Dodge Viper Nurburgring Record Video
We have a full video of the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR on its record-breaking run of 7:12.13 at the Nurburgring.
We all love Nurburgring record videos; whether you like the car on offer or not, the skills and thrills on view make the ten or so minutes invested well worthwile. And the video of the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR setting a Nurburgring time of 7:12.13 a few weeks ago is one of the best.
GT driver Dominik Farnbacher drove a cracking lap to take the SRT10 on a lap that eclipsed the Viper’s efforts from 2008 by almost ten seconds. Much of that improvement has come from the changes made to the production car in the interim period – although the SRT10 that did the run is actually a 2010 car as the Viper is no longer being built.
Those changes include a shorter fifth gear, which has improved high-speed acceleration and also speed on the straights. That allowed the 2010 SRT10 to pick up those extra 10 seconds by getting down the straight bits of the Nurburgring – Döttinger Höhe and past the Antonius Bridge.
But even though the video of the Viper blitzing the Nurburgring is a great watch, we do have a few issues with the claim and the car.
Apart from safety equipment, we really don’t think that any changes should be allowed to a production car before a record lap. Not tyres, not suspension and not power. That’s not aimed at the Viper in particular, just a general feeling that there is no point in declaring a record for a production car when the car that got the record has been changed from the one anyone can drive out of the showroom.
The other gripe is aimed at the Viper, though. Their press release for this record again makes the claim that the Viper has set a production car record at the Nurburgring. But by our reckoning even this new time still leaves the SRT10 in fourth place – behind a pair of Radicals and a Gumpert.
Or maybe its just an example of Americans only being interested in America. Because the SRT10 is certainly the quickest car round the Nurburgring and made in the former colonies.
By far.
Nurburgring Nordschleife Production car Top 10 lap times
- Radical SR8 LM 6:48
- Radical SR8 6:55
- Gumpert Apollo Sport 7:11.57
- Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR 7:12.13
- Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition 7:14.64
- Donkervoort D8 RS 7:14.64
- Porsche 911 GT2 RS 7:18
- Donkervoort D8 RS 7:18.1
- Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 7:19.63
- Dodge Viper ACR 7:22.1
nurburgringexplorer says
I love watching the Viper at the Nurburgring. It’s such an old school warhorse.
Truth says
Gentlemen:
And, the Amerians are with you – sort of! We do understand, and share, your pride in what Radial has accomplished. Yes, I too can drive an absolute race car across America without police intervention too. This does not make it legal, nor representative of what is a “production car for the masses”.
Trust me: we do love Britain (despite the newlyweds!). But really, should I trade my American sports car in on a Caterham, or a Radical? Yes, I do love the Radical. Until I actually have to drive my car to work. Every day. Or, anywhere else. Small oversight by Colin BA, God bless him….and his disciples.
Please, let’s be realistic for a brief internet moment (I recognize that “internet moments of truth”are inherently brief…even in Britain): all we stupid Americans ask is that you just show your spouse / girlfriend / whatever a photo of the Radial, and ask them if this is a street car, or a race car. Just ask them that question. That’s all you have to do. Most Radical owners will be completely PROUD that the spouse (etc) calls this car an absolute “race car”. For a reason. Your spouse is not the dingbat you sometimes believe her to be! Even she can see that a Radical is an impressive race car…and, yes, it is in fact a racing car for fair weather only.
Regardless of our debates, in the end, the world will tell us all these answers (with their spending dollars). Whether we like it, or not.
Interestingly, Radical started selling cars back in 1997. Soon after the Viper! Viper has sold almost 30,000 factory-built cars. I assure you, I LOVE Radical and what they are doing. But where does Radical stand on volumes shipped? Has Radical shipped this many cars? God Bless them, but they clearly have not.
For any naysayers, are the Viper ACR and a Radical really in the same class?… Really? If you think yes, then the British Hegemony is strongly intact. Go colonize India.
For the rest of you who may recognize facts, the SRT Viper ACR holds the “production car” track record at the Ring. And the Radical holds a special “low volume, street legal in some places” record. And, both car’s manufacturers can be very proud of what they have accomplished. As can the rest of us.
CarsUK says
Really, the whole ‘Nurburgring Record for a Production Car’ is just a bit of motoring daftness – a ‘We’ve got bigger ones than you’ game for car makers.
And we agree with much of what you say. If only the whole production car record could be renamed ‘The Nurburgring record for a production car that looks like a real car, has a boot (trunk – instant translation for non-English speakers!), can carry passengers in comfort and doesn’t cost more than a small moon to buy’, then the Viper has it cracked. And we REALLY do love the Viper. Honest.
As for ‘British Hegemony’, I think that’s where we were post-war when we still thought we ruled the world but owed more than we had in the bank to you guys in War Loans. Which we do confess took us until 2006 to pay back. So sorry.
But it’s arguable that it’s actually the US in that position now, with not enough money to carry on policing the world and in debt to the Chinese to such an extent they’ll be sending in the bailiffs soon.
Welcome to the ‘We used to Rule the World’ club!
Truth says
Sadly, you speak the Truth!
Hopefully China will have an insatiable appetite for Vipers and Radicals.
CarsUK says
Our favourite (or should that be ‘favorite?) sort of American; one with a brain that knows the rest of the world exists – and a realist to boot!
There’s hope yet!
PhilipJH says
An interesting answer to the World Series question (must be worth some QI points!), but this whole record claim still shouts American parochialism from the rooftops.
The big question is how on earth did the Viper team even know the Nurburgring existed? After all, it’s in that foreign country called “Rest of the World”!
M1TCH says
Ah, yes, but… before our transatlantic cousin jumps in – the World Series is named after a US newspaper (The World) that sponsored the competition back in the day. It’s not simply an attempt at world domination in rounders.
Re the Viper – awesome car, great video – somehow I doubt you could roll up to a Viper dealership an drive out in a car ‘just like that’. Still a great effort for a car with a truck engine though.
Truth says
Gents: yes, I’m from America. But guess what, we check out the Brit websites too. And love Jeremy Clarkson, most of the time…but hey, that is all his mother would say as well…
I’m sorry, but I can buy a Viper with a full 3 year factory warranty from my local Dodge dealer. Yes, Dodge dealers are everywhere in America. I’ve never heard of Gumpert, nor Radical (sorry). Nor have I seen their dealerships. Ever. Because these are not street-legal cars in most of the world, nor relevant to the world. Viper sells 2,000 cars per year. Gumpert and Radical do not.
I love you guys (sorry, but I’ve been to Britain more than you’ve been to America…how many of you guys have actually run on the Oxford track where Sir Roger did? Well, I did you ingrates! Go see it yourselves!!)
The Viper Engineering crew made significant changes to their car, even after they’d won the track record. Watch their video from 2008 and see that the driver could not shift into 5th gear on the straight – thus their gear ratio change. If you were the World’s Champion, you would not bother to go out and prove it again and again, until you had a challenger. Finally this year Dodge did. And to their credit, they followed through.
CarsUK says
Well argued sir!
But America is not ‘Most of the World’, is it? And, sadly, America has the daftest import restrictions on cars, so you can’t get many of the world’s great cars. Like the Radical. Or the Gumpert. But the Radical, for example, is so road legal it was driven from the Radical factory in the UK to the Nurburgring on public roads before setting its record.
Claiming the record for the Viper – of which there are NO 2011 models as it’s now out of production – is a bit like calling your baseball championships the ‘World Series’, when it’s only the US takling part! The Viper doesn’t holds the Nurburgring lap record for a production car, it holds the Nurburgring record for a production (albeit, out of production car) from the USA.
But we entirely understand your pride. And the Viper is incredible. And this video is absolute magic.
So we’re with you – sort of!