1 Day Before SRT Viper!!!!

This is it! Tomorrow, the all new 2013 SRT Viper arrives on Forza Motorsport 4 as a Free DLC! Right now, because this is my last Viper to drive before the new model tomorrow, the Viper SRT-10 ACR makes it a perfect sendoff for this countdown.

Viper SRT-10 ACR at the Top Gear Studio

The ACR name (means American Club Racer) was introduced in 1999 but for  the 2008 model year, the ACR name was resurrected as the striped-out race-ready version of the Viper SRT-10. Upgrades include street-legal racing tires, two-piece brake rotors, adjustable suspension, and significant aerodynamic revision. There was an optional "HARDCORE PACKAGE" feature that strips away the aircon, radio, speakers, amplifier, carpet, hood pad, or tire inflator, in favor of saving weight and a lap timer.

A year later after production of the Viper ended in 2010, a 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR lapped the Nurburgring in 7:12.13.

To bid farewell of the Viper's tenure, a track-only version of the ACR, dubbed the ACR-X, was launced to compete in the Dodge Viper Cup Series. It has a 40HP increase to the V10 engine, a new set of downforce-enhancing front canards, and new materials that, along with a stripped interior, reduced weight to 3,300 lb (1,500 kg). When the ACR-X arrived at the Nurburgring, it set a lap time of 7:03.058, a full 9.072 seconds faster than the regular ACR.

So, that concludes it! Tomorrow, the SRT Viper arrives on Forza Motorsport 4. Question is, what should we do with the 2013 SRT Viper? For me, I'll drive this one round the Top Gear Test Track! If you have the SRT Viper on Forza Motorsport 4, feel free to share experiences. For the Twitter geeks, best to leave the hashtag #firstSRTViper

2 Days before SRT Viper on FM4...

We are almost there! 2 days left before the new 2013 SRT Viper arrives on Forza Motorsport 4 so for a quicker heat, it is time to take the wheel of the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, a race-spec version is a bit more GTSR Concept-ish...

Dodge Viper Competition Coupe

Although, it looks more like the Viper GTS-R Concept, this track-only version costs $129,000 and the V10 engine churns out 520HP of power.

Dodge's plan was to create a profitable, self-sustaining racing program for these cars that is similar to Porsche's. It was legal for the SCCA Speed World Challenge (later called Pirelli World Challenge) and made an appearance when the late Paul Mumford, amateur racer, defeated the factory Audi and BMW teams and most of the rivals at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. 

The Competition Coupe welcomed Viper Club of America races for Viper aficionados everywhere.

This racing version of the Viper takes 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds and take you to a top speed of 193mph. Its anti-lock brakes takes 70mph to nothing in 134 feet and this has a G-force of 1.19.

Tomorrow, we'll be driving the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, making it our last Viper to drive before we move on to the main event which will be in two days; driving the SRT Viper on Forza Motorsport 4. Remember, 2 Days before SRT Viper on FM4...

3 Days before SRT Viper on FM4...

Attention everyone! 3 DAYS LEFT BEFORE SRT VIPER ON FORZA 4! I REPEAT!  3 DAYS LEFT BEFORE SRT VIPER ON FORZA 4! Let's make this Viper Week a bit more interesting. Yesterday, I drove the 1999 Dodge Viper ACR. Now, we're driving a different kind of Viper, which is the 2003 Viper SRT-10.

Time for Plan V...V10!

The Dodge Viper received its full model change in 2003 via Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology group. Replacing the GTS coupe and the RT/10 roadster, the Viper SRT-10 roadster comes with sharp angled bodywork, increased V10 engine displacement of 8.3L and other upgrades. It produces 500HP of power and 712Nm of torque.  The "Sneaky Pete" Viper logo from the 1992 Viper was been replaced with a new logo called "Fangs". A coupe version was introduced in the 2005 Detroit Auto Show as a 2006 model. It was featured on Jeremy Clarkson's 2006 DVD titled THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. It had a race against the BMW Z4 M and in ended in a draw.

When The Stig drove the Dodge Viper SRT-10, it lapped the Top Gear Test Track in 1.28.5, faster than the MG XPower SV.

This car served as the opening salvo when the American version of Top Gear aired on History Channel in November 2010. In the opener, Tanner Foust and Rutledge Wood are in the Viper SRT10, driving through Griffin Airfield, across town, and return back to Griffin Airfield, while being hunted down by a Cobra attack helicopter. They have three lives left but the Cobra helicopter exterminated the Viper SRT-10 while 1) exiting Griffin Airfield, 2) at the cementery, and 3) crossing the finish point of the Griffin Airfield.

Production of the Viper ended in 2010 but in 2012, a new Viper emerges and it will no longer be called Dodge Viper but it's called SRT VIPER...

Well, as told. We have three days left before the all new 2013 SRT Viper comes to Forza Motorsport 4 so tomorrow, how about driving the Viper Competition Coupe? It looks identical to the Viper GTS-R Concept from most video games, you know....

4 Days before SRT Viper on FM4...

Looks like the countdown before SRT Viper on Forza Motorsport 4 has been started and oh, we only got 4 days left before the 2013 SRT Viper arrives on Forza Motorsport 4 so how about a little VIPER WEEK? Let's begin with this, it's a 1999 Dodge Viper GTS ACR...

1999 Dodge Viper GTS ACR

It started out in 1989 when the first prototype of the Dodge Viper was tested and in 1991, two pre-production models were used as Indy 500 Pace cars as the replacement for the Mitsubishi GTO-based Dodge Stealth due to complaints from the UAW and in 1992, the first Dodge Viper was born as a RT/10 Roadster.

1996 saw the arrival of the Viper GTS coupe and it comes with a double-bubble roof, the same thing you'd expect from the Peugeot RCZ, because it featured slightly raised sections above each seat to accommodate usage of helmets, a throwback to its intended purpose. It was also used as the Pace Car of the 1996 Indy 500.

In its 6 years of tenure, over ten thousand Vipers were sold and in 1999, the Viper GTS ACR debuted. The Dodge Viper GTS ACR comes with the suspension and engine upgrades for maximum performance in road racing and autocross environments. The power output of the 8.0L V10 engine was been increased to 460HP of power and 678Nm of torque thanks to the K&N air filters and smooth intake tubes. It loss 50lbs of weight by stripping the interior and removing the unnecessary items, even the radio. It is distinguished by an ACR badge and 20-inch BBS rims.

...Tomorrow, let's try out the 2003 Viper SRT-10 as part of our own VIPER WEEK, a tribute to the arrival of the 2013 SRT Viper on Forza 4 this week.

THEY GOT THE PROOF OF ACHIEVEMENT!

Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR '08

This is it. After speculations, Chrysler Group LLC released a raw video footage of the 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR showing that this model reigned as fastest production car at the Nurburgring at the lap time of 7:12.130, making it the 4th fastest!

Here's the proof of achievement:

Is this the perfect time to return the Dodge Viper soon? I mean look at this achievement, this is the proof that we want the Dodge Viper back and hey, I love the SRT10 ACR's crispy engine sound. Congratulations Chrysler Group LLC for such an achievement you've never know you had.

Scoop: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/27/dodge-releases-official-video-of-viper-acr-reclaiming-ring-titl/

It came from nowhere! - Viper ACR's Nurburgring lap time

Dodge Viper ACR at the Nurburgring Nordschleife
(*Photo taken from Gran Turismo 5 and for illustrative purposes only)

What the fudge?! Despite the Dodge Viper's out of production last year (but slated to return for the 2013 model year), the high-end Viper ACR wants to settle the scores at the Nurburgring Nordschleife after witnessing top record attempts by the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Porsche 911 GT2, and the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition.

Back in 2008, the Viper ACR raced through the Nurburgring in 7:22.1 until the ACR's record got beaten by the Porsche 911 GT2 in April 2010, which was later beaten by the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition. This time, Dodge seeks revenge against those who beat the ACR's record by pitting the 2010MY Viper ACR at the Nurburgring.

Unknowingly, the 2010MY Viper ACR scored a lap time of 7:12 (tentative), which means that's faster than the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition's record of 7:14.64, making the 2010MY Dodge Viper ACR the 4th fastest production car at the Ring.

Sadly, Chrysler Group LLC didn't release an official statement about the ACR's Nurburgring record attempt but will these statements be true or possibly hoax?

Scoop: http://www.viperclub.org/news/news.php?displayType=article&articleID=33

Photo shown for illustrative purposes only