PCOTY 2022: Lap times and corner speeds

We breakdown exactly where each of our 18 competitors made, and lost, time around Phillip Island raceway

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Hot lap testing has remained a mainstay throughout Performance Car of the Year's history and, for 2022, we went bigger and better than ever with more cars, double the awards, and one heck of a backdrop - Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit.

Gathering data in a fast-moving environment like PCOTY isn’t easy. We’d like to say a hearty thanks to Peter Campbell of VBOX Australia, who wrangled the Racelogic VBOX equipment we used for straight-line testing and lap data. Test cars were fitted with the latest VBOX Touch units, which measure at 10Hz and feature 4.3-inch colour touchscreen functionality.

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The task of testing one of the biggest fields in PCOTY history put a time squeeze on Luffy’s track sessions. We gave him one out lap and two timed flyers to extract the best number possible from each car. In the meantime, the next car is rigged and prepared.

Conditions were cloudy and cool, with temperatures approximately between 15-20 degrees. A few cases of intermittent light rain was quickly dried by strong coastal winds.

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In case you’re wondering why no Turn 5 or 7 data, they were ignored due to being a largely inconsequential kinks in the circuit.

Eagle-eyed readers may notice that a wild McLaren 720S has appeared in testing. It's not a competitor in this year's awards, it's actually Kirby's long-termer and we couldn't resist strapping on the timing gear and sending it out in the name of science. Its figures are marked with an *asterisk.

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Turn 01

The capable i30 Sedan N made an impressive show of speed into Turn 1, delivering the highest entry speed from the sub-$100k Sports Car division with an impressive 168.1km/h measured at the trap. The Subaru BRZ's efforts are also mightily impressive for the aspirated coupe.

The Porsche GT3 leans heavier on its Cup 2 tyres and aggressive aero package which helped it carry 181.4km/h into the fast and fearsome right-hander.

i30 Sedan N 168.1km/h
Focus ST 165.1km/h
Mach 1 164.3km/h
128ti 164.3km/h
BRZ 162.2km/h
Golf GTI 162.0km/h
GR Yaris 158.3km/h
Octavia RS 157.9km/h
i20 N 157.4km/h
MX-5 GT RS 150.1km/h
GT3 181.4km/h
F-Type 176.8km/h
Huracan 176.1km/h
M3 175.8km/h
Boxster 25 171.4km/h
Corvette 168.8km/h
Alpine B3 167.2km/h
Taycan 159.3km/h
*720S 173.2km/h
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Turn 02

A much narrower spread of trap speeds indicates an inherent lateral limit of grip that many road cars face through the long double-apex left.

Despite producing a lower power output than many of its competitors, the nimble i20 N and its razor sharp front end carry the highest speed through Southern Loop, while the M3, Boxster and GT3 measure precious tenths of a kilometre per hour, apart.

i20 N 119.7km/h
Golf GTI 117.2km/h
GR Yaris 115.9km/h
Mach 1 115.2km/h
BRZ 114.9km/h
128ti 114.3km/h
i30 Sedan N 112.7km/h
Octavia RS 112.0km/h
Focus ST 111.8km/h
MX-5 GT RS 109.7km/h
M3 120.7km/h
Boxster 25 120.5km/h
GT3 120.2km/h
Huracan 118.6km/h
Corvette 116.9km/h
Taycan 115.0km/h
Alpina B3 113.3km/h
F-Type 110.1km/h
*720S 108.3km/h
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Turn 03

A fast open left-hander gives the powerhouse Mustang Mach 1 and Lamborghini Huracan a chance to stretch their legs, leading the charge through Stoner Corner at a blistering 199km/h and 213.3km/h, respectively.

Mach 1 199.0km/h
i30 Sedan N 187.7km/h
GR Yaris 183.9km/h
Golf GTI 183.4km/h
Octavia RS 182.0km/h
128ti 180.2km/h
BRZ 178.0km/h
i20 N 174.6km/h
Focus ST 174.3km/h
MX-5 GT RS 172.1km/h
Huracan 213.3km/h
Boxster 25 205.5km/h
Corvette 204.3km/h
M3 203.8km/h
GT3 202.2km/h
F-Type 197.4km/h
Taycan 194.6km/h
Alpina B3 188.3km/h
*720S 212.5km/h
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Turn 04

Would anyone have guessed that, at any point in the track, a GR Yaris, Ford Focus ST and Subaru BRZ would be eclipsing the 992 GT3 in mid-corner velocity?

GR Yaris 62.5km/h
Focus ST 62.0km/h
BRZ 61.4km/h
MX-5 GT RS 59.4km/h
Mach 1 59.2km/h
Golf GTI 58.9km/h
128ti 58.5km/h
Octavia RS 58.3km/h
i30 Sedan N 57.8km/h
i20 N 53.5km/h
M3 62.3km/h
GT3 61.3km/h
Boxster 25 60.6km/h
Alpina B3 60.5km/h
Huracan 59.4km/h
Taycan 59.3km/h
Corvette 58.8km/h
F-Type 54.7km/h
*720S 60.1km/h
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Turn 06

Another tight corner flatters the trap speeds of the junior Sports Car division, with the Focus ST topping the charts, measuring 91.3km/h through Siberia. Even the humble Mazda MX-5 hustles through carrying more speed than the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 Jaguar F-Type.

The GT3 tops the Performance Car field, flexing its aero and rubber advantage over the wildcard McLaren 720S, which trails almost 7km/h slower at the same point.

Focus ST 91.3km/h
i20 N 89.8km/h
GR Yaris 89.6km/h
i30 Sedan N 89.4km/h
Mach 1 89.2km/h
BRZ 88.7km/h
Golf GTI 85.1km/h
128ti 84.8km/h
Octavia RS 84.1km/h
MX-5 GT RS 83.7km/h
GT3 90.1km/h
Taycan 89.5km/h
M3 88.4km/h
Boxster 25 87.3km/h
Corvette 86.8km/h
Huracan 85.3km/h
Alpina B3 84.0km/h
F-Type 81.7km/h
*720S 83.3km/h
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Turn 08

As the field rushes through Hayshed, the Huracan and McLaren are able to put the hammer down, both topping 192km/h through the fast kink.

In the Sports Car division, the Mach 1 Mustang and Hyundai i30 Sedan N comfortably lead proceedings, both carrying a 5km/h advantage over the next-placed Golf GTI.

Mach 1 177.2km/h
i30 Sedan N 176.7km/h
Golf GTI 171.7km/h
GR Yaris 171.3km/h
Octavia RS 167.5km/h
128ti 166.9km/h
BRZ 166.7km/h
Focus ST 165.7km/h
i20 N 160.8km/h
MX-5 GT RS 160.3km/h
Huracan 192.2km/h
Corvette 191.1km/h
M3 189.3km/h
F-Type 189.1km/h
GT3 189.1km/h
Boxster 25 187.9km/h
Alpina B3 181.9km/h
Taycan 177.5km/h
*720S 192.0km/h
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Turn 09

Hyundai's N Division leads the pack over Lukey Heights, but it's the Subaru BRZ that impresses with its ability to carry more speed than that of the much more powerful Mach 1 Mustang, GR Yaris and even the Corvette, Porsche Boxster and BMW M3 from the Performance Car class above!

i30 Sedan N 126.0km/h
i20 N 125.7km/h
BRZ 125.4km/h
Mach 1 124.2km/h
GR Yaris 123.4km/h
Golf GTI 123.3km/h
MX-5 GT RS 122.6km/h
128ti 121.5km/h
Octavia RS 119.5km/h
Focus ST 118.4km/h
GT3 133.0km/h
Huracan 130.1km/h
Alpina B3 128.8km/h
Corvette 124.8km/h
Boxster 25 124.7km/h
M3 124.0km/h
Taycan 122.7km/h
F-Type 122.5km/h
*720S 132.4km/h
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Turn 10

A big downhill braking zone into MG Corner sees the nimble i20 N post the fastest speed at the trap, utilising less of its brakes and more rapidly tapping back onto the throttle.

The heavyweight Taycan Turbo S tops the Performance Car class for the first point in the track, leveraging its trick torque vectoring, four-wheel steering and delivering its huge torque loads virtually instantaneously.

i20 N 70.5km/h
Mach 1 68.5km/h
128ti 67.5km/h
BRZ 67.3km/h
GR Yaris 64.7km/h
i30 Sedan N 64.5km/h
MX-5 GT RS 64.2km/h
Golf GTI 63.3km/h
Octavia RS 63.0km/h
Focus ST 62.0km/h
Taycan 69.2km/h
M3 68.1km/h
Boxster 25 67.9km/h
GT3 66.0km/h
Huracan 63.km/h
Alpina B3 62.6km/h
Corvette 62.1km/h
F-Type 61.2km/h
*720S 67.5km/h
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Turn 11

The pair of Performance Blue Hyundais stamp their mark, posting the fastest trap speeds of all but the dominant 911 GT3.

Subaru's BRZ is the standout result, matching the Boxster 25 at the same point in the track, and measuring quicker than the Lamborghini Huracan Evo and sublime BMW M3.

i30 Sedan N 104.9km/h
i20 N 104.5km/h
BRZ 102.8km/h
Mach 1 102.4km/h
MX-5 GT RS 100.2km/h
128ti 99.4km/h
GR Yaris 99.3km/h
Focus ST 99.1km/h
Golf GTI 99.1km/h
Octavia RS 96.0km/h
GT3 107.6km/h
Taycan 103.5km/h
Corvette 103.1km/h
Boxster 25 102.8km/h
Huracan 102.0km/h
M3 101.7km/h
F-Type 100.4km/h
Alpina B3 99.0km/h
*720S 108.3km/h
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Turn 12

The final run home sees both hot lap leaders fastest through Turn 12 and onto the main straight, with the Mach 1 Mustang and GT3 measuring quickest.

The GT3 runs a full 7km/h faster of the Huracan and ballistic McLaren 720S.

Mach 1 165.6km/h
i30 Sedan N 163.7km/h
GR Yaris 160.8km/h
BRZ 158.2km/h
i20 N 157.9km/h
Golf GTI 157.4km/h
Focus ST 155.4km/h
Octavia RS 154.7km/h
MX-5 GT RS 152.5km/h
128ti 151.7km/h
GT3 180.8km/h
Huracan 173.8km/h
M3 170.7km/h
Boxster 25 169.7km/h
Corvette 167.3km/h
Taycan 167.2km/h
Alpina B3 159.5km/h
F-Type 158.7km/h
*720S 173.7km/h
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Lap times

The 911 GT3 was always going to emerge as this year's hot lap hero, but just a .5-second delta to the McLaren 720S has us wondering what the McLaren might have achieved with better tyres and a bit of aero.

The Huracan Evo was also hampered by modest Pirelli P Zero tyres and a lack of aero. It begs the question as to how a lighter, harder version of the Huracan might have fared.

Porsche 911 GT3 01:39.7
McLaren 720S* 01:40.2
Lamborghini Huracan Evo 01:43.1
BMW M3 01:45.0
Corvette C8 01:45.2
Porsche Boxster 25 01:45.6
Porsche Taycan Turbo S 01:45.9
Alpina B3 01:48.7
Jaguar F-Type 01:49.7
Ford Mustang Mach 11:48.32
Toyota GR Yaris Rallye1:51.20
Hyundai i30 Sedan N1:52.29
Ford Focus ST1:53.42
Volkswagen Golf GTI1:53.76
Skoda Octavia RS1:53.93
Subaru BRZ1:54.41
Hyundai i20 N1:55.79
BMW 128ti1:56.16
Mazda MX-5 GT RS1:58.02
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Lap time V-Max

Nothing could touch the terminal velocities achieved by the manic McLaren, which makes the GT3's ultimate lap time all the more remarkable.

McLaren 720S 280.3
Lamborghini Huracan Evo 266.5
Porsche 911 GT3 257.2
Porsche Taycan Turbo S 249.9
BMW M3 244
Porsche Boxster 25 243.2
Corvette C8 242.4
Alpina B3 241.8
Jaguar F-Type 236.7
Ford Mustang Mach 1235.5
Hyundai i30 Sedan N220.8
Toyota GR Yaris Rallye217.7
Ford Focus ST216.6
Volkswagen Golf GTI216.1
Skoda Octavia RS213.1
Subaru BRZ210.9
BMW 128ti210.5
Hyundai i20 N200.5
Mazda MX-5 GT RS196.5
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