Not sure about the C8, but having owned multiple Vipers and Vettes of every Gen, I can tell you there is no Vette so far that comes close to the Gen V ACR. That car is a track beast. Fastest “true’” manual at the ring with a 7.01 ring time. If the team had more time they probably could have gotten the car into the 6’s, which is insane! Corvettes are nice, and I love them, but no current Gen Vette stacks up against a Gen V Viper. Not even close.

 

Since the discussion seems to be about Vipers, I think this thread might be in the wrong forum.

 

You're right.....and the C8 is not here yet . Too many variables for comparison .

 

I don’t think so. We are all here because we love Corvettes, but Facts are facts. Simply just stating the same.

 

They did well to get the 7.01. The real obstacle to cracking the 6's with the Viper ACR Extreme was that it didn't have enough power and straight line speed on the straights and especially that long back straight to overcome the enormous down force. The C8 is a far more advanced platform than the Viper and my guess is that the Z07 variant will run sub 7 minutes at the Ring although it will take some horsepower to overcome the C8's weight.

 

Snowwolf, I've seen several of your threads contemplating a C7 Z06 vs C8 base vs now a Viper. I also have seen many of your posts in the last 15 years as an Alaskan resident hunter on other forums.

I think you need a 21 ft river boat with a 200 hp Yamaha, loaded with fuel drums, put in at the haul road bridge, and run the Yukon down to the Koyukuk and kill some more bull moose.

Offering this partly for a chuckle, but mostly out of much admiration.

 

I miss those days! Nothing like carrying 400 gallons of gas in white plastic barrels and running almost 600 miles one way to our hunting location on the Huslia River. The worse part was paying over $6 a gallon to refuel along the way
Thanks for the memory flash back.
PS: Have no interest in owning a Viper, just curious. However, if I find the "deal of the century" on a 2019 Z06 it might follow me home in place of a C8.

 

How does Olivia Culpo compare to Kate Upton?

 

I would still take my G5 Viper TA back instead of getting the C8

Nothing feels like it.

 

Quite nicely!!

 

I have always loved Vipers, especially the GEN-2 and GEN-5 cars. I considered a GEN-5 car before ordering my C8, but it just doesn't make any sense with my budget and intended use.

1. The Viper is still more expensive than my $71K C8 build. Most good Vipers are still $90K.

2. The C8 has a warranty with techs trained to service it. Vs. the Vipers are nearly all out of warranty and being a dead platform finding quality service will be challenging.

3. The roof of the C8 comes out vs. not an option on the Viper. I think Prefix only made a handful of Gen-5 convertible and they trade over double my C8 build.

4. The Viper is not a road trip car... and doesn't have the bandwidth of the Corvette... no mag shocks etc. etc.

So for my intended use (drive to work, road trips, 3-4 HPDE weekends a year) the C8 is the clear choice.

If you want a sexy weekend toy to take out on a nice sunny day... Viper.

 

Bad move.

 

That would depend on the model. You are probably right for the ACR but the other, maybe not

 

Maybe, but the chance of me buying one are getting slim. There are only 3-4 new 2019’s I am interested in and GM would need to increase the incentives to get the price down at least 22% off MSRP before I would seriously consider buying one. It’s nice to have options. My deposit is refundable until the build is submitted to Chevy. The 2019 Z is one hell of a nice car.

 

I sold my modded Gen4 Viper ACR and have a Z51 C8 on order to take its place and use in the 2020 One Lap of America. In good dry weather I don't expect the C8 to be as fast, but in less-than-perfect conditions I expect the C8 to be much quicker and easier to drive, thanks to the computers. Other than ABS, Viper is all analog.

It can also fit a surprising amount of stuff in the hatch - by cubic feet, it's only a little bit less than the Corvette. Its factory seats are superb, and if you keep the stock mufflers it's not that loud at cruise. Highway ride quality is very much a function of shocks, so if you invest in something good (not the OE stuff), the ride can be good on the street and responsive on the track. The Tractive setup is very popular with Gen5 owners.

Still, it's nowhere near the Corvette in bandwidth, but if you can live with being seen in something with such an outrageous appearance, then you can probably live with the rest.

Interesting too, it's my understanding part of the reasoning given in ceasing Viper production, was they couldn't figure out how to work through the new side curtain airbag requirements for coupes. I wonder if the absence of a fixed roof option on the Corvette is partially as a means to circumvent this requirement, which is lifted for convertibles and targa top cars.

 

1. I think they just used that as a convenient excuse to kill the Viper.

2. That's 100% exactly why the C8 is a targa and a vert. Tadge even said so in his auto line after hours interview. In the eyes of the government they're both "convertibles".

 

The problem with comparing the 2 is that other than 4 tires and a steering wheel they have nothing in common with each other.
Agreed.
Sales numbers were abysmal.

 

Not exactly true. The biggest issue they had at the ring was with the tires. Had the tires been able to hold up, a 6.xx would have been a done deal.

 

I purchased a Gen 5 TA back in April of this year with the assumption that I would have no interest in the base C8. I was right

I have a 15 Z06 as well and for me I have the perfect garage mates. As many have said before the Gen 5 Viper and C7Z have similar performance metrics but are completely different cars. The power delivery is very different. The steering on the Z feels numb compared to TA. The paint on the Viper is the best I’ve ever seen on a production vehicle. The Z (full bolt on) is much faster and much more comfortable to drive.

I know that I will be tempted by the C8Z. If I order a new Z I would need to sell one of the current cars and that would be a very difficult decision. Both cars do what they were designed to do very well.

first world problems for sue

congrats to the early adopters. I look forward to hearing the real world reviews

 

You'd be silly to sell the Viper... it will appreciate vs. the C7Z.

And yes Vipers have amazing paint because they are hand painted and color sanded.