Quote:
Originally Posted by SROC5
It's still crazy to think this little 400+ car with 300ish torque achieved a 7:48 around the ring vs. a 580 hp / 500 torque ZL1. I think if we give the M3 just a entry level SC @ 550hp, numbers would be quite different.
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Be that as it may, just doing the numbers suggest that the two cars are not far apart, power-to-weight-wise. The ZL1 in the C & D Lightning Lap test weighed 4111 pounds full of gas, giving a power to weight ratio of about 7.1 pounds per horsepower. The M3 GTS weighs in at about 3200 pounds* in the same condition, giving a power to weight ratio of 7.2 pounds per horsepower.
Pretty close.
As for torque, it pretty much doesn't matter out there on a race track, where you're always staying as close to the power peak as you can.
Bruce
*BMW says the GTS comes in at 3285 pounds under Euro rules, which assume a 165 pound driver but I think only a few gallons of gas. Subtract the driver and add gas for comparable U.S. SAE curb weight. Thus around 3200 pounds net under SAE rules.