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ACR domination
Dodge's Viper busts out the S&M gear on the Nürburgring.
For the longest time, I’ve campaigned that the Dodge Viper kicks some serious ass. In your face styling, savage power delivery and a parts bin interior that’d make any bean counter proud. Unfortunately, most other folks have disagreed. Some even had the audacity to slam it by calling it such things as “an American TVR”, implying that it was poorly cobbled together and was filled with the stench of fine leather and industrial strength glue. Granted, that wasn’t much of an insult since I adore TVRs as well, but still. It’s a car that’s made here in the good old USA and happens to mop the floor with basically all of cars on the road today—and that’s pretty awesome.
However, there are plenty of haters out there. Plenty. And the majority of them are camped out in support of the ZR1 or the GT-R. Well guess what, I’ve got fat piece of fact for them to suck on. The current ACR just ran a 7:22.1 lap time at the Nürburgring—the current gold standard against which all cars are judged. So yeah, suck on that Viper haters. Yes, that’s right, a full 4.3 seconds faster than the ZR1 and 7 seconds faster than the GT-R, both of which were hyped up like they were the second coming of Christ. Now, that’s not to say that the Chevy and Nissan are bad cars. Because they’re not, they’re absolutely amazing. However, they’re not at the top of the pile.
Additionally, the Viper ACR just beat the snot out of the following cars (assuming that the Ring is the end-all be-all measuring stick): The Pagani Zonda F Clubsport, the current 911 GT2, the Carrera GT, the Koenigsegg CCR, the 430 Scuderia, the Veyron, the Ford GT, the current 911 GT3 and on and on. Name a car that you can purchase and drive on the street and the ACR is technically better than it.
Now I say technically because it wins based on one pure fact—it’s faster around the benchmark track than any other production vehicle. Sure, some of the cars it beats have more storied racing lineage, more elegant engineering designs or even sexier bodylines. They may also have more horsepower or electrical gosh-golly-gee-whiz gadgetry. But it doesn’t matter. The snake from the Conner Avenue assembly plant does the deed with no traction control, no sophisticated yaw measuring sensors and no all-wheel drive. Just ABS, a crap-ton of aerodynamics and healthy dosage of grunt.
So there you have it. The Viper literally just crapped on everything else out there. Feel free to continue badmouthing it if you want, but you’re going to look like an idiot. The car rocked most everything out there before it posted up the 7:22.1 and now that it has done that time, it’s officially official. Deal with it. — M.T.
(oh yeah, and video courtesy of the folks over at Motor Trend)
The ACR should be tested for HGH! Undeniably a sick car.
Is this for the commenter of the week? Slippin!
I just watched this video and we were saying he doesnt shift much because of the power band, but on the straight in the end I think hes bouncin off the limiter in 4th because hes scared shit to take his hand off the steering wheel.
Blah blah blah... It's a tuned-for-racing Viper for Christsakes. You can take a Nissan R390 and make it street legal and then beat the hell of the ACR. Is it undeniably fast? Yes. Is it undeniably aftermarket? Yes. In 5 years let's take an equally tuned GT-R and see how it measures up. I bet the ACR Viper doesn't hold up.
I tend to side with TB on this one. But the ACR's run was impressive none the less and I would have loved to have been near Lutz when he heard that the car Dodge is about to outsource or just put out to pasture, beat his baby around the Ring.
I'ma agree with TB as well. Though having said that, I do love the lack of computers. Kinda making it more of a raw experience I guess.
The Viper has five podium finishes between 2001 and 2008 at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring.
Between 2001 and 2008 Audi has all but ONE podium finish in the 24 Heures du Mans. Now which one is considered more prestigious?
The last time I checked, you couldn't roll into your neighborhood Audi dealer and purchase one of their Le Mans winning cars. This isn't about podium finishes or prestige, it's about the fact that the car that everyone (as if these comments weren't proof enough) loves to shit on beating everything else that's currently available. It's not undeniably aftermarket, it's undeniably factory. For the time being, the Viper = King.
True. You can't buy an Le Mans R8 or R10. Yes the Viper is very fast. 4.3 seconds faster than the ZR1 is impressive. I did more research on the ACR, and it is very much factory. Which is proof that knowledge triumphs.
I love reading the ignorant comments from certain automotively uneducated crybabies.Credit should be given where due.The ACR lapped 18 seconds faster then a Bugatti Veyron.The driver achieved his time after only having 4 practice laps and missed 2 shifts. Bouncing off the rev limiter occurred because no driver would upshift at the points where this happened,nothing to do with being afraid.With more track time practice I guarantee the 7:22.1 would fall by at least 5 seconds.The car was a regular production vehicle,same HP/torque output as the vert or coupe.The aerodynamics from the wing/splitter/dive planes keep it planted.Granted the Michelin PSC(stock)and adjustable suspension(stock)aided as well.Further this was not a factory sanctioned event,meaning days were not spent running around the track befor the actual record breaking run.Give props where due people.
"I love reading the ignorant comments from certain automotively uneducated crybabies.Credit should be given where due." - - Maybe you should read the post above yours before you post your own ignorant comments.
TB... GET HIM!
Apples to Oranges right? I mean, the ZR1 and ACR are something "extra special" ( aka the retard with the more drool ). The GTR? Its just a factory stock fast car. I'm not hating, obviously if you run under 8 minutes at the ring, you are mos def kicking ass and spelling names wrong on purpose. But the ZR1 and ACR Viper can't really be compared to the GTR, in that they are "modifiers" if you will, of the original car. I mean c'mon. Look at that wing! It may be "factory" but its "factory tuned". If it were just a Viper, it wouldn't have an unknown acronym before it. Even Bill Brasky used a rattlesnake as a condom! But don't get me wrong, this car is fast, and for those of you hatin' on fast cars... get outta town. Especially you mini-van owners! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
^So the GT-R (a hopped up version of the original Nissan Skyline) isn't a "modifier"? Skyline = Skyline GT-R Viper = Viper ACR Corvette = Corvette Z06/ZR1 Yes, they are all factory. Yes, they are all fast. I would still consider the Skyline factory tuned. Just because there is currently no baseline 6 cylinder Skyline being produced does not mean that it won't happen.
"^So the GT-R (a hopped up version of the original Nissan Skyline) isn’t a “modifier”? Skyline = Skyline GT-R". But that's like saying the E92 is a hopped up modified version of the E46. Or that the new Challenger is a hopped up modified version of the 70s classic. Do you get what I'm getting at here...
I agree with T-Brumm. The GT-R is not a "hopped up" version of the R34. If so, they'd probably had kept the same chassis. The GT-R, is the R35. A completely different vehicle. Newer, with sexy dripping off every inch of it.
So what you're saying is... the ACR and ZR1 should be compared to the V-spec and the "regular" GTR should be compared to Z06 and SRT-10? I cant tell what you retards are arguing anymore... you're all hopped up on Yaz.
No we're simply stating that there are different models over generations. And to cross compare generations doesn't apply/work.
Oh okay, see TB you're such a smarty! You're just gunna have to figure out a way to get all the cars in question at the 'ring and find a winner. Ahmm... Scotto!
And we have to find a way that we can be there to watch. For uh... scientific validity. Yeah.
Wow, what the hell. This car is pretty kick ass, leave it at that.
Is that your expert opinion?
lol yes.
Ok but which would u guys rather own- The ZR1, ACR, or GT-R.
Personally I'd probably go with the GT-R. I'm not a big fan of the ZR1, I respect it, just doesn't strike my fancy. Also, where I live nowhere near a track that sorta rules out the ACR.
I'd honestly take the ZR1...
First off, people who actually race understand that unless the cars are racing on the track on the same day/time/conditions that comparing their respective times is apples to oranges. If you read the article you would know the Viper tested in almost perfect conditions. The day the ZR1 tested was far from ideal with a bitchin' headwind coming at it on the "Money Straight Away". The ZR1 also tested with its Bose stereo, carpet, sound/heat insulation, and all other creature comforts in tact. The Dodge boys pulled out every racing trick they could to pull that time and they would be hard pressed to repeat it. And the driver that drove it races on that track and knows it well so "only 4 laps" is not that relevant either.
Props to the driver, regardless of whats fastest.
Comparisons to the ZR1 and GTR aside (who cares?!?), great video! While it at some points on the track it seems justified, the driver seems to ride the rev limiter constantly. The Viper supposedly has a really flat torque curve, so why not just use that grunt in a higher gear and stay off the limiter? ...The Viper still sounds like a milk truck to me, albeit a FAST milk truck!
Wow at EB, just wow.