Originally Posted by Mike-in-Orange

I'm with Ferrari on this one. The Radical models that are faster while being street legal are very unusual cases - they were designed to be dedicated track cars that also manage to meet certain requirements that allow them to be legally registered for road use. But first and foremost they were designed specifically for the track. Cars like the 599XX and even the Viper ACR are highly modified versions of cars originally built to be strictly road going cars and, in the case of the original 599GTB Fiorano, pretty damn luxurious to boot. I had the great good fortune to drive a bone stock 599GTB a couple of years ago and the thing was just unbelievable. Heck, even standing behind it at idle the thing sounded better than most cars at full scream. But the interior appointments and quality of materials was impressive indeed. To take a car like that and turn it into a sub 7 minute 'Ring eater is simply outstanding. The thing weighs 3,700 lbs in standard trim - not the stuff pure race cars are made of. A Radical SR8 weighs 1430 lbs - exactly the stuff pure race cars are made of!

So, it arguing semantics or picking nits to say the 599XX is the fastest production-derived sports car to lap the ring in under 7:00? Maybe, but try living with a Radical on a daily basis and see how much of a production road car you think it is.

In the purest terms of "what's the fast street legal car to lap the 'Ring?" there's no denying it's a Radical. But as far as heavily modified road cars go, the Ferrari has a legit claim here.