A couple of weeks ago, I participated in "Autos In Motion" in Denver. For those not familiar with it, it is sponsered by GM and you are allowed to drive GM vehicles and some of their competition (BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, etc.). Showing up with one hell of a hangover and my face cut up and bruised from a wild party, I headed straight for the high performance test drive section. Each participant gets 2 shots at driving a GM high performance car. Wanting to see how it holds up next to my 03 Viper. I got in the first one (you have to have a GM co-pilot for the high performance cars and the hummers), revved it up to about 3k and dropped the clutch. The car burnt rubber for about 30 or 40 yards, I shifted to 2nd, had to slow for a 90 degree turned, went quickly through the twisties, and hammered on a short straight away. The car was quick but had absolutely no fear-factor compared to my Viper. The whole time I was launhing (nothing like a Viper launch), the car was very well-behaved. I was disapponted, so I grabbed a red one and tried again. Revved up to about 4k, dropped the clutch and was quickly surrounded by the smell of burnt clutch. The GM co-pilot was yelling to get my foot off of the clutch (he thought I was slipping it) and I lifed by left knee up to my chest while the clutch continued to burn. I let up and we made it around the track. The GM then took the car for a drive and when he pulled back in the car was almost totally engulfed in white smoke. I conned the guy in charge of the high performance vehicles (I think he was slightly intimadated by my busted up face and booze breath) to let my try one more Vette, since the clutch went out on that one at the very beginning of the ride. On the third vette, I again revved it up to about 3k and dropped the clutch. The car slowly accelerated, no tire burning, no clutch burning, just a sluggish sports car. My guess is that the first car was in competition mode, the second was a lemon, and the third was in poser mode. Bottom line, the vettes were not even close to the excitement you get with a hard launch in a Viper. IMHO they are basically poser/chick cars. They look good, but unless modded out they are very docile.
PS I watched other drivers trying to do a hard launch and out of all the vettes (must have been 5 or 6, only one would actually burn the tires (that was probably the one I first drove). No way would I buy a vette.
BTW The best cars I drove there were a Mercedes E320 and a Lexus ES330. The Cadalac Escalade was okay and the H2 was just boring. So you guys are right VIPERS Rule! (too bad dodge (the warranty) can't get the reliability up to where it needs to be).
PS I watched other drivers trying to do a hard launch and out of all the vettes (must have been 5 or 6, only one would actually burn the tires (that was probably the one I first drove). No way would I buy a vette.
BTW The best cars I drove there were a Mercedes E320 and a Lexus ES330. The Cadalac Escalade was okay and the H2 was just boring. So you guys are right VIPERS Rule! (too bad dodge (the warranty) can't get the reliability up to where it needs to be).
