Well, here is the first release of the new news. Nothing like a little competition to keep our sport alive!

VIPER NATION ~ ~ ~

As you know, the Viper Club of America and VIPER magazine have long enjoyed a special relationship with the manufacturer of our beloved Vipers. We are very pleased to provide the unofficial results of a long sought-after event: The return of the Viper to the Nordschleife at Nürburgring in Germany - AKA, the Ring.

In 2008 the Dodge Viper ACR, supported by a small team of dedicated engineers, came to the Ring and established a production car one lap record time of 7:22.1, a record that stood through much of 2011. This summer the Corvette ZR1 came to the Ring with new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires and beat the Viper record with a 7:19.6. Even more recently, the $400,000 Lexus LF-A, with a special Nürburgring Edition, set down a blazing time of 7:14.6.

Undaunted, the SRT team returned to Nürburgring with not only a bigger team, but more prep time and help from two very important partners: Tomball Dodge and Mintgen Motorsport. With no 2011 model year Vipers being built, SRT turned to Tomball who graciously supplied two brand-new 2010 Dodge Viper ACR's off of their showroom floor. Mintgen Motorsport, a well-known automotive shop based just a few miles from Nürburgring and very committed to the Dodge Viper, regularly racing two Competition Coupes in various Grand Prix events around Europe, were ideal for local logistics and garage support.

While the official results will be posted here along with the full video footage, SRT was kind enough to share today's very, very exciting results: The 2010 Dodge Viper ACR set a new production car record of just 7:12 and change. What that "change" is will have to wait until the results are made official, but it is most definitely one for the record books. We might also add that SRT brought along a Dodge Viper ACR-X (the spec race car version of the ACR), which simply tore up the track with a stunning 7:03..XX.

Look for the full story in the next issue of VIPER magazine, as well as the in-car and exterior footage of the runs themselves here on these forums. On behalf of the Viper Club of America and Viper owners everywhere, I simply can't tell you how proud I am to be associated with not only an amazing car like the Dodge Viper, but the incredible people that build, sell, race, and service these cars. It is an honor and a pleasure. Keep the Faith!

Marv Spatz,
National President
Viper Club of America

 

Word

 

well done

 

Talk about a f'n beatdown, everyone didn't just get beat... they got obliterated, smoked the LFA by 2 seconds.

 

Nice job, Dodge.

 

Seriously. That is a smack down. So, will Dodge offer to rebadge the ACR 7:22 edition? Will Lexus even be able to sell a single LFA Nurburgring Edition?

 

Ha! The lexus folks barely had any time to enjoy being at the top.

 

Yeah, definite beatdown. There is always going to be someone (thing) faster...so i can't wait to see what's next.

 

 

Nice time for the Viper. The ZR1 isn't done though. They will improve upon their time. 7 seconds over a 7 minute plus lap is very doable. The competition is good for all of us though.

 

Well done Team srt

LONG LIVE THE VIPER !!!

 

Doubtful, can it improve.. yeh, that much, willing bet $ it won't at those speeds already. When the previous ACR ran it had everything working against it, bad conditions, big head wind, unfamiliar driver, suspension was bottoming out as it wasn't setup right nor did they have the time to do so, and 5th gear issue (5th's ratio plus the aero and that headwind was too much to overcome even for that torque monster engine, driver said it as faster leaving it in 4th banging the limiter). So really I don't think we saw what the previous one could do, for all we know especially with the 20+mph headwind that day it could have ran well below 7:19. When GM ran, they had everything working for the ZR1.

I like the ZR1, but don't see it coming close to the ACR's numbers. Either way, nice to have an American Car with an old fashion manual trans give the middle finger to $$$$$ exotics lol

 

Was there ever a 7:22 edition? I am not aware of one, I think you may be referring to the 1:33

 

That is a mind boggling feat for a production car, way to go Viper!!! I have a ton more respect for these cars, think about it an actual 6 speed manual with a clutch without all the electronic aides smoking the uber priced Euro/Japanese competitors. I have lost respect for Ferrari and Lamborghini for going to an all flappy paddle option with their line-ups. Porsche, thank God has not followed this path.

 

I wonder when we will hit the performance wall? I mean in ten years will be seeing low 6-min Vipers/Vettes/911TT/GTR etc? Or are we finally going to reach some kind of physical wall where due to tire technology or physics or whatever else that prevents us from going any faster. Think terminal velocity.....