Viper ACR does Nurburgring in 7m22s

[RC45]

That is all:

http://www.motortrend.com/av/features/112_0811_2009_dodge_viper_acr_nurburgring_record_v ideo/index.html

(Search didnt turn up anything)

[nthfinity]

bravo!

[styla21]

Wow. ..........Wow.
:ohmy:
(Link isn't working for me, but I suspect that is my browser playing up. Can anyone confirm?)

[RC45]

And as I suspected it would, it spends a huge amount of time bouncing of the rev-limiter. With some more gear I bet it would do a 7m10s run.

[enzoferrari]

it spends a huge amount of time bouncing of the rev-limiter.
^^^^^^^I was going to say the same thing.
WOW I didnt know it was that fast,now lets wait for the haterzz!!

[nthfinity]

^^^^^^^I was going to say the same thing.
WOW I didnt know it was that fast,now lets wait for the haterzz!!

it sounds like crap, and is rough around the edges; always has been.
















whoop-de-freekin'- do ;)

[enzoferrari]

Its clear that you havent check your ears recently.
2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR - YouTube
2008 Dodge Viper ACR: From L.A. to Bonneville - YouTube

[79TA]

Holy cow, that video is insane. The driver, while good and familiar enough with the course, didn't seem to have lapping the ring down quite like Mero or Heinrocket. He just didn't know it like the back of his hand. In one case, he made a shift he didn't need to. There are plenty of rev limiter complaints on other sites, but most of the time I could see why he held it in gear given what was coming up. I bet it could break into the 7:20's with some more practice.

[Spiffu]

Sounds like a muted gallardo CGT engine.

But past viper engines sounded like UPS trucks.

Impressive time, but I would not want to drive that on the street, even though it's street legal. Track looking cars are best looking on the track. If I could take the rear spoiler off, thats a different story.

Lol, the shifter in that video is moving like it has a mind of it's own. "Hey! Shift me you idiot! Thats what I'm here for!" That video seriously looked like one of my videos from Forza 2.

[RC45]

The reason I am bringing up the revlimiter issue is that the ACR is known to NOT have a huge top end speed, yet still put down a 7:22 run. Imagine if he didnt run into the limiter in top gear?

I count at least 6 seconds spent bouncing off the limiter on the final straight away. Now think what a 200mph max V instead of a 180mph max V would do for the time ;)

I wonder if all that extra rear downforce is what created what looks like quite a bit of understeer for a Viper.

[79TA]

Does anyone know how the current Viper has faired at the 'ring? Dodge doesn't do testing there on the same level as GM, Porsche, or Nissan.

[Spiffu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordschleife_fastest_lap_times

Last one listed on there is a 2005 model, ran a 7:59. That's coming from Motor Trend.

So the new CTS-V will pace a 2005 viper. :D

[RC45]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordschleife_fastest_lap_times

I put 5% faith in that list - they still haven't allowed this error to be fixed "7:56Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_C5_Z06)Dave Hillcrossedflags.com[14] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordschleife_fastest_lap_times#cite_note-crossedflags.com-13)- Dave Hill wasnt the driver, John Heinrichy was, so while the Wiki list is a "long list" I still think it is still too inaccurate to use as a reference.

[turpija]

The reason I am bringing up the revlimiter issue is that the ACR is known to NOT have a huge top end speed, yet still put down a 7:22 run. Imagine if he didnt run into the limiter in top gear?

I count at least 6 seconds spent bouncing off the limiter on the final straight away. Now think what a 200mph max V instead of a 180mph max V would do for the time ;)

I wonder if all that extra rear downforce is what created what looks like quite a bit of understeer for a Viper.

but if it had longer gears it would accelerate slower, right?

[RC45]

but if it had longer gears it would accelerate slower, right?

A sligtly taller final drive would result is a wash as you spend more time in the geras - the "longer" acceleration time while possibly significant in a 1/4 mile drag, will have little impact over a track such as the Nurburgring.

I would bet that if the ACR was to be prepped for the VLN 24hrs at the 'Ring, it would not be set up to bounce off the revlimiter - afterall, if you are max revs you ar not accelearting but rather slowing.

The ACR's gearing is not setup for open road or super long tracks but rather for shorter traditional race tracks - which only goes to show how hard charging the ACR is.

[nthfinity]

After Nissan announced in May of this year that its 480-horsepower, all-wheel-drive GT-R lapped Germany's infamous 20.8-km (12.9 miles) Nurburgring Nordschleife in a time of 7:29, Viper people became restless. Then, just a month later, following Chevrolet's declaration that its 638-horsepower supercharged Corvette ZR1 was the king of the hill, breaking the GT-R's record with a time of 7:26, Viper people became downright mad. Not the folks who work for Dodge, mind you, but the members of the Viper Club of America, a group of Viper fanatics that in fact stretches its arms well beyond America, as far as Japan and Germany. Sick and tired of hearing about other cars setting records at the Nordschleife, they wanted to see their pride and joy-namely, Dodge's new track-attacking 600-horsepower Viper ACR (American Club Racer)-take a shot at the record books. But what could they do about it?

Well, they could (and did) bug Dodge-specifically, the Street & Racing Technology team-to the point that SRT said, What the heck, let's go for it. So SRT rented the Nordschleife for a half-day (at a cost of $2000 Euro per hour), shipped two ACRs over to Germany, hired a pro driver through Zakspeed (a race team that runs Vipers in the ADAC Zurich 24h Race at the Nrburgring), and hoped for good weather and, more important, a lap time quicker than 7:26. And, for posterity, the SRT team figured having a media outlet on-hand was a wise idea, so they invited Motor Trend



1.Driver had never driven the ACR before.
2. He broke the record on his third lap in the car.
3. He missed two shifts (not just one).
4. He faced a pretty strong headwind on that final straight - so much so that the Viper's stock gearing and enormous down force made it impractical to use 5th gear.


Sad to see those expensive german cars so far behind....
love the michigan plate

[chedisme]

WHOOO USA! finally. I mean some of our cars are not that good and kinda boring, but not all of them. we can make good cars, and this is proof. I hope TG does a segment on this car.

[philip]

Congratulations Viper. The early cars are but ugly, but this latest car is good looking, a little to boy racer looking, but a good looking car.

[yg60m]

No wonder he touch the limiter so often as slow is the tranny .. They could certainly gain some time with a faster gearbox !
Thanks for the link.

[turpija]

A sligtly taller final drive would result is a wash as you spend more time in the geras - the "longer" acceleration time while possibly significant in a 1/4 mile drag, will have little impact over a track such as the Nurburgring.

I would bet that if the ACR was to be prepped for the VLN 24hrs at the 'Ring, it would not be set up to bounce off the revlimiter - afterall, if you are max revs you ar not accelearting but rather slowing.

The ACR's gearing is not setup for open road or super long tracks but rather for shorter traditional race tracks - which only goes to show how hard charging the ACR is.

I know and I agree that this Viper was not properly setup'd for this track, but my question was would you gain more on that single long straight with longer gears or would you gain more with shorter gears in all those corners?

I know we can't know for sure but I think that slightly higher top speed wouldn't help it much if any

[nthfinity]

No wonder he touch the limiter so often as slow is the tranny .. They could certainly gain some time with a faster gearbox !
Thanks for the link.

gearbox is a short throw, and has widely been accepted as a superior transmission compared to the Berg WArner unit in the Corvette.

The issue is that the gearing is too short for NS.

I know and I agree that this Viper was not properly setup'd for this track, but my question was would you gain more on that single long straight with longer gears or would you gain more with shorter gears in all those corners?

I know we can't know for sure but I think that slightly higher top speed wouldn't help it much if any

for a torque monster like the viper, no. Longer gears are ideal for NS on the ACR

[RC45]

I know and I agree that this Viper was not properly setup'd for this track, but my question was would you gain more on that single long straight with longer gears or would you gain more with shorter gears in all those corners?

I know we can't know for sure but I think that slightly higher top speed wouldn't help it much if any

I believe that a slightly taller final drive lifting the speeds everywhere would make a difference, as he is already banging the rev limiter in some turns - it seems he would be able to use a few more revs in those spots as well, which would translate to higher mid corner nd hogher exit speed, which translates to higher straight lne speed which translates to less time on the straight.

[turpija]

yea, might be, to bad they won't make a "nurburgring edition"

so what car is next to take the crown?

I heard that Porsche is coming with new Turbo with DSG and little more power, but I don't think it can beat Viper

[79TA]

Wow, good job Viper Club. Now when will the 'vette people get Chevy to redeem the Z06 with some sort of track package that comes with competitive tires?

[Woohoo]

The issue is that the gearing is too short for NS.

You mean it's long. He was in 4th on the back straight.

[fordgt84]

and to think dodge are gonna kill the viper off soon :tard::banghead:
man if only they had better gear ratios, that lap time is gr8 but frustrating in the sense that u know the car can do so much better

[philip]

yea, might be, to bad they won't make a "nurburgring edition"

so what car is next to take the crown?

I heard that Porsche is coming with new Turbo with DSG and little more power, but I don't think it can beat Viper

Porsche is going to have to make a new Carrera GT, wouldn't that be nice.

I'm going to miss it when a recession or super high gas prices stops all these new fantastic cars.

Enjoy it while its here.

[RC45]

You mean it's long. He was in 4th on the back straight.

Good observation - dunno why I did my calcs with a final drive of 3.70, which I thought was a crazy short gear for a Viper... when its still the 3.07 rear end.

With a 3.7 rear end and 27" tall tyres the ACR would have a top speed of 185mph at 6250rpm - which is what I was thinking.

But with the 3.07 4th gear has a top end of 165mph - which means the ACR was severly hampered.

[graywolf624]

gearbox is a short throw, and has widely been accepted as a superior transmission compared to the Berg WArner unit in the Corvette.
Uhhh... The Corvette has the same transmission as the Viper.. Up until 2007 it was the tremec T56. Both cars had it. Now both have the Tremec T6060. The corvette hasnt had a Berg Warner in at least 10 years.

[JoeHahn]

1.Driver had never driven the ACR before.
2. He broke the record on his third lap in the car.
3. He missed two shifts (not just one).
4. He faced a pretty strong headwind on that final straight - so much so that the Viper's stock gearing and enormous down force made it impractical to use 5th gear.


Sad to see those expensive german cars so far behind....
love the michigan plate

Waiiiit a second, he'd never driven the car before and done it after only 3 laps? This track looks closed would you agree?

and this picture here http://www.e40racer.be/images/ring/170808/23.jpg looks like the same helmet as the one used in the video would you agree?

and him driving yet another Viper? http://www.e40racer.be/images/ring/170808/15.jpg

and that looks like there is alot of traffic, on an open Nordschliefe.

Sounds like Chrysler has learnt some PR lessons from Nissan

[RC45]

Waiiiit a second, he'd never driven the car before and done it after only 3 laps? This track looks closed would you agree?

and this picture here http://www.e40racer.be/images/ring/170808/23.jpg looks like the same helmet as the one used in the video would you agree?

and him driving yet another Viper? http://www.e40racer.be/images/ring/170808/15.jpg

and that looks like there is alot of traffic, on an open Nordschliefe.

Sounds like Chrysler has learnt some PR lessons from Nissan

When you rent the track for half a day that doesnt mean you cant keep driving after it goes "public" again.

And no-one said the driver had never driven any Viper before, just not the ACR - and they took a few with them.

Of course he drove both of them - who wouldn't?

And the 3 laps would be the "time attack" laps - pretty easy to undrstand ;)

[JoeHahn]

When you rent the track for half a day that doesnt mean you cant keep driving after it goes "public" again.

And no-one said the driver had never driven any Viper before, just not the ACR - and they took a few with them.

Of course he drove both of them - who wouldn't?

And the 3 laps would be the "time attack" laps - pretty easy to undrstand ;)

While it is possible that they continued lapping afterwards on a public track - it would seem counter productive wouldnt it?

Of course no-one said he hadnt driven a Viper before, but both the photos were of ACR's.

Of course more speculation but if 1 Viper was working correctly why use the other? Different configurations?

[RC45]

While it is possible that they continued lapping afterwards on a public track - it would seem counter productive wouldnt it?

Of course no-one said he hadnt driven a Viper before, but both the photos were of ACR's.

Of course more speculation but if 1 Viper was working correctly why use the other? Different configurations?

Why would it be counter productive to warm up a car or continue driving it during regular track time - either before or after your timed session?

Manufactirers do that all day every day. They only rent the track for actual timing - not testing.

Yes, both the phtos were of ACR's and again it is normal for manufacturers to show up with more than 1 car to test. teh acrs dont need to have different settigns, they just brought 2 to drive - a chance to capture data, gather informaiton and drive bith at once - this is done all the time.

[79TA]

They hired drivers from Zakspeed who campaign a couple of Vipers of their own.

[RC45]

ACR / ZR1 side by side

Viper ACR vs Corvette ZR1 at The Nurburgring - YouTube

[leblanc2.0]

Its a nice time but i have to say this,its a track-focused /race car with the "Hard Core" pack.The competitors have radio,GPS ,A/C and much more.



One thing is certain the price tag is very good.:thumbup:

[MidEngine4Life]

Whats the price on that ACR compared to the ZR1 and the GTR?

Gotta give a lot of credit to the vette for doing its time without a big stupid wing on the back ;)

[79TA]

Wes Siler of Jalopnik hails the ZR1 as being incredibly refined. So far, I've read the Auto Week and Motor Trend reviews of the ZR1 press day, but I think Jalopnik's was the most enthusiastic. Motor Trend seems to feel obliged to be predictable. Auto Week's article almost seemed plagiarized, especially in the beginning.

http://jalopnik.com/5037293/2009-corvette-zr1-first-drive

The ZR1 supposedly has a little bit more left in it in terms of a 'ring time according to Mero. I think we can all see that the ACR could shave a couple of seconds if the driver were more familiar with the car at that track. Add more appropriate gearing (not necessarily 'ring specific though) and I shudder to think what kind of time the ACR would set. 7:17 maybe???

[graywolf624]

At Carlisle GM was very carefull to state about 10x that the ZR1 is not supposed to be a track car. It is supposed to be a grand tourer. In other words, its not supposed to be the fastest thing on the track. ITs supposed to be the fastest thing you can drive to the track and then on the track. If you had the patience to drive the ACR 2 hrs to a racetrack... You have more patience then most.

[RC45]

^^ That is a copout by GM they will use an an excuse when the CCB's that will last 100,000 miles on the road are toast after 4 track weekends... ;)