New Autoweek '08 Viper review

[Snakester]

More tests are getting published from the VIR press review of the 2008 Viper, and Autoweek's story is another one singing the praises of the new Viper's great handling capabilities.

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http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070828/FREE/70828045/1024/FREE

 

[Flyntgr]

Autoweek knows how to properly respect the changes and the performance of the '08, a refreshing change from the pre-disposed Bowtie lovers. They didn't even mention the Z06 in comparison, which is a subtle reminder that there really is NO comparison of worth because the Chebbies are so different in approach and appeal. I can't wait to get my '08 Viper! But then, I'll have to...

 

[JBsZ06]

Excellent review ..

Excellent new car.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

I wish they’d use a Tommy Archer for these test.


Sharp color this Venom red.

I’d like to see this in the graphite strips. Don’t think it’s an option though.

 

[SnakeBitten]

All I gathered from reading this article is that the driver didnt have the balls to really push the 08 Snake even on the straights.....If a Viper at 7/10's driving elicits this kind of a review then I cant wait for a report from hotshoes like Steve Millen etc...The review also said the outgoing Vipers cant hit sub 4 sec 0-60 times and that its braking prowess isnt yet on Porsche sub 100ft level lol.....Tells you there ability as regards the older Vipers is suspect much less this new one...Or maybe that there previous testing venues were subpar gripwise...We are so used to hearing bad reviews that this one satisfies us....I see it as a nice read from amatures...Or maybe Im too negative

 

[Snakester]

The trouble recently has been that so many times the Viper was not even being included in new high performance car comparisons.
And when it was chosen, the reviews minimalized the Viper great capabilities and focused on the car's perceived flaws.

It's actually a good thing in one way that the Viper has had some poor newbie driver reviews, because it has set people's expectations for the Viper's handling low, and so the reviewers are now all coming back impressed with the Viper's amazing handling (that we already knew about), and reporting that the new Viper is a car to be reckoned with, which will bode well for the Viper being in future track comparisons against $$$ cars like the Ferrari F430 and 599, Lambo LP640 and Gallardo SL, the McLaren SLR and the Porsche 997TT, as opposed to just seeing it reviewed against the Z06 and Shelby GT500.

The comparison that I'm really looking forward to is seeing the SLR convertible, F430 Spyder, Gallardo Spider, and 997TT Cabrio up against the 2008 Viper convertible.
They can throw in the 997S Cabrio, Jag XKR convertible, SL55, and '08 Corvette convertible into the mix too, because the '08 Viper convertible is the ******* car to beat now.

 

[Boxer12]

did you all notice the review was by a lady...hmmm, no, she doesn't have balls!

 

[DR EVIL]

"Carving a line through the twisting north course of Virginia International Raceway, the Viper turns in as quickly and precisely as any car we’ve driven, with more grip than we know what to do with. This Viper handles so well it’s difficult to tell how much difference those extra ponies make; 600 hp sounds impressive, and we appreciate how instantly the car powers out of turns, but the headline-grabbing number does little to tell the story of how incredibly the car handles. All of our ham-fistedness aside, the new Viper eats up the track and spits it out like nothing else with a sticker less than $100,000."

 

[SnakeBitten]

did you all notice the review was by a lady...hmmm, no, she doesn't have balls!

lol....Yes I knew she was the reviewer/driver....I meant figurative balls She admitted that Dodge said it would do 145 on the straits and she didnt want to go past 115mph....Thats a big gap and shows she doth lack both literal and figurative ballz Milka, Danica or Vicki from Top Gear would have slaughtered the track with this 08 Viper....Would be nice and different to see a major mag use a female racer to do there comparo once in a while......

 

[trumper Z06]

lol....Yes I knew she was the reviewer/driver....I meant figurative balls She admitted that Dodge said it would do 145 on the straits and she didnt want to go past 115mph....Thats a big gap and shows she doth lack both literal and figurative ballz Milka, Danica or Vicki from Top Gear would have slaughtered the track with this 08 Viper....Would be nice and different to see a major mag use a female racer to do there comparo once in a while......

115 mph. huh !!! Maybe it was due to the kink on the front straight...

I hear... in a straight line... the 08 has more "top end" than earlier Vipers....




J/K... Looking forward to meeting one of the new 08's... on the track. I'm sure it will be Wicked Quick !!!

 

[CarDude]

That Venom Red with Silver stripes [super drool]

 

[PDCjonny]

****** bag Trumper Z06 likes to **** up here, and then go report to the AARP on the Vette forums. Viper wannabe troll. Don't feed the fool.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?p=1561723282&posted=1#post1561723282

 

[Catwood]

I fear no Z06

Signed,
Lowly 2000 Viper GTS


PS...I mean NONE.

 

[Finally got it !]

115 mph. huh !!! Maybe it was due to the kink on the front straight...

I hear... in a straight line... the 08 has more "top end" than earlier Vipers....




J/K... Looking forward to meeting one of the new 08's... on the track. I'm sure it will be Wicked Quick !!!

Vote to ban this ***. Check out the corvetteforum threads.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=1799891


All he wants to do is stur the ***. Take your fairy ass and your slow car and head back to the windbreaker crowd. Let me guess. You were the teachers pet and hall room monitor....
Call her up maybe she would give a rats ass about you buying a Bluedevil.. Just check his old posts. All about how great his, 0% for 72 months, run of the mill corvettes are. Take your #11 and stick it between your ass cheeks and squeeze....

 

[sween]

that venom red looks really good!

 

[Viper X]

Hey Carl,

I haven't had any trouble with Z-06's in my lowly 2001 GTS!

Dan

 

[Boxer12]

Here is a better review...

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/d...leId=122304?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..1

 

[Snakester]

And Car and Driver has also posted their review of the '08 Viper against the Z06 Corvette.

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http://www.caranddriver.com/compari...iper-srt10-v-2007-chevrolet-corvette-z06.html


Interestingly, the new Car & Driver test showed the 2008 Viper to perform almost identically to the $480K McLaren SLR 722.
http://www.caranddriver.com/previews/12740...22-edition.html

 

[PDCjonny]

And Car and Driver has also posted their review of the '08 Viper against the Z06 Corvette.

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http://www.caranddriver.com/compari...iper-srt10-v-2007-chevrolet-corvette-z06.html

Well theres a shocker. Viper wins in all performance catagories but the Vette has a bigger trunk. So Vette wins! Same ole Viper criticism.

 

[ViperTony]

From C&D "So why the second-place finish? Blame the cruelty of the real world. At lower rpm, the exhaust sounds like a tuba having sex with a vacuum cleaner, and the baritone thrum of engine and road at highway speeds gets annoying in a hurry. The trunk volume of 15 cubic feet seems optimistic—a road trip for two will require soft luggage. In a street or track race, the Viper comes out narrowly ahead, but in real life, the Viper’s claustrophobic cabin and noisemaker mechanicals are too much of a handicap to overcome."

If a magazine bases their overall winner on trunk space...how seriously can anyone take this magazine? Wow...these testers really got spoiled over the years.

 

[Snakester]

It would have been interesting to see the Viper convertible in there too as the handling braking is about the same, but it's 50lbs lighter than the coupe, so it might be a bit quicker.

The Z06 has no convertible version unfortunately to compare to, and the regular Corvette convertible would clearly be outmatched.

I'm waiting to see the'08 Viper up against the Porsche 997TT Cabrio, Ferrari F430 and Gallardo convertibles.
That is if any of the magazines have the guts to compare them in a track test.

 

[Viper ACR]

From C&D "So why the second-place finish? Blame the cruelty of the real world. At lower rpm, the exhaust sounds like a tuba having sex with a vacuum cleaner, and the baritone thrum of engine and road at highway speeds gets annoying in a hurry. The trunk volume of 15 cubic feet seems optimistic—a road trip for two will require soft luggage. In a street or track race, the Viper comes out narrowly ahead, but in real life, the Viper’s claustrophobic cabin and noisemaker mechanicals are too much of a handicap to overcome."

If a magazine bases their overall winner on trunk space...how seriously can anyone take this magazine? Wow...these testers really got spoiled over the years.

Screw Car and Driver and the Corvette they drove in on . Viper out performs the Vette in 0-60, Top speed , skid pad . (and in looks, fun to drive and gotta have it factor IMO) But Corvette always wins . Why ......because of those stupid categories they have in there overall score. That has nothing to do with the car other than personal subjective opinion. Gotta Have It Factor and Fun to Drive ........ Well who would rather have a Vette than a Viper not me I get bored of seeing Corvettes anytime I go anywhere . I had a Z06 and it wasn't half as fun to drive as my Viper . We could all own a Z06 if we wanted to but we dont we own Vipers because they are the better sports car .As soon as I bought my Viper I sold my Z06 and wondered why I hadn't bought a Viper in the first place . Probably because like others I thought it was too much money and didn't research it enough. No matter what Viper does or comes out with they will always say the vette is better . I'm glad I don't want to see Vipers everywhere I like being in a elite group of owners .Owning a rare low production car that can kick the pants of cars that cost three times as much .

 

[Alabaster Mamba]

The funny thing is that they are both sports cars but somehow when the Viper wins every category on performance, which is what the article was about, they somehow gave the award to the Z06 because of trunk space and amenities. I love the part where Helbig says "If you want that kind of stuff get a Corvette.". But it does fit the magazine racer mentality. One of the articles I read said something along the lines of the people who complain about the Viper shortcomings have never driven a Viper. I have said this before and will reiterate it again, 'When you drive a Viper, you do the driving and you feel your blood flowing. When you drive anything else (Corvette), it is just like any other car in which the car drives you." I used to think that Corvettes were great cars, but since the first time behind my Viper I felt like I died and went to heaven.

 

[Alabaster Mamba]

****** bag Trumper Z06 likes to **** up here, and then go report to the AARP on the Vette forums. Viper wannabe troll. Don't feed the fool.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?p=1561723282&posted=1#post1561723282

I agree 100%. GTFOOH. When one of the 08's in on the track, the only way he will see one is when the 08 is parked.He needs to get used to what the back looks like because he will be seeing alot of them.

 

[Catwood]

Hey Carl,

I haven't had any trouble with Z-06's in my lowly 2001 GTS!

Dan

funny how a few talk and most wax.

There are two regular C6 Zo6s at Willow. Alan and Joe are both great guys and are as competitiive as I. Based on the numbers sold, you'd think there would be more. My frine Paul (WS6) just got a new C6. We'll be at Willow in October. I'm axious to see his run. Alhough not a Z06 we are expecting/hoping 1:40 out of it. Although down in power brakes and handling are far better than the 10 year old Blower TA.

 

[trumper Z06]

I think that is the case with most of these boards here, most of the people yapping about the track, never go. The ones that do spend way too much time trying to convince them otherwise. I do the same thing, but it seems as though magazine racing is the law nowadays and I'd be willing to bet there will be come comparos where the 08' gets beat by a Z06 on a road course, and vice versa, but of course depending on which forum you see, the negatvie results will be dismissed.

But either way, it's a waist of time arguing with people who dont know anything about a track other than what they read in a magazine.

A few Viper owners actually get out to the track.

These guys know the different cars...and what they can do.

The smack talking... cussing & swearing... magazine racers, pat one another on the butt and brag to each other... how the latest and greatest Viper is now the King...

having no idea what that really means... but to them, it sure sounds good !!!

And then there are a few of us who take the car to the track... and allow the car to do the Bragging !!!

I'm outta here, gotta prep the Z06 for it's next event.

Cya @ the track,

Trumper

 

[wallbanger]

And there are a few of us who don't give a rats ass about the track or the Z06. The viper is the car that i've wanted to own since i saw one ...i use the car as my daily driver(weather dependent) and my only competition is my self.. i would personally be happy if there was a whole separate forum where z06 versus viper is discussed and just left outa the general srt10 forum..i don't feel any less of a man just cos i don't track my car or race corvettes