VIDEO: Viper ACR and Corvette ZR1 battle on the 'Ring
Click above to view video after the jump
A couple months back, the bone-stock Corvette ZR1 put supercars everywhere on notice when it took on the famed Nurburgring and ran a Nissan GT-R-beating 7:26. The track-ready, fire breathing Viper ACR bested the Corvette's amazing effort by posting an incredible 7:22 lap time. Despite a four second difference in total track time, blogger Andi Baritchi slapped both track videos together (after 30 seconds of annoying scrolling text) to verify that the Viper ACR came out on top. Hit the jump to view the two fastest American-made, street legal, 600+ hp beasts as they tangle in a 'Ring battle for the ages. The video proves what we already knew, but it's still fun to see how two very different, yet very similar vehicles, handle the twists and turns of the Nurburgring. Check out the vid after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Jordan!
Gallery: First Drive: 2008 Dodge Viper ACR
Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Alvin 7:37PM (8/29/2008)
As beastly as the Viper ACR is, I'd still take the ZR1 over it. The Viper has always been too crude of a car for me. It's a powerful car and undoubtedly fantastically fast, but theres just so much power in the ACR that I sometimes have to wonder how they made it even street legal. Both are great cars, but for me the ZR1 is a bit better for me. Obviously, my opinion may differ from someone elses, but it is nice to see American auto makers put out performers like this on the 'Ring.
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jh00d08 8:10PM (8/29/2008)
I agree, but I just want to see both raced by the same person in succession. Or take it to the Top Gear test track and let the Stig have at it...
PiCASSO 7:23AM (9/03/2008)
Put a shirt on jh00d08...
Chris Vitale 7:38PM (8/29/2008)
The Viper ACR is much more hardcore than the ZR1, two machines with very common and very different purposes as far as I am concerned. ZR1, ACR, and GTR are all incredible machines. A big thumbs up to all three manufacturers!
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catgirlshyla 7:41PM (8/29/2008)
So when will see a properly edited video and not one made by some guy who thinks that G-Men run around in black vans?
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Brad 7:47PM (8/29/2008)
It looks like the Viper is more composed with all that extra downforce. I'm looking at the wheel & driver's hands and it looks like Mero in the ZR1 has to fight/adjust the wheel more often.
Interesting to see if a proper tuner can outfit the ZR1 with an add-on aero package.
But really, who cares? These are balls to the fire-wall cars and anything under 8minutes at the ring is blazing quick.
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Dan 10:38AM (8/30/2008)
Agreed! It seems like the ZR1 understeers a lot, and you could tell the driver was frustrated with it near the end of the lap. The Viper was much more responsive, and I never thought I'd say this, but to me I think it would be easier to drive than the ZR1. Besides, the Viper looks much better too.
Brent 7:54PM (8/29/2008)
Seems like the Viper could do a bit better. (it has been mentioned before.)
I bet if I took the Viper around that track I could do it under 12 minutes! lol
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Justin 7:55PM (8/29/2008)
I'd like to see the ZR-1 run with the ACR's tires.
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Mike 9:38PM (8/29/2008)
I'd like to see the ACR run with the ZR1's supercharger, lol!
Russell 8:06PM (8/30/2008)
Whats horsepower if you can't put it to the ground.
Franz 8:07PM (8/29/2008)
It's gonna be difficult for any street car to beat the Viper's time. The R-Comp tires alone should account for a significant chunk of the time. It's a cleverly disguised racecar for the street, and it's in it's element on this track. Back on the street, it has some serious shortcomings though. Most people want a reasonable amount of comfort, carpets, a/c, stereo... but for those willing to sacrifice the comfort, the ACR is one helluva thrill ride.
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Mike 9:41PM (8/29/2008)
Uhm, you can get the ACR with carpets, a stereo, and AC. in fact that's the default configuration. You can opt for the Hardcore Package, which removes those for free.
Franz 11:04PM (8/29/2008)
Thanks for the info... I thought it was the other way around.
Yar 8:53AM (8/30/2008)
The ride is pretty terrible in the ACR. The current Motor Trend tested it as registering 2.335 vertical G's at 50 mph. For comparison, the Ford GT500 KR, which had the second worst ride quality in the test, registered 1.606 G's. The BMW M3, the best riding, registered 1 G.
So, yes. Definitely a race car.
Andi Baritchi 8:14PM (8/29/2008)
Howdy... glad y'all found my video. Here's my blog entry on making the video and the analysis:
http://blog.andibaritchi.com/2008/08/viper-acr-vs-corvette-zr1-side-by-side.html
I saw some questions above about how the ZR1 and ACR handle. Judging by the video(s), the ZR1 looks delightfully neutral juts like the current Z06... while the Viper looks like it's a little more stable upto 9/10ths but then has harsher breakaway.
That having been said, as I said in my blog post when I made this video.... the ZR1 was driven almost perfectly. Super clean lap. The ACR: nowhere close. Perhaps SRT wanted to add insult to injury and beat the record with the most unclean, poorly driven lap possible?
Cheers,
Andi
http://blog.andibaritchi.com
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aman 9:05AM (8/30/2008)
"most unclean, poorly driven lap possible?"
Not the words I'd use to describe a 7.22, but to each his own.
The ZR1 wasn't driven perfectly however, far from it. It had much more of a tendency to get the rear out, which you could see limited the driver's ability to shoot out of corners onto straights compared to the ACR, which, thanks to that huge wing and R-compound tires, didn't have any drama coming out of corners.
Never thought I'd see the day a Viper would outhandle a Corvette.
Russell 8:25PM (8/30/2008)
aman
That day has not come, same tires and you know what happens.
Lee 8:52PM (8/29/2008)
The ZR1 looks like a handful...
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Brent Worrell 9:04PM (8/29/2008)
@ Lee
in a word-Downforce