New Viper ACR-X is freaking incredible

I know this might shock you, but knocking nearly 200 pounds out of a Viper and putting race tires on it and a better aero package and more horsepower is a good thing.

I have driven a lot of really fast cars, including the McLaren F1, and driving that Viper ACR-X yesterday at GingerMan Raceway, might be the coolest thing I have ever done. Literally accelerated so fast I nearly passed out. Brakes and handling to match. Oh, my f-ing god, what a car.

Full report next issue (probably Oct) and Tom Heath will have the video and in car stuff up in a day or so on the site.

Yeah, but it's not a Neon.

Or a Miata

And it doesn't have an LSx in it.

Sweet. Not a lot of journalists in this genre use berkeley-like expressions enough.

I'll add this to my "Cars I'll acquire after the apocalypse" list.

So, I'm guessing you liked it? It's a little hard to tell from your ambivalent post.

I bet it sounds good too, I'll be on the lookout for the video and the story.

Sweet! Now if they would just price it where us mere mortals can afford it.

That's nice to hear. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come from Fiat. I have a friend that works for Chrysler and he states that good things are coming for the Challenger also in the way of improvements and updates. Lets hope it goes on a diet too as it's overall a good car but a giant porker.

yeah, tell us how you really feel.

on another note, how was Gingerman? I love that place.

Uh...E 30? No, uh...P71!

jrg77 wrote: And it doesn't have an LSx in it.

Yeah, that's a good thing.

GingerMan was a lot of fun. It is a very busy, technical track. Especially in a fast car like the Viper, you never get a break. The grounds are well kept and the Schnittas that own the place seem very nice.

I was there that afternoon for the nightly test and tune.

I will add that the Viper motor sounds super bad ass.

What is the displacement for the ACR-X? Same as the regular Viper, or did they have to shrink it for competition?

cwh wrote: What is the displacement for the ACR-X? Same as the regular Viper, or did they have to shrink it for competition?

8.4 liter's same as the gen IV. The ACR-X only has headers, straight exhaust and I think a retune for race gas in terms of more power.

Vipers make a ton of power on simple bolt-on parts.

The race series is supposed to be only ACR-X's and the purses are pretty big. Though they qualify for other stuff.

There is over $200,000 in contingency and they have five double race weekends. Yes, 8.4 liters and 640 hp

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Sweet. Not a lot of journalists in this genre use berkeley-like expressions enough. I'll add this to my "Cars I'll acquire after the apocalypse" list.

that's because none are as awesome as Tim

Tim Suddard wrote: Yes, 8.4 liters and 640 hp

And I'm sure oodles of creamy torque. And it seems even at that not inconsequential amount of HP, they could wring alot more out of it.

Did someone say video?

Click here!

Also available on our YouTube channel. Post it to your facebook page so we can be famous...

Tim also spent some time with Ralph Gilles, and asked many of the questions from this thread. I like the answers, but more importantly I like where Mr. Gilles is coming from. Like a lot of us, he started as an autocrosser and has been building his driving experience from there. I like CEOs that have cone-chasing experience.

The interview is pretty long, but definitely worth watching. There's a specific part that Ralph wasn't allowed to talk about that has me all giggly inside.

Thanks I needed that, more incentive to stay at the school work. I especially enjoyed watching the accelerometer needles go off the scale. FREAKING AWESOME, and like you said, you weren't even pushing it hard.

Ok back to school work.

I drove GingerMan in my mostly stock Saturn SL2 during the 2001 Saturn Performance Club Rally. I have in-car video from that. This video makes me look like I had the car in reverse the whole time. Though I think my lines were a little neater. I'm sure you had your hands full just keeping this beast of a car on the track!

Shocked???? Naaaa anything with that kind of hp / weight will make you giggle like a school girl!!!!

watching that speedo did make me giggle a little... wow.

WOW. Insane the way taht thing accelerated down the long straight.

Tom Heath wrote: The interview is pretty long, but definitely worth watching. There's a specific part that Ralph wasn't allowed to talk about that has me all giggly inside.

That interview was very interesting and revealing. We'll just have to wait and see if the end results match-up to the intent; certainly hope so for Chrysler and the domestic industry's sake.

A bit of judicious editing seemed to erase (the well-spoken) Gilles' quick departure, but it sure looked like he was launching out of that chair when the interviewed concluded. Mother Nature or a packed media schedule?