SRT on BBC Top Gear

[GR8_ASP]

Since you mention it snap oversteer was a definite problem with Gen I. It improved but was still a concern with Gen II and Pilot tires. It is almost a non-issue with a Gen III. I find the oversteer to be very controllable with throttle and/or brake inputs. Fairly progressive with good feedback to the driver. For this characteristic the Gen I/II and III are not similar.

Does that mean you cannot spin a Gen III. Of course not. You can spin just about anything and with 500 hp and 525 torque you have adequate power on tap to force oversteer. But it should be very controllable oversteer.


BTW put 345's on a Yugo and I bet it won't achieve .8 G. It is contact patch that is important. The wider the tire the more important overall geometry becomes in keeping the contact patch large. The Yugo, with all of its body roll would probably keep line contact with any tire. Not a good example.

 

[Guibo]

dirk989:
Point taken about arguing with the "mentally challenged child." That term has come to mind repeatedly when talking with Autostream. However, I refrained from using it, as that would be insulting to mentally challenged children.

Autostream:
LOL, you talk about the Viper being rude and crude, and then you introduce a kit car (that's exactly what it is, unless you live in the UK which I seriously doubt you do). Heated windshield...haha. How about a heater? A/C? Weathertight top? Real windows? A trunk? If you think the Viper is bad, it's a damn Lexus compared to the Caterham.
N'Ring...last I heard, it was the Caterham R400 Superlight which sets times in that range. That's 400 hp/tonne (and unavailable in the US), not the 280-320 hp/tonne of the Super 7. Also, you can add about $10K on top of that price for the engine and assembly. And pray to god that your beloved Yugo doesn't run into you. Really, unless you live around the 'Ring, the lap time there doesn't matter too much. 7 seconds on a 13-mile track for two cars tested on two different days amounts to squat. Vastly more relevant in everyday driving terms is straightline in-gear performance: the SRT-10 rips the Super 7 a new one to 60, and from about 60 on up, walks on the R400 as well. Above 150...errr...forget it. The Caterham is lucky to see even 145.

Regarding the Stig, the first test of the Lambo Murcielago had it doing a 1:29. They re-tested it and it ran a 1:23.7. 5.3 seconds on such a short track is pretty huge. When the Lambo did its original run, the Zonda S lapped in 1:23.8. We would expect the Zonda to be quicker, considering its lap time at Hockenheim is 2 tenths quicker than the Murcielago, and when tested on the same day with the Murcielago by TopGear for their Million Quid test, the Zonda was 1.7 seconds quicker on a 1.76-mile track. Autocar drove the Zonda against a field of cars at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, and was confident it'd beat all of them (including the Murcielago), before it was DNF'ed for noise. Yet, on the TopGear lap chart, the Murcielago is slightly ahead of the Zonda.
And an M3 CSL (with those near-slick tires, on a damp track) laps 3.0 seconds quicker than the Turbo...

Regarding SLR...
Carrera GT / SLR / Murcielago
TopGear: 1:19.8 / 1:20.9 / 1:23.7
Hockenheim: 1:08.6 / 1:13.5 / 1:12.0
Nurburgring: 7:32 / 7:52 / 7:50
Autodromo del Levante: 0:53.86 / 0:57.45 / 0:55.82

Now, tell me. Does any of those lap times seem a bit odd?

 

[Snakester]

You can tell that Autostream is on the ropes when the defense turns to performance comments that include Caterhams (4-wheeled, motorcycles that are a hollow shell of a car), and the Ring (which rarely tests American cars, and even more rarely does tests constantly, with no accounting of driver, weather, rain, car prep, ect..).

If you are going to include ultralight cars, then you should add them to the Top Gear track test chart:
1 min 19.0...Radical SR3
1 min 22.0...Westfield XTR
1 min 23.8...Pagani Zonda
1 min 23.9...Koenigsegg
1 min 24.0...Ariel Atom 2
1 min 25.0...Caterham Superlight 400

So you can plainly see that the Radical beats the $$$ Porsche CGT (on top Gear), and it incidentally also costs less than the sales tax does on the CGT.

Top Gear at least had the sense to pull the ultralight times off of their track test listings, because even though they are marginally street legal in Britain (although not necessarily in the U.S) the ultralights are obviously not comparable cars.

The latest Top Gear show was full of their skewed opinions (as usual) but I have to admit that it was great fun to watch. I mean, what a great collection of European supercars!

As much as I like the older supercars, I would rather have an Enzo than a F40 (even though I do like the styling of the F40 better). And I'd much rather own a Carrera GT over the really cool McLaren, or Jag XJ220, as there have genuinely been many tangible improvements in supercar engineering over the past decade that relate to actually driving such a car on the road, rather than on a racetrack.

And the Enzo beat the CGT around their track and matched the Radical SR3 for their #1 track time so far.
I just wish that they had The Stig test all of the other supercars in the show as well.

 

[Neil - UK]

news from the guys that went the had a great time at the studio, the SRT got a good report ! and a fab time in the wet, may as well keep you suspense but it was less than 1.29.0 ! although The Stig did break the black SRT (Chrysler UK MD's car ) not sure what happened though, cant wait to see the footage on sunday

the new AM DB9R was also there, with a full test the following week

 

[TZL]

I agree about C-GT over xj220, but over a McLaren F1? come on...that is one of the greatest cars of all time ever made, its pure madness.

Central driving position, 241 mph top speed, 2500 lb curb weight....will never be duplicated....not to mention ~100 total including race cars, where as Porsche will build 1,500 + Carrera GTs..... thats 15x the number of them roaming around...soon they will be as common as M3s... ....lol

And I'd much rather own a Carrera GT over the really cool McLaren, or Jag XJ220,

 

[Kai SRT10]

news from the guys that went the had a great time at the studio, the SRT got a good report ! and a fab time in the wet, may as well keep you suspense but it was less than 1.29.0 ! although The Stig did break the black SRT (Chrysler UK MD's car ) not sure what happened though, cant wait to see the footage on sunday

the new AM DB9R was also there, with a full test the following week

Are you saying that tested the Viper on a wet track?

 

[fluffy]

the SRT got a good report ! and a fab time in the wet, may as well keep you suspense but it was less than 1.29.0 !

The wet? Perfect. I predict a tie with the new Porsche at 1:28.9.

 

[Autostream]

Snakester, its unfortunate my analogy went over your head.
The Viper has one asset and you guys cling to it like its some sort of automotive holy grail....
"its will outperform stuff costing twice as much on almost any racetrack"
big deal!
but if its that important to you, its still overpriced!
look at your avatar. talk about hollow shelled kit cars- hand welding with carpets and gauges from pep boys
If you think the Viper is bad, it's a damn Lexus compared to the Caterham.
Yup, and thats what you guys have been telling me for 3 weeks! remember, "some people just want a bargain performance car and dont care about all the extras"

but now that the 'bargain' dodge is beat around a track by a car costing a third as much, it's not as important as drag strip figures. Yet earlier all i heard was that the viper wasnt made for the strip, it was made for the track. And it was you guys who kept talking about the 'ring' and how it was THE standard. And now since i referred to it- lap times there dont matter!
Its all of you who are biased

what episode did top gear retest the Zonda? I've seen them all and dont remember that.

So you are saying the SLR was too fast around top gear? i always thought so too. But again, I dont think its a conspiracy to make mercedes' faster by lying.

And I think your problem with TG is that you dont hear what JC is saying
As much as I like the older supercars, I would rather have an Enzo than a F40 (even though I do like the styling of the F40 better). And I'd much rather own a Carrera GT over the really cool McLaren, or Jag XJ220, as there have genuinely been many tangible improvements in supercar engineering over the past decade that relate to actually driving such a car on the road, rather than on a racetrack.
So would JC, he only said that the F40 was more FUN. as a car- its terrible (which he said years ago)

I agree about C-GT over xj220, but over a McLaren F1? come on...that is one of the greatest cars of all time ever made, its pure madness.
Those stats dont make it greater than the F1. you also missed JC's words when he said Porsche could have made it just as fast or faster but didnt for a reason..the reason is why? You really cant go that fast anyway- 210 is damn fast enough. so its lighter and made of gold- you could buy TWO Porsche, a viper and a vetter for the $ of a mclaren. And there were too many critisms with the F1. I havent heard many for the GT. Central driving is cool and ideal on the track, but going out to dinner with your woman in it has got to be more annoying than anything

And an M3 CSL (with those near-slick tires, on a damp track) laps 3.0 seconds quicker than the Turbo...

you saying thats good or bad? the Turbo was on a soaking wet track and doesnt have a cardboard trunk,lol one's 4wd and the other has slicks and is a special race-prepped model. too many variables to compare the two really

 

[Autostream]

wet time? that sux,will never really be able to compare with dry times.

 

[Neil - UK]

unfortunately, it rains in the UK seems like almost every day this time of year, I was praying for a dry day but percentage wise it was always going to be wet or damp

they said it was very professional, no scripts or autocue, just notes on a clip board all adlibbed.

 

[Snakester]

Snakester, its unfortunate my analogy went over your head.
The Viper has one asset and you guys cling to it like its some sort of automotive holy grail....
"its will outperform stuff costing twice as much on almost any racetrack"
big deal!
but if its that important to you, its still overpriced!

It's not that I "didn't get" your analogy, it's just that it's a poor analogy, which only (somehow) seems valid to you.

If you can't understand the concept of performance as being the keystone to a performance car's value, you certainly won't understand why the Viper is a great buy.

look at your avatar. talk about hollow shelled kit cars- hand welding with carpets and gauges from pep boys

That explains a LOT about your perspective, you pretend to judge my car's interior and build quality from a tiny icon picture. That's pretty funny actually. And very telling.

but now that the 'bargain' dodge is beat around a track by a car costing a third as much, it's not as important as drag strip figures. Yet earlier all i heard was that the viper wasnt made for the strip, it was made for the track.

You can compare the Viper to a motorcycle, or a F1 car, or a dragster, each in their own dedicated environment, and it will lose. But that says nothing.

Should Ferrari be embarassed that the Radical SR3 matched it's $$$ Enzo's time on the Top Gear track?
I'd say no, because the cars are not remotely comparable.

And it was you guys who kept talking about the 'ring' and how it was THE standard. And now since i referred to it- lap times there dont matter!

No. I've never called the Ring a decent judge for American car's performance. It's lousy.

And I think your problem with TG is that you dont hear what JC is saying

I not only hear what he is saying, but also what he is insinuating. He said flat out that he thought that the F40 was perhaps the best car ever, and only begrudgingly admitted that it would be slower than the modern supercars around a track.

He effectively said that all of the older supercars were quicker and better than the new ones.
Saying that he would rather have a car with a direct connection to the engine and road. And dismissed the valuable fact that the new ones are much more drivable and safe, while being actually faster cars in the real world.

Unfortunately, with Top Gear running the SRT-10 Viper on a wet track it's hardly a decent judgement of the car's performance capabilties (as it is with all of the cars that they test on a wet track).

Still, I am looking forward to seeing the show.

 

[Guibo]

Yup, and thats what you guys have been telling me for 3 weeks! remember, "some people just want a bargain performance car and dont care about all the extras"
but now that the 'bargain' dodge is beat around a track by a car costing a third as much, it's not as important as drag strip figures.

Costing 1/3rd as much? Sorry. C&D recently tested the Caterham 7 and it was $50K. Since when does a Viper cost $150K?? Yeah, the Caterham on R-compound type tires is barely quicker than a Viper on 220 treadwear runflats around a track. The Viper is easily 95% as fast as the Caterham on the track, but is the Caterham 95% as fast as the Viper on the open road? Not even close. At 100 mph, it's already 3.4 seconds behind the Viper. 40% longer. Top speed? Forget it. That Caterham didn't even break 130 mph. Not even 70% of what the Viper is capable of. On top of that, C&D wrote:
"Limited suspension travel, 13-inch wheels, stiff springs, and firm damping inevitably equate with punishing ride quality. For all its superb agility, the Caterham isn’t happy on bad roads, and on one shamefully cratered stretch of Ohio Highway 164 between Highlandtown and Lisbon, we worried about survival of the suspension components and, for that matter, whether the car might disappear altogether.
Considered as a mere transportation device, the Caterham doesn’t cut it. Interior din is relentless, varying only in decibel levels. Getting in and out is a challenge with the top up, and the side curtains, held in place by a pair of snaps, make tollbooth stops a unique experience for driver and toll collector alike. Narrow footwells leave no place but the clutch pedal for the driver’s left foot, and wearing wide-soled sneakers won’t work.
Anyone who looks for passenger-car virtues in a Caterham is bound to be disappointed."
The thing's only got a 4-cylinder fuel-injected engine and yet at highway speeds it was louder than the Cobra replicar they tested.
You're missing the point: The Viper gives up nothing to cars like the Turbo on the racetrack. It gives up nothing in the way of straightline acceleration. It gives up nothing in the way of the top end. It gives up a little in the way of amenities (although it's simultaneously too crude and yet too refined for you). These are things you cannot say about the Caterham. I mean, for fock's sake, look at the damn interior:

You must be registered for see images

You **** off the Viper, but this thing isn't even up to '92 Viper standards. At least the Viper's interior is reasonably close in quality to a 996 (which itself is hardly befitting a $80K car). Trunkspace in the Caterham? Err, nevermind! Both of the Porsche and the Viper are cars in every sense of the word. The Caterham, on the other hand, is more like a 4-wheeled superbike. And god forbid you should have a bike run into you...So pretty lame of you to even bring it up. (Frankly, you might've been better off mentioning a superbike. )

Nurburgring...when did I ever say the Viper posts a good time at the 'Ring? In fact, I started a thread pointing out how bad its time was there.

what episode did top gear retest the Zonda? I've seen them all and dont remember that.

I didn't say they retested the Zonda. I said they retested the Murcielago.

you saying thats good or bad? the Turbo was on a soaking wet track and doesnt have a cardboard trunk,lol one's 4wd and the other has slicks and is a special race-prepped model. too many variables to compare the two really

Considering the CSL's tires are damn near slicks and the track was damp (and the fact that they called it a wet lap in the episode), wouldn't you expect the CSL to be slightly slower than the Porsche? I suppose perhaps the CSL's AWD helped it pull out 3 seconds on the Porsche?
No, the Porsche was driven by the old Stig, while the CSL was driven with the new one. But of course, being a diehard TopGear fan, you already knew that?? Apparently not!

My point with the SLR was: just because it sets a very fast time relative to cars like the Murcielago, GT3RS, and 360CS on the TopGear track doesn't tell you squat about how it performs elsewhere on other tracks. It's pretty close to the CGT on the TG track, but when tested on the same day against the CGT on a shorter track, it's already behind by some 4 seconds (and gets beaten by the Murcielago in the process, a car that is some 3 seconds slower than it on the TG track). Hmm...yeah. Very scientific!

 

[rcl4668]

Neil or any UK members with the capability -- I would really appreciate it if you could download the Top Gear episode with the SRT-10.

Thanks.

/Rich

 

[Neil - UK]

Neil or any UK members with the capability -- I would really appreciate it if you could download the Top Gear episode with the SRT-10.

Thanks.

/Rich

its on the TV sunday night, so hopefully have a link to the vid by mon/tue

 

[SnakeEye]

its on the TV sunday night, so hopefully have a link to the vid by mon/tue

 

[ARMORGOD]

[/QUOTE]its on the TV sunday night, so hopefully have a link to the vid by mon/tue

[/QUOTE]

Can't wait!

 

[womsterr]

Folks how are you able to view top gear in the USA? I've looked at BBC America and can't find viewing times.

 

[Kai SRT10]

Folks how are you able to view top gear in the USA? I've looked at BBC America and can't find viewing times.

You have to wait for somebody to put it on a web site. It isn't on BBC America.

Look here:

http://www.sleepy-fish.com/other_veh.htm

 

[Autostream]

Costing 1/3rd as much? Sorry. C&D recently tested the Caterham 7 and it was $50K. Since when does a Viper cost $150K??

well http://www.uscaterham.com lists the MOST expensive model at $30k with all performance options included.
But I see when you compare the viper to a porsche or ferrari or lambo, interior accomodations, fit and finish, and everyday drivibility arent as important as track circuit and drag strip times and performance specs. BUT when you compare it to a less expensive car that is faster than the viper on a track, everyday drivibility, interior accomodations, and fit and finish are the ONLY important factors!

You are worse than Kerry.
The Viper doesnt have supercar refinement or quality and since you can go faster for less , So its not the bang for the buck winner either.
You need to admit its a one hit wonder and stop trying to weasel out an excuse everytime i call you on one of your flip flopping points.

and how many times have you been faster than 150mph? Its surely fast enough.

I not only hear what he is saying, but also what he is insinuating. He said flat out that he thought that the F40 was perhaps the best car ever, and only begrudgingly admitted that it would be slower than the modern supercars around a track. ...Saying that he would rather have a car with a direct connection to the engine and road. And dismissed the valuable fact that the new ones are much more drivable and safe, while being actually faster cars in the real world.
You are reducing these cars to mathematical equations just like you do with the viper. Its 0-60 is faster, its NHTSA rating is better, therefore, like a teenager who studys figures in the back of a magazine and concludes 'this' is the better car.
JC is saying the F40 is the best SUPERCAR ever in terms of the X factor. Sure the enzo may be safer and more economical. But you buy supercars for the shear fun of driving, not because you can get to the car show sunday morning 30 seconds quicker. Further, how well will the enzo do in history? The F40 already beat out the forgotten F50 in terms of icon'ic-ness


There were too many variables with the csl vs turbo. dif levels of water on the track, only one has slicks, only one has awd, only one is a race-prepped model.

You cant compare different tracks.. I'm sure some nerd somewhere could google up a track where the SLR beat the PGT.
Give me one good reason why TG would have a huge conspiracy to make the SLR beat the lambo, make the nsx beat the corvette, and make the csl beat the turbo. biased agaisnt italian, american, and stuttgart??? ***!

ps. someone said TG retested the Zonda and was 1.7 seconds faster?? who said that and what episode was this???

Unfortunately, with Top Gear running the SRT-10 Viper on a wet track it's hardly a decent judgement of the car's performance capabilties (as it is with all of the cars that they test on a wet track).
you make it sound like its their fault . Well the fastest wet lap was the Gallardo, and then the GT3, i think? Although different levels of wetness makes it hard to compare effectively, but its a pretty good ballpark.
I would bet a lot of $ that it wont beat the Gallardo, any takers????

It will be interesting to see if it can beat the GT3. Both Rwd NA. One with chassis and suspension tuning the best porsche knows how. And the other with the second(?) most torque available today.

 

[SnakeBitten]

^^^^YAAAAWN

news from the guys that went the had a great time at the studio, the SRT got a good report ! and a fab time in the wet, may as well keep you suspense but it was less than 1.29.0 ! although The Stig did break the black SRT (Chrysler UK MD's car ) not sure what happened though, cant wait to see the footage on sunday

the new AM DB9R was also there, with a full test the following week

Well that *****...This will probably be the only time they test the SRT10 and it just hadda be a rainy day...Well I guess the 1.29 or faster aint bad for a rwd 500/500 car to do in the wet...That would be a faster time than some in the dry..

 

[Guibo]

well http://www.uscaterham.com lists the MOST expensive model at $30k with all performance options included.

I'm looking at their site and it says:
"MSRP $29,950.00 (Price for complete KIT - less engine & transmission.)"
***? We're going to compare an SRT-10 against a car w/o an engine and transmission? Haha! Viper wins again. Well, actually a kid on a scooter beats the Caterham, but you (hopefully?) get the point.
http://www.uscaterham.com/slrspecs2.html
Paint is a $1300 option? You'll note that on this model, the top and side screens and heater are an option. Hey, just like a Viper then.

But I see when you compare the viper to a porsche or ferrari or lambo, interior accomodations, fit and finish, and everyday drivibility arent as important as track circuit and drag strip times and performance specs. BUT when you compare it to a less expensive car that is faster than the viper on a track, everyday drivibility, interior accomodations, and fit and finish are the ONLY important factors!

Dude, wake up and pay freakin' attention: The Viper is closer to those other cars in terms of what makes a car a car, much more so than that Caterham is to the Viper.
Accomodations and fit and finish aren't the only important factors, nor have I ever said so. I'm saying that taken as a WHOLE, examining everything with PERSPECTIVE, the Caterham fares poorly. The fully functioning Caterham tested by C&D was $50K. That's 62% of the Viper's price and the Viper squashes it at anything above 60 mph (and yes, contrary to what you might think, people actually do drive over 60 mph). Meanwhile, the Viper is much more reasonably close to the fit and finish of a Gallardo, costs only about 50% of the Lambo (let's not even talk about the Murcielago!), and it will go toe to toe with the Lambo all the way to the standing mile. Compared to the Caterham, its interior is on a par with the 996, which you yourself have admitted is pretty poor for an $80K car. (That's probably why Porsche took the effort to fix this on the 997.) If you don't understand how to look at these cars with PERSPECTIVE, well that's too bad. Your loss (and mine for trying to explain it to you.)
Flip-flopping, LOL. You're the one wondering where the sat-nav is on the Viper. Haha.

The Viper doesnt have supercar refinement or quality and since you can go faster for less , So its not the bang for the buck winner either.

Whoa, you were saying the Viper had become too fat (wrong!) and too feature-laden. Now you're admitting it's a lot closer to its original roots than you earlier accepted. Now, who's flip flopping? Stick to one argument, or take your whining and ******** elsewhere.
And you haven't called me on any flip flopping. I have called you on being wrong, even though you insist you've had a perfect record in this thread. (Hmmm...the Maxima is a French car. Teeheeheee! Maybe it has a 6.5-liter engine...)

It will be interesting to see if it can beat the GT3. Both Rwd NA. One with chassis and suspension tuning the best porsche knows how. And the other with the second(?) most torque available today.

Right, because as we all know, more torque combined with fatter rear tires with less weight over them in the rain = quicker lap times.


onerareviper called it right: "100% grade A 'f'ing troll"

 

[InjectTheVenom]

its on the TV sunday night, so hopefully have a link to the vid by mon/tue

[/QUOTE]

Can't wait!

[/QUOTE]

9pm on Dutch television, can't wait either Heysie and Flying Dutchman, heads up

 

[greatbeyond]

Why is everyone taking this totally biased British show so seriously? We know how they are going to end up mocking our beloved Snake and comparing it to some POS British cars.

To top it all off we know they are running the SRT on a wet track so it's definitly out of the running as far as track time goes. At least the C6 vette was mocked, compared to some unperpowered cars but shut their mouths after it got a 1:26.

 

[repete]

anyone taping it?

 

[Neil - UK]

Well its just been on, finally, watched it a couple of times already JC gave some funny comments, a good thrashing, and loved it, he was even smiling !
upto the point where it caught fire both cats caught fire and happily smoldered away, flames licking out of the sills reshaping both doors in the process ! though not to much damage done. Not good considering Chrysler are just about to
start selling the SRT in the UK, timing was perfect

Then The Stig got in it, and was merrily opposite locking around the non-straight parts of the track

spoke to Steve the video sleepy fish guy, vid link will be up shortly
http://www.sleepy-fish.com/other_veh.htm

maybe this thread will die shortly

 

[Viper Specialty]

Cats caught fire? umm... I would like to know exactly HOW this happened? That sounds like something ended up in the sidesills- and THAT caught fire. I just dont see what could possibly be in there (at least in US/Canada Spec) cars that could have even burned besides the insulation itself.. and that would take an act of god, or a little "help" in my opinion.

We had a GTS on one of our trips who had a leaky injector that was dumping fuel into his exhaust (stock cats w/corsa) for almost 300 miles to get out of redneckville...and the most it did was fry his paint on that sill- insulation never went up!

Sounds fishy to me...thats all I am saying.

On the other hand, I had a bunch of leaves that got sucked up into the sill on my SRT, and they did burn- but not nearly enough to cause damage...just some annoying smells. I wonder if there is more to this story? Did they leave out the fact thay they ran the thing through a field of leaves just before this happened

 

[Autostream]

Meanwhile, the Viper is much more reasonably close to the fit and finish of a Gallardo
Dream on!
costs only about 50% of the Lambo (let's not even talk about the Murcielago!), and it will go toe to toe with the Lambo all the way to the standing mile.
yea, and after the first turn, the Gallardo's tail lights will get smaller and smaller. At least on the Top Gear track. I wont give away any spoilers, but it WAS NOT even close!! (both in the wet)

 

[Snakester]

Thank goodness that I'll never be foolish enough to race any performance car at speed in the rain!

The Gallardo is AWD, which is obviously better in the rain and snow.
I'll have to remember that if I ever move to Alaska (or England).

At least it's better than testing them on the beach (if only a bit better).

It's interesting that here the SRT-10 Viper's track performance tests put it about the same as the Murcielago, and it would take something like running the cars in the rain to make it have similar performance to the Gallardo.

 

[Neil - UK]

Daniel, probably wasnt the cats more like the insulation that gave up, thats just what I heard, no mention of the cause on the vid. When the vid is up you'll see small 6" flames rising up the doors over the entire length of the sill.

They did give it a good spanking and thats what they show, imagine all the footage that got edited/cut out. JC wrote VIPER in big letters on the track using the rear tires, he also mentioned clutch smell, but was impressed. Squealing tires with lots of smoke the in the usual TG style

They used 2 SRT's for the vid, black one on the track and red one for the studio, I've seen them both and they were 'unofficial' US spec imports looked liked they still are, no rear fogs in the trunk, so no prodrive conversion as yet. 500 HP was mentioned, I'll doubt the UK cars will have the full HP.


HERES THE VID
www.aooo30.dsl.pipex.com/viper.avi

havent watched this online one yet

 

[Guibo]

Dream on!

I take it you dream of the bottom option?

You must be registered for see images

Must say, though, that the Caterham, with its exposed bolt/screw heads littered throughout the cabin exudes go-kart chic. Very classy. Just the thing for picking up the grade school chicks (looks like we know where Autostream likes to hang out). And that seat...So that's where my backyard bench seat cushion went! And the steering wheel...damn, an '80s VW Rabbit driver would kill for that.

yea, and after the first turn, the Gallardo's tail lights will get smaller and smaller. At least on the Top Gear track. I wont give away any spoilers, but it WAS NOT even close!! (both in the wet)

Just like a feckin' troll, huh? The Viper, hopeless wayward in the dry, beats the brand-spankin' new 997 and Evo VIII (also in the wet), without benefit of AWD/traction control, massive weight over the driven wheels, and on steamroller tires (hydroplane much?).

And this guy claims to be impartial.