New SRT is not any better than GEN II cars but for brakes and Power

[GTS Dean]

Were you to take both cars out on a road racing circuit, you would experience the difference immediately. It's significant.

Dean, did you ever get your SRT-10 out on a road course. I think it would take more like $40,000 to equalize the cars from a lap-time standpoint. Just my opinion.

Frank,

Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity. I would have dearly loved to run it a session at TWS for time comparos. If it would do :53s on street tires, I might feel differently. I did, however, have both cars on my favorite 4 mile test loop within a day of one another. My car, with the EMI suspension and lower monoballs, felt every bit as capable as the SRT - except in the braking department. My steering is very heavy, where the SRT is very light.


The biggest gripe I have with the SRT (besides the roll bar issue) is the body styling. The more I studied the car (really trying to love it), the more upset I got with Dodge for covering such a fabulous chassis with such uninspiring, copy-cat styling. I look at the SRT and instead of VIPER, I see Camaro, Stratus, S2000, Z4, and 1972 Corvette. Anyone who doesn't see this is either blind, lying, or doesn't care. To tell you the honest truth, I liked looking at the underside of the car more than the topside. Lots of cool stuff there.

I had both cars in the garage for 2 weeks. Both of them kept saying: "Take me! Take me!" The GTS won. If you spend $80 grand on a car and it doesn't make you forget about whatever you were driving before, it's the wrong car for you. Why did I buy it in the first place? So I could have plenty of time to make up my mind. I tried it, I didn't like it, and I sold it for a little more than I gave for it.

 

[Toronto_ACR]

I am tired of hearing from the magazines and other people that do not have Vipers as well as the people that bought the SRT that it is cleaned up and that it has gotten rid of the problems that the GEN II cars had such as it is unstable and that it has major defects. Once again I say that the GEN II Viper beat all other sports cars in racing and in the magazine tests. To date the SRT has not out handled the GEN II cars with its numbers. It has beaten all other cars in stock racing such as the T1 series here and in Europe.

The SRT is a better car right now side by side because of the new and improved brakes and the extra power which will give it better 0-60 and quarter mile times. Another 40HP is significant. Other wise if the SRT had the same engine as the GEN II presently has and the brakes were kept the same it would not outhandle and out perform the GEN II. You have to keep it in that context. Yes the SRT is better right out of the factory face to face because of those two small items

 

[Viperfreak2]

You're forgetting one really important thing....suspension tuning. IF a the GTS can handle as well as an SRT, it would be easy for any driver within a few laps to have equal times. It can't. The GTS will snap-oversteer faster than I'd ever imagined. The fear factor has since limited how hard I can push the car. The SRT was TUNED from the factory to ease the transitions at the limits of handling. This alone will make it quicker. I have no desire to run my car into a tree, but I can drive my Z4 even faster than the GTS because it is SO much more "readable" behind the wheel. Flame suit on. I didn't say the Z4 was more fun to drive. Just easier at speed. Kinda like a vette! Electronic nannies. oy vey.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Add weight to the SRT to match the GTS. Change the SRT chassis and motor to the 2001 and their performance will be about the same except for aerodynamic factors. Any surprise?

But the SRT has better balance, better rear end, better chassis more hp, etc. Result braking is better, cornering is better and the few extra hp help move down the a little faster.

My SRT10 stops better then an ACR with the Big StopTech system!

 

[SylvanSRT]

lest we not forget the great seats in the SRT, the dead pedal, less weight, ok minor one here a real trunk. and i have somewhere to put my coffee while i lap GTS's! i can also charge my phone and use a the Valentine V1 at the same time.