Love it or hate it, the Nurburgring is a petrolhead phenomenon known the world over. It’s a long, daunting racetrack where one mistake can mean the difference between a new lap record and just being the first to lose. As times changes, the speed of vehicles has increased dramatically. Even down to simple hot hatches. Nowadays there are hot hatches that are fast around a track as Murcielagos were ten years ago. Obviously, weather, tires, track condition, and other variables should be taken into account, but my point still stands: Road cars are faster than they’ve ever been, and this one –the Honda Civic Type-R– is a great example. That neatly brings us to the core of this article: 6 supercars that are slower (or just as fast) around the infamous “Green Hell” than a small, turbocharged Honda.
Before I forget, the Honda Civic Type-R ran a very impressive time of 7:43.8. I would say what cars that’s faster, but that’s what this article is about. So let’s start with…
6: The 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
You read that right. A 563 horsepower, 479 lb-ft supercar is just as fast (or just as slow) around the ‘Ring as “lowly” Honda around the notorious 12-mile track. With a time of 7:44.4, that technically makes it slower than the Honda. However, it’s important not to forget they changed the track in recent years (which ended up making it a bit faster).
5: The 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera
Lamborghini(s) weren’t known for their track prowess back in the day. In those times, they only had two cars that challenged the idea that Lambos weren’t exactly track cars: The Murcielago SV and the Gallardo Superleggera. In this case, we’re talking about the latter.
Despite having AWD and 530 horsepower, the Superleggera couldn’t one up the small hatchback. Without sugar coating it, the Superleggera managed a time of 7:46. How on earth it’s slower than the SLS is something I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
4: The 2002 Pagani Zonda S 7.3
Remember the early days of Top Gear when James was talking about how many suspected Pagani would go the way of the dodo in a few years? Ah, man, that seems like a century ago now. Turn the clock back towards the present and you’ll find that Pagani is still doing very well for itself. While it could be said they’ve been keeping to themselves lately (not getting into the hypercar wars and all that), they’re certainly not allowing themselves to get overshadowed by anyone.
As we all know, the Zonda C12 started Pagani’s entry in the automotive world. Which, thankfully, didn’t end with the C12. We’re not here to talk about the full history of Pagani or the Zonda, though. We’re here to talk about the lap time set by one of Horacio Pagani’s pupils: The Zonda S 7.3.
With a lap time of 7:44, that puts the Pagani ahead of the SLS AMG. Somehow… perhaps more impressively, it can be said that a Honda can hold its own around a track even when a Pagani enters the equation.
3: The 1993 Bugatti EB110 SS
The car that came before the Veyron but never achieved the same recognition, the EB110 sits in the Veyron’s shadow. In a time of Jaguar XJ220s, Mclaren F1s, Ferrari F50s, Dodge Vipers, and Lamborghini Diablos, the EB110 sits in the history books like that one person from your high school yearbook you vaguely remember went to your school. You know the kid, his name was Derek.
What was this article about again? Oh right! Lap times. The EB110, like the Zonda, ran a time of 7:44. We now live in a time where it wouldn’t be wrong to say a Honda is as fast as a Bugatti (around a track). I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Truth is stranger than fiction.
2: The 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLR Mclaren
Remember that old Top Gear episode where Jeremy took the SLR and raced James and Richard to Oslo? I love that episode. The SLR wasn’t bad either. Despite its questionable looks, it ain’t no slow-poke either. What with it having 617 horsepower and all.
However, it did get bested around the ‘Ring by a Honda, and I do mean bested. The SLR has a ‘Ring time of 7:52. Unless they ran that time in the wet, there’s no way the SLR could ever make up enough time for it to become an issue of variables (the ones we discussed at the beginning). The SLR, honest to god, really is slower than the Civic Type-R.
1: THE 2010 AUDI R8 V10
Adding this car onto this list is really pushing the limits of what my definition of a “supercar” is, but that’s an article for another day. You’ve probably guessed why the Audi R8 V10 has made this list, so let’s just cut to the chase: The R8 V10 got around the ‘Ring in a time of 7:44. It would seem that Tony Stark has a car that’s about as fast as a car Scott Pilgrim would drive. At least, around the Green Hell that is.
Thanks for reading! Thanks again Styp P for giving me the idea to create this article!