Autozeitung: Porsche 997 GT3 RS vs Corvette Z06

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TRACK test Corvette Z06 against Porsche 911 GT3 R-S
Both place the basis for a racing car, and the Corvette Z06 and the new Porsche nevertheless separate 911 GT3 R-S worlds. Running professional Kurt Thiim tests both on the Formel-1-Kurs in Hockenheim
Red-Green the couple draws each attention in the nearly deserted driver camp of the Hockenheim ring on itself. „That the hardest examination for the Corvette “, prophesied ex-DTM-professional Kurt Thiim. And it is right.

The potent US hammer is compromiseless built: small weight owing to a chassis from aluminum and carbon fiber composite materials, bear-strongly owing to the largest Small-Block-V8, the general of engine built ever, and drehzahlfest owing to titanium piston rods, sodium-filled titanium intake valves and aluminum flat-topped pistons. Only the valve gear is still made by a central arranged cam shaft. 512 HP as well as 637 Newtonmeters torque speak a clear language, the maximum speed of 320 km/h likewise. In the end still the Sahnehäubchen: The weight per horsepower of the Z06 is with only 2.8 kg/PS. That should be enough, in order to frighten each Porsche, or?

But: On a good round time also things decide such as brake performance and driving stability in the frontier. And here in the comparison to the flat, broad Corvette nearly delicate 911 GT3 R-S set, weight per horsepower: 3,3 kg/PS. And the R-S models show already since 1972, what is possible in puncto driving dynamics with one to road-certified for car.

Newest R-S is there no exception. Again 20 Kilos more easily than the normal GT3 and equipped with an adjustable chassis, optimized aerodynamics as well as finest Racing attributes, he start, in order to control the sports car world.

The hoarse barking 3,6-Liter-Boxer in the tail has not only just as exclusive Innereien now as the GM-V8, but also over an a mass flywheel, which saves eight Kilos opposite the conventional flywheel. „The engine reacted thereby very spritzig, turns phänomenal fast highly “, describes to Thiim the effects, „at all, the Porsche is actually a racing car, you notices it immediately at the clutch counter-pressure or also at the high switching forces. And if you drive off in the morning, it cracks here and there, Laufgeräusche comes from the drive strand. You experience the same, if you roll with a cold racing car from the box lane on the runway - wonderful. “

In relation to achievement disadvantage the Corvette - 415 to 512 HP - the GT3 R-S with its chassis and the standard Michelin Semi Slicks wants to than only compensate more. The Goodyear Runflatreifen of the Ami is there rather a everyday life-suited solution.

Thiim decides after two sample rounds with the two cars as the first for the Z06: „The conversion between the two cars is giant-largely, thus around falls it however somewhat more easily. “The Dane does without any electronic support. Thus he selects the attitude „ASR and active handling out “in the cockpit display. After short approach the V8 bollert over the start/goal straight line. With 204 km/h Thiim throws the anchor before the north curve and switches down.

Becomes clear already here: „You must leave yourself time when switching, otherwise it cracks in the transmission. The operating paths are clearly longer and not like that exactly defined as in the Porsche. “The second characteristic of the Corvette becomes clear in the next right curve before the long Parabolika: Of 211 km/h Thiim must down up to 58 things, to give in and on as early an accelerating as possible concentrate at the same time. „All no problem, but in the seats of the Corvette I find too little stop to technical and slip partly somewhat helplessly around “, say Thiim later.

But which after the slide portion follows, fascinates the Dane: „The Drehmomentkick and this Beschleunigungsorgie up to the pointed turn place simply everything into the shade. “251 km/h the government inspection department measuring instrument indicates at the point of applying brakes gently, to only 44 km/h stands the close right curve - maximum permissible load for all vehicle components. „The car remains very stable with these hard brakings. But the tires are overtaxed on the racing course and lubricate. The handling loses thereby at precision. “

Again the Z06 start, as if would be the devil behind it ago. The large V8 has easy play with the unloaded weight of 1440 kilograms. In the gentle right break before the Mercedes grandstand Thiim must briefly of the gas and loses speed. Also the following sector into and by the Kurvengeschlängel of the Motodrom becomes probably never the favourite playground of the Corvette. Thiim: „You must force yourself in curves again and again to the peace, give the car time to stabilize. Only so you can use the whole power.

The body movements are more pronounced in the comparison to the Porsche and want to be taken into account. “Accordingly the applying brakes gently speeds are very highly, the curve speeds however rather average. Only the outward easily superelevated special curve facilitates it the Corvette a little. The drift with 97 km/h at the entrance to starting/goal straight lines is hardly to be avoided. Few seconds later Kurt Thiim with 187 km/h rushes by the light barrier. Its total time: 1.57, 90 minutes

The racing professional rises directly over into the Porsche and squeezes themselves into the bowl seat. The electronic PASM chassis pressed on hard posed, those sport key for still more spontaneous responding of the engine and traction control deactivates - it can loose-go. Hoarse roaring the GT3 R-S hunts on the north curve to and brakes clearly later than the Corvette. However it is here also nine km/h more slowly than the Z06.

The same play before the next curve: very late and hard applying brakes gently into the curve inside, then just as early accelerating. Here the class of the chassis and the tire show up. The rate of turn is appropriate for ten km/h more highly than with the Corvette. Then the pointed turn, Thiim follows applies brakes gently with 241 km/h, thus ten km/h lose on the US sportsman. But: The brake point lies stately 23 meters later, that is nearly five vehicle lengths.

Thiim in addition: „Nevertheless, in order to realize a time advantage with the Porsche, you must drive and the engine out crimpings very exactly. But for it this car is exactly built. Giving in behavior and driving stability are simply great. “Where it had to almost give full power in the Corvette carefully to act, can it in the Porsche. And it must it also, because up to applying brakes gently before the Mercedes grandstand the Corvette lies still in front with 0.87 seconds projection/lead. „You can take the entrance into the Motodrom in the Porsche nearly fully. There the new aerodynamics of R-S already plays a large role “, says Thiim.

Now the running driver plays his decades of experience out and flogs the Elfer by the curves. In the last sector it actually gets a projection/lead of 1.23 seconds raus and crosses after 1.57, 44 minutes the goal line, knappe five tenth ofs a second in former times as with the Corvette. Thiim rolls abgekämpft into the box lane: „If you so a Porsche to buy want to be, must you a Racer. Otherwise the outstanding driving experience is opened for you never. The GT3 R-S is not a toy. “

Result
“The test was a large surprise for me. We have here two completely different sports car concepts, which can be moved as expected also completely differently. On the side with the Corvette Z06 a genuine Powercar from the USA with 7,0 litres capacity to the asking price. On the other side a racing car with road permission. The Porsche 911 GT3 R-S as something else to designate, would be missed. During the series tyre the two separate worlds likewise. Everyday life-suited Runflat tires on the V8-Monster, Semi Slicks on the finely balanced racer. And which happens? The two separate only five tenth ofs a second at the end. The Porsche makes exactly what you want. The Corvette presses as wildly forward. But you can convert Kraft many more badly, because you must constantly fight. You need in the Corvette also more courage than in the Porsche, it come even in the fourth course still crosswise. If you could bring these Kraft on the bitumen - Semi Slicks does not give it for the Z06 to time yet -, then it were a genuine monster. The Porsche is that absolutely rounds and snaps total package.”

Z06
Laptime: 1,57.90 min
GT3 RS
Laptime: 1,57.44 min