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Dodge Viper GTS spins off street-legal ACR competition coupe
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Ripping across the Arizona desert in a new limited edition of the most powerful American sports car, a grand touring variation of Dodge's awesome Viper totes an enormous engine with ten cylinders of muscle pumping up the strength of 460 horses as translated through six forward gears into downright frightening linear speed.
Based on the GTS coupe, this new limited-edition ACR -- American Club Racer -- reveals styling cues drawn from Viper's GTS-R world-champion GT2 race car.
Its engine boosts power by 10 points, with 60 pounds of body weight pared for more speed and the Koni street-car suspension components replaced with GTS-R equipment plus Meritor springs so this snake can make the most of its 18-inch high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport tires.
The result? A steroid-induced Viper which can blow everything else off the road -- and it's street-legal.
It's also quite rare, as less than 200 units will be cast at Viper's Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit.
Viper's ACR special edition ranks as one of three production variations for Dodge's supercar as configured with 1999 badging and colors.
The original Viper RT/10 roadster was replaced in 1996 by the GTS coupe, Viper's first hardtop, which added concessions for comfort and convenience like glass side windows and exterior door latches. For 1999, both coupe and roadster continue, although each carries further enhancements with huge 18-inch aluminum wheels and six paint choices -- including new red, silver or black.
Beneath the dramatic shape, there's that classic arrangement of components in a tubular steel space frame, with engine up front and rear-wheel thrust setting the stage for a neo-interpretation of an earlier snake on pavement, Carroll Shelby's '60s-vintage Cobra.
In any iteration, Viper contains no compromises.
It looks outrageously vicious with an exaggerated prow and curt tail, but it's all engine, with sparse cockpit space and room for only the driver and a close companion.
The RT/10 is noisy, cantankerous at times, and it has a jury-rigged ragtop roof that leaks when it rains.
Refinements effected in 1996 included swapping original exposed side pipes for a rear exhaust system to meet On-Board Diagnostic regulations in Europe, where Dodge continues to build recognition for the car.
The GTS coupe brought further refinements for civility and comfort, while a hardtop roof and window glass dampened the thunder of Viper's engine to a respectable roar.
Suspension components in cast aluminum for the coupe pared 60 pounds from the original Viper's overall weight, and the revised geometry set up a more stable and compliant behavior during hard cornering. The fully independent front and rear suspensions employ unequal length upper and lower A arms with coil-over springs of alloy steel and high-performance gas-charged shocks.
Steering, exceedingly quick and direct, stems from a power-assisted rack and pinion system with fast steering ratio of 16.7:1.
High-performance disc brakes get huge 13-inch vented rotors at all four wheels and 4-piston front calipers, which meet design goals of running a Viper from zero to 100 mph and back to zero again in less than 15 seconds.
Pulse of any Viper comes from a humongous engine, the 8.0-liter V10. It's the only 10-cylinder pumper for a sports car outside of Formula One competition racers.
Using a thin-wall aluminum alloy block to trim weight, the massive V10 has a 4-inch bore and 3.88-inch stroke, which help push output to 450 hp in tandem with awesome torque production to 490 lbs/ft.
Tweaking the ACR version for free breathing nets an additional 10 hp, as torque runs up to an even 500.
A sophisticated 6-speed manual gearbox, with synch shifting and reverse lockout, mates to Viper's monster engine -- and it's entirely malleable.
Also, Viper has adjustable foot pedals which can move mechanically up to four inches in fore-aft range to adapt to an individual driver's legs.
The interior fits tight like Spandex.
Twin bucket seats trimmed in comfy perforated leather contain firm cushioning for lateral support when cornering.
A 3-spoke magnesium steering wheel, wrapped in leather, tilts and telescopes to adjust. Among various instruments in the cluster, the speedometer calibrates to 200 mph.
Safety systems include twin air bags and Viper's steel cage construction, with steel beams in side doors, plus a theft alarm. Missing from Viper's list of safety elements is the option of anti-lock brakes and a traction controller.
The ACR competition package for Viper elevates Viper GTS coupe to a race-ready entry for American GT contests -- it's equipped with all of the necessities, including 5-point safety belts.
Engine modifications for the ACR were limited to adding smooth intake hoses and a free-breathing air filter to provoke better air flow, but 60 pounds of excess weight were whittled away from the production GTS by removing Viper's air conditioner, fog lamps and stereo audio system.
Exterior changes appear rather modest, as the racer wears subtle "ACR" badges visible on front side panels near the unique one-piece BBS wheels.
The chance to play with a black ACR Viper occurred recently at Scottsdale, with substantial front-end time devoted to squeezing into the tight cockpit and cinching up the 5-point racing harness.
Crank it over and the throaty rumble of Viper's massive engine shakes the body and sends shivers through the skin in anticipation of lightening-quick action.
Run fast up the gears and Viper pins shoulders to seat through the first four, each increment building speed and driver's pulse. In turns it acts with uncanny agility, hunkering low and sticking hard around every bend.
How fast is it? In official trials Viper GTS runs from zero to 60 mph in only 4.3 seconds, while my unofficial top speed on a track clicked several points beyond 175 mph.
The Viper GTS lists for $68,222, plus a $700 delivery fee and some $3,000 in gas-guzzler taxes. To get the ACR package, plug another $10,000 into the equation.
1999 DODGE VIPER COUPE
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1999 DODGE VIPER ACR Specs |
| Description: |
2-seat GT sports coupe |
| Model Options: |
2-seat GT sports coupe |
| Wheelbase: |
96.2 inches |
| Overall Length: |
176.7 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 8.0-L V10
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| Transmission: |
Manual/6 |
| Drive: |
Rear |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
12/21 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 68,222 to $ 84,000 |
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