VIDEO: Davidkart vs. Goliath GTR
What's faster, a kart or a Viper? That's the question Nurburgring wunderfrau Sabine Schmidt asked and answered in this ten-minute segment on her German television show DMAX. (You remember Sabine... she's the girl who dragged Clarkson's sorry old ass around the 'Ring in a diesel Jag.)
To make the plum even sweeter, we're not talking about any ordinary Viper or any ordinary kart here. The Viper is the GTR race version based on the first-generation super-snake, and the kart, as far as we can gather (we've yet to launch Autoblog German) is one beast of a suped-up shifter kart with a 164-hp 1100cc motorbike engine.
No contest, you say? The Viper'll win it hands down? Not so fast (no pun intended). Power-to-weight is the name of the game, and even with a quarter the power, the kart doesn't weigh nearly as much as the big American muscle. It's a close race... you'll have to watch to see which crosses the finish line first. Blitzschnell!
[Source: 0-60mag.com via Motorpasion]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dodge Viper videos 7:35PM (1/16/2007)
That Kart must be one of the scariest rides ever.
Reply
Phillip 7:35PM (1/16/2007)
I was just waiting for the go-kart to get splattered all over the front of the Viper.
Not a good idea to race at the same time.
Reply
Doug 7:41PM (1/16/2007)
The announcers says that the Viper was handicapped during the race with a top speed no faster than that of the cart.
Reply
Robert 8:21PM (1/16/2007)
Eh, I heard the Lotus Elise held it's own against a Viper on a curvy track due to it's superior handling and relatively low power-to-weight ratio. A Viper will kick a ton of ass on the straights, but get it in a curvy track and you'll see lower powered, better handling cars easily keep up if not pass it. It's all about finding the best car for the job.
Reply
maximusfilms 8:46PM (1/16/2007)
i had a chance to drive a similar spec'd cart. WOW. And sliding at over 100mph two inches from the ground is simply amazing. But u better remain in control
Reply
66coronet 9:44PM (1/16/2007)
Nice way to start the viper, on paint and too much wheel spin. It's a nice way to warm the tires for pre race but not to start a race.
The only way I'd accept this would be if they put an actual viper race driver in the vehicle along with an actual cart racer.
Plus I agree that they could do things like car magazines and have computers monitor their progress around the corners and lap time and strait away speeds etc... I think the vipor driver wasn't pushing so hard do to the thought of squishing the other driver. The cart also didn't like the paint lines and was hard to keep in position do to paint lines on the track.
Reply
mmaughan 9:27PM (1/16/2007)
That was a horrible launch by Sabine in the Viper. No wonder the cart got the hole-shot.
Reply
phez 9:40PM (1/16/2007)
is every car show using top gear's filming style now?
Reply
PunisherBass 10:19PM (1/16/2007)
As they say, immitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If you're going to ape a shooting style, why not copy one of the most popular.
Reply
Tal D 10:33PM (1/16/2007)
My only question: Was Sabine driving the Viper to it's fullest potential?
Cart definitly had the handling advantage.
What a race!
What a super cart!
What a woman!!
Totally enjoyable.
Reply
Fooman 12:06AM (1/17/2007)
Ok I bet Sabine is a better driver then that, the viper was not being pushed that hard through the turns, and my mother could get a better start then Sabine did in the Viper.
Yes those carts are insane, and they should accell better out of a turn then the viper, but the viper should have the speed edge through the turn, and a much higher over all top speed.
I caught the comment that the vipers top speed was limited to the carts, even then how did the cart pass the viper after a long run on the striaght? That makes no sense.
and in case you where wondering the music was "The Proppellerheads" of of "Decks, Drums, and Rock and Roll" You might recognise alot of other music on that album as it has been used for Jaguar commercials, Bond Commericals, The Incredibles trailers, and the big bullet fight scene in the first Matrix.
Reply
MikeW 12:53AM (1/17/2007)
Enough about the Lotus Elise, the regular tires are:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?make=Yokohama&model=ADVAN+Neova+AD07&partnum=755WR6AD07LTS&partnum=245WR7AD07LTS&index=0&vehicleSearch=true&tirePageLocQty=%26frontTire%3D755WR6AD07LTS%26rearTire%3D245WR7AD07LTS
The 'sport' tires are race tires: wider in the front (understeer=safe on the road handling)
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?make=Yokohama&model=ADVAN+A048&partnum=95WR6048&partnum=245WR7048&index=4&vehicleSearch=true&tirePageLocQty=%26frontTire%3D95WR6048%26rearTire%3D245WR7048
So it better out handle everything. Even with all-seasons the Elise would still kick butt, 40/60 weight distribution (with driver), light, low, and wide.
Reply
risingsun 1:00AM (1/17/2007)
She can speak German to me all day long..
Reply
Bob-o 9:52PM (1/25/2007)
That's the largest, least thoughtfully engineered kart I've ever seen.
Reply
epp_b 10:41AM (1/17/2007)
Man, that Viper makes a good noise!
Reply
Jerictron5000 3:01AM (1/17/2007)
On the side note, she was the gal who lapped the Ford Transit commercial van at Nurbergring with ease on Top Gear!
You go girl! =)
Reply
nagmashot 4:11AM (1/17/2007)
all you expert guys talking she did not here best... you should listen to here german comments.. she was moveing the Viper at the Viper limit(the Viper in the video is used by team Zakspeed as a "Ringtaxi"), the limit of the Viper is not here personal limit!
The Viper was equiped with german licens plates, I am pretty sure it was running on street tires not slicks.
She did here first Nürburgring laprecord with the age of 19yo and is the human with the most experience at the Ring... I bet she did more miles on the race track as some of the kid experts here at autoblog in their slow street cars..
Reply
Tiago do Vale 5:14AM (1/17/2007)
I don't know how this Viper is, but I saw a previous generation street Viper beeing overtaken by a Citroën Saxo Cup in every corner... it just couldn't do turns...
Reply
alex hofstetter 6:36AM (1/17/2007)
I believe that Sabine is also a Ring taxi driver - I've seen videos of her flogging an M5 around the track. I also believe that she is a former class winner at LeMans.
Quite a frau!
Reply
Goodday 10:12AM (1/17/2007)
Wait, I thought it was the English who had bad teeth...
NO WAY you're gonna push a tonne and a half of Viper metal and composites HARD with that gadfly scooter racing next to you...human nature says "YOU WILL CRUSH CART"....
Reply