With a fresh set of the latest Sport Cup 2 tires, Works driver Jörg Bergmeister sets a new record for the CGT with a lap time of 7:12.69 around the Nordschleife
by Khris Bharath on December 12, 2024, 10:00Be it the sleek design or the evocative howl from its F1-derived mid-engined 5.7-liter V10, the Porsche Carrera GT needs little effort to seduce any enthusiast, Porsche-phile or otherwise. Even two decades on, the 600-horsepower rear-wheel drive manual is hailed by many as the last analog supercar to ever exist. However, when it comes to gaining a reputation as being a modern-day widow maker owing to some pretty high-profile crashes, Porsche had some housekeeping to do and hopefully stave off future lawsuits. At one point, there was even a no-drive request that Porsche sent out to owners, which folks like Doug DeMuro happily ignored.
How Modern Rubber Transforms The Iconic Carrera GT
One of the most effective ways to improve safety is with the bit that makes contact with the pavement. Enter brand-new Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires, that Porsche was generous enough to offer, free of cost to every CGT owner. Now when was the last time you saw a manufacturer developing brand-new rubber for a car that was discontinued over two decades ago? Tire technology has seen some significant advancements in the past 20 years and given the CGT’s reputation for being a handful at the limit, it could certainly benefit from modern rubber.
What better place to test out these new shoes than at the infamous 13-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife? The OG Carrera GT was put to the test by the likes of the legendary Walter Röhrl, who managed a lap time of 7:28 back in the day. The two-time world rally champion and Porsche Works driver was instrumental in the development of the German automaker’s Halo supercar back in the early 2000s. Now, Porsche’s current Work’s driver, Jörg Bergmeister has topped that previous record with a lap time of 7:12.69 behind the wheel of speed yellow example. This makes the CGT nearly 16 seconds quicker around the green hell. From the footage, released by Sport Auto, it appears that this run was attempted in summer this year, with near-perfect conditions, and Bergmeister was able to hit a top speed of 187 mph on the final straight on the home stretch.
Now to put this lap time into perspective, a mid-level 992.2 GTS is not too far off at just 7:16 and the CGT is even slower than the Mustang GTD that just joined the sub-7-minute club at the ‘Ring. With their PDK boxes, there’s no shortage of Porsche’s in the list of top 10 fastest production cars at the Nürburgring, and the fastest one of them all is the 911 GT2 RS MR with a time of 6:43.30 However, despite being slower, I bet that none can offer the engagement or feel that you get with three pedals and CGT’s 6-speed manual even today, and I’m sure most of you will agree with this. Speed isn’t everything you know.
Khris Bharath
Khris is a Mechanical Engineer and a classic car aficionado, who adores his Jags, Alfas, and old-school American muscle cars. He keeps tabs on everything from super exotics like an old EB 110 to the latest from Lucid and geeks out on three-row family haulers. Formula One remains very close to his heart, and he diligently makes time to tune in for the Grand Prix on Sundays. Khris also loves his road trips and he prefers a stick shift over an auto. Read full bio