Now that the Z06 reviews are out can we more fully appreciate the Gen V?

[VENOM V]

My point is you can pick on that point all day long, but there are a hell of lot more garage queen Vipers percentage-wise I would bet. Buying a sub-10K Viper from damn near any year in production is easy to do. We can beat our chests all we want, but I know a load of Vette guys that drive the shit out of their cars.

Not many garage queens around here. Maybe my location is different, but every guy that bought a Gen V from my local dealer is a track rat, I've tracked with most of them myself. The only exception is an exotic car rental company that bought one. So at least in NorCal, we drive our cars hard. SoCal is the same, lots of trackers. We have 57 Vipers signed up for Buttonwillow Raceway for a January event, and counting.

No scientific study, but I think the Viper draws the hardcore driver more than other brands.

[Stealth]

The C7 Z06 dyno thread from Vengeance says that the 585rwhp and 617rwtrq is SAE. That is seriously impressive, but as noted in that thread and in this one, very confusing. The 1/4 mi. trap speed should be significantly greater that 125-127mph...

[Steve M]

Those numbers are likely non-heat soaked hero numbers.

[Stealth]

Those numbers are likely non-heat soaked hero numbers.

Well, awesome, strong initial numbers in any event. I am still glad that I have my '14 GTS and would not want to trade for the new C7Z, but my hat is off to GM for producing an outstanding car at a reasonable price.

[FrgMstr]

No scientific study, but I think the Viper draws the hardcore driver more than other brands.

Given the tremendously low productions numbers of Vipers, I would suggest your thoughts on that would be 100% wrong. You could take your logic and apply it to Toyota Supras too from that standpoint.

From what data I have seen for the Gen V Viper buyers, I would suggest that the demographic became a bit less hardcore considering that a lot of folks would not touch car before ESC, traction control, launch control etc.

Anyways, you guys need to go hang out with the serious Vette crowd for a few weekends instead of basing opinion on the folks you see you in the grocery store parking lot.

[VENOM V]

Given the tremendously low productions numbers of Vipers, I would suggest your thoughts on that would be 100% wrong. You could take your logic and apply it to Toyota Supras too from that standpoint.

From what data I have seen for the Gen V Viper buyers, I would suggest that the demographic became a bit less hardcore considering that a lot of folks would not touch car before ESC, traction control, launch control etc.

Anyways, you guys need to go hang out with the serious Vette crowd for a few weekends instead of basing opinion on the folks you see you in the grocery store parking lot.

LOL, thanks for the education but I get my impressions at the track. Guys at the track, including the hardcore Vette crowd that I know, are not head over heals on the new Z06. At least not until it's proven itself as reliable and able to withstand the beating it'll take on the track.

[Bruce H.]

It seems to me I used to see more Vettes at lapping days years ago, but rarely now. The only car I actually see in numbers are Porsche 911 variants and Caymans. Everything else is pretty much hit and miss. Maybe just the groups I run with, but even at a large 2 day Chin Motorsports event at VIR there was only a total of 2 Corvettes, and dozens of Porsche. I suspect that many hard core track rats have migrated over to Porsche over the years.

[FrgMstr]

LOL, thanks for the education but I get my impressions at the track. Guys at the track, including the hardcore Vette crowd that I know, are not head over heals on the new Z06. At least not until it's proven itself as reliable and able to withstand the beating it'll take on the track.

Never buy a first year car IMO. After seeing what Randy did to it in 4 laps on 85F weather, the heat soak on that thing is not looking good at all. I really hope that is a fluke, or something that can be engineered around, but we all know that forced induction on a machine like that is extremely hard to manage on the track. My Gen IV is not going anywhere soon. At least not till I can pick up a "fixed" second year Z06.

[VENOM V]

Never buy a first year car IMO. After seeing what Randy did to it in 4 laps on 85F weather, the heat soak on that thing is not looking good at all. I really hope that is a fluke, or something that can be engineered around, but we all know that forced induction on a machine like that is extremely hard to manage on the track. My Gen IV is not going anywhere soon. At least not till I can pick up a "fixed" second year Z06.

I hope they get it sorted, that car has a lot of promise.

[Nine Ball]

Something doesn't add up. If the new Z06 is that powerful, why isn't it trapping higher in the 1/4?

3405 lbs - ZR1 curb weight
3524 lbs - C7 Z06 curb weight (coupe), 3582 (convertible)

Also had another local friend dyno his car Z06 last night, hot. 579 rwhp and 590 ft-lbs SAE. He also owns a 2013 Viper...

Tony

[TitleMine]

I say again, could anyone have imagined in 1999 that we'd one day live in a universe where a lighter, very refined Viper would be going head to head against a much heavier, slightly more powerful Corvette?

[IndyRon]

I would expect the traps on the new Z to be around 126-128mph. The car is at least 150lbs heaver with a worse Cd. If you look at the RPM range that matters 5000-6500rpm) the new motor has a 50rwhp advantage. The differences are much higher at low RPM's but you aren't using that part of the powerband at the track. It should trap the same, maybe ever so slightly higher than the outgoing ZR1.

[Snakebit10]

I say again, could anyone have imagined in 1999 that we'd one day live in a universe where a lighter, very refined Viper would be going head to head against a much heavier, slightly more powerful Corvette?

LOL...I said this in another thread also...I never thought I'd see the day that the car with the 8.4 ltr V10, steel chassis, steel brakes etc would be lighter than the car with the V8, aluminum chassis, carbon brakes etc....

I'll predict a Viper edge in the straights and a Z06 edge in the twisties when they go head to head since it seems there are no Trofeo R's in the Vipers future. Either way they both continue to be at the top of the performance heap in their class....

[v10enomous]

Since we're talking about weight go to 2:55 on this video and can some say exactly what a 3,297lb GenV consists of ? Is there something besides the wheels that makes a track pack car lighter ?

[VENOM V]

Since we're talking about weight go to 2:55 on this video and can some say exactly what a 3,297lb GenV consists of ? Is there something besides the wheels that makes a track pack car lighter ?

The Stoptech rotors are much lighter with their aluminum hats.

[v10enomous]

The Stoptech rotors are much lighter with their aluminum hats.

I did a quick search and found this... and also a blurb stating that at 3,297lbs it's the lightest Viper ever.

The Track Pack brake upgrade has been specifically developed with the track in mind and consequently, no noticeably differences can be felt below 100mph. With that being said however, the fact that the new Track Pack brake rotors weigh 8 pounds less each, means the 2013 SRT Viper Track Pack becomes 32 pounds lighter than the standard car, a weight saving which can be felt at all speeds.

Add to that the brand new lightweight wheels and tires, and Track Pack owners save an impressive 62 pounds over the standard SRT Viper.

[VRYALT3R3D]

The 3,297lbs Viper is the 2013 SRT trim with the track pack.

[swexlin]

I did a quick search and found this... and also a blurb stating that at 3,297lbs it's the lightest Viper ever.

The Track Pack brake upgrade has been specifically developed with the track in mind and consequently, no noticeably differences can be felt below 100mph. With that being said however, the fact that the new Track Pack brake rotors weigh 8 pounds less each, means the 2013 SRT Viper Track Pack becomes 32 pounds lighter than the standard car, a weight saving which can be felt at all speeds.

Add to that the brand new lightweight wheels and tires, and Track Pack owners save an impressive 62 pounds over the standard SRT Viper.

Ooo ooo ooo...I know...I know (raising hand!) As a Track Pack owner, I was going to spout off these facts, LOL!

[Divexxtreme]

Vengeance Racing made 660rwhp/660 ft lb in a C7 Z06 with just a tune, pulley and CAI. Picked up 75rwhp/52 ft lbs torque over stock. Impressive.
http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/...p-660rwtq.html

[Shooter]

Vengeance Racing made 660rwhp/660 ft lb in a C7 Z06 with just a tune, pulley and CAI. Picked up 75rwhp/52 ft lbs torque over stock. Impressive.
http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/...p-660rwtq.html

That's wonderful. Now lets see it do more then 4 laps at speed on a track like Road Atlanta.

[swexlin]

I was reading some threads over on the Corvette forum. One new owner was stating some of the things he did NOT like about his new car. One major thing was reduced power due to heat after 4 hard pulls. This is concerning, did GM not test this? Or did they choose to ignore it.

It DOES make me appreciate our Vipers, however, I am a Corvette fan as well, and I sincerely hope Chevy can get this worked out on the new Z06.

[Steve M]

I was reading some threads over on the Corvette forum. One new owner was stating some of the things he did NOT like about his new car. One major thing was reduced power due to heat after 4 hard pulls. This is concerning, did GM not test this? Or did they choose to ignore it.

It DOES make me appreciate our Vipers, however, I am a Corvette fan as well, and I sincerely hope Chevy can get this worked out on the new Z06.

I think they were very up front about it actually...they clearly stated that they were going to use a smaller blower that they were going to spin faster. I don't care how "efficient" they think something like that is; that's a perfect recipe for heat, and they clearly don't have the heat exchanger that can handle it. I'm sure an aftermarket company will offer a proper heat exchanger that will hopefully help resolve the issue.

[elanderholm]

Just street pulls
http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/...you-think.html

1-3 runs, very even. He would pull on me by a hair line in between shifts. My tires spun going 2-3 and 3-4 and even 4-5.

4-6 runs, super charger ran hot and he started pulling on me pretty hard every time.

Alright guys. Good and bad news?

Ran the 2014 Viper TA and it pulled on me in 4th gear. Every single time. Z06 has a weak spot after 130mph. We even pulled it to the top of 5th gear and he already had 3-4 cars (atleast) on me by then. And after a few run, huge decline in power because of super charger running hot, like i have been saying.

[swexlin]

Hopefully Tony will chime in on this thread soon, I believe that is his Viper.

[Crotalidae]

Is Tony's TA tuned???