Dodge Viper ACR Extreme Dazzles at Supercars by the Sea

Dodge Viper draws a big crowd even among much more expensive European models.

The Dodge Viper is arguably the greatest American supercar to date and during the fifth generation of the fabled Mopar monster, the ACR was the pinnacle performance configuration. Those Gen V ACR buyers who wanted to lay down the best lap times or turn the most heads on the street would have opted for the Extreme Aero Package, which effectively creates the Viper ACR Extreme. When fitted with the prominent aerodynamics setup, these Vipers might draw more attention than just about any car on the street and the Supercars by the Sea event earlier this year is fine proof.

While Covid-19 has forced many automotive events to cancel or postpone until later this year, DodgeForum Editor Derin Richardson was lucky enough to attend Supercars by the Sea, which was hosted by the AMG Club of SoCal. It was one of the last big events before the nationwide lockdown and while there, he got the pictures shown here of the Viper ACR Extreme while it was surrounded by pricier European supercars. However, as you can see in the pictures, the American record-setter was still a popular installation at the event.

Gen V Viper ACR

In case you are somehow unfamiliar with the Gen V Dodge Viper ACR, here is a quick rundown of what went into making it the most track-capable production road car from an American automaker.

The Viper’s 8.4-liter V10 was relatively unchanged from the non-ACR models, but the “American Club Racer” did offer five extra horsepower, reaching peak figures of 645 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. Of course, that power was channeled to the rear wheels by means of a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission, just like every Viper.

The features which made the ACR package unique began with an array of new aero bits made from lightweight carbon fiber, including the front splitter and fixed rear wing. Next, Dodge also added massive Brembo carbon ceramic brakes with 6-piston calipers over 15-inch rotors up front while the rears got 14-inch rotors and 4-piston calipers. To further improve handling, a Bilstein adjustable suspension setup was installed and the exterior of the basic ACR package was completed with a set of sticky Kumho Ecsta V720 tires, which were designed specifically for this Viper.

Getting Extreme

In its basic form, the Gen V Viper ACR offered 1,500 pounds of downforce at speed, allowing it to take turns with incredible urgency, but Dodge wanted to make sure that this car answered the demand of hardcore road racers. To do that, the company introduced the ACR Extreme Aero Package. This package added a larger front splitter, an adjustable dual-element rear wing, four dive planes on the front corners, six removable diffuser strakes out back, removable brake ducting and removable hood vents.

The brake ducting and hood vents helped with cooling, but the real story here is the added aero. With the ACR Extreme wing set to its most aggressive position, this package yielded a total of 2,000 pounds of downforce at peak while at the vehicle’s top speed, it is making 1,763 pounds of downforce.

Of course, in addition to offering world class aerodynamics, the ACR Extreme package also makes this car a head-turner at any event. As you can see in our pictures, even with Lamborghinis and AMGs parked all around the stunning backdrop, the mighty Viper ACR Extreme still drew a crowd.

Photos for DodgeForum by Derin Richardson

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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