This is hardcore driving.
In standard form, the Dodge Viper is just insane. A big, naturally-aspirated V-10 engine screams as its wide, low chassis hugs corners and delivers a raw driving experience. That white-knuckled gasoline-fed rush gets even more extreme with the new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR – the ultimate American hand-built, street-legal race car.
Virtually everything is bigger, better, and eye-opening. Engineers that were a part of the factory-backed, driver- and team-champion Viper GTS-R team competing in the American Le Mans Series and IMSA United SportsCar Championship from 2012-2014 were integral in the development of the new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR. Engineers focused on aerodynamics, chassis, and tires to maximize grip and handling performance to cut lap times down to a minimum.
“The Viper has always been more of a street-legal race car than a track-capable streetcar, and the new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR is the fastest street-legal Viper track car ever,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and Chief Executive Officer – Dodge Brand and SRT Brand, FCA – North America. “Our goal is to arm our enthusiasts with the ultimate Viper track car to dominate road courses around the world.”
The standard 2016 Dodge Viper ACR comes packed with hardcore downforce-inducing aerodynamics that set it apart from the standard and TA models, but the optional Extreme Aero package takes downforce to a new level. Armed with this package, the Dodge Viper ACR generates the greatest amount of downforce of any production car. At its 177 mph top speed, nearly one ton of downforce is generated equating to insane levels of grip. Three times the amount of downforce is generated compared to the Viper TA 2.0 package.
The new Extreme Aero Package for the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR sports a large 1,876 mm wide adjustable dual-element rear wing and sits taller, further backwards, and has special end-plates and gurney lip. Beneath the behemoth wing sits a carbon fiber diffuser with six removable strake extensions for greater stability. Removable hood louvres up front allow hot air to dissipate and reduce air pressure in the front wheel wells. A new detachable front splitter and dive planes keep the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR balanced at sticking to the track at any speed.
Aerodynamics were only part of the equation on the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR. The menacing looks work with the hardcore chassis to generate otherworldly levels of grip. New aluminum-bodied, double-adjustable coil-over Bilstein racing shocks were designed specifically for the ACR snake. Each shock allows for 10-way adjustability in terms of rebound and compression as well as over 3.0-inches of height adjustment. These work with the pavement-pounding 600 lb./in. front springs and 1,300 lb./in. rear springs that are two times stiffer than those used in the Viper TA. A full race alignment and 1.4-degrees of extra negative camber at the rear help to generate more than 1.5 G of lateral grip in high-speed turns.
Grabbing at the asphalt are specially-designed Kumho Ecsta V720 high-performance with a unique tread pattern and compounds for both the front and rear. The tires measure 295/25/19 up front and 255/30/19 at the rear on 11.0-inch wide tires and proudly wear a raised ACR logo on the sidewall. The new Kumho tires offer the largest combined tire patch available on any production car and work with the tuned ABT and five-mode Electronic Stability Control system to accommodate for the upgraded components.
The final part in the upgraded chassis for the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR are new lightweight Brembo Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes. Two-piece, 390 mm front rotors are clenched by six-piston Brembo calipers while the rear comes in with two-piece 360 mm rotors with four-piston calipers. The new setup offers the largest brake pad area ever on the Viper and can benefit from the new detachable front brake ducts for added cooling.
“This car is not a 1-3 lap track special. You can run the car at the track all day, and the performance doesn’t fall off,” added Kuniskis.
With the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR being a track-specific, street-legal car, the mighty 8.4-liter V-10 had to be made to handle to stress. The 645 horsepower, 600 lb-ft. of torque output gives it the most torque of any naturally-aspirated engine sports car engine in the world. The ACR model also features new side-mounted exhaust pipes to further reduce backpressure. Engineers worked to make sure that the engine could withstand long periods of hard track duty at the hands of a professional driver with 100-degree Fahrenheit ambient temperatures without complaint. Controlling the all-aluminum monster is a six-speed Tremec TR6060 manual transmission.
The interior of the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR has lightweight parts and grippy Alcantara trimmings. The instrument binnacle, lower instrument panel, and door armrest panels all wear Alcantara suede while Alcantara inserts are featured on the high-grip seats. Drivers grab onto an ACR-exclusive high-grip steering wheel with color racing stripe and badging. Lightweight carpeting and minimal three-speaker audio system help shave off a few extra pounds from the supercar. A special dashboard-mounted plaque in carbon fiber showcases the exclusivity of the track-spec weapon.
The new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR will be built by hand at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in good ‘ol Detroit. Sales for the street-legal, track-oriented supercar will begin in the third-quarter of 2015. The new ‘1 of 1’ customization program will also be offered to customers of the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR to create a truly unique track-day weapon.
2016 Dodge Viper ACR Gallery
Source: Dodge
Is the new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR the most hardcore street-legal track car on the market?
