just read car and driver comparo of these two. vette is more practical, faster in straight line, faster around track, shorter braking all of which was expected. big surprise was z06 had "scary" handling on track where viper was benign. not sure how this could be as z06 is much lighter and has traction control and viper doesnt. mentioned difference could have been due to tires. either way shows america can make some serious cars. would be interested to see what british journalists make of these 2 esp if compared to tvr.
I've spent a fair amount of time in Viper and the new Z06, and I have to say they both pretty much rock. They're really just kind of different flavors. Viper is wilder, more basic feeling. Z06 is a little more civilized. Either is stunningly potent. It's really a matter of preference. I haven't written a review of the Z06 yet, but here's my article on the Viper(s): http://www.autiv.com/articles/drive_test_viper_roadster_1.htm
I know you are going to think Im just being contrary but I think the GEN II still looks better.. as for 'meaner' the only reason the SRT Coupe might come across as more aggressive is because of the design of the headlights. Other than that I find the lines to be less aggressive than the Gen II. The angles of the photos arent really fair. I love Vipers..I was going to get rid of mine when I bought the 355..but then I couldnt. I would have missed it too much..so now I have both. I actually prefer the Viper to the 355. I also respect the performance of the SRT but I still stick to my opinion that its sad that a stock Z06 can outperform it. The Viper isnt supposed to be comparable to a Z06...its supposed to be SUPERIOR. DC knew what GM was planning with the Z06 and they were lazy and didnt give the Gen III the performance it deserves...and we all know that the platform is capable of much more than it achieves stock.. By the way mine is yellow as well..just no stripe.
You sound really bitter about the C6 Zo6 spanking vipers. Well then I guess the one I've driven was not correctly aligned'. I still stand by my statement. IMHO any car with that much rubber and still has rubber bushings is going to feel numb. You can't communicate road feel through 150lbs of rubber. I gave an honest opinion about a personal expireince I had. I wasn't even rude or mean (I just didn't agree with you). If I wanted to be rude/mean, I would talk about how the dashboard looks like it's straight out of a calvalier. If you can't handle conflicting opinions, you should lock yourself in your room and just write books. You are out of line calling people idiots.
vipers vs z06s'....man,this is lambo vs ferrari all over again! IMHO,corvettes have always been OK-ish american sports icons,big block,low output(i.e bhp/liter),massive torque,boulevard and occassionly fun on track. euros have never held the corvette in high regard til the current c6.still no 430 or gallardo,tho. the viper is the modern cobra;nuff said!
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm just curious why anyone goes thru 35 of the same car? I know there are differences model year to model year. But I don't think there were 35 significant model changes over the course of the Viper's existance. Just curious
This probably isn't worth the code it's written on, but I just saw the new Viper and Z06 at a car show yesterday and I have to say the viper coupe in black was just monstrous. It looked amazing - and massive! However, the new Z06 interior was a quantum leap in Corvette interiors, and had a great feel to the setup.
Well..lets see. 92-06...15 model years. RT-10 or SRT, 15 model years. GTS coupe or SRT-C, 8 model years. ACR edition, 4 years, GT-2 edition, 1 year.....numerous color combos, stripes, no stripes. A 200 mile 92 collectable, a 50 mile 96 B/W collectable. 125, 000 mile daily drivers. Cars that I tracked , cars that were used as strip cars.......stock horse cars to 1000 RWHP cars. I don't know.....call me silly. Actually, it has been over 40 when I just started counting. Not to mention, I get bored with a car easily. My Diablo ownership is similar.
Your nuts... lol but how many have you owned at once and will you drive that bumblebee more often! There's a rumor DC is planning on a Gen IV and there has been word of an odd SRT running around the DC proving grounds with a skunkwerks carbon concept hood. Autoform, the company that made the hood and makes viper add-ons, supposedly was planning on making the hood but decided not to. Makes ya wanna think? Oh and viper production is supposed to stop for a year so they can get all the cars that are sitting at CAAP out and start making room for the 2007. BTW I got all that from the VCA forums in the past month.
Well....the really good info I have is this. I don't think you will see an '07 Viper. Look for an '08 model in say.........March, April of '07. And you can take the 600 HP number to the bank, in a completely new and exciting motor. Body changes for sure, but the look remains in the family. I am more certain on the timing and power than I am on the cosmetic changes. Look for weight to come in about 200 lbs less, with alot more carbon fiber, and a lighter powerplant. ps I have owned as many as 12 Snakes at one time......in my serious collecting and racing days.
Scary thing is, there's talks of an even higher performing vette with 600+ horses. Don't know if it'll become a reality, but it is being seriously considered and prototypes have been spotted. Seems like GM is trying to leapfrog the viper all together.
It's called the Blue devil. There are several prototypes. Some, supercharged, others turbocharged. One of them caught on fire here at the Milford Proving Grounds. It is most deffinately a reality.
There has been a prototype Hemi V-10 that has been tested in the Chrysler AZ proving grounds in a Viper. It was generating 650 HP normally aspirated (according to some friends who work at Chrysler). The problem is that the Germans at Daimler cannot stand that their American counterparts are out doing the marquee Daimler cars. Politics and compromise are killing the Viper ever since the first SRT-10 (that was designed by an ex-Toyota designer who did the Camry). Brad