Dodge discontinued the Viper back in 2017, but even today the hardcore ACR variant can take the fight to some of the best sports cars and supercars on the market.
The Viper ACR manages to hold its relevancy despite the ever-growing segment of roadgoing race cars, and in this video, Throttle House takes it to the track to see just how special it really is after four years out of production.
The ACR is powered by a gargantuan 8.4L V10 making 645 hp (654 PS / 481 kW) and 600 lb-ft (813 Nm) of torque. That allows it to reach 60 mph (97 km/h) from a standstill in about 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 177 mph (285 km/h).
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But this Viper isn’t just all engine. A proper manual transmission, carbon ceramic brakes, and a sea of canards, splitters, and wings which allow the ACR to pull up to 1.5 lateral Gs are all a winning formula for a thrilling yet competent track car. According to Throttle House, the grip level of this car was beyond any street-legal vehicle they’ve ever driven on their test track.
Moreover, while it is aggressive, it’s not hard to drive. The amount of mechanical grip alone is very confidence-inspiring and it allows for corners to be taken much quicker than expected, while the balance is incredibly well sorted despite this car’s massive engine being located up front.
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In the end, the Viper ACR set the second quickest lap time around their test track, beaten only by the BAC Mono. However, that car was on slicks and it only managed a lap time 3 hundredths of a second quicker than the Viper on street tires.