Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the "RING".

[Inferno]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I like the viper for it's appearance, and the fact that it can back up it's looks, with it's power and tourque. I have no problem telling you I bought my gts because I love the looks, if not I would have bought the new Z.

This is confusing to me. You bought the Viper "for it's appearance, and the fact that it can back up it's looks, with it's power and tourque."

And then you say you would have bought a Z06 but you bought the GTS because of it's looks.

We all like the GTS looks, but how purdy would it have been if it came with a 4-******?

I totally agree, I just recently bought my viper a couple months ago. All I'm saying, is appearance and looks factored into my decision, that doesn't make me a "poser". I could have chose an srt10, or waited for the new Z if I wanted better performance. I chose the gts because I personally like the look of the car. If the gts had a 4-******, you are right, I may not have bought it, but I still choose the gts over better performing cars, because of it's appearance. Get it?

 

[GR8_ASP]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Just read the article. They did not mention that it was the blue devil so it should be assumed that it was not. It also never said it was stock either. Hmmm. But it did state that GM spent 2 weeks testing it there and finding the optimum tire, spring, shock combination (now that does not sound like stock to me). And that the pro driver, well accustomed to the Ring, took 4 laps with the fourth being the best. Note they rented the track for a whole hour so there was no other traffic. It was also at 7:00 in the morning so the earlier comment about hot weather reducing hp is pure bunk.

But give kudos to GM for spending the time and energy to do something that will gain them worldwide notoriety and attention for years to come. Probably not more effort than say a week long one lap event that gained 20 minutes of fame for a car that no one will consider as a sports car (i.e. 300C).

 

[ViperLB]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I recently got the privilege of riding in a new Z06. I was in Bowling Green (where all corvettes are made) two weeks ago and followed one into a restaurant and talked to the drivers. They were two really high up executives for GM and were really nice people.

The car is a beast. They took me on some short sprints around the block and the car just flies. Plus, it has all the nice creature comforts so you can daily drive this car with ease on Friday, then out run Vipers at the track on Saturday. I was thoroughly impressed with the car. It looks much, much better in person with a wider stance than the stock C6.

I begged and begged to drive the car personally, but they wouldn’t give me a chance. This is the 1st car in a long time (in my price range) that had me drooling.

It doesn’t have the mystique and draw of a Viper yet, but it certainly hits a home run performance wise and it looks great to me.

Here is one of the pictures I took.

You must be registered for see images

 

[Jim Hodel]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Personally, I'm more concerned with how fast I am in my Viper at local race tracks then how fast Jan Magnussen or Walter Rohl are in a Corvette or Porshce at the N-Ring.

I pretty much need to keep working on my own driving and vehicle setup....

Jim

 

[PDCjonny]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

It doesn’t have the mystique and draw of a Viper yet, but it certainly hits a home run performance wise and it looks great to me.

Damn, that car is beautiful in black....

 

[Viperfreak2]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Does it have front parking sensors along with all its' other 'comforts'? It's really close to that curb!

 

[ViperLB]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Does it have front parking sensors along with all its' other 'comforts'? It's really close to that curb!

It should have! It was a few inches from hitting it. I think they are a few inches lower than a stock C6 (at least they look that way to me in person). Reminds me when I have to park my Viper, because I'm always giving myself a 2-3 safety cushion just in case.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

It is amazing how many people can turn a blind eye to something new and better than what they already have and probably paid a lot for too. I figured I would get and did get a lot of replies like: this must be the 600hp version ZO6 or the GTS must have been a 400hp euro version, or they ran the vette in the AM with 60 deg. temp and the rest in the PM when its hot, etc.etc. At least one member admitted he has a dinosaur rt/10 that he is keeping as it USE TO BE the king. And he should be proud of that car-but dont run it against the new Z !! I cant wait to see what DC does on the last day of VOI 9 when they try to pump us up with smashing a Vette in the parking lot. It will have to be a C5 or C6 standard model. I love my GTS but am still ordering a new Z instead of the Coupe: In Le mans/ ALMS WINNING yellow with the optional xtra large rear view mirror to hold all the visions of the so called Performance cars out there.

 

[Russ M]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Won,

Please read some of the other replies before you go insulting everyone on the viper forums. The times recorded by the GTS/SRT cannot be compared to the factory backed testing of the z06. Do you really believe that normal c6's/many BMW's/normal 996's/c5 z06's/etc/etc/etc... are faster than any viper on any track? Why dont you wait and see what actual track times are when the car comes out.

Viper is still king of american production cars south of 100k, the z06 has not been released yet. And even when it does get released I would be willing to bet its supremacy of an SRT at the track will be driver based. With equal drivers boths cars will be very equal in most performance catagories.

Another interesting note is that my Viper new cost about the same as the z06, maybe a few grand more. And while I agree with you the z06 may have a nice cup holder and automatic ac, it still has a problem with looking like a vet. If you think people will know what it is you are wrong, just ask you average 996 turbo owner if anyone but a car nut even gives that car a second look. And those cars look considerably different than normal 996's.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

It is amazing how many people can turn a blind eye to something new and better than what they already have and probably paid a lot for too. I figured I would get and did get a lot of replies like: this must be the 600hp version ZO6 or the GTS must have been a 400hp euro version, or they ran the vette in the AM with 60 deg. temp and the rest in the PM when its hot, etc.etc. At least one member admitted he has a dinosaur rt/10 that he is keeping as it USE TO BE the king. And he should be proud of that car-but dont run it against the new Z !! I cant wait to see what DC does on the last day of VOI 9 when they try to pump us up with smashing a Vette in the parking lot. It will have to be a C5 or C6 standard model. I love my GTS but am still ordering a new Z instead of the Coupe: In Le mans/ ALMS WINNING yellow with the optional xtra large rear view mirror to hold all the visions of the so called Performance cars out there.

Congratulations, order it, it will be a great car. But the article you cited has no relationship to the real world to anyone not looking through glasses with bow ties stamped on them. Just the smallest smidge of cynicism would cause anyone with some knowledge of what makes the world go round to question the unknown factors here. Forget the comments about what time of day, the GTS looks better, etc. Forget what the SRT might do. Concentrate on the obvious.

1. The GTS cited probably would have been a privateer, maybe euro spec 400hp, maybe he was just there on a track day, have any events with full bore Vipers even been run at the ring? I don't know. So no credence to that time. ESPECIALLY AS THE VIPER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE TRACK ALONE FOR 4 LAPS TO RUN THE PERFECT TIME. NOR WOULD MANY OF THE OTHER CARS CITED.
2. This was a full out one week factory effort by the same race guys that won their class at LeMans.
3. The driver was a top tier pro with extensive knowledge of the track.
4. Tires, tire testing, one week, tires, tires, tires.
5. The driver was obviously going 10/10's ++ Maybe even over the top.
6. THE CAR LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE PICS OF THE BLUE DEVIL 700HP
7. There are no stipulations that the car was NOT the blue devil, indeed there were no stipulations that the car was stock. Ergo, and based on many tricks played previously by the auto manufacturers, the car was probably a ringer.

So buy the Z, everyone knows it will be a great car, no argument. That black car looks awesome. Just don't bore us with this wonderful pr stunt GM just pulled off. The car you will buy will have as much in common with the car that ran the ring as my GTS has with an Oreca car.

 

[SNKBITN]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Just to clear things up:

The corvette in the pictures on the Z06vette forum site is definitely the Blue devil corvette that was supertweaked specifically for the track. Here are some more pictures of the Blue devil for comparison:

http://www.americancarfans.com/spyphotos.cfm/spyphotoid/6050701.001

Nuff said

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Won,

Please read some of the other replies before you go insulting everyone on the viper forums. The times recorded by the GTS/SRT cannot be compared to the factory backed testing of the z06. Do you really believe that normal c6's/many BMW's/normal 996's/c5 z06's/etc/etc/etc... are faster than any viper on any track? Why dont you wait and see what actual track times are when the car comes out.

Viper is still king of american production cars south of 100k, the z06 has not been released yet. And even when it does get released I would be willing to bet its supremacy of an SRT at the track will be driver based. With equal drivers boths cars will be very equal in most performance catagories.

Another interesting note is that my Viper new cost about the same as the z06, maybe a few grand more. And while I agree with you the z06 may have a nice cup holder and automatic ac, it still has a problem with looking like a vet. If you think people will know what it is you are wrong, just ask you average 996 turbo owner if anyone but a car nut even gives that car a second look. And those cars look considerably different than normal 996's.

When the actual track times come out and if they show faster times than the viper, are you going to fess up to these remarks and admit I was right?? But please dont say the run figures were inflated, biased or some other excuse for the quick times?? And IF the Z is slower, I WILL be the first to fess up. No ego or bs on my part. I call it as I see it--may the best car win--Check out the actual car when you can, no pictures do it justice as it is far more exotic in and out than the run of the mill boring vette.

 

[Viperfreak2]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I think you're right. A blue Z06 with blacked out wheels is 'heard' going around the ring and people who hear it say the sound could only come from a supercharger. Then this 7.42 number pops up with the same car in the picture. If it was the standard Z06 like the driver said, why the blacked out wheels? GM released the Z06 press photos months ago. No need for secrets.

 

[Heysie]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

The times on the Ring for the Vipers are made by the German car magazine Sport AUTO. They also rent the track, so there will be no other cars on it.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

The times on the Ring for the Vipers are made by the German car magazine Sport AUTO. They also rent the track, so there will be no other cars on it.

Sooooo, I think we can assume the driver of the GTS was NOT the winner of LeMans one week earlier? As the Vette driver was. Those times for all those cars were done by German auto journalists? That explains a LOT! Full factory backed race team and tire experts and the guy who won LeMans in a C6R a week before driving vs. auto journalists, nuff said. Typical Motor Trend type reporting if I may add.

 

[WCKDVPR]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

The Viper in question was tested by Auto Sport Magazine with the magazine's chief editor as the driver. The test was run on a Eurospec Viper GTS on 10-1-97. From the official Nurburgring website:

Horst von Saurma (D) Chrysler Viper GTS, 411 PS, 1567 kg
1997-10-01, sport auto Supertest
20.000 km 151.347 km/h 8 10 000

http://20832.com/?rubrik=rekorde&lang=eng

So we have a pre-production 2006 Z06 with Jan Magnussen, ex-F1 driver and now a factory Corvette team driver, driving the Z06 at/over the limit specifically to break the record ("I couldn´t have driven one single lap more. I wouldn´t have liked to drive a single meter (3 feet) more with myself at the wheel at that speed", Jan finishes.) in the morning hours on a given day/track conditions in 2005 versus a production 1996 or 1997 GTS, pre-ABS, Euro HP (much lower than U.S. Spec) with some car magazine editor at the wheel on some day/conditions in 1997.

Tough to call that a fair comaprison.

That being said, the new Z06 should really be one heck of a car and if DC doesn't get their feces together and spend some money, the Viper is going the way of the dodo bird. Of course in my personal opinion, it kind of went that way when they tried to make it look like the vette (Gen III).

Regards,

 

[silverz06vette]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Johnny O'Connell was at a dinner that the posse had here in Atlanta a few weeks ago. He was talking about the C6 Z06, which he had drove at VIR. Someone asked him what his laptimes where. He said "I have drove a stock 04 Z06 (stock tires too) to a 2:08, said he could not tell the time of the C6 Z06 but it was much faster then the C5 Z06 around VIR.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I'm sorry, I have to......

Thank you so much for coming here and telling us about the posse and the dinner and your buddy Johnny and all that he had drove. But without laptimes to back it up and not knowing what he had drove before and in what class he drove and certainly not knowing the lap times of the C6 that he had drove I don't know what you have added to the message that you had brung here.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

He said "I have drove a stock 04 Z06 (stock tires too) to a 2:08, said he could not tell the time of the C6 Z06 but it was much faster then the C5 Z06 around VIR.

Must've been the short course.

 

[vipersrt10]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I read the article, i think the GM guys took 2 or 3 days to set up the Z06 before the test driver got there, it wasnt a box stock Z06 obviously

 

[GR8_ASP]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I read the article, i think the GM guys took 2 or 3 days to set up the Z06 before the test driver got there, it wasnt a box stock Z06 obviously

The article said 2 weeks.

 

[silverz06vette]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I'm sorry, I have to......

Thank you so much for coming here and telling us about the posse and the dinner and your buddy Johnny and all that he had drove. But without laptimes to back it up and not knowing what he had drove before and in what class he drove and certainly not knowing the lap times of the C6 that he had drove I don't know what you have added to the message that you had brung here.

Well smarty pants, All I was trying to add was that he said the C6 Z06 was "much faster" at VIR then the C5 Z06. "Much faster" those where his words.

What do you mean by class? I think he drives in GT1 class and his normal track car is a little far from stock: http://www.johnnyoconnell.com/

 

[silverz06vette]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

He said "I have drove a stock 04 Z06 (stock tires too) to a 2:08, said he could not tell the time of the C6 Z06 but it was much faster then the C5 Z06 around VIR.

Must've been the short course.

Now now Charles. If my slow-ashe can do a 2:13.1 at VIR on Kuhmo 710s, I'm sure that Johnny O can run a 2:08 w/ stock tires. Another one of the Z06 guys ran a 2:11 up there with same tires as me. Did you get into the 2:15s? Thats moving pretty darn good with street tires.

I was checking out some of your videos. Noticed the one from Road Atlanta. How in the hell did you not hit any of the walls coming down for T12? I about shat myself watching.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I was checking out some of your videos. Noticed the one from Road Atlanta. How in the hell did you not hit any of the walls coming down for T12?

LOL Don't drive so fast.

That was six years ago when I was still driving the car to the track. Believe it or not, the only that went through my mind was, "how am I going to get this thing back to Tampa?" Luckily I didn't hit anything. Later that year I slapped a tire wall at Sebring. Bought a trailer before the next event.

 

[silverz06vette]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

I was checking out some of your videos. Noticed the one from Road Atlanta. How in the hell did you not hit any of the walls coming down for T12?

LOL Don't drive so fast.

That was six years ago when I was still driving the car to the track. Believe it or not, the only that went through my mind was, "how am I going to get this thing back to Tampa?" Luckily I didn't hit anything. Later that year I slapped a tire wall at Sebring. Bought a trailer before the next event.

At least it was a tire wall and not a nice concrete wall like most of them at Road Atlanta.

I hope to get back to Road Atlanta later this year. Its my "home track", but I've only been to Sebring and VIR with you guys.

 

[agentf1]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Just to clear up a few things the blue Z06 with black wheels at the ring was NOT the Blue Devil and the car has been released and people are starting to see them on the street. There are a few people posting on the CF that have or saw cars without manuf tags, they are also in alot of chevrolet dealers showrooms. I know Kerbeck just took delivery of 3 of them, not sure where they are going, showroom or customers, probably personal cars for the Kerbecks.

I hate to say it but some of you guys are starting to sound like Mustang guys with all the crying, mine more exclusive, vette ran in the AM, they tweaked it etc etc. At 505 HP I would have to say it is a drivers race. Personally I would be happy with either one, Viper or Z06. Now if the IT market would turn around so I could upgrade to one of them I would be really happy.

 

[Janni]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

The major auto mags are reporting that the Ring was being run by the HIGHLY modified Blue Devil - as quoted in September's Road and Track:

"Anyone who heard it hammering around the Nurburgring said the sound could only come from a supercharger. If the car sees production in 2006, figure on about 600 bhp and a $100,000 price tag."

So - until I hear otherwise....

 

[PDCjonny]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

Good, glad it's finally out on the street so the bench jockeying can stop and real world track times by real world drivers can be established. Then we'll see if it's all that.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

CORVETTE MAGAZINE, which arrived yesterday says it WAS the Blue Devil. I quote....." A spy shooter has put Chevy's continuing denials of a super vette in doubt. Photog Bernd Rauh recently captured this machine undergoing testing at the Ring with Jan Magnussen at the wheel. Code named Blue Devil, it is rumored o have extensive carbon-fiber bodywork to lower the weight under 3000 lbs and 600 or more horses from a blown LS7 spinoff. The test car just looked like a blue Z06, BUT THE LAP TIMES TOLD A DIFFERENT STORY. If the program were to see production, a low six figure MSRP would seem likely."

So according to Corvette Magazine, that WAS the Blue Devil, all carbon fiber and 600 + hp. And as Janni says Road and Track caught it also. Only Motor Trend, the least accurate and most sensational, and most prone to bad predictions, did not catch it. Kudos to Chevy for pulling this stunt off.

 

[PDCjonny]

Re: Hey DC, the GTS just got its butt kicked at the

That's pretty pathetic if they have to run a mule around the Ring balls out driving and then try to misrepresent it as a stock Z06. Can that possibly be true?