Phoenix SRT
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
- Posts
- 235
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I've had Vipers in the past. I have an SRT now and I'll have a Viper for a long time to come. In short, I love Vipers. But, many people call it a bare bones car or elemental sports car and mock those who'd like to see more go fast technology put on the car. That makes no sense whatever.
The SRT weighs what? 3600 pounds? It has a 6 disc CD changer, a roof that folds neatly and easily, a trunk that's pretty big for a car of this nature, a full contingent of carpeting, ABS and so on.
Now, I don't knock any of that stuff. I wish it had more. But, it's not a bare bones car. Godawful fast? Punishing? Great handling? Velcro-like stopping power? Sure, all that and more. But, most of you wouldn't own a Viper if it were really a bare bones car.
If you want a car that is fairly close to bare bones, check out a Lotus Elise. 1900 pounds, seats that don't recline, although the driver's seat (only) does adjust fore and aft, a radio but no CD, wind up windows and manual door locks locks (although power windows and door locks are available as options), and a top that works pretty much like an erector set (and doesn't seal worth a dang). It has an air conditioner, but it's mostly just a placebo, and nothing else that comes to mind which doesn't make the car go faster or handle better. Most of you wouldn't drive an Elise for any longer than it took for the novelty to wear off even if someone gave you the car for nothing. Not that the Lotus is the be all and end all of anything. I mention it only because it is pretty close to being what many of you people say you want, a bare bones sports car.
So, what's wrong with giving the Viper technology that will make it go faster or handle better? How would going faster and handling better degrade the experience? Take all wheel drive: it would improve acceleration times enormously because traction is the real problem at launch and for a while thereafter. Or a real sequential manual transmission (as opposed to a paddle operated automatic)? Or traction control tuned to allow better corner exits rather than to keep us all safe. Hell, F1 cars are faster with traction control, so why would it be a bad thing for Vipers?
If your answer is that shop worn old saw about "elemental sports car," re-read a couple of paragraphs above. The Viper isn't an elemental sports car. It weighs too much and has too much equipement already that isn't necessary to make the car go, stop and steer to be called a bare bones car. Hell, ABS made the difference between a car that took as long to stop as a mile long freight train (pre-ABS Vipers were tested by the car mags at 140 ft + from 60-0, as I recall) and the SRT with ABS is one of the best stopping cars on the planet at any price (some tests get it at 99 feet!).
The SRT weighs what? 3600 pounds? It has a 6 disc CD changer, a roof that folds neatly and easily, a trunk that's pretty big for a car of this nature, a full contingent of carpeting, ABS and so on.
Now, I don't knock any of that stuff. I wish it had more. But, it's not a bare bones car. Godawful fast? Punishing? Great handling? Velcro-like stopping power? Sure, all that and more. But, most of you wouldn't own a Viper if it were really a bare bones car.
If you want a car that is fairly close to bare bones, check out a Lotus Elise. 1900 pounds, seats that don't recline, although the driver's seat (only) does adjust fore and aft, a radio but no CD, wind up windows and manual door locks locks (although power windows and door locks are available as options), and a top that works pretty much like an erector set (and doesn't seal worth a dang). It has an air conditioner, but it's mostly just a placebo, and nothing else that comes to mind which doesn't make the car go faster or handle better. Most of you wouldn't drive an Elise for any longer than it took for the novelty to wear off even if someone gave you the car for nothing. Not that the Lotus is the be all and end all of anything. I mention it only because it is pretty close to being what many of you people say you want, a bare bones sports car.
So, what's wrong with giving the Viper technology that will make it go faster or handle better? How would going faster and handling better degrade the experience? Take all wheel drive: it would improve acceleration times enormously because traction is the real problem at launch and for a while thereafter. Or a real sequential manual transmission (as opposed to a paddle operated automatic)? Or traction control tuned to allow better corner exits rather than to keep us all safe. Hell, F1 cars are faster with traction control, so why would it be a bad thing for Vipers?
If your answer is that shop worn old saw about "elemental sports car," re-read a couple of paragraphs above. The Viper isn't an elemental sports car. It weighs too much and has too much equipement already that isn't necessary to make the car go, stop and steer to be called a bare bones car. Hell, ABS made the difference between a car that took as long to stop as a mile long freight train (pre-ABS Vipers were tested by the car mags at 140 ft + from 60-0, as I recall) and the SRT with ABS is one of the best stopping cars on the planet at any price (some tests get it at 99 feet!).