Friday 5th April 2013

SRT Viper TA vs Corvette ZR1: Time For Tea?

Don't get mad, get even - how SRT reclaimed the Laguna Seca production car lap record by building a car specially for the job

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A while ago a bloke on a website caused a bit of a stink suggesting a manufacturer was in the habit of tickling its press cars to score favourable results in magazine tests. And more recently there was a bit of a fuss about claims that the Pagani Huayra's Top Gear test track time may have had a helping hand from some illicit racing rubber.

No replacement for ... a specially built car

Meanwhile in America SRT boss Ralph Gilles got a bit hot and bothered when Motor Trend tested the all-new Viper back to back with the Corvette ZR1 (the 'old' Corvette remember) and tame racing driver Randy Pobst scored a production car lap record with the latter, beating the all new Viper into second place. There were complaints that the 'vette was on Pilot Cup Sport rubber, accusations that Pobst was 'scared' to push the Viper hard enough.

Not for SRT a 'special' remap or trick set of tyres to reclaim honours. Nope. When you build a car with an 8.4-litre V10 at its heart, half measures aren't an option. It built a whole special edition car for the job, hence the bright orange SRT Viper Time Attack we saw last week at the New York Show. You can see Motor Trend's original head-to-head here - it goes on a bit but if you've got the time it's worth a look. And going by the onboard footage, we wouldn't blame Pobst for being a little nervous of the Viper on the limit. Here, however, is his return in the TA version, complete with pretentious orchestral music and lots of gratuitous slo mo.

Hands up, we've had a bit of a thing for Stateside automotive excess this week. But this seems like a nice note to close on. God bless America!

[Sources: Motor Trend, via Autoblog]

 

 

[chilled901]

And now let us wait for the C7 Z06/ ZR1 to come out and smash the track record again. I am liking this renewed Viper/ Corvette rivalry.

[DJRC]

I have to confess, Ive got a reaaaaal hard-on for this new Viper.

[Shoshi]

Also relevant...

http://youtu.be/k-ItYO0LoMU

[Krikkit]

DJRC said:

I have to confess, Ive got a reaaaaal hard-on for this new Viper.

Me too, looks bloody fantastic in that orange.

[RINGMEISTER]

So the latest track spec Viper is as fast as a 4 year old Corvette ZR1... Must try harder

[Shoshi]

RINGMEISTER said:

So the latest track spec Viper is as fast as a 4 year old Corvette ZR1... Must try harder

The C6 and ZR1 has been improved over it's lifetime. The same will happen with the Viper. Remember, they still have not released an ACR yet.

[wjk_glynn]

Just an FYI...

Motor Trend have tested at Laguna Seca for a few years and they've documented their lap times for ~50 production cars at the following link:

http://www.motortrend.com/features/laguna_lap/

Karl.

[Dimski]

article said:

tame racing driver Randy Pobst

Is that a Stig reference? Or am I missing something obvious?

[Baddie]

wjk_glynn said:

Just an FYI...

Motor Trend have tested at Laguna Seca for a few years and they've documented their lap times for ~50 production cars at the following link:

http://www.motortrend.com/features/laguna_lap/

Karl.

V interesting, esp 458 vs 12C, but also how cars Euro press consider crude can really go. I knew Corvettes had lots going for them as racers, but would never have believed a 2010 viper was quicker than a 12C.

[BeirutTaxi]

So pretty much the same time.

What's the price difference between the cars? How does the modified Viper perform on the road?

The lap time is just a number.

[Baryonyx]

I'm really enjoying these American sports cars at the moment.

[Kawasicki]

I would love a go at the ring in that Viper.

[horton]

Baddie said:

V interesting, esp 458 vs 12C, but also how cars Euro press consider crude can really go. I knew Corvettes had lots going for them as racers, but would never have believed a 2010 viper was quicker than a 12C.

The Viper being quick does not impress me that much, a "lap time special" version of a car with an 8000cc engine, it belongs in the same class as Caterhams, Radicals and Ultimas.

The ZR1's time however, is far more impressive

[Dagnut]

Yo would think this was the perfect pistonheads article, but it struggles to get 13 comments over 4 days and a couple of Audi estates get 13 pages of comments.
If you lived in that states I don't see how you could now pick a European sports car for the track.

[Dagnut]

RINGMEISTER said:

So the latest track spec Viper is as fast as a 4 year old Corvette ZR1... Must try harder

it was the 2103 Zr1

[RINGMEISTER]

Dagnut said:

RINGMEISTER said:

So the latest track spec Viper is as fast as a 4 year old Corvette ZR1... Must try harder

it was the 2103 Zr1

which was launched in 09, the new Zr1 will make mincemeat out of this

[PascalBuyens]

Dagnut said:

it was the 2103 Zr1

Hmm... curious what Corvette gen they will be at by then

[irocfan]

Dagnut said:

Yo would think this was the perfect pistonheads article, but it struggles to get 13 comments over 4 days and a couple of Audi estates get 13 pages of comments.
If you lived in that states I don't see how you could now pick a European sports car for the track.

yup - seems to be the way of the UK these days, glorified, overpriced shopping trolley is cooed over some genuine sports cars are shown no interest

[CBR JGWRR]

PascalBuyens said:

Hmm... curious what Corvette gen they will be at by then

At their current rate of change, the C14 or C15.

[LuS1fer]

Why haven't they compared these to an Audi Estate?

Disgusted of Wopping.