The ongoing rivalry between Ford and Chevrolet has intensified once again – this time at Germany’s legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. Ford’s Mustang GTD, which set a blistering 6:52.07 lap earlier this year, has now been eclipsed by the Corvette ZR1 and the even more extreme ZR1X, which have taken the crown as the fastest American cars to lap the track.

The all-wheel-drive ZR1X completed a lap of the full 20.8km layout used for official attempts in 6:49.275, while the rear-wheel-drive ZR1 completed the lap in 6:50.763.

In response to the Corvette team’s announcement, Ford CEO Jim Farley took to Instagram with a succinct message: “Congrats to the Corvette team. Game on!”, reported Motor1. The friendly but fiery statement suggests Ford isn’t ready to bow out of the high-speed duel.

Ford may consider returning to the Nürburgring with the GTD, but it faces an uphill challenge. Despite the GTD’s cutting-edge technology ZR1X including active aerodynamics with a drag-reduction system and a motorsport-derived suspension – its substantial weight of over 1950kg makes it a heavier contender. Meanwhile, the ZR1 tips the scales at just under 1746kg, and while Chevrolet hasn’t revealed ZR1X figures, expectations are that it’s still lighter than Ford’s offering.

On the power front, the Mustang GTD delivers an impressive 608kW from its supercharged V8. Yet Chevrolet’s ZR1 outputs 793kW, and the ZR1X raises the stakes further with a claimed 932kW.

While numbers aren’t everything on a track as complex as the ‘Ring, they matter – especially in a game of hundredths. Whether Ford returns with a tweaked GTD or prepares an all-new weapon, the company will likely wait until it has a serious contender before re-entering the fight.

One thing is certain: America’s supercar rivalry is alive and well – and Nürburgring bragging rights are once again up for grabs.