GM: Camaro SS prototype lapped 'Ring in 8:19

Though we can't publish our driving impressions of the reborn Chevrolet Camaro SS until Friday at 6 pm Eastern - check back then! - we did learn today from General Motors that what the automaker calls an "80 percent" prototype of the neo-muscle car lapped Germany's Nürburgring in a reasonable 8:19.

That figure puts it about three seconds ahead of the Cobalt SS (and, not surprisingly, way behind the Corvette ZR1) though that test is official and was done with a production vehicle. GM figures the production Camaro SS will easily shave a few seconds off of that time.

GM says it sent a prototype Camaro SS around the track last year when the automaker was doing development work on the Pontiac G8 GXP.

The automaker didn't say who was behind the wheel during the unofficial attempt.