Completely different indeed...one's quiet and stealthy while the Viper is loud and screams for attention (must love the attention and getting your pic/video taken to own this car). Of all the cars I've purchased, never did I ever buy one without test-driving. Viper was the first and I'm glad the dealer was adamant because mine came with only 2 miles and was sitting in the showroom on an SRT mat (like what you see at a car show). I took a huge risk as I had no idea how the car drove...especially when you lay down a 6-figure check (only test-driven previous generation Vipers). I must say I was very pleasantly surprised as the car was much more comfortable to drive (especially on longer trips). The clutch was lighter, touch screen UI was friendlier and the euro styling interior and Sabelt leather seats were beyond what words can describe. However, the raw beast was still within waiting to be unleashed but it will require a great deal of focus and attention. Even with traction control enabled, you still need to focus and work to drive it fast. Furthermore, the steering response was just lightning quick and second to none.
I also have a 2014 Nissan GT-R and I must say Godzilla makes me a much better driver (with the driving aids) and I'm not afraid to push it hard...typically without much effort. On the Viper, I enjoy the primal and manual operation as I need to stay sharp and focused to drive it fast.
...however, I must declare and defend that Godzilla is in no manner a boring car as a 0 to 60 launch in 2.8s is nothing short of an adrenaline rush...especially when you can run with the Ninja sports bikes
To sum it up, I take the GT-R to work and have no problem sitting in bumper to bumper traffic (comfortable and relaxed with the DCT tranny). The Viper I take out on the weekends on open roads and blast through the silence.
Hope to meet up with some of the local folks soon...plan to head to the next local cars and coffee at the Blackhawk car museum.
