The Grassroots Motorsports ultimate guide to track car lap times

Staff
By Staff Writer
Dec 8, 2022 | FIRM, Review, Buyer's Guide, Car Review, Florida International Rally and Motorsport Park, Lap Times | Posted in Features | Never miss an article

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

How fast is that car for real?

We have a benchmark for that: lap times from GRM’s official test track, the Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park.

Located in Keystone Heights, less than 100 miles from our home base, the FIRM offers a 1.6-mile course that’s safe, repeatable and accessible.

The track features a mix of medium- and slower-speed corners, and most of it is run in third and fourth gear–aside from the second-gear hairpin. It also features longer sweepers that test steady-state grip as well as traditional road course kinks that test braking, turn-in and corner exit.


We’ve tested a number of cars at the FIRM–including hot new rides, old favorites and our project cars–and we’re constantly adding to the list.

[How we track test cars and what the numbers mean]

Keep reading for synopses of each car tested–fastest to slowest–and scroll down for an easy-to-digest chart at the bottom.

 

2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06–LS3 V8 engine swap

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:13.71
  • Date tested: April 30, 2022
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car.
    • Fitted with an older set of Hoosier A7 tires.
    • 88 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature.
    • Dry track conditions.

2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT w/ Z51 Performance Package

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:16.16
  • Date tested: January 14, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered.
    • Fitted with Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires.
    • 65 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature.
    • Dry track conditions.

2004 Nissan 350Z–LS1 V8 engine swap

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:16.79
  • Date tested: April 23, 2021
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car
    • Fitted with racing slicks
    • Fitted with With Nine Lives Racing rear wing, rain setup sway bars and stock front bumper
    • Dry track conditions

2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible 2LT

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:19.16
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered

2020 Toyota GR Supra

Photography Credit: J.G. Pasterjak

  • Fastest lap: 1:19.59
  • Date tested: January 5, 2020
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • Fitted with street tires
    • 59 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2019 Mazda MX-5–Triple Threat Miata

  • Fastest lap: 1:20.20
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car
    • Fitted with Falken RT660 tires

1996 Mazda Miata–LFX V6 engine swap

Photography Credit: Tom Suddard

  • Fastest lap: 1:20.44
  • Date tested: September 2, 2022
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car
    • First shakedown with 245mm Nankang CR-1 tires
    • No suspension tuning, aero or hardtop
    • 90 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Damp track conditions

1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:20.71
  • Date tested: July 9, 2022
  • Notes:
    • Fitted with Toyo Proxes RR tires
    • 92 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2023 Volkswagen Golf R

  • Fastest lap:  1:21.37
  • Date tested: November 26, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 71 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2021 Hyundai Veloster N (DCT)

Photography Credit: J.G. Pasterjak

  • Fastest lap: 1:21.49
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered

2021 Honda Civic Type R

Photography Credit: J.G. Pasterjak

  • Fastest lap: 1:21.79
  • Date tested: November 6, 2020
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • Dry track conditions

2023 Hyundai Elantra N (DCT)

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:22.08
  • Date tested: October 7, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered

2022 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn (DSG)

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:23.05
  • Dates tested: April 29, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered

2007 Porsche 997.1–Baseline

Photography Credit: Tim Suddard

  • Fastest lap: 1:23.15
  • Date tested: March 18, 2022
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car
    • baseline test
    • Dry track conditions

2022 Subaru BRZ (automatic)

Photography Credit: J.G. Pasterjak

  • Fastest lap: 1:23.16
  • Date tested: December 31, 2021
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 72 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

V8 Roadsters V6-powered Mazda Miata

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:23.18

2023 Nissan Z Performance

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:23.44
  • Date tested: August 26, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 90 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2022 Subaru WRX

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:24.44
  • Date tested: October 23, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 75 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

V8 Roadsters V6-powered Mazda RX-8

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:25.33

2022 Honda Civic Si

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:25.53
  • Date tested: April 15, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 78 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI Sport–ESC Off Tune

Photography Credit: Tom Suddard

  • Fastest lap: 1:25.89
  • Date tested: November 18, 2022
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car
    • ESC fully turned off
    • Fitted with street tires
    • 59 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2022 Hyundai Sonata N-Line

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:25.99
  • Date tested: April 15, 2022
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 78 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2001 Porsche Boxster S

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:26.98
  • Date tested: May 8, 2020
  • Notes:
    • Classic Motorsports project car
    • Fitted with Yokohama street tires
    • 81 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2020 Honda Civic Si

Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

  • Fastest lap: 1:27.06
  • Date tested: December 27, 2019
  • Notes:
    • Longterm loaner/former GRM project car
    • Fitted with Falken Azenis 200tw tires
    • 77 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2020 Mazda MX-5 Club

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:27.51
  • Date tested: May 15, 2020
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 86 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2020 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:28.47
  • Date tested: April 26, 2020
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 82 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fasted lap: 1:28.58
  • Date tested: May 8, 2020
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered
    • 81 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI Sport–Baseline

Photography Credit: Tom Suddard

  • Fastest lap: 1:28.80
  • Date tested: November 18, 2022
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car
    • Bone stock with OEM ESC settings
    • Fitted with street tires
    • 59 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

1993 Volkswagen Fox

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

  • Fastest lap: 1:31.24
  • Date tested: February 17, 2020
  • Notes:
    • Former GRM project car
    • Fitted with 200tw tires, VW Quantum five-speed transmission and a 1992 Jetta 1.8L engine
    • Not fitted with aero
    • 68 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Damp track conditions

1991 BMW 318is

Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

  • Fastest lap: 1:34.30
  • Date tested: April 26, 2020
  • Notes:
    • GRM project car
    • Street tires
    • 82 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature
    • Dry track conditions

2021 Toyota Prius 2020 Edition

Photography Credit: J.G. Pasterjak

  • Fastest lap: 1:39.45
  • Date tested: October 16, 2020
  • Notes:
    • New car as delivered

FIRM Lap Times Summary Chart

*GRM and Classic Motorsports project cars are denoted with a gold outline

Join Free Join our community to easily find more FIRM, Review, Buyer's Guide, Car Review, Florida International Rally and Motorsport Park and Lap Times articles.
More like this
Comments
View comments on the GRM forums
Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
12/7/22 8:13 a.m.

You've been asking, and here it is: Our official lap time board for all the cars we test at the FIRM–new cars, project cars and pretty much anything in between.

Be sure to check back frequently for updates.

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter)
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/7/22 9:16 a.m.

Very cool to see where the Elantra N placed, about where I would have expected it. I really hope you are able to add a lot more cars to the board. 

RadBarchetta
RadBarchetta New Reader
12/7/22 9:27 a.m.

Reminds me of the old Top Gear leaderboard. Which one of you guys is the GRM Stig?

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
12/7/22 9:35 a.m.

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

That's the plan. In addition to keeping the board updated with times for new cars, we'll be updating the board as we modify our project cars and (hopefully) make them faster.

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Director of Marketing & Digital Assets
12/7/22 9:38 a.m.
RadBarchetta said:

Reminds me of the old Top Gear leaderboard. Which one of you guys is the GRM Stig?

JG posted most of the times on the board since he does our new car testing, while I posted the times from my projects. Him and I seem to be fairly evenly matched so at some point we'll need to do a race in the same car or something. 

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
12/7/22 10:12 a.m.

In reply to RadBarchetta :

Yeah like Tom said all the new cars are me. And you can check out this sidebar for a look at the methodology. At the end of the day, the ultimate capabilities of these cars is probably a few clicks faster than what you see here, but we also can't be giving cars back to press fleets with chunked tires or crushed unibodies. So while my approach also factors preservation of equipment into it, I'm 100% confident that I'm pushing all the cars to the same relative 99% and the ultimate finish order reflects the real world of unlimited tries and track insurance pretty acuurately.

KyAllroad
KyAllroad MegaDork
12/7/22 10:13 a.m.

Any opportunity for readers to try their hand at posting a time for the board?  

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Director of Marketing & Digital Assets
12/7/22 5:06 p.m.

At this point we're focusing on cars we've tested personally.

glyn ellis
glyn ellis New Reader
12/7/22 5:23 p.m.

Kinda curious why JG was driving the Miata whilst wearing his Hans Hybrid, without connecting the tethers?

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter)
ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) Dork
12/7/22 5:57 p.m.

Thanks for also putting information about the tires used for the tests.  For all the grief that the new Supra has gotten, it sure looks like a great performer for the dollar.

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
12/7/22 6:14 p.m.
glyn ellis said:

Kinda curious why JG was driving the Miata whilst wearing his Hans Hybrid, without connecting the tethers?

While I try to live by the ATGATT motto, I'm not going to say I'm not above forgetting a couple straps when we're in a hurry to catch good light or something. But, yeah, the goal is to exercise and model proper track safety.

Really you should just be thankful I remember pants in all these videos.

gearheadE30
gearheadE30 Dork
12/7/22 7:47 p.m.

As an E30 devotee and 318is owner myself, I'm pretty sad about the 318is... was that with the stroker engine and everything?

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Director of Marketing & Digital Assets
12/7/22 8:03 p.m.
gearheadE30 said:

As an E30 devotee and 318is owner myself, I'm pretty sad about the 318is... was that with the stroker engine and everything?

Yep. I've spent some time driving that car at speed and while I love it... it's ultimately underpowered, undertired and undersprung to compete against the cars on this list. But that's what makes it such a rewarding street car on back roads. 

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
12/7/22 9:44 p.m.
gearheadE30 said:

As an E30 devotee and 318is owner myself, I'm pretty sad about the 318is... was that with the stroker engine and everything?

Yeah the only thing that car disappointed was the stopwatch. It was awesome to drive, just slow.

te72
te72 HalfDork
12/11/22 1:01 a.m.
ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

Thanks for also putting information about the tires used for the tests.  For all the grief that the new Supra has gotten, it sure looks like a great performer for the dollar.

For all the grief I *give* the Mk5, I've been on track with them. Bit of typical Supra tinkering and they are *very* fast on track. I'd love to set my wife's Mk4 up like I did my Mk3 (all the suspension, bushings, small single, reliability mods, etc) and see if I could truly hang with the new car.

 

Granted, her car has 220k on it, and from 10 feet you'd never know it. Would be curious to see how the new car holds up in 25-30 years.

Our Preferred Partners
uLGD5LoT3Sxu8vSl5KQ9UJvzTwd8cyyra6iA7IRD5iXRKQkkO6IKkXM6dlAtOVzm