Runnin the 'ring in Forza 3 you really get an idea of how well balanced a car has to be to do well there.
It's gotta have it all .. accel, decel, suspension, horsepower, traction .. it all has to be excellent to do under 8 minutes.
I have probably built over 50 cars in Forza 3 for fun and laffs ..some of the combo's that I can do under 8 mins are a bit surprising.
ie:
I took the boss 429 Mustang in game, took out that huge boat anchor and put in the new much lighter killer motor, converted the car to All Wheel Drive,
.. beefed up everything else I could ..and it flat out does the deed.
I also have a Porsche Boxter all turbo'd and maxed out that will cut similar times.
..and a Daytona Charger.. blown 540 Hemi and all.
(the all wheel drive really tames that beast of a car .. it really comes out of a corner HARD with the right power distribution ..just runs off and hides from the Bugatti Veyron)
I'd love to build any one of those in reality .. they would hurt me
-Frank aka GE