Road and Track Performance Car of the Year. Viper TA 2.0!

[phavyarden]

Here's the article:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/features/magazine/2015-road-and-track-performance-car-of-the-year
I couldn't find the lap times, but i was shocker when i read that the Viper was the 4th fastest.
The winner was no surprise for me. And the Viper seems to be not undertanded as usual, but with some little good compliments.

 

[MoparMap]

I think the lap times are a little skewed in a certain sense. From my understanding of reading the article, this was largely a group of journalists picking the cars, not necessary seasoned racers. That's not saying that some of them aren't very capable drivers, but all the same, I think it means that no car's ultimate potential was probably reflected in lap times. If you were to put up factory drivers in each company's respective car I think the order would probabl shuffle around some. Granted, the rankings in that article are probably more representative of what a "normal" driver may be able to do with the car on a track with limited seat time.

One quote that was mentioned that I remember was one of the writers commenting that he felt that "he could drive any other car faster than the Viper". To me that doesn't mean the Viper is slow, just that it takes a different driving style to make it fast as proven by it's lap times vs. other cars in several other comparisons.

 

[Boxer12]

It's a short track so I'm not surprised. The new GT3 is not a better car than the Speciale but these guys and gals can't drive to it's potential. The new GT3 is the softest ever so easy to drive like last years winner Vette.

 

[rotate]

It was a great article for the Viper. The author was particularly fond of the car, stating

"An early straw poll shows that more of us feel more confident and more accomplished in the Mustang than in any other car. Not so your humble author. For me, it's the Viper and always will be. "It kind of is a big Miata," Núñez admits, echoing something I told him before he took his laps. "Does everything you ask of it." Each input is returned with precise action; everything the car tells you is honest and true. At the limit, the Viper's the most trustworthy of the big-motor players. When this car got variable valve timing, even in its crudest form, it learned to breathe—and that made it thrilling, not just fast. And now that it has the modern electronic leashes available, it's accessible to novices. Within reason, of course. Prince takes a few laps and says, "I can go faster in everything else." It's not everyone's taste, and it can't win this competition, because it doesn't inspire enough confidence in enough of us. But if you speak Viper, this is the best Viper yet, and it rewards at every level"

That kind of lends some clarity to the whole sledgehammer reputation of the viper vs reality. Good read.

 

[mitsu13gman]

I came into this thread expecting to find this follow-up article - warms the cockles of my heart:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/voices/Theres-no-substitute-for-the-viper-ta-20

 

[crimson11]

I would change the title of this thread, because I came in thinking the Viper won, but what I read save for a couple of comments were a bunch of whiny, moist, wet wipes who couldn't drive the viper.

 

[crimson11]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/voices/T...he-viper-ta-20

He seems to really get the viper. He understands it. Although I haven't driven or owned one yet I love reading articles like this that are both balanced and unbiased.

 

[Herc]

I would change the title of this thread, because I came in thinking the Viper won, but what I read save for a couple of comments were a bunch of whiny, moist, wet wipes who couldn't drive the viper.

Same but it was beaten by a Mustang, damn. As far as the drivers, I'm thinking they have driven more cars than everybody here put together. I love the Viper
but every time it gets a not perfect test report guys on Viper forums blame the drivers. Reminds me of a saying, "if everybody on the playground thinks your are
an ******* it probably isn't them." Tough crowd out there right now in sports cars available and they are all pretty close.

Herc

 

[Free2go]

He seems to really get the viper. He understands it. Although I haven't driven or owned one yet I love reading articles like this that are both balanced and unbiased.

How would you know what somebody "gets" or "understands" if you've never driven or owned one for yourself? The article basically said that the Viper is perfect for those really interested in Vipers.

 

[crimson11]

How would you know what somebody "gets" or "understands" if you've never driven or owned one for yourself? The article basically said that the Viper is perfect for those really interested in Vipers.

I get and understand because I can read, and I live vicariously through sarcastic jackasses like you. And I said nothing bad about the article.

 

[Free2go]

I live vicariously through sarcastic jackasses like you.

I feel like you "get" me and "understand" me.

 

[crimson11]

I feel like you "get" me and "understand" me.

Wasn't too difficult..

 

[Herc]

Starting to sound like the alley here.

 

[emericr]

I felt it was well written and mostly unbiased. The Viper was given its fair share of praises and I think the right car won.
Now if only I could get my hand on a GT3 for the discount % of MRSP you can get on a Viper...

 

[MoparMap]

It was certainly an interesting read and does give some impression of the different natures of different cars. It was refreshing to see them actually pro and con each car and have (what at least appeared to be) genuine driver feedback that didn't feel biased by any particular company. The cars that you tend to hear as being easy to drive fast seemed to be that way for several of the drivers there and the cars that take work to drive but are fast when done right are also represented. I'd say it was a nice overview of the "accessibility" of a car's speed.