It’s like the Super Bowl for Detroit-made sports cars: the brand-new Corvette Stingray, which just made its world premiere in Detroit this week, versus Chrysler’s third-generation SRT Viper.
Granted, in their current forms, the two cars are separated by tens of thousands of dollars and nearly 200hp, with the base Vette’s 450hp 6.2L V8 looking puny compared to the Viper’s massive 8.4L V10 with 640-ponies. Conducting a fair twin-test won’t be possible until Chevrolet rolls out the next Corvette Stingray ZR1.
This, however, is not a comparison like the one recently performed by Motor Trend magazine and which irked SRT's boss. It’s a poll about which of the two all-American supercars, both of which have a big-displacement engine up mounted front powering the rear wheels, you like the most in terms of looks.
An interesting fact that popped up after the launch of the new Stingray, is that there are certain elements, like the front LED headlights, the handle on the passenger’s side and even the TFT screen in the instrument panel, that look similar on the two cars.
Now, these two performance models have been in the making for quite some time so it’s not a case of one copying the other – but there's a resemblance in some areas, don’t you agree?
Feel free to cast your vote and make your voice heard in the comments after the break.
By Andrew Tsaousis
Poll: Which is the best looking American sports car?
![2013-SRT-Viper-3[2]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yuRMoWpLYig/UPYdUpuqJLI/AAAAAAALP7w/Vnm9FfsGrD4/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-3%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-3[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-2[2]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ooCipUeOT_s/UPYdWSVn8GI/AAAAAAALP8A/wXMA5lbO9nc/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-2%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-2[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-8[2]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-o1HVCG9PqJ0/UPYdXzn--1I/AAAAAAALP8Q/yAs_asPrQ3I/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-8%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-8[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-6[2]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Tj0t_HNH2R0/UPYdZ0Uv3kI/AAAAAAALP8g/WwDCy9pK4GM/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-6%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-6[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-3[2] (1)](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SzAG16ZWtqI/UPYdbcGxrRI/AAAAAAALP8w/ZlrxS33uUYs/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-3%25255B2%25255D%252520%2525281%252529%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-3[2] (1)")
![2013-SRT-Viper-12_1[2]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QSWY--xc4k8/UPYddXqRXpI/AAAAAAALP9A/cat3a3Hsn4I/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-12_1%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-12_1[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-7[2]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cLYTghC-eDY/UPYde4buC0I/AAAAAAALP9Q/2-AF8MJSZqk/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-7%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-7[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-11_1[2]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NMA-lzq16fs/UPYdgu_WvQI/AAAAAAALP9g/FGf-fUygYD8/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-11_1%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-11_1[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-10_1[2]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XUuU8YWIHAY/UPYdiX9bgtI/AAAAAAALP9s/KLnh94z5dnI/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-10_1%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-10_1[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-09[2]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mfiRYxSBRuU/UPYdj4w3Y8I/AAAAAAALP-A/hLVLfm_5VDI/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-09%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-09[2]")
![2013-SRT-Viper-13_1[2]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LuDGTQHjZMI/UPYdlu1KCtI/AAAAAAALP-Q/bfN0A9wHa9o/s1600-h/2013-SRT-Viper-13_1%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "2013-SRT-Viper-13_1[2]")
26 Comments:
I admit I liked the look of the new Viper when it came out, at least the one without the cheesy kit-car six vent anyway. But then I heard the engine, what a letdown, sounds almost exactly the same as an early 60s Chrysler big block, that were way over corked with exhaust system designs that came straight from the 50s. Now we see a 600 hp (though we now know those numbers were inflated) “supercar” for a + $100,000 price tag and Chrysler neglected to give proper exhaust tuning, which I'm sure was a quite intentional cost-saving… ripoff.
Then we see it being driven by professionals and others, and nobody really likes it. It's squirrely as hell, poor steering feel and vague brakes, apparently because Chrysler chose not to do proper suspension tuning or real sorting of any kind before production.
So Chrysler is back to their old tricks, the same ones that made them last in customer satisfaction for the last four decades, the same ones that gave them the reputation for being the worst car manufacturer in the world. They could do a better, but they choose to remain last, and lower the bar yet again in their race to the bottom. As a former Chrysler employee, it seems my shame will never end.
The Corvette wins this battle hands down, however, any Lamborghini, or Ferrari, is still better than both of these cars.
Since the question was specifically based on looks only, I had to vote for the Corvette and don't get me wrong, I also think that it's the better car, but my sympathy is with SRT. Bringing out a new Model with a N/A 8.4l V10 in 2012 is just crazy! Not only that, they also kept the hydraulic steering, which should be the most normal thing to do for a sports car manufacturer, but obviously isn't. No dual clutch transmission, sidepipes and a simple mechanical LSD. Apart from the digital instrument cluster the Viper is a modern continuation of an iconic sports car heritage without any significant sacrifices to regulations, fuel economy and modern trends and therefore probably the last of it's kind!
the viper in blue with white stripes look so perfect, im falling in love with it :)
Hey Carscoop, how about another choice for the poll:
4) no winner, both are awesomely best looking.
Corvette! It has a perfect blend of exotic car looks and retaining some of the design cues that make it a Corvette in the first place!
Front Corvette looks Ferrari F12 our FF.
Viper for sure. There's a bit too much going on with the Corvette design-wise.
Please people, the Viper has curves, sexy smooth curves like a woman. The Corvette is too angular and busy looking. And that stupid Camaro rear end is gonna get old real fast.
They look alike if your looking at the front end to me
Viper is still Viper, so then Corvetter is more exotic.
Something tells me you're real old.
Nice third choice in your poll Carscoop. Not too Euro cunty are ya? If it were one of your beloved Euro-douche sports cars, I doubt "Who says they're lookers?" would have been a choice as you look through your Euro-colored glasses.
It already looks really old.
Thank you so much Carscoop for finally saying what I have been telling tons of people in the comments about the Corvette not copying the Viper headlights or any other design elements as they were designed at the same time behind closed doors!
I love both cars, but I would choose the Viper for looks because of it's overall sexyness and I think it will age much better since it is so similar to the 1st gen Viper which still looks fantastic 20 years later. Also, being a curvy and swoopy shape it will age better like a classic British sports car. If I were to purchase one or the other though, I would have to go with the Corvette for several reasons. More bang for your buck, supercar performance for $60k, can't beat that, and that is before the Z06 and new ZR1 versions are even released. Also, it would be much easier to live with as a daily driver. If I were to own a sports car like one of these it would be driven everyday, as God intended.
Are you sure about that? Did you look at our previous polls?
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/03/poll-which-is-better-looking-ferrari.html
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/10/poll-mirror-mirror-on-wall-which-is.html
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/10/paris-motor-show-poll-kia-optima-vs.html
And, before you say something about Korean models,
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/09/parisian-poll-which-is-better-looker.html
thank god corvette got rid of their cheap chevy cobalt interior...
Don't be a prick.
You know, I don't know what these bloggers on this post is smoking on, but how in the world does an individual think that the corvette is sexier than the Viper? You know what I think everyone on here is just trolling, because just yesterday everyone was talking about the corvette look like a mishmash of designs cues. And now everyone is calling it better looking then the viper which by the way looks like a pornographic picture on wheels? I'm choosing the Viper and leave the Vette to the fools.
That's sarcastic inquiry - both cars looks from front almost the same...
exterior wise its the corvette but the viper's interior is far better looking and i think more refined than the vette's
Gosh, from the front end, they look almost the same.
The Viper has the more bulbous hood and roof, right?
BUT, With the Corvette overall, finally looking more Italian than American, (ironically, the Viper is under FIAT now), I think next to the C4, this has got to be the best looking Corvette ever.
Good job Chevy! -If you're trying to woo us foreign car people, it's working....
PS- Despite the beautiful Ferrari 599 like roofline, there is a part of me that misses the 2009 Corvette Stingray concept roofline and overall lines, and somewhat bums me that those lines really didn't make production.
image 87 is now my wallpaper :D
I like image 40 and I like image 87 as well.
This may be a first for carscoop, I like both cars.
Both these cars have a place, every Carscoop blogger, or most seem to put brand preferences above everything else.
Corvette is king and it will never be dethrowned. It is America's supercar.
The Viper is a gross old rolling anachronism. The Corvette is new and fresh in comparison. Sorry, if they want to keep the Viper - design a new one from scratch and ditch the old bucket. The 60's called and they want their car back.
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