dude what are you smokin? I got to get me some of that... (I say this because you are thinking way too hard about all of this!)

To begin with the Gen 1 and 2 series of Vipers were designed after the Shelby Cobras, in fact Shelby himself was in on the original design phase. The daytona Cobra was copied by Dodge and that is where the GTS came from... those have a lot of similarities with of course a more modern look for the GTS. Chevy corvettes had nothing to do with anything there... Next the ***-end of the Vette is not what looks like the Viper now and thats not what was primarily in debate regarding the flow of whos design was copied by who. Its is the front and the '03 Viper(Gen 3) front was in development in late 2001 while the front of the Vette still looked like a Vette. The Z06 front end looks amazing like some kind of crossbreed between a Ferrari and a Viper. It is plain and obvious that the Chevy design team took cues from the Viper and incorporated them into the new Vette front end, not only for function but for asthetic purposes, probly to help them gain some more of the potential future Viper owners over to their side.

The thing that you seem to not get here is that the guys that buy Vipers really dont care about how the Vette might be a hair faster or a bit cheaper in stock form. They can and also do buy Ferrari's and Porsches and such, but they buy Vipers because it is a Viper and Dodge doesnt make 60,000 of them a year. Truth be told, if you drive by a crowd in a Vette a couple of people might take notice, but for the most part you simply blend in with traffic... But drive by in a Viper and people stare, now this was especially the case with the '92-'02 Gen 1 & 2's, maybe not so much in the later ones.

If everybody that can buy a Z06 at $70,000(the one that I have listed is up to almost $75,000 right now) or a Viper at $85,000 or a Ferrari at $130,000 and so on... was worried about having the fastest car out there for the price, then they would all be running around in super-modified SRT-4's, Evo's, WRX's and such wouldnt they. For that matter I know somebody that has a Dodge Omni GLHS that could easily hang with a Z06 and probly hand its *** to it when running around a track. And he has about $15,000 invested in it with the cost of the car included. In other words I could take that $20,000 your mentioning and build me a car that would be faster than what your saying that you would blow on adds to a car that is already $70,000. So what does that prove, nothing really.

 

My point was these are SEDANS...not sportscars....and if you think for one minute that an AMG or McClaren isnt build for performance....you need to go stick your head in a socket.....those things are HAND BUILT....not to mention flat out nasty on a track....



Vipersforsale: My post really wasnt about saying the Viper copied the Vette and so forth, just to say that both cars have borrowed to some degree similar designs at some point in their production. That is not to say they are identical or even look a likes. You can not however deny that the current Z06 and Viper dont look strikingly similar. They do. Not so much in total appearance, but in how the lines run on the car, the side vents, the hood scoop, the aggressive rear ends...etc etc. That's really what I was going for. And not all of it was borrowed by the Corvette either.

As for the price issue, its merely to point out that a car that costs 20k more isnt offering you any more performance then that 70k car. It's offering a name, and that's really it. Now, some people like the fancy dancy Corvette, some people like the raw basic power of a Viper.....but outside of the name on the car....they both are similar in weight, speed, and power. Like Matt likes to whine about...the biggest difference is drag and gearing...which to me is a crock.

 

wow...this is a pee in your pool match.

 

So what if they're hand built, so are Bently's and Roles Royce's. I guess from your theory that they are sport cars as well? Obviously with V12's/V16's they are going to put some type of match on some of the greatest sport cars. It's unavoidable.

I don't think anyone's trying to fight you on the 20 grand worth of upgrades to meet the Viper's price Reject, that's one of the better things about it. However, the Vette is just a Vette at the end of the day.

Btw, they both aren't similar in weight.

-Matt-

 

AMG/McClaren are the PERFORMANCE section of Mercedes. They are the Dodge version of the Chrysler world I guess you could say. These cars are built like the Corvette is in that its more comfort AND performance. The thing I'm trying to make clear, is that there are other cars out there that give you the raw power and still give you the style. By the way, these cars arent all show like a Rolls or a Bentley. These are smash the pedal and let her rip cars.

Yes, the Vette is just a Vette at the end of the day, but once upon a time THAT wasnt the case. The Viper is still new, it hasnt even hit a 20 yr anniversary yet. In 50 years, IF the Viper makes it that long, I bet you that its a more normal produced car, as Dodge will have to at some point either make it or drop it.

According to the respected brand websites as of this morning....

2006 Chevrolet Z06 Coupe - Curb weight 3,132lbs
2006 Dodge SRT-10 Coupe - Curb weight 3,380 lbs

If that's not SIMILAR, then I dont what your smoking.... I didnt say they were exact or identical. I said SIMILAR. 250lbs is not that huge of a difference. Granted, when it comes to racing or drag racing, weight is an important factor. However, as far as curb weight is concerned, they are indeed similar. Plus, the added 1.3L of engine should MAKE UP FOR THAT!


[IMG]local://upfiles/19085/67ED006892B5410F88EC19118F1AE7E0.jpg[/IMG]

 

First off the Corvette can do that because of the lightened body.

BS. All AMG is basically a beast of an engine plopped down on the regular frame/body. Yes the engine is made for performance, but the body, platform, interior, ect AREN'T made strictly for that performance. You can't possibly throw McClaren in their either, who can afford a near 500k vehicle which is infact made for performance??

Two hundred pounds makes a huge difference. On one of the newer Porsches they were able to cut out like 99 pounds and that made a remarkable difference compared to the model before.

Again, gearing. You can have a 100000hp motor with 3 revolutions of the tire per minute, you seem to be ignorant on the fact that the Viper has a gearing issue. And this comes from owners!!

-Matt-

 

Let me try this from another angle....look at the SRT-8 lineup...and look at the numbers and times they're getting out of those 4000-4100lbs beasts.....then look at the Viper.... That's what I was getting at. I should have just used the SRT-8 as a basis of my point instead of AMG. The thing of it is, is that the Viper shouldnt be in the comparison to a sedan in any kind of performance test. I would think we would both agree on this?

If you read my post, you notice I said it makes a difference in performance. I was talking similar in weight. Nothing more. The two cars are so eerily similar in dimensions its crazy. Your talking 200lbs in weight, and mere inches in virtually every other category.

I know the Viper has a gearing issue.

 

yeh I must say, there is no winner here. All we can do is wait for the next Gen Viper and hope that things are tilted in the Viper's favor once again. Personally I would buy a 300C SRT-8 over a Viper right now, half the money and still pulls a 12.75 1/4 all the while with more style and comfort than a Vette can ever hope to acheive.

 

Wow, all I did was post some rumors about the Viper, lol... How did the Vette get mentioned, lol. Everyone always get so touchy when it comes to the Viper/Vette... fun fun...

I say, forget about the Vette... Why does the Vette need to be compared... Screw the Vette... We aren't here for the Vette, we are here for the Viper... Who cares what the Vette does...

Vipers are and always will be a rare, neck breaking, super car...

 

yup, i agree with ya. you know whats cool, the mayor of the next town over from mine has a 94 RT/10!

I say : Viper owns vette anyday!