Yet Another Annoying Gen V Article

v10enomous

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http://autos.yahoo.com/news/12-more-new-cars-worth-waiting-for.html?page=3

2013 SRT Viper
When: December 2012
How Much: TBD
Our Guess: $100,000

With a 640-hp V-10 and a body made of magnesium, aluminum, and carbon fiber, we're expecting greatness from Chrysler's supercar. And at 100 grand, it'd better be great—there's already a Corvette ZR1 in this price range that can eat Ferraris, and the C7 will only up the ante. Plus there's a certain new Mustang that's far cheaper and should be mighty impressive too. And even if the Viper is faster than the Ford or Chevy in a straight line, it must improve its handling over the outgoing model. While SRT folks are claiming a scorching 0-to-60 time of 3.5 seconds and a 206-mph top speed for the new car, the last Viper was time-warp-fast too—and also saddled with unpredictable handling and frequent maintenance headaches.

Haunted by those ghosts of Vipers past, Chrysler engineers started over. They lowered the car's weight by about 140 pounds and made its chassis 50 percent stiffer. (That alone tells you how far Chrysler had to go to make a Viper that's world class.) The Tremec-supplied six-speed manual (no automatic, at least not yet) is said to have far lower clutch effort, while bringing tighter ratios and more precise feel. The suspension is entirely new, again with the aim of more predictable handling. And there's a multi-setting stability-control system with a full-off mode for the track. That could be great, but only if the car doesn't actually need the electronic assist to handle like a supercar.

That will be key. This Viper is designed to challenge cars that can reach nine tenths of their potential without technological guardrails. The SRT needs to get in that ballpark to be a real winner.

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SkyBob

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Yet another writer who has as much credibility as I would have. Being in print does not make it gospel.

You don't know who to believe any more.
 

mnc2886

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The back of my hand is hungry for this "journalist's" face. It is fine to dislike the Viper, just be informed before you cite examples. What a fail.
 

SnakeBitten

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He sounds like a fanboi that is trying and failing to hide his obvious bias against the Viper. When has the Viper not been world class performance-wise? What are these maintenance headaches? Someone should write him and ask him to qualify these statements with facts. I doubt he will respond.

This is one of he stupidest lines: "This Viper is designed to challenge cars that can reach nine tenths of their potential without technological guardrails". Pure idiocy.
 

viper GTS-R

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He sounds like a fanboi that is trying and failing to hide his obvious bias against the Viper. When has the Viper not been world class performance-wise? What are these maintenance headaches? Someone should write him and ask him to qualify these statements with facts. I doubt he will respond.

This is one of he stupidest lines: "This Viper is designed to challenge cars that can reach nine tenths of their potential without technological guardrails". Pure idiocy.

I found it to be pretty accurate. LOL I mean cup holders, that's a big deal! Clearly a technological guardrail among sports cars today. That, and you know manual transmissions since now you have to pay extra for a stick these days. :D

--RS
 

SnakeBitten

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^^LOL....

If Im understanding him right he thinks that this Viper can only challenge them up to 9/10 until 10/10's and the other cars techno-wizardry kicks in and the Viper just cant hang. He is saying the Gen V is designed for this? Ludicrous. Its funny that the last "non-world class" Gen IV Viper didn't care about that or any cars 1/10-10/10th ability when it went about embarrassing every technologically superior car on the Ring and tracks around the US. If the old Viper did this......................nuff said.

Any journalist with half a brain and the ability to Google for 2 mins would not have written an inaccurate, clearly biased article like this. This guy is clearly a fanboy of some marque or just a Viper hater.
 

Allan

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oh........mine is now an older Viper, it doesn't handle well, but it's ok in a straight line. And I cannot believe what a 'maintenance headache' this thing has been. I must have been crazy to buy such a poorly made car. All this time I was wrong. What was I thinking?.....:think:
 

TexasTorred

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oh........mine is now an older Viper, it doesn't handle well, but it's ok in a straight line. And I cannot believe what a 'maintenance headache' this thing has been. I must have been crazy to buy such a poorly made car. All this time I was wrong. What was I thinking?.....:think:

Nice. LMAO!
 
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v10enomous

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Chrysler should sue this nitwit and and Popular Mechanics for impersonating actual automotive journalism... This is just plain defamatory on it's face and littered with inaccuracy... Popular Mechanics is just another dinosaur on the brink of extinction...
 

black mamba1

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So...the car that broke the Nurburgring record has problems handling and needs to vastly improve to beat the Zr1 and a 4000 lb Mustang? Ok, got it.

I will say this, 640 hp was/is disappointing but everything else about the Gen 5 is killer. No doubt the C7 will come in with more power and less weight than the C6 version, so yes, thats gonna be a stick in our eye if the numbers quoted by SRT guys of 0-60 in the mid 3's and quarter mile times in the mid 11's at the high 120 mph range are accurate. Those numbers would have been impressive 3 years ago...but not now. And we all know the Viper is a track car and not a drag car, but that argument is meaningless to everyone else except Viper guys. I am puzzled that with less weight, better gearing, a lighter flywheel, and more power than the Gen 4, the Gen 5's zero to sixty and 1/4 mile times are practically the same as what decent drivers were getting in the Gen 4. My guess is that SRT is being very modest with their times...but why would you do that? Why announce to the world that your NEW cars acceleration numbers are slower than the current Zr1? If the Gen 5 is faster, THEN SAY SO. I've never heard Ferrari predict slower times for one of their new releases.

I for one, am gonna be pissed if I drop 120k on my Gen 5 and a stock 2013 Mustang pulls up besides me and blows my doors off...or even hangs with me. Thats what this is about and we all know it. Yes the Gen 5 is beautiful outside and inside. Yes its iconic. And yes, like Ralph Gilles said, "this ***** is fast!"...but is it fast enough?

We wont know that for months.
 

George Farris

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The writer has to be a GM employee or payee ...

Agree with MNC 2886: the boy needs a butt whippin' ... TEXAS Style!!!!
 

Viper 95 Kim

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Is this guy nuts? The Viper since 92 has been the ultimate American Super car. Everyone seems to compare a 10 year old Viper to a new car. Number one this ain't no kids mustang w/ a supercharger. Supercharger I don't need no stinking Supercharger. Nor is it suppose to compete w a base grade Corvette in price. Is it a $200K Farrari, no. Its a $100K American Super Car and its the best damn car I've ever owned. Three to be exact. Corvette Blah, Mustang, dont even go there. Not even in the same league. We dont buy Vipers and have to send them off to someone to but decals and chrome oil caps on it. A Mustang by an other name is still a Mustang, it ain't no AC Cobera kids.
 
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v10enomous

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This Michael Frank guy is a writer for Popular Mechanics magazine and probably a relative of Barney Frank :lmao: We should write in to the Editor at Popular Mechanics and tell these people what total crap their publication is.
 

BigDawg

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Is this guy nuts? The Viper since 92 has been the ultimate American Super car. Everyone seems to compare a 10 year old Viper to a new car. Number one this ain't no kids mustang w/ a supercharger. Supercharger I don't need no stinking Supercharger. Nor is it suppose to compete w a base grade Corvette in price. Is it a $200K Farrari, no. Its a $100K American Super Car and its the best damn car I've ever owned. Three to be exact. Corvette Blah, Mustang, dont even go there. Not even in the same league. We dont buy Vipers and have to send them off to someone to but decals and chrome oil caps on it. A Mustang by an other name is still a Mustang, it ain't no AC Cobera kids.

Hey now, let's not counter bull**** with more bull****. The Viper has been the ultimate American exotic. Calling the Viper a "supercar" is just plain silly. I expect more out of the Viper community. Let the GTR guys call their sports car a supercar. Supercars cost $500k+ and are a lot less practical and more radical. Sorry but I will never let this issue die until people get it right.
 

SnakeBitten

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Hey now, let's not counter bull**** with more bull****. The Viper has been the ultimate American exotic. Calling the Viper a "supercar" is just plain silly. I expect more out of the Viper community. Let the GTR guys call their sports car a supercar. Supercars cost $500k+ and are a lot less practical and more radical. Sorry but I will never let this issue die until people get it right.

Oh noooooooess...Not this again. :crazy2: 500k????LOL
 

djhartm

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18 posts bemoaning a tiny, obscure article that is mostly neutral about the G5 Viper.

Good ****ing grief.
 

BigDawg

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Or at least until people see things your way.

No. It's just humorous to watch a bunch of people who can't afford a real "supercar" fool themselves into thinking they have one. It's kind of sad really. I just enjoy trolling you dreamers every now and then. Why is it that people who really own "supercars" don't call their exotics by the same moniker? Why is it they call the 458 or gallardo an exotic? Why is it the Ferrari states their only super car models are 288GTO, F40, F50, and Enzo? Ferrari doesn't even consider the 599GTO a supercar...how in the hell is a Viper one then? All the while the general public and journalists are calling Corvettes and Mustangs "supercars"? Well, because it's not the way I see it. It's the way it is. The term "supercar", when applied to street legal vehicles, includes CLK GTR, 911 GT1, Koenigesegg, Zonda, etc. True "Super" cars. Not some sports car that you see 10 of at every car show. You guys keep lying to yourselves if it makes you feel better...and I'll keep ragging on you for it because it makes me feel better

Regarding the article...it's like the 90s all over again.
 
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v10enomous

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I get it... You're obviously being sarcastic... hehe You almost had me there...:rolleyes:

No. It's just humorous to watch a bunch of people who can't afford a real "supercar" fool themselves into thinking they have one. It's kind of sad really. I just enjoy trolling you dreamers every now and then. Why is it that people who really own "supercars" don't call their exotics by the same moniker? Why is it they call the 458 or gallardo an exotic? Why is it the Ferrari states their only super car models are 288GTO, F40, F50, and Enzo? Ferrari doesn't even consider the 599GTO a supercar...how in the hell is a Viper one then? All the while the general public and journalists are calling Corvettes and Mustangs "supercars"? Well, because it's not the way I see it. It's the way it is. The term "supercar", when applied to street legal vehicles, includes CLK GTR, 911 GT1, Koenigesegg, Zonda, etc. True "Super" cars. Not some sports car that you see 10 of at every car show. You guys keep lying to yourselves if it makes you feel better...and I'll keep ragging on you for it because it makes me feel better

Regarding the article...it's like the 90s all over again.
 

Ray W

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My last subcriptions to all those mags expired in 1996. They kept me from buying a new 1992 Viper. The first time I realized they were full of it ,was when someone's article praised the new 1979 Ford Turbo Mustang so much I traded my 6 month old 1979 Corvette for one. After buying my 1995 Viper and realizing the loss of owning one sooner. I vowed. Never again. To me they are like the National Enquirer or other news trash. Made for entertainment and first pictures,nothing more.

The problem is when you are 15 years old and can't drive. These biased poor excuses for journalism are reality. Some of us figure it out but most keep drinking the Kool-aid.
 

PJ9454

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and thats why I don't subscribe to popular mechanics. Idiots like Michael Frank that thinks he knows anything about a car he probably has never driven. He spouts buzz words and things he reads on the internet with no real experience or expertise on his part. Maybe he should talk to Dominik Farnbacher. I can can hear old Frank now "I am sorry who is he?"
 

slysnake

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Hey now, let's not counter bull**** with more bull****. The Viper has been the ultimate American exotic. Calling the Viper a "supercar" is just plain silly. I expect more out of the Viper community. Let the GTR guys call their sports car a supercar. Supercars cost $500k+ and are a lot less practical and more radical. Sorry but I will never let this issue die until people get it right.
Troll #1

18 posts bemoaning a tiny, obscure article that is mostly neutral about the G5 Viper.

Good ****ing grief.
Troll #2

Why don't you guys go post on boards for which you actually own a car? After all, we're posting on the Mustang forum.
 

PJ9454

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I would think performance would determine a supercar not price and ungodly maintenance fees. What if I built a car that set the record at the ring, had a/c a radio and looked really cool. Does it have to be 500 grand, have an engine that requires $12,000.00 in maintenance fees like a ferrari every 12000 miles and be so impractical that you can't use it everyday to be a supercar. I would think that would be very UNSUPER if the latter were requirements. SO it appears to me the ACR is more of a Supercar than a Supercar.
 

FastMatt

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Is this guy nuts? The Viper since 92 has been the ultimate American Super car.

I dont know about that, the C4 ZR1 handed the gen 1 vipers there asses in every measure of performance. Faster, stopped better, way higher top speed, handled better but it did cost more then the viper.

In 1996 the gen 2's changed all of that, but there was no 1996 ZR1.

I love vipers, but give the devil his due
 

PJ9454

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C4 ZR1 was an admirable foe and deserves the respect. It was pricey for a corvette, thats for sure. It took a real corvette guy to step up and buy a ZR1 cuz he knew he was gonna lose big money in the end and most girls and Michael Frank wouldn't know the diff between a ZR1 and a regular vette anyway.
 

FastMatt

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C4 ZR1 was an admirable foe and deserves the respect. It was pricey for a corvette, thats for sure. It took a real corvette guy to step up and buy a ZR1 cuz he knew he was gonna lose big money in the end and most girls and Michael Frank wouldn't know the diff between a ZR1 and a regular vette anyway.

It sure did, here is mine:)

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