The current, sixth-generation Corvette is about to be replaced as its all-new successor is just around the corner, being already teased by GM itself and due to break cover at the upcoming Detroit Motor Show next month. It’s about time, too, as the C6 has been around since 2005.
As it’s getting ready to exit the stage, though, another player comes charging in. In fact, it’s the only other car from Detroit that can lay claim to be an American supercar: the all-new SRT Viper.
It would be unfair to the ‘Vette to even think about pitting them against each other, wouldn’t you agree?
Motor Trend apparently doesn’t. It has put the Viper GTS against the Corvette ZR1, its reasoning being that the two cars are very evenly matched, at least on paper.
Let’s see: they both have big-capacity engines with 2 valves per cylinder and a single overhead cam per cylinder bank up front powering the rear wheels via six-speed manual transmissions. The ZR1 is two cylinders short of the Viper’s 10, but it makes up for it thanks to an Eaton supercharger with Behr intercoolers.
The two are separated by just 2HP and 4 lb-ft of torque: the ZR1 makes 638HP and 604 lb-ft and the Viper 640HP and 600 lb-ft. They have an identical weight-to-power ratio of 5.2 pounds per HP and, according to MT’s test data, even post identical 0-60 and 0-100 mph (0-96 and 0-160 km/h) times of 3.4 and 7.3 seconds respectively.
Jonny Lieberman, along with the rest of the MT crew, found out that the Corvette ZR1 trumped the all-new Viper in every respect, including the interior! Despite all the fuss about the Viper being reborn as a much tamer animal, it’s still an animal even with the added traction and stability control, according to the magazine.
Professional race driver and two-time Daytona 24 winner Randy Pobst took the two cars to post some quick lap times around the Laguna Seca circuit.
One way to look at the Viper’s 1:35.77 lap time is that it’s faster than some serious competition like the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Lexus LFA, the Audi R8 GT, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and the Nissan GT-R.
In the context of the comparison test, though, it’s 2.1 seconds per lap slower...than the outgoing Corvette ZR1. Game, set and match to the Corvette, then.
The story, however, doesn’t end here. SRT boss Ralph Gilles took issue with Motor Trend’s results and vented out his frustration to the social media.
“We’ve tested both cars at several tracks and never seen a gap like that”, he tweeted, adding that “many drivers needlessly fear the Viper”, “there’s a lot more left in the car, Randy has always struggled with the Viper” and “raise your game and you’ll find the last 10 percent”.
In other words, he disputed the lap time and, practically, stopped one tweet short of calling Pobst, Lieberman and the rest not brave enough to drive the Viper as it is meant to be driven.
Something tells us this is far from over...
By Andrew Tsaousis
Story References: Motor Trend via Autoblog
19 Comments:
There's always a worry with these replies from bosses that they're hopelessly biased, but Chrysler have obviously gone to great lengths to make this Viper a worthy car.
If they really did have a ZR1 around for 2 years, you'd be surprised by any gap that large. For my money, I'd have the Viper, but that's because it's far more desirable to me than a ZR1 just based on its interior.
His comments were great though; basically saying MT don't have the balls to drive a Viper...
GM > Chrysler, simple as that.
I seriously doubt Chrysler would have been developing the Viper all this time and make it that much slower around a track than a ZR1 just doesnt seem to make sense. Not to mention having been in a ZR1 if its interior is better than a car that just got a complete redo for the most part, than thats just sad. Motortrend though is known for their attempt to get readers with these type of losses, you could trace some overhyped losses by MT to wins later on it makes no sense its like they review based on sales which i guess makes sense for a business its just not honest
Anyone who thinks the ZR-!'s interior is better than the Viper needs to have their eyes checked. Based on their conclusion about the interior alone, I know that the rest of the test is complete crap. You be the judge. Viper for me any day.
So you're telling me that the steering wheel from a Chevy HHR is better than that sexy flat bottom piece in the new Viper. Okie dokie MT.
Well if their machine scared a two-time Daytona 24-winning professional, it probably would be faster in the hands of the typical buyer. You know, to say nothing of the gigantic two-second gap or that an equally life-threatening drive from Gilles' secret Evil Knievel Stig driver could wring even more out of the Vette.
"2 valves per cylinder and a single overhead cam per cylinder bank"
Last time I checked both engines were pushrod designs.
I bet MT was bribed by GM to make the Viper look inferior. This day and age, I'd be willing to bet that its true
Sliks + MoreDrivingExperienceOnZR1 = 2 sec.
id have the viper over the ZR1 anyday, even if it isnt faked and was actually slower than the ZR1,
my only slight issue with it is that i do wish they could produce a more rev happy engine, 8k rpm at least, but thats only an opinion
-> Um, a 'Mid-Trim' Viper GTS against a 'Top-of-the-line' Vette ZR1? I'd say its an unfair match, it should be the upcoming Viper ACR that goe in toe to the ZR1...and on the interior!? LOL WUT...
need some cheese with that whine?
Fine, let him pick a driver to compete against Randy Pobst in the ZR1. What will his excuse be then?
Interior is personal judgement, performance objective. Go ahead and take your Viper and enjoy the view of the ZR-1's rear end.
Viper fanboy, funny. Can't compete at the track, so flame the interior comparison.
+ viperiscrap
A 149k dollar "mid trim" viper vs a 119k ZR1...put it in perspective. How are these cars not evenly matched with identical power numbers, identical 0-60 and 0-100 times. Stop crying Viper fans...the viper is a great car still, but they just don't have the development dollars of GM and the Corvette...bottom line. If you want to know the problem with Viper, look at the fact Fiat owns SRT, which also owns Ferrari. They aren't going to pour money into a Halo car...
I respect the Vette, as much as I respect the Viper. My first favourite sports car was actually the second generation Viper with the GT stripes. I later came to respect the Vette, but I actually never compared the two together.
That said, I think MT's poor choice of interior received enough bashing as is so I'm going to skip that. In all honesty, I believe the new Viper needs further refinement before it goes out competing.
The Vette already have years of refinement through racing on its current platform; outstanding performance is a definite expectation. Let's not forget that Dodge/SRT/Chrysler stopped production of the Viper in 2010 with an ACR revival in the same year, therefore SRT still have a bit of ways before the Viper can seriously gnaw down on a competitor.
Of course, that's not to say the Viper did not revive into a maniacal beast. I cannot wait to see a C7 versus Viper.
If anything, I say SRT needs to put some more torque in there; this an American Muscle for crying out loud!
-> I'm no Viper fanboi, and I like both cars. I called the Viper GTS a 'Mid-Trim' is simply because I or we are waiting for the 'Top-Trim' ACR model. Only time will tell whenever the upcoming SRT Viper ACR and C7 Corvette Z06.
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