Information from Chrysler on 2015 Viper

[FLL-B/W-GTS]

The Gen.5 TA Vipers are the baddest/best Vipers ever made.Period..SRT and the greedy dealers wounded the Snake very bad..Dodge can fix this situation,but the Snake needs to be completely brought up to todays HP Cars standards,not just wings,paint and a 5Hp Bump..This is insulting....

 

[pathoguy]

The continuous bashing of the Gen V by some allegedly loyal members of the Viper Nation is very suspicious to me. I doubt their motives and their loyalty.

Loyalty?????????? Where was dodge's or Fiat's or whomever loyalty when they ditched the long-standing viper crowd to ****** a higher tier audience with $120-140+ vipers. Well that was an epic fail and I wonder how some owners that paid the elevated price of admission feel about it now, with such steep discounts available. I paid $20k below sticker and that was about 7 months ago. I love vipers, on my third but I have no loyalty to any brand. I bought it because I preferred it to other choices in that price range, at that time.

 

[PDCjonny]

For those of you who "feel" the Gen V design is not good enough I suggest that you drive a black TA around for a day or two. Why? Because you do not have a clue as to what you are talking about. People go nuts over the car. But, more than 50% say " I did not know they make the Viper any more." The issue is not the design. It was piss poor marketing after the initial launch in New York. That is why people still do not know the car is even being made.

The new Vette design is hideous compared to the last design and far below the design integrity of the Gen V. Too edgy. Conflicting front and rear design elements. Cheap looking aero on the upcoming Z06, etc. The car is a design abortion. Iwill get stale very quickly.

Those who think the Gen II and the Gen V look too much alike need to actually see the cars side by side and from the front and back. Are there some similar design cues? Yes. But they are very different cars. The whole argument about a radical design change being needed is pure unadulterated BS. Look what Porsche has done with the 911 since the 1960s. The basic design is the same. It has been carefully evolved by Porsche. The same can be said for Aston Martin and the Mercedes coupe.

The continuous bashing of the Gen V by some allegedly loyal members of the Viper Nation is very suspicious to me. I doubt their motives and their loyalty.

Laughable post filled with nothing but your opinion and what you want to believe.
They'll sell every C7 Z06 they make at inflated prices and have a waiting list waiting to pay.
Yea, that hideous design that will be so stale. As the Gen V sells virtually single digits a month and costs LESS.
Good lord what does that tell you?

 

[sunsalem]

Yeah, but at some point, you're going to have to go back to the dealer for service, at least if your Viper is anything like the two I owned. Then you're back to steve e's point, except now you get to deal with the incompetence in the service department instead of the sales department.

True.

The reality is that most Dodge dealers have no business selling nor servicing a $100k+ vehicle. That's not to say that there aren't a few dealers who CAN do so, but they are the exception, not the norm.

Sadly, I have to agree....

It will be, but it won't be much faster than the Viper around a track or in a straight line. It's too porky.

Averaging the SRT & GTS and you get somewhere around 3,400.

The Z06 Coupe is 3,524 lbs., Convertible is 3,582

When I have time I will tell you guys some of the stories on my Dealer experience they are unbelievable.

If I had time, I would tell you guys stories of my dealings with ALL 3 American manufacturers car dealers....

Because of my experienes when I go to a dealer now to buy a new car, I am spitting fire out of my nose.
Most salespeople who see me coming usually walk the other way....

100% agree. They stuck way too close to the gen2 car in styling. And I think the gen5 is the best looking Viper, but they should have evolved the car styling wise, not go backwards nearly 2 decades.

I love my G2 and do think the G5 is the best yet, but, like you say, they should have went for something more modern.

OTOH, how long have people been saying that about the 911?

 

[sunsalem]

.

The continuous bashing of the Gen V by some allegedly loyal members of the Viper Nation is very suspicious to me. I doubt their motives and their loyalty.

Bob, with all due respect, that's a cheapshot.

I don't see anyone posting here who doesn't love Vipers.
Are you forgetting Viper Nation is made up of passionate guys?

The Viper is in trouble going forward and we are discussing the subject out of our love for the car.

I won't say an apology is in order, but....

 

[FrankBarba]

Bob...Where and who do you suggest we go to drive around in a Black TA for a few days to get a feel for the
Greatest Viper of All Time ?

 

[Bobpantax]

It's not a cheap shot at all. Bashing the Gen V is not discussing the Gen V. I measure "passion" by dollars spent buying a Gen V. The rest is keyboard strokes and air over vocal cords. I have been posting here for 14 years. The strident Gen V bashing that some post here is unprecedented and inappropriate. Whether it is intended to hurt sales or not, it certainly cannot have a favorable effect on sales. Also keep in mind that Internet marketing and negative marketing on social media are very sophisticated today. It is well known that auto manufacturers have schills on sites pimping their product and bad mouthing other product. The amount of "why not buy a Vette" type posts that we see on this site suggests some of that is going on here.

The Gen V is a fabulous car whose peak performance is far beyond the ability of most drivers. Not because the car is difficult but because their skill set is not good enough. Those who get the car to cruise in and acknowledge that they do not need or desire to utilize the full potential are great people and a very important part of the Viper Nation. Those who really just do not have the skill set and then bad mouth the car because it does not drive itself are, at best, posers.

Bob, with all due respect, that's a cheapshot.

I don't see anyone posting here who doesn't love Vipers.
Are you forgetting Viper Nation is made up of passionate guys?

The Viper is in trouble going forward and we are discussing the subject out of our love for the car.

I won't say an apology is in order, but....

 

[Bobpantax]

Maybe Bruce will give you a ride. Or, if you are going to be down here, PM me and I will give you a ride. I might even let you drive because I know you have an exceptional driving skill set.

Bob...Where and who do you suggest we go to drive around in a Black TA for a few days to get a feel for the
Greatest Viper of All Time ?

 

[Stealth]

Generally, I suspect that the whiners have not aggressively driven a Gen V and are just angry that the car costs more than $100k. Such is life. The Viper is not, and never has been, a bargain-basement sportscar. The Gen IV ACR was what, $115k or so?

There are unbelievable deals out there for a vastly improved, awesome looking car, so those complaining should consider ponying up to buy the car or just move on and buy another car (Dealers will sell you a TTS Porsche, Nissan GTR or Z06--no problem). If you really do like the Viper, then you can buy a Gen V new at great discounts or buy lightly used. You will likely be able to add a Mopar PCM and Supercharger and other goodies soon if you like as long as you pay for it.

I wish my 2014 Yellow/Black Stripes GTS with Advanced Aero, Exterior Carbon Fiber, Laguna Leather and Corsas was $80k but that was not the case and I negotiated for months on 6 different cars. I also just purchased mid-July of 2014 so I was dealing in the current market. I received an extremely fair deal and have no regrets thus far, but it was not the price of a new C7 or Camaro Z28. As with most things in life, if you want to play, you must pay. This is a HALO car!

If Dodge produces an OEM 800hp Viper you can bet it will not be at a pricepoint that satisfies the bashers. $160k--$175k+????

Further, I suspect that few on this or any other boards could effectively use all of the current OEM 645hp/600trq on a road course. I have experience on the track in several high horsepower sportscars and a 1000cc tuned Liter Bike and I can tell you the Gen V with its current gearing is fast and you will run out of ability, grip, downforce, etc. before you will be short on power. This of course does not address those standing mile fans who want to hit 200mph in the mile.

So let's have a little less whining and a little more support of Dodge for making such a magnificient machine!

 

[Bobpantax]

Right on!!

 

[Bryan Savage]

Yeah, so not that I'm regretting it, but I would really like one of the new TA 2.0s in Competition Blue.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

And now that the numbers are released for production cars, once again, every model is a "special" one. They're only making 32 each of Competition Blue, Venom Black, and this new "Yorange" colour... making my TA Orange TA 1.0... well, the most common TA there is.

Boo.

http://www.torquenews.com/106/2015-dodge-viper-gets-new-colors-new-aero-and-new-trimline-unique-images


Screw you guys, I'm buying the wing and putting BOTH wings on my TA!!! And gimme those canards too!!! YARRRGH

 

[eachey51]

Brian, like i told u at Carlisle; your TA will always be special! Its got a special place in me if that helps! Thanks again for letting me sit in it

 

[PatentLaw]

It's not a cheap shot at all. Bashing the Gen V is not discussing the Gen V. I measure "passion" by dollars spent buying a Gen V. The rest is keyboard strokes and air over vocal cords. I have been posting here for 14 years. The strident Gen V bashing that some post here is unprecedented and inappropriate. Whether it is intended to hurt sales or not, it certainly cannot have a favorable effect on sales. Also keep in mind that Internet marketing and negative marketing on social media are very sophisticated today. It is well known that auto manufacturers have schills on sites pimping their product and bad mouthing other product. The amount of "why not buy a Vette" type posts that we see on this site suggests some of that is going on here.

The Gen V is a fabulous car whose peak performance is far beyond the ability of most drivers. Not because the car is difficult but because their skill set is not good enough. Those who get the car to cruise in and acknowledge that they do not need or desire to utilize the full potential are great people and a very important part of the Viper Nation. Those who really just do not have the skill set and then bad mouth the car because it does not drive itself are, at best, posers.

Then, by your own admission, 95% of Viper owners are not passionate because they do not own a Gen V. We are all just keyboard tappers. Such an endearing statement.

Fortunately, most of us do not measure ourselves by those standards.

This "bashing", as you call it, has been going on for years. You are just on the other side of the coin because you feel the need to continually justify your purchase. There were years when certain owners (a significant minority) wanted the highest technology Viper possible. Those owners were shouted down as not being "purists". No creature comforts were needed. It was all about ego and trying to be macho in front of everyone else. Ironically, those who were most vocal do not even post on a Viper website (either one) anymore. Now, the calls for change are different. The posts relate to higher technology and that the car specifically needs more technology in the engine compartment.

The free exchange of information is a positive for the Viper, whether you believe it or not. If Dodge had listened to the minority years ago, perhaps the current car would be different.

 

[sunsalem]

It's not a cheap shot at all. Bashing the Gen V is not discussing the Gen V. I measure "passion" by dollars spent buying a Gen V. The rest is keyboard strokes and air over vocal cords. I have been posting here for 14 years. The strident Gen V bashing that some post here is unprecedented and inappropriate. Whether it is intended to hurt sales or not, it certainly cannot have a favorable effect on sales. Also keep in mind that Internet marketing and negative marketing on social media are very sophisticated today. It is well known that auto manufacturers have schills on sites pimping their product and bad mouthing other product. The amount of "why not buy a Vette" type posts that we see on this site suggests some of that is going on here.

The Gen V is a fabulous car whose peak performance is far beyond the ability of most drivers. Not because the car is difficult but because their skill set is not good enough. Those who get the car to cruise in and acknowledge that they do not need or desire to utilize the full potential are great people and a very important part of the Viper Nation. Those who really just do not have the skill set and then bad mouth the car because it does not drive itself are, at best, posers.

I gotta give you credit...you don't shrink away from doubling down on the name-calling and insults.

I could respond to every single thing in your post.
However, in the interest of forum etiquette, I'll refrain.

If this thread discussion is distressing to you, I invite you to disengage and ignore it.

 

[Free2go]

Then, by your own admission, 95% of Viper owners are not passionate because they do not own a Gen V. We are all just keyboard tappers. Such an endearing statement.

Fortunately, most of us do not measure ourselves by those standards.

This "bashing", as you call it, has been going on for years. You are just on the other side of the coin because you feel the need to continually justify your purchase. There were years when certain owners (a significant minority) wanted the highest technology Viper possible. Those owners were shouted down as not being "purists". No creature comforts were needed. It was all about ego and trying to be macho in front of everyone else. Ironically, those who were most vocal do not even post on a Viper website (either one) anymore. Now, the calls for change are different. The posts relate to higher technology and that the car specifically needs more technology in the engine compartment.

The free exchange of information is a positive for the Viper, whether you believe it or not. If Dodge had listened to the minority years ago, perhaps the current car would be different.

I thought I ran you off SugarTank. Looks like your back and as sssspunky as everrr....

 

[Bobpantax]

It is my thread in case you did not notice. You might wish to take your own advice. There is no name calling. Just an accurate description of some Gen V bashers that have been posting since the Gen V first came out. You may not know this since you signed up in July of this year. Those of us who have purchased Gen Vs and know the car; love the car ;and believe the bashing is grossly unfair to the car, the engineers and designers at SRT, Dodge and Chrysler.

It is one thing to preciselyy and legitimately critique and make constructive suggestions based on one's actual expereince with the car. It is another to bash and trash the Gen V when the person posting clearly has not had any significant expereince with the car.

I gotta give you credit...you don't shrink away from doubling down on the name-calling and insults.

I could respond to every single thing in your post.
However, in the interest of forum etiquette, I'll refrain.

If this thread discussion is distressing to you, I invite you to disengage and ignore it.

 

[Bobpantax]

Hi. But you are a keyboard tapper aren't you? I ask because your post indicates that you know little about the Gen V. It has many creature comforts. Few posts are calling for engine tech. Some of the posts are calling for more power out of the existing engine. I agree that an intelligent discussion of the Gen V Viper based on actual experience with the car is a good thing but that is not the type of post that I am referring to and you know that.

Dodge/SRT has shown us what is new for 2015. I think that the data is interesting and I invite thoughtful, precise comments. That was what this thread was intended to attract.

For instance, how much of a time difference do you think the changes to the TA 2.0 will allow? Are the front cannards the same as on the Gen IV ACR? How similar is the wing to the wing on the 2010 Gen IV ACR? If the 5 HP bump in power was just from a different way of measuring HP, what is the one MPG increase in MPG from? Together they suggest a slight recalibration. Correction. I thought about it a bit and the one MPG may be from sixth gear going from .63 to possibly .5.

Then, by your own admission, 95% of Viper owners are not passionate because they do not own a Gen V. We are all just keyboard tappers. Such an endearing statement.

Fortunately, most of us do not measure ourselves by those standards.

This "bashing", as you call it, has been going on for years. You are just on the other side of the coin because you feel the need to continually justify your purchase. There were years when certain owners (a significant minority) wanted the highest technology Viper possible. Those owners were shouted down as not being "purists". No creature comforts were needed. It was all about ego and trying to be macho in front of everyone else. Ironically, those who were most vocal do not even post on a Viper website (either one) anymore. Now, the calls for change are different. The posts relate to higher technology and that the car specifically needs more technology in the engine compartment.

The free exchange of information is a positive for the Viper, whether you believe it or not. If Dodge had listened to the minority years ago, perhaps the current car would be different.

 

[05Commemorative]

Bob, totally agree. At some point, those who have not purchased the car must admit to themselves they either don't have the coin or don't like the car and time to move on. It is a GenV forum, so I would think their would be appreciation and respect for those with EXPERIENCE with the car. Sure, I guess on a keyboard, everyone has bank accounts that allow them to buy what they wish, but in the real word, I see so little of that. I guess also easy to discount someone that purchased the car that "they are defending their decision", but have yet to see any of those buyers regret the purchase.

So, as Bob says, if passionate about the car, go get some experience with it. Either ask someone who does or go get it yourself. Otherwise, why not just start a Gen6 forum and go dream away. SunSalem, I think you would be the perfect candidate to start a Gen6 forum. That way, nobody will have experience with the product and it will be an even playing field for all involved and purely be based on opinion.

It is my thread in case you did not notice. You might wish to take your own advice. There is no name calling. Just an accurate description of some Gen V bashers that have been posting since the Gen V first came out. You may not know this since you signed up in July of this year. Those of us who have purchased Gen Vs and know the car; love the car ;and believe the bashing is grossly unfair to the car, the engineers and designers at SRT, Dodge and Chrysler.

It is one thing to preciselyy and legitimately critique and make constructive suggestions based on one's actual expereince with the car. It is another to bash and trash the Gen V when the person posting clearly has not had any significant expereince with the car.

 

[Free2go]

SunSalem, I think you would be the perfect candidate to start a Gen6 forum. That way, nobody will have experience with the product and it will be an even playing field for all involved and purely be based on opinion.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HChzRB8h6LU

 

[Camfab]

The gen V is stunning, and is the evolution of the favored Gen. The car was designed after the second Gen because Viper enthusiasts asked for it. Like the 911, the Gen II styling is a classic and the Gen V is much better and beautiful evolution of that car. All the car needs is more HP and carbon brakes to satisfy its original audience. End of story........

Bob your car is a beast.

 

[sunsalem]

There is no name calling. Just an accurate description of some Gen V bashers that have been posting since the Gen V first came out.
you are a keyboard tapper aren't you?

Lemme help point you all to the definition of "irony" from Wikipedia:
A statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean something different from, or the opposite of, what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention, often in a humorous context.

It is another to bash and trash the Gen V when the person posting clearly has not had any significant expereince with the car.

Bob, totally agree. At some point, those who have not purchased the car must admit to themselves they either don't have the coin or don't like the car and time to move on. It is a GenV forum, so I would think their would be appreciation and respect for those with EXPERIENCE with the car.

It's important to keep in mind the following: NO ONE here has "experience" with a 2015 G5...because NONE have even been built.

Sure, I guess on a keyboard, everyone has bank accounts that allow them to buy what they wish, but in the real word, I see so little of that.

That's because you believe ONLY your "world" is "real."

I guess also easy to discount someone that purchased the car that "they are defending their decision", but have yet to see any of those buyers regret the purchase.

You may want to rethink this sentence....

Otherwise, why not just start a Gen6 forum and go dream away. SunSalem, I think you would be the perfect candidate to start a Gen6 forum. That way, nobody will have experience with the product and it will be an even playing field for all involved and purely be based on opinion.

Yeah, OK pal.



Bob,

I get it now....only opinions that coincide with yours are welcome.
If you want this thread, excuse me..."YOUR THREAD" to be for fanboism and/or G5 owners only, please change your opening post and make that clear to the rest of us.

AFAIK, this forum is open to all members.
However if the mods ever decide it should not be, then they will need to lock everyone else out so G5 owners won't be disturbed by the posts of non-G5 members.
Needless to say, the other Generation Forums will have to follow suit.
Naturally, "Enthusiasts" will not be welcome.
If that is the way it must be, then I'm fine with it.

 

[Bruce H.]

Maybe Bruce will give you a ride.

I was at the track Monday and Wednesday this week and I get numerous requests every day. It was flattering at first but getting tiring now, especially when you have to say no can do.

Got passed exactly once in two days, and that was by an ACR driven by Fred Roberts who races a Comp Coupe. Car is just stupid fast and it'll be great fun to play with the new Z06. Aero improvements are going to be an advantage to those driving it aggressively at high-speed, but not always to everyone's liking aesthetically. Taller 6th gear will address the drone zone above 2000 rpm when cruising, and I'm sure that's where the higher fuel economy comes from. Modest wing DF improvement is likely done in conjunction with the front aero changes to keep DF balanced front to rear. The Gen IV's may have needed a lot more in the rear to balance them.

Market research for the Gen V indicated that the styling of it was the most important factor to buyers, and power was way down the list. I can see that those who have owned Vipers forever may be tired of the traditional Viper look, but everyone else thinks it looks smoking hot and fresh, the average Joe still has no idea what it is, and Viper definitely needed to expand their appeal beyond their pre-recession demographic.

Sorry to see how this forum has deteriorated over the last couple of months in particular. It's lost the contributions of a lot of experienced owners.

 

[SnakeBitten]

What do some of you owners want? For all of us to just pretend the G5 is NOT a sales failure because the target demographic and most of its own niche do not think its enough car for them to open up THEIR wallets?

When you bring out a product and the masses don't think it is as great as you and the comparitive few that bought it think, what do you do? Keep it the same and market it to only those scant few that bought it and think its great the way it is? Do you only listen to those few that bought your product or do you listen to the constructive criticism from the majority that didnt? If Dodge doesnt listen and change the Viper to what their target demo want in a modern car then the car will die period.

The squeeky wheel gets the lube. Notice the rumored moves Dodge may be going toward with the Viper. SC possibly which lots of us/them have been clamoring for from day one etc and a more potent TA that can beat a ZR1 by more than .01 secs. These are not "bashing" comments but reveal the "perception" those magazine test left on many of the masses and on many in the Vipers own niche crowd. Those things are far more responsible for the lack of sales and the bad image of the Viper than any posters on a forum.

IMHO the G5 is a great car overall just in the wrong era if sales are what you are after. I remember when the G2 GTS came out and many dropped some serious cash to do Venzano interiors, add high-end stereo equipment, add more compliant suspensions etc. They wanted a more livable and obviously more modernized GTS. I think Ralph gave them that and a whole lot more with the G5 and I love that but it is just a few years too late.

I think the looks/lines are nice but not in your face or aggressive like the original GTS was in its era as some have alluded to. Performance-wise it is no question a FAST car in the straights and especially in the twisties. But in this era people are looking for all the bells and whistles for 100k plus not just performance. If the car was outrageous in this era in both looks and performance I think there is no question it would have sold better. You just cant beat a defunct competitor by .1 secs and say your performance is outrageous. The Viper has always been synonymous with outrageous etc. I think they have to wholly reinvent the Viper if they still want to go after that high-end niche and get the majority of the Vipers own niche to get on board. If you are not going to give the target demo what they want then you have to make the thing so outrageous that they will overlook the lack of DCT etc and buy it just to "experience" it. Like I said before if its a halo car it is fine they way it is but if sales are what you are after, and they are, then it has to change. Just my non-bashing two cents.

 

[PDCjonny]

You can rest assured that the Z06 will beat the TA's time at Laguna. GM knows it can already, its handily beat times the ZR1 laid down at other tracks,
It HAS too, it cannot be slower than the ZR1 or perceived a failure. They KNOW that.
At that point, with all the praise and publicity it will gather the final nail will be struck.
The Viper will need a complete redo, looks and power wise to compete. Or its over.

 

[pathoguy]

Most of the criticism is towards the marketing/sales and not the car. That is certainly the case for me. I drove it to work this morning (50%+ commute vehicle) in light traffic and at or slightly under the posted speed limits. Enjoyed every mile.

The Gen V is a fabulous car whose peak performance is far beyond the ability of most drivers

Agree on both points. I am sometimes reminded by the merciful supervision of traction control, that 640 hp resides beneath the hood. The 640 hp does not care how much or how little you use of that number, and pays no mind to the driver's skill level, but it's always there. That is the beauty of this Gen 5. It's a thorough joy to drive even as a commute vehicle. The Gen 2 and 3 that I owned were not as easy to drive, less patient, less forgiving.

 

[Bobpantax]

It can be safely assumed that the 2015 TA 2.0, with its 400 pounds of down force, will beat its logical 2015 competitor(s) at Leguna Seca and at some other road course venues. Dodge SRT does know how to test.

 

[sunsalem]

Bob, now that I have had some time to thing about it, if you want me to stay off "your thread," I will.
I am not interesting in antagonizing you or anyone else.
However, just so you know, you and every other member will ALWAYS be welcome on any thread I start.

 

[05Commemorative]

You got the response you did because you asked someone to not participate in a post they had started... You love to start and post comments on "what could or should be" for the future, but not much about what is. Bob was right, you never asked how much the additional downforce would improve its track time or really how any of the '15 changes would have an impact? That is fine, you don't operate that way, instead more interested in big future changes. Heck, you even admitted to not liking much about the Gen5 design besides the aston martin taillights and interior. Again, fine but that alone tells everyone you are not a future Gen5 owner, which is ok. But come to grips with that fact and state your intentions are for a big change for a future model. A Gen6, thus why I was serious and not trying to be a **** when I said start a Gen6 forum. It would allow everyone to dream, express what they want from the future..

And as I said before, nobody will have any knowledge or expertise, so it will make for interesting discussion. The posers won't be viewed as posers. The Gen5 owners won't have to defend their purchase decision. The prior gen owners won't have to defend why they have not purchased the new car. It will be good and the appropriate place for the discussion.

Bob, now that I have had some time to thing about it, if you want me to stay off "your thread," I will.
I am not interesting in antagonizing you or anyone else.
However, just so you know, you and every other member will ALWAYS be welcome on any thread I start.

 

[ViperDC]

Laughable post filled with nothing but your opinion and what you want to believe.
They'll sell every C7 Z06 they make at inflated prices and have a waiting list waiting to pay.
Yea, that hideous design that will be so stale. As the Gen V sells virtually single digits a month and costs LESS.
Good lord what does that tell you?

Bob is right, the design is not the problem. People go crazy over vipers. The design is fantastic and will age much better than the Vette in my opinion.

 

[TrackAire]

It can be safely assumed that the 2015 TA 2.0, with its 400 pounds of down force, will beat its logical 2015 competitor(s) at Leguna Seca and at some other road course venues. Dodge SRT does know how to test.

The one challenge the Viper might have in beating the new competition (Vette, Porsche, whoever, etc) is the tires. If Viper stays on the Corsa's, I wonder how much their tread depth hinders an ultimate fast lap compared to a Trofeo or Sport Cup that has less molded tread depth. I might be wrong, but it appears to me that the Corsa tire has more tread depth than other R-compound tires and although a mere mortal Viper driver would not be able to really tell the difference, a pro hot shoe might not be able to get the most out of the car.

From what I see on the spec sheets, here are the following tread depths:

Corsa = 8/32"
Sport Cups = 6/32"
Toyo R888s = 6/32"
Nitto NT01 = 6/32"
Hoosier R6 = 4/32"

I cannot find a specification on a tread depth for the Trofeo's on the Pirelli website, but Tire Rack lists them between 6/32" and 7/32" in their product description.

Unfortunately marketing is all about a one lap wonder and the ultimate fast time a car can do for one lap. With a pro driver and the level of capability the Gen 5 TA 2.0 may have, not having a true shallow molded tread R-compound will not truly show what the car is capable of and once again hurt its rankings in the world of public perception. The 2015 TA needs a better track tire if it is to compete and be number one again.