Sanjeevan

996tt xd50 with a 13.5 sec beat Viper SRT-10, Murcielago, Saleen S7, 575M Maranello, E55 AMG, SL55AMG and RS 6. Impressive, hope the 997 can keep it up

Jeeva
03 c4s

Bill S.

That's just with the cars R&T could get this time. Remember R&T's test in November 2000:

Stock 996 Turbo: 13.62
Ruf 993 Turbo R: 13.07
Lamborgini Diablo GT: 13.35

I'm sure Ruf's 996 R Turbo 550 HP will break 13 (i.e., 0-100 in 7.1 seconds and 5 seconds to stop).

Sanjeevan

"It is the fastest production car R&T has ever tested". The same issue has the Enzo at 11.7 only 0.2 sec. slower than the 94 kawasaki ZX-9R.

Bill S.

Don't believe everything you read. What they really mean is "This is the fastest showroom stock production car from 0-100-0 within a reasonable price that R&T has tested specifically for a 0-100-0 magazine article"). There are many other tests R&T has done. The November 2000 issue is a perfect example. There are also many other articles with faster cars. I'm even sure the GT2 is faster. They just don't fall within what they really mean.

In my opinion, I don't think Porsche would be happy with R&T if they said a GT2, an old Diablo, a McLaren, several Ruf's, and some old cars tested back in 1988 were faster. Their trying to help move the 996 TTs. R&T just conveniently chose a marketing statement and a set of cars that would make this happen.

Also, it's my guess that if you meet a new Viper in a 996 TT X50, you'll probably lose the race, starting at any speed over 30 MPH (I know, I've raced several). That would be disappointing, knowing your car was "the fastest production car R&T has ever tested".

sharkster

I have a few pals with Vipers and one thing's for sure, just like most Viper owners, the car is rarely stock. Stock for stock, I think it would be close but I could see it going either way....

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Bill S.:
<strong>Don't believe everything you read. What they really mean is "This is the fastest showroom stock production car from 0-100-0 within a reasonable price that R&T has tested specifically for a 0-100-0 magazine article"). There are many other tests R&T has done. The November 2000 issue is a perfect example. There are also many other articles with faster cars. I'm even sure the GT2 is faster. They just don't fall within what they really mean.

In my opinion, I don't think Porsche would be happy with R&T if they said a GT2, an old Diablo, a McClaren, several Ruf's, and some old cars tested back in 1988 were faster. Their trying to help move the 996 TTs. R&T just conveniently choose a marketing statement and a set of cars that would make this happen.

Also, it's my guess that if you meet a new Viper in a 996 TT X50, you'll probably lose the race, starting at any speed over 30 MPH (I know, I've raced several). That would be disappointing, knowing your car was "the fastest production car R&T has ever tested".</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">

blitz951

Bill S.,
What do you mean when you say R&T is helping to move the 996TT along? Is Porsche having a tough time selling them? Does anyone else know the answer to this question?

Hamann7

Bill, I seriously doubt a new Viper (stock) would beat your Turbo R.

I do agree with your analysis.

Bill S.

Here's what I know:

1. A 993 Turbo R is faster than a new Viper and an X50.
2. A 550 HP 996 R Turbo is faster than a 993 Turbo R.
3. An X50 seems slower than a new Viper, although I have not seen an X50 race a new Viper.
4. There appears to be (from cars.com and newspaper ads) many 996TTs for sale, new and pre-owned, many discounted.

So, here's the race, Enzo in the lead:

X50 X50 X50 X50 X50 Viper Viper TurboR RTurbo Enzo

With Mercedes catching up very fast.

By the way, there are MANY sporty cars, owned by quiet people, that are way ahead of the Enzo.

Bentley

There is a lot more to automobile performance than dry pavement straight line driving [and stopping]which Viper owners love to boast. Put the same vehicles in a wet [raining] situation and what happens: Vipers lose miserably. Put the same vehicles in any type of mountain driving and again they under perform. To have the ability to smoke one's tires to impress the public is not worth much. To have an ALL WEATHER PERFORMER such as an X50 is like being in the N.F.L.; not 'Pop Warner' in which children impress themselves.

Bill S.

I'd say that pecking order would be the same for a fast drive up Highway 1 from Hearst Castle to Carmel. That's a pretty good test!

For handling, bottom line is keeping all tires perpindicular to the road surface and size of tire contact patch.

Rain, snow? Who cares. How many people are going to race on a curvy road under these conditions?

BTW, watch the Vipers on the Speed Channel. They usually kill the Porsches.

adrial

Bill,
What series are you talking about? Where do the Vipers kill the Porsches?

Bentley

The comment 'how many people are going to drive on a curvy road under these [wet] conditions' misses the point. They might not drive under those conditions; but they have the ABILITY to do so if they choose. The same idea is apropos about purchasing an X50 because it CAN go 190 miles per hour if they choose; yet most X50 owners will not do so. Many people do buy high end vehicles merely because those cars give them the FREEDOM to drive to the limits if they choose. Such cars are expensive to be sure but then again, poverty is for the poor.

RWO

Bentley,

You need to get educated on Vipers. David Murry ran a 1.39 in a TT, a 1.38 in a GT2 (Panorama) at Road Atlanta. A stock Viper GTS runs a 1.36 (Viper Race series, stock car with race pads only). Vipers are very fast cars, in a straight line and in the corners. In my experience tracking mine, the only weakness the car has is brakes; something they worked to correct with the new car.

As for your "all weather performer" comments, I like having cars without all the safety crap on them; to each his own...

Don't get me wrong, I love my TT and Porsche is my favorite overall car but Vipers are a ton of fun as well.

Roy

Sanjeevan

IMO 0-100-0, is an imporatant aspect of a sports car like 0-60, 1/4 mile, skid pad etc.. I am pretty sure 996tt XD50 may not win in each category, It certainly beat some worthy contenders in this comparision, including viper SRT-10 and many more pricier Feraris and lambos, and that is something to be proud of.
Porsche carrera is now the most popular sports car in America (Stopped the 13 year winning streak for corvette, Autoweek)and may explain the number available for sale.

Bentley

The Viper, although more powerful than a Corvette, has the same liabilities under wet conditions on the street which would render them both losers to a Turbo or an X50: they do not have all-wheel drive nor do they have the weight profile of these Porsche Cars. As, such one can presume a typical sports car driver to be able to utilize all of the cars abilities SAFELY in the Porsche Product rather than the other aforementioned vehicles. One can opt to not have any safety features on the vehicle he drives. If he is carried away in an ambulance [if he is lucky] he may wish he had thought the matter of non-track driving equipment more thoroughly.
It is interesting to think that Robert Lutz nixed all-wheel capability for the Viper due to added cost; the same reason General Motors has not gone to it. When the Viper was being designed, Chrysler estimated the added vehicle cost to be less than $700 per Viper; and this was too much?