2016 Dodge Viper ACR is Ready to Strike

I told you all Friday that the Dodge Viper is more of a numbers car than you think it is. That’s true of the regular model, but the 2016 Viper ACR takes that notion to a whole new level.

It does that without more horsepower or foot-pounds of torque from its 8.4-liter V10, though. Those numbers stay at 645 and 600, respectively.

Instead of increased engine output, the new ACR focuses on:

Improved Aerodynamics

The ACR’s available Extreme Aero Package can generate almost 2,000 pounds of downforce at 177 mph, which means the car makes more downforce than any other production car out there – and more than triple the amount of downforce produced by the Viper TA 2.0 package. It’s able to do that thanks to a nearly 74-inch-wide dual-element adjustable rear wing, a carbon fiber rear diffuser, a custom hood with removable louvers, a front splitter with a detachable extension, and a quartet of front dive planes.

According to FCA, “The rear carbon fiber diffuser extends forward of the rear axle. It includes six removable strake extensions, designed to rub against the track surface for increased straight-line stability and optimized downforce.”

Enhanced Braking Performance

To keep its newest, most aggressive snake from winding belly-up, Dodge has fitted it with Brembo Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes, which feature reduced un-sprung weight and “unprecedented” fade resistance.

Up front, there are 15.4-inch two-piece rotors clamped by six-piston calipers; out back, there are 14.2-inch two-piece rotors squeezed by four-piston calipers. With numbers like those, it’s no wonder the ACR has the largest brake pad area of any Viper ever produced.

Better Grip and Handling

Those monstrous brakes are surrounded by ACR-specific Kumho Ecsta V720 tires. Their unique tread pattern and front and rear compounds enable them to put down lap times that are 1.5 seconds faster than what dedicated race tires can achieve.

The front rubber, which is mounted on 11-inch wide wheels, measures 295/25/19. The rear tires come in at 355/30/19. Together, the four tires provide the largest combined contact patch of any production car.

Bespoke double-adjustable Bilstein coilovers feature 10-way rebound and compression adjustability as well as 3+ inches of ride height adjustment. Those work in conjunction with 600-lbs./in. front springs and 1,300-lbs./in. rear springs (which are more than twice as stiff as the units on the Viper TA).

Ultimately, given its aerodynamic and chassis improvements, in addition to a special racing alignment and more negative camber than a Viper SRT, the 2016 ACR can sustain more than 1.5 g on high-speed turns.

In the cockpit, Alcantara covers the instrument panel’s hood and lower section and the door armrests. There’s also an ACR-exclusive steering wheel and unique badging. Dodge offers the choice of silver or Header Red accent stitching. If that’s not enough, you can build your new ACR in the company’s “1 of 1” customization program.

Sales of the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR begin in the third quarter of this year.

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>

via [FCA]

photos [FCA]

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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