K.C. Colwell, the executive editor at Car and Driver, is a seasoned professional with a deep-rooted passion for new cars and technology. His journey into the world of automotive journalism began at an early age when his grandmother gifted him a subscription to Car and Driver for his 10th birthday. This gift sparked a lifelong love for the industry, and he read every issue between then and his first day of employment. He started his Car and Driver career as a technical assistant in the fall of 2004. In 2007, he was promoted to assistant technical editor. In addition to testing, evaluating, and writing about cars, technology, and tires, K.C. also set the production-car lap record at Virginia International Raceway for C/D's annual Lightning Lap track test and was just the sixth person to drive the Hendrick Motorsport Garage 56 Camaro.
On our 16th trip to Virginia International Raceway, we set lap times in 16 of the best performance cars of the year -- and one minivan.
See Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap 2023 feature and all the lap times here: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387169/lightning-lap-2023/
The contenders:
2022 Subaru WRX: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42386897/2022-subaru-wrx-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42386939/2022-volkswagen-gti-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 Hyundai Elantra N: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42386833/2022-hyundai-elantra-n-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 Hyundai Kona N: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42386856/2022-hyundai-kona-n-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 BMW i4 M50: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42386978/2022-bmw-i4-m50-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 BMW M240i xDrive: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387011/2022-bmw-m240i-xdrive-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387074/2023-toyota-gr-corolla-morizo-edition-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 Honda Civic Type R: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387050/2023-honda-civic-type-r-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Manual: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387087/2023-toyota-gr-supra-3-0-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387026/2023-cadillac-ct4-v-blackwing-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 Mercedes-AMG SL63: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387134/2022-mercedes-amg-sl63-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 Audi RS3: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42386957/2022-audi-rs3-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 BMW M4 CSL: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387119/2023-bmw-m4-csl-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387126/2023-lamborghini-huracan-tecnica-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42736219/2022-porsche-718-cayman-gt4-rs-lightning-lap-2023/
2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42387101/2023-chevrolet-corvette-z06-lightning-lap-2023/
2022 Kia Carnival: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a42386881/2022-kia-carnival-lightning-lap-2023/
This year’s crop of cars doesn’t look too different from that first event’s, when we ran a Corvette Z06 but not one with a mid-engine 670-hp V-8. A Cayman appeared on the first roster, although it was not nearly as track focused as this year’s Cayman GT4 RS.
There have been massive performance increases in the past 17 years, and not just for Porsches and Corvettes. The Honda Civic Type R offers 315 horsepower from the factory. Toyota fielded two cars: the rally-inspired GR Corolla and a manual-transmission-equipped Supra. Zero Hyundais appeared in 2006, but two this year—Kona N and Elantra N—returned times that might surprise you. BMW sent the M4 CSL and the electric i4 M50; both were significantly quicker than the 2006 M6 in the first event.
A new Subaru WRX and Audi RS3 brought a rally-car experience at two different price points. After a few issues with the BMW M240i, the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, and the Volkswagen GTI last year, we invited them back for a chance to improve their lap times. Mercedes and Lamborghini were missing from the first roster, but this year we lapped the new SL63, a 2+2 with all-wheel drive, and Lamborghini brought out a Huracán Tecnica, a less extreme version of the Huracán STO.
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00:00 Intro and how we test
01:45 Subaru WRX
03:12 Volkswagen Golf GTI
04:47 Hyundai Elantra N
05:54 Hyundai Kona N
07:13 BMW i4 M50
09:27 BMW M240i xDrive
11:05 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition
12:36 Honda Civic Type R
14:32 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Manual
16:33 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
18:00 Mercedes-AMG SL63
19:47 Audi RS3
21:27 BMW M4 CSL
23:15 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica
25:00 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS
27:10 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
29:35 Conclusion