Viper at Laguna Seca
 

Here's a fun video of the new Viper.
I guess we just excuse the comment of "like the 911 GTS(sic) it has all the performance bits."
Oh brother.
But, nice to see the new one around Laguna.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...l_UX77c#t=105s

Being a GTS owner I laughed out loud!

Wow.

No cengterlocks... :rolleyes:

...and a factory seat for 6 point harness...WOW! ;-)

1:33 at LS on Corsas is crazy. 1:30.8 on slicks just slapped on with almost certainly a street alignment. IMSA Patron Challenge pole was a 1:28 and ALMS GTC was 1:27.

The new ACR will be running Cup Car times with nothing but a set of slicks. Viper has to be the best production DECup car now.

There's no way of knowing what compound is in those Corsa tires, but that is stinking quick.

An RS 4.0 can tootle around Laguna in the 1:33's, maybe sneaking into the high 32's, with an amateur driver, unmodified except for an excellent alignment setup and a lot of Hoosiers. PASM on, SC/TC off.

What are Hooters worth at Laguna on an RS over say Sport Cups? I'd say a country mile, but let's not restart another debate on intangibles.

I think the ZR1 was/is damn quick and out of the box is comparable to a prepared RS 4.0 for about half the dollars. The new Vette, once it arrives in Z06 form, will surely be up around these times and sure enough, if the factory Hockyring times are legit, the "base model" 991 GT3 will be quicker than all else mentioned thus far.

I still hold the RS 4.0 on the pedestal, but the 2014 cars from Porsche and Chev are just plain quicker. People who bought the 12C thinking it would do the quick shoe driving for them are the real desperate and dateless. Same for the 458, I guess, but at least they have something with the Cavallino badges on the fenders.

You are one of the faster amateurs I know and there is no way, on Hoosiers, you could do sub-1:35 at LS in a 4.0. Weren't your best times high 1:36's in your 3.8 on R6? Did Jesse said he did sub 1:35 in his 4.0? I certainly believe him if he said that, but otherwise I just don't think it is possible.

Jesse did a 1:33 and posted a video of it, it's somewhere around here. It was a low 1:33 if I recall correctly. Car was on Hoosier R6.

However, there is no reason to assume that there is something amiss with the Corsas on the Viper. It's a very low production just back from hiatus, smaller budget sports car. If it were on MPSC (the ZR-1 kind) it would have done a 1:32. This is a special edition TA Viper, the ACR has not even come out yet, it will be significantly faster even than this one.

No doubt GM will respond, but I won't trust them until they build a decent motor. They also faked us out with that Z06-X they made a couple of for display last year only to say "if we did make a race ready Z06, this is what it would be". The most lame thing I've ever seen.

Hockenheim short is a glorified autocross, and GT3's have always been quite good at Auto-X because of the smaller wheelbase, and turning radius. Hence why the GT3 has always done well at Hockenheim. Plus European independent testing has never been very fair to american muscle.

You had your 4.0 pretty well set up, what times did you run at Laguna?
I've not had a 4.0 there and my excuse for mediocre lap times in the 3.8 is self-preservation and no cage.

Jesse has really mastered Laguna. The last time I saw his data, he was just about flawless. A Viper "hard core" was fully built up and turning 1:35's on Hoosiers. The new Viper, grotesque to my eye, is a brutal thing, but clearly very effective at the intended purpose. I'd rather wait for the Vette.
I wasn't suggesting anything "amiss" with the Corsas, just that Pirelli could well have a new compound purpose built to manage the weight and torque of the Vipe. The thing I dislike about the Corsa is not their peak, it's that they're so peaky. They're fine for these time-trial sort of "out lap, hot lap, cool down" but I'd like to think they've produced a new compound that can find a good temperature and stay there without going greasy.

My apology- his 4.0 time was 1:33.1. On 265/345-19" R6? Need more coffee, thank you for the corrections!

I never took my ex 4.0 to LS, had the Akrapovic full system on it from day one so would never pass sound there. Besides, I am slow as a turtle at LS.

Yes very impressive and a great looking car. However keep in mind it was Randy Pobst driving and none of us here are at his level.

I think it looks OK.

For setup it needed to go to finishing school to make it lap that fast first.
And only 33 available so far.

So, it's still getting tweaked and its probably a good idea to wait for the second years edition of their Time Attack model.

Looks like they are trying hard, I like the direction they took the car and left it a real drivers car.
Just not sure it will be worth that much more than the Z51 C7 Corvette that is supposedly track ready and will cost around $65K. They are driving that car all over European and US tracks at the moment, so hopefully the C7 Z51 will be good out of the box.

Jesse has titanium balls
damn cgt fast
I only mustered a lowly 1:38:008 at LS with rs3.8 on 9HC r6
let see....my excuse is..... I need big rabbit like carerragt

Noted and agreed, however I don't see any reason some of the talent here couldn't get within a second or two of him driving for a mag test. Randy only gets to do a few laps in each car, and secondly he pushes it, but I doubt he's driving like he does for World Challenge qualifying.

I bet he drives closer to how he does at DE's when he coaches and hops in anyone's car who asks. We see him a lot in the SE at various track events and he's driven a few guys that post here's cars. Very fast times, but not unobtanium. SRT's engineer ran a faster time in the last ACR (1:33 vs 1:35).

Vipers hold value much better than Corvettes and have better motors. GM will produce and sell as many Corvette's as possible and dilute the market. They will sell for premium at first and then with rebates after a year or two. And early adopter would have the benefit of warranty, but just make sure you don't get caught out with their void warranty track policy.

Yep agreed...he can adjust to a new car quickly and get it right at the edge.