RE: No Ferrari-Viper Collaboration Planned

[TVR653X]

Good news. The Viper is an unsophisticated brute, a Ferrari engine would be all wrong. I like the Viper. It's a simple, honest beast.

[Staffy1984]

jayfish said:

CypherP said:

I'm pleased to be honest. Really can't think of any reason why a Ferrari engine would be a good idea in an american muscle car. The Viper V10 makes the car. To be honest, any inspiration other than aesthetically (largely interior), would be a bad move for Viper.

We all know the US don't build cars that corner particularly well and we have gotten used to it. Keep the V10 muscle as it is, I say.

This is the same car that in the article above is mentioned as having set the new lap record around one of the twistiest most challenging motor racing circuits in the world...have a word with yourself!

+1 that was a monumental schoolboy error of a statement, hang your head in shame, but not before you've put the dunce hat on and sat in the corner.

[mikebrownhill]

Don't get carried away folks, the article says NO Ferrari - Viper collaboration, so the grown ups running the respective organizations do seem to know what they are doing after all. We are talking about very different fundamentals here between the two manufacturers approach to market; Ferrari have built their reputation on racing and development, at a very heavy price premium on their (excellent) road cars and Viper provide a great value for money package that (for a bloke on a budget) Ferrari could never beat. So two totally different types of machine therefore come from these two quite different companies and even with the same parent the scope for collaboration must be pretty limited - as Viper say they only want a bit of advice not the technology.

[Ninjaboy]

LuS1fer said:

Yeah, how does that Viper ACR post that 'Ring time when the handling is plainly "inferior" to those "fast" Ferraris...

I predict a 10 page slanging match now, isnt the ACR a race car or a one off special?.

[fatboy18]

Ninjaboy said:

LuS1fer said:

Yeah, how does that Viper ACR post that 'Ring time when the handling is plainly "inferior" to those "fast" Ferraris...

I predict a 10 page slanging match now, isn't the ACR a race car or a one off special?.

No, They are production line cars, ACR (American Club Racer) The only differences to the SRTs are Harness seat belts, Optional A/C As opposed to standard and Stiffer Shocks. Yes there are body options, IE Rear wing etc but Really its the same car

[Viper]

the Viper platform consists of the convertible, fixed roof coupe and the ACR coupe, 1/3 of first years total production has been the ACR they are all built on the same line in batches, and are still hand built, approx 105 people are involved in the whole factory/operation

the ACR is about 80kgs lighter than the standard coupe, but has aero aids which provides 1000 lbs of downforce at 130mph, michelin cup sticky tyres, adjustable suspension and a few other items

the proper Viper race car is called a competetion coupe, a different car entirely which has been in the British GT for a number years and won, the factory ACR's which broke the N'ring record cant live with it around a track

Edited by Viper on Thursday 26th November 19:30

[Marquis_Rex]

LuS1fer said:

Thank god for that. Am American muscle car needs to be just that without all the crap you get on one of those slow Ferraris. It also needs to be cheap to service and FUN, not some prima donna Italian sports car.

Yeah, in some ways its a shame, pretentious over priced Ferrari engineering could have benefitted from some reliaility and durability

[fatboy18]

Marquis_Rex said:

LuS1fer said:

Thank god for that. Am American muscle car needs to be just that without all the crap you get on one of those slow Ferraris. It also needs to be cheap to service and FUN, not some prima donna Italian sports car.

Yeah, in some ways its a shame, pretentious over priced Ferrari engineering could have benefitted from some reliaility and durability

[Marquis_Rex]

With th viper V10 baically a modular verion of the old 5.9- which in turn isn't a milion miles away from the new Hemi- what the Viper engine could do with is cylinder head based on the new good flowing fast burning twin plug Hemi.

Either that or just bin the nasty sounding V10 and do a stretched and optmised high performance all aluminium Hemi V8, with dual indepndent Meccadyne vaiable cam phasing etc

[boxerTen]

leelee89 said:

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

Which small light Ferrari would that be? Ferrari haven't built one since the F40.

[kambites]

boxerTen said:

leelee89 said:

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

Which small light Ferrari would that be? Ferrari haven't built one since the F40.

Indeed. The Viper sits about half way between the F430 and F599 in weight.

[ThirdShift]

This was never going to happen! the unique thing is that the Viper is the American supercar, designed and marketed to the Yank audience. How many are sold outside of the USA? Europeanising it and making it a Maserati would be foolish as you'd lose your core base of fan! Yay Chrysler! Boo Ferrari

[dvs_dave]

Shinobi said:

CypherP said:

I'm pleased to be honest. Really can't think of any reason why a Ferrari engine would be a good idea in an american muscle car. The Viper V10 makes the car. To be honest, any inspiration other than aesthetically (largely interior), would be a bad move for Viper.

We all know the US don't build cars that corner particularly well and we have gotten used to it. Keep the V10 muscle as it is, I say.

Also the ZR1 is the quickest car around the Nurburg and that has a few corners..... have another word with yourself and stop listening to Clarkson.

Actually the Viper ACR is the quickest production car around the 'Ring. 7:22.

[AndyBe]

ThirdShift said:

How many are sold outside of the USA?

I can't quote figures but it's a healthy portion of the total produced.
It may not be well represented in the UK, but the rest of Europe uses LHD

[TVR653X]

kambites said:

boxerTen said:

leelee89 said:

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

Which small light Ferrari would that be? Ferrari haven't built one since the F40.

Indeed. The Viper sits about half way between the F430 and F599 in weight.

That is something I really don't get. Ferrari come up with all these new bits for F1, and then apply them to the road cars, yet their cars are still really heavy? I've never understood it myself, surely they're negating any advantages of engine/handling technology by making the car so damn heavy?

[LuS1fer]

TVR653X said:

kambites said:

boxerTen said:

leelee89 said:

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

Which small light Ferrari would that be? Ferrari haven't built one since the F40.

Indeed. The Viper sits about half way between the F430 and F599 in weight.

That is something I really don't get. Ferrari come up with all these new bits for F1, and then apply them to the road cars, yet their cars are still really heavy? I've never understood it myself, surely they're negating any advantages of engine/handling technology by making the car so damn heavy?

Certainly most mid-engined cars are heavy because they have to have two bulkheads but given Ferraris are RWD, I think they compare poorly with the 4WD stuff. The 599 is more of a sumptuous GT anyway isn't it?

[robsti]

Shinobi said:

CypherP said:

I'm pleased to be honest. Really can't think of any reason why a Ferrari engine would be a good idea in an american muscle car. The Viper V10 makes the car. To be honest, any inspiration other than aesthetically (largely interior), would be a bad move for Viper.

We all know the US don't build cars that corner particularly well and we have gotten used to it. Keep the V10 muscle as it is, I say.

Also the ZR1 is the quickest car around the Nurburg and that has a few corners..... have another word with yourself and stop listening to Clarkson.

Evo magazine most DISAPPOINTING CAR OF THE YEAR goes to Corvette ZR1!

[LuS1fer]

Can't see too many people standing round looking disappointed though, can you?

[Staffy1984]

leon9191 said:

AlexVTR said:

leelee89 said:

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

+1

I think they're more intrested in fiats information and methods regarding fuel economy & emissions etc.

Pretty sure the Vipers V10 is made from aluminium so its not exactly 300kg of yanki pig iron.

Also it’s the way the engine develops its power that defines its character not its weight.

love the term yankee pig iron

[Viper]

its hardly yankie pig iron you couldnt be more wrong, the aluminium engine blocks have been made in the UK for some time (in Manchester actually)

here's a little vid with Justin Bell, whose dad is slightly more famous

http://www.motorguru.com/video.html?v=41

Edited by Viper on Friday 27th November 22:26