2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR: Madness Multiplied

Motoring Channel Staff - 16/November/2007

Los Angeles, America — What's a motor show without a bit of muscle? Dodge was kind enough to provide large amounts of door-slamming power at the 2007 Los Angeles Motor Show with the venomous new Viper SRT10 ACR. 

Dodge refers to this new super car as a street-legal track car, and the 2008 Viper SRT10 ACR is very much a gun slinger.

Lighter than the new V10-powered standard model by 80 pounds, which is about 36.3kg, the new model also gets a wild new body kit which is more than just cosmetic.

The new stuff begins with a variable geometry "fanged" front splitter, and according to Dodge there's even an adjustable rear wing sculpted by CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). These two additions alone provide increased downforce and therefore grip over the front and rear axles respectively, and are autoclaved in carbon fibre. 

Dodge says that each Viper SRT10 ACR (ACR = American Club Racer) also includes a track extension for closed-circuit events, and the effect of this is a reduction in overall drag and an increase in front downforce of nearly one third.

The front fog lamps have been deleted and replaced with lightweight filler panels, and as you can see from the photos the vehicle features a signature two-tone paint scheme with a black center section. 

It was in 1999 that the Dodge Viper was last bequeathed with a street-legal track car package, and the team behind the car are understandably happy.

Mike Accavitti, the director of Dodge and SRT marketing, calls the new vehicle is a true race-tuned track car: "With the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, SRT has taken the ultimate American sports car and injected it with an extra dose of racing DNA. With the Viper SRT10 as the starting point, SRT engineered a combination of reduced weight, race-tuned suspension and aerodynamic improvements to create the ultimate Viper for the street and track."

While the engine hasn't been modified, the car is faster thanks to its lighter weight and reduced give in the suspension. Even so, 8.4-litres and 10-cylinders will always provide a lot of power. With 450kW (600hp) and 758Nm of torque the car can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in around 4.0 seconds flat.

According the press release, the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR allows owners to "drive their car to the race track, run it at speed on the track, and then drive it home." It uses the latest version of the Tremec T56 gearbox, the TR6060, which is a 6-speed manual transmission, and the engine's power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a GKN ViscoLok speed-sensing limited-slip differential.

Some of the other features unique to the ACR version of the Dodge Viper include new suspension components, like coil-over racing dampers from KW Suspensions which are adjustable for damping and ride height. Two-way adjustable shock absorbers are also included, that can be altered without removing the wheels, which can be a timesaver on the track. 

The fire-breathing race car also gets thicker front anti-roll bars for improved roll-resistance.

The Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR sits on lightweight forged aluminum Sidewinder wheels and come with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup DOT-approved (street legal) race tyres.

Other chassis upgrades include new brakes: StopTech two-piece, slotted, lightweight rotors combine with the Viper SRT10's Brembo calipers to reduce rotating inertia and unsprung mass, improve brake cooling, and significantly reduce fade even under extreme conditions claims Dodge. The result is massive deceleration, able to stop the Dodge Viper ACR from 96km/h (60mph) in less than 30 metres (100 feet).

Dodge didn't forget the interior when modifying the ACR version of the Viper SRT10, and can also be optioned with what the American car maker calls the "Hard Core" package. This gets rid of the stereo system, carpets, underhood silencer pad (which makes the car LOUD) among other things. The door speakers are replaced by lighter carbon fibre panels.

Related Articles:
- Dodge Journey (2008)
- Dodge Avenger (2007)
- Dodge Nitro (2007)
- Dodge Viper SRT10 (2008)
- 392 HEMI Dodge Challenger Super Stock (concept)
- Dodge Avenger (concept)
- Dodge Caliber (2007)
- Dodge Challenger (concept)
- Dodge Charger (2006)
- Dodge Viper SRT-10 (2003)