ACR Up For R&T Performance Car of the Year

[SSGNRDZ_28]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a26773/one-of-these-eight-cars-will-be-our-performance-car-of-the-year/

It's that time of the year again. We're spending this week on the roads of rural Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as two days at the National Corvette Museum's race track, to decide which of these eight cars will be crowned R&T's performance car of the year.

In order to pick the eight, we had to be pretty picky. The cars had to be significantly updated versus the year before (so no BMW M3, no Alfa 4C, no Nissan GT-R), and they also had to be at the top of the performance bracket, which means that even though it pains us so, cars like the Mazda Miata had to be left behind.


Mercedes-AMG GT S
Porsche Cayman GT4
Ferrari 488 GTB
Ford Mustang GT350R
Dodge Viper ACR
Bentley Continental GT3R
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Cadillac ATS-V


An excerpt from last year:

To win, a car has to deliver on every level. It has to shine on the road and shimmer around the Motown Mile, R&T'sprivate airport test track. It has to flatter the novice driver while challenging the experienced racer. It has to offer value for money, regardless of the MSRP.

Most of all, however, the PCOTY winner has to be the look-back car. The car you want to drive again, even with 13 other brilliant automobiles surrounding it. The one that you truly want, the one you'd go into debt for. In other words, the one. And like the man said, there can be only one. So let's go.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/features/a6422/2015-road-and-track-performance-car-of-the-year/

[ViperSmith]

Hillary Clinton will be in jail before the ACR wins the car of the year

[The_Greg]

That is some stiff competition, all very exciting cars. I might bother buying that issue.

[Dman]

Well, thank goodness the Focus RT isn't there, at least the Viper won't get ranked behind a matchbox car again.

I'm sure Porsche already bought the number one slot, but we'll see. No worries about the Z06, since it'll melt mid way in the test, should land it in only 2nd or 3rd ranking.

My only question is which will be ranked higher, the Viper or the Mustang, considering they generally hate on both ...hmm, tie for last maybe.


All kidding aside, great list at least this year, God help those testers trying to drive the ACR, I wonder if any will have the skill or balls to carry speed to even use the aero. Yes, I HATE magazines.

[VENOM V]

Well, thank goodness the Focus RT isn't there, at least the Viper won't get ranked behind a matchbox car again.

I'm sure Porsche already bought the number one slot, but we'll see. No worries about the Z06, since it'll melt mid way in the test, should land it in only 2nd or 3rd ranking.

My only question is which will be ranked higher, the Viper or the Mustang, considering they generally hate on both ...hmm, tie for last maybe.


All kidding aside, great list at least this year, God help those testers trying to drive the ACR, I wonder if any will have the skill or balls to carry speed to even use the aero. Yes, I HATE magazines.

Haha, nailed it Dave!

[Rapidrezults]

Wow, what an impressive lineup of cars. My money is on the GT4 FTW.

[vegasgtr]

viper has a zero % chance to win. R&D will pick the porsche. If the vette can stay together without overheating it will win.

[ACRucrazy]

Im guessing its between the Cayman and ACR

[Simms]

Wow, what an impressive lineup of cars. My money is on the GT4 FTW.

Agree with GT4. No way they will pick the best logical performer like the ACR.

[The_Greg]

For sure it'll lose, the title of the competition is a misnomer with criteria like "shining on the road", "Flattering novice drivers", being cheap (what does that have to do with performance?), and ultimately lust-ability which is subjective.

[Voice of Reason]

It's going to spectacularly fail for all the right reasons we'd all like to have one as a +1 car. I look forward to reading which of the cars was easiest to apply their eye liner in while driving because I'm certain it won't be the ACR.

[Coloviper]

They will pick the Corvette. I mean you are spending two days at the Corvette Museum. One can only surmise that there will be a bunch of "grease money" from "petty cash" passed over during that time period there. Don't get me wrong, I am rooting for the Viper ACR all the way but they will pick the Corvette. These tests are written up and winners chosen before they even hit the track. Magazine test articles are pretty worthless.

Even though I am routing for the Viper, the logical winner would be the Mustang GT-350R if it performs real well against the pack. That price point alone versus the rest should knock it way up there, again if it performs real well.

Guess we will see!

[swexlin]

I can hear the complaints now about the ACR: tight, cramped, I burned my leg on the side sills......They will say it's one of the best track cars out there, but don't dare drive it on the street.

We'll see.

[Darius]

I'd take the 488.

[swexlin]

I'd take the 488.


Agree, nice car.

[RAY W]

Just like politics. If the press likes it, I don't.

[Nine Ball]

It will be between the GT4 and the Mustang. They will just speak of the lust of the flat-plane-crank V8 sound. Porsche will win because the interior is nicer than the Mustang. Viper will come in nearly last, because the "Performance" car of the year wasn't friendly on bumpy roads.

They really should change the title of that article. Performance means performance, not street manners with okay peppiness.

[TrackAire]

Unless it destroys everything by at least a couple of seconds, this quote will be tough to overcome:

"It has to flatter the novice driver while challenging the experienced racer." I can see them already saying if you're a novice, stay away.

The Motown Mile is not exactly the best suited racetrack/surface for the Viper, but it set fast time in the video compared to other fast cars. The added aero of the ACR should help, but who knows how they will judge its street manners.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/reviews/a5206/boot-motown-mile-65-3-roa1013/

Depending on who is driving the ACR, I'm guessing it will be at least 1-2 seconds faster than anything else out there and on a 55 second track, that is huge.

[Russ Oasis]

They are already making excuses for why the ACR is not going to win. They said something like ".....but can its astounding track performance convert to road excellence?" Huh? Here's a tip for R&T, good track cars are not good street cars and good street cars are not good track cars. They could, of course, rename the competition "The Road and Track compromise car of the year." In that case, the Viper would lose. The deal is that Vipers are more pure track cars than any other commercially available car out there. Yes, that includes the Ferrari. If magazines want a car that their wives can drive to the grocery store, they should buy a Corvette with an automatic transmission (and hope that it doesn't overheat and drive home in the limp mode after the grocery store). BTW, since when do amateur drivers get to rate how well a car performs. The better a track car is, the more it needs an experienced driver to harness it.

[bogdan]

...well, I guess I'm not the only jaded person here. :smilielol:

(not really) RT - "The ACR wing is too big, the trunk is unfinished and cramped. While the interior appointments are nice, it does feel claustrophobic, and visibility is poor. At speed, the there is no real-world competition to the car, but we think it's better left for driving only to the race track and back. Our favorites are still the Cayman GT4 and the AMG GT S. Their compliant road manners, good visibility, well-appointed cabins, and ample storage means that they are exactly the sports cars your wife would enjoy."

edit: haha @ Russ Oasis

[Voice of Reason]

Maybe there's a silver lining here. What's the track record for NCM Motorsports Park? It would be ashame if the ACR sets a record in Corvette's backyard.

[bogdan]

Maybe there's a silver lining here. What's the track record for NCM Motorsports Park? It would be ashame if the ACR sets a record in Corvette's backyard.

Well, that would create quite a show on corvetteforums

[ACR]

Well, thank goodness the Focus RT isn't there, at least the Viper won't get ranked behind a matchbox car again.

I'm sure Porsche already bought the number one slot, but we'll see. No worries about the Z06, since it'll melt mid way in the test, should land it in only 2nd or 3rd ranking.

My only question is which will be ranked higher, the Viper or the Mustang, considering they generally hate on both ...hmm, tie for last maybe.


All kidding aside, great list at least this year, God help those testers trying to drive the ACR, I wonder if any will have the skill or balls to carry speed to even use the aero. Yes, I HATE magazines.

Indeed mags suck. I find MT better than C/D though. I do seem to trust what Randy Pobst seems to say. The ACR on the street? I didn't buy that for the street, no one does

[Zybane]

These mag writers who drive Prius's are going to dog the ACR. It will be the same crap, too rough, too loud, too scary...

Projected rankings:

1. GT4
2. Ferrari 488
3. Mustang 350R
4. AMG GT-S
5. Z06
6. ATS-V
7. ACR
8. Bently

The GT4 will undoubtedly be one of the slowest cars but it's a Porsche, so it will win or be way up there.