled. Bill Wise, Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing development engineer and one of GM's hottest shoes, shared that his laps that are quicker than colleagues' are often fractionally shorter, which prompted us to look at that detail from this year's field. No doubt thanks to Wise's excellent coaching, our corner clipping and curb jumping in the CT5 resulted in the shortest lap of 21,533 feet, or 4.08 miles. At the Blackwing's 87.9-mph average speed, every 13 feet equates to a tenth of a second, and the difference between the CT5's lap and the longest, in the Ioniq 5 N, which traveled 71 feet farther, is worth more than a half-second. Of course, there are limits to the possible gains, as hugging the inside of the track for the entirety of a lap reduces speed enough not to be advantageous. Some vehicles are so unsettled by curbing that they lose time, which requires a wider line to find the fastest time. Back to Lightning Lap 2025 You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New Chevy Corvette ZR1 Can't Stop Breaking Records
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector Chevrolet's upcoming C8 Corvette ZR1 has raised the performance bar yet again, setting lap records at five different race tracks across the United States. The supercharged sports car, the most powerful Corvette ever built, continues to redefine American performance standards. The automaker confirmed that a pre-production ZR1, equipped with the ZTK Performance Package, conquered top-tier circuits with new record times, showcasing its blistering speed and precision engineering. Four Chevrolet engineers piloted the vehicle across the five courses, each securing a new fastest lap. Bill Wise, Chevy's lead performance engineer, kicked off the record spree at Watkins Glen International in New York, where he completed the long course in 1:52.6. Brian Wallace, lead vehicle dynamics engineer, followed with a 2:08.6 run at Wisconsin's Road America. Development engineer Chris Barber then made headlines with a 1:22.8 lap at Road Atlanta. The final two records were set by global vehicle performance manager Aaron Link, who conquered Virginia International Raceway's full course in 1:47.7 and the grand course in 2:32.3. 'We knew the car had the capability, but breaking these records confirmed just how far we've pushed the C8 ZR1,' Barber said. 'It wasn't just about beating the times—it was about obliterating them.' Powered by a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged flat-plane-crank V-8, the ZR1 boasts an astounding 1,064 horsepower and a top speed of 233 mph, making it the fastest production Corvette ever. The ZTK package further enhances performance with a high-downforce rear wing and advanced aerodynamic elements. Production of the C8 ZR1 is set to begin this spring, with deliveries expected later this year. The model will start at $174,995, cementing its place as a premier supercar contender. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
C8 Corvette ZR1 Flexes Its Highly Capable Track Muscles
Read the full story on The Auto Wire There's no debating the C8 Corvette ZR1 is a modern American supercar. After all, the thing can hit 233 mph, blowing away other performance models from this country. But what's equally or perhaps even more impressive is the new ZR1 setting five lap records at American recently announced the accomplishment of the enviable feat accomplished by four different drivers. Each one was behind the wheel of a pre-production Corvette ZR1 with the optional ZTK Performance Package installed. One of those tracks was Watkins Glen Long Course at Watkins Glen International in Schuyler County New York, often referred to as 'The Glen.' Bill Wise, Lead Performance Engineer for Chassis Controls, was behind the wheel, clocking an impressive 1:52.7. Brian Wallace, Led Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, piloted the C8 ZR1 Corvette around Road America in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. He set a lap record at a scorching 2:08.6. The American supercar also ran Road Atlanta, which is situated in Hall County, Georgia just north of Braselton, clocking a red hot lap record of 1:22.8. Chris Barber, Lead Development Engineer, was the driver. Aaron Link, Global Vehicle Performance Manager, was able to set two lap records at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. One was the Full Course at 1:47.7. The second was for the Grand Course at 2:32.3. This development reminds us of back in 2015 when the Dodge Viper ACR set lap records at 13 different racetracks. While Mopar fans will eagerly point out their super snake racked up more records, perhaps the Corvette ZR1's victory run isn't over yet? Either way, we love seeing American performance cars strut their stuff like this, especially on home turf. The name of the game with the ZTK Performance Package is aero. The package includes that tall rear wing for increased downforce, front drive planes, hood gurney lip, plus underbody strakes. All pieces are made of carbon fiber. Plus, the suspension is tuned with stiffer springs and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R ZP tires are added. Image via Chevrolet Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook.
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Chevrolet's new Corvette ZR1 marks its territory by setting new lap records
Chevrolet's new Corvette ZR1 marks its territory by setting new lap records We had a lot of fun with the Chevy Corvette Z06 we kept in-house for a few months last year, after the now-iconic mid-engined American sports car won MotorTrend's 2023 Performance Car of the Year award. We tested it with one of our grandmothers, we tested it against a real race car and we drove it on plenty of road trips. But now it's Chevy's turn to have some more fun with the Corvette, albeit now in high-performance Corvette ZR1 guise, as it just went out to mark its territory, setting five new records around racetracks across the U.S. And luckily for us, GM recorded them all to watch. An engineer explains: What makes the Corvette ZR1's engine so powerful? The new ZR1 is quite the hot car, aptly dubbed an American supercar — though we'd wager it's a supercar, period, no qualifications needed — considering its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine is good for over 1,000 horsepower in stock form, which is more than 300 hp more than the previous-generation ZR1. We've personally seen the new ZR1 hit up to 205 mph, while properly prepped cars with the carbon aero package have hit up to 233 mph, generating up to 1,200 pounds of downforce as they go. It ain't cheap, with the tamest version coming in at a starting price of $174,995, but it's cheap for that kind of performance. An American supercar: A look at the 1,064-HP 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 The five new U.S. lap records come from four different GM drivers. Bill Wise, lead performance engineer of chassis controls, set a record 1:52.7 lap time around Watkins Glen's long course. Driver Brian Wallace, lead vehicle dynamics engineer on the ZR1, set a record time of 2:08.6 around Road America. The car zoomed around Road Atlanta with a 1:22.8 lap time piloted by lead development engineer Chris Barber. Finally, driver Aaron Link, global vehicle performance manager, managed to set two new records; he ran a time of 1:47.7 around Virginia International Raceway's full course, and also set a 2:32.3 time around VIR's grand course, as well. We know the new ZR1 has also been testing at the iconic German Nürburgring, which is sort of the international benchmark track for performance vehicles to set comparative lap times, though Chevy has yet to post its results for now — even as crosstown Detroit rival Ford has been ballyhooing its Mustang GTD's top-time-for-an-American-production-car's stunner — Still, it can claim it has dominated America, as America's supercar sweetheart. Photos by MotorTrend staff
