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First Look: 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR
Dodge infuses Viper with extra dose of venom for ACR edition




Dodge's V-10 powered Viper has always been the personification of big, bad, loud, and frighteningly fast modern Detroit iron. It got even faster for the 2008 model year thanks to a thorough revamping that elevated it into the ultra-exclusive, 600 horsepower club.

But Chrysler's Street Racing and Technology crew apparently couldn't leave well enough alone and have taken the already super snake up another notch in the form of the 2008 Viper SRT10 ACR (American Club Racer) -- which will hit the LA auto show stand next week.

Essentially a track car that's just barely street-legal, the Viper ACR features a raft of improvements all designed with the local circuit in mind.



A number of aero elements have been designed for the ACR in an effort to maximize downforce, reduce drag and increase lateral grip. The front "dive planes" on either side of the front fascia, a variable geometry "fanged" front spoiler, and the adjustable rear wing are all made of carbon fiber in order to reduce weight. The base Viper's front fog lamps have also been deleted from the ACR in another weight-saving measure.

The ACR's front spoiler is supported by tension cables and features three removable rub strips that help to protect it during impacts. A track extension is also included in the ACR package that replaces the center rub strip and fills out the spoiler's scallop, further reducing ground clearance and increasing front downforce by a third to a reported 1,000 pounds at 150 mph for serious high-speed racing.

Suspension-wise, two way adjustable KW Suspensions coil-overs have been fitted at all four corners of the car, along with an upgraded stabilizer bar up front. Both ride height and damping settings can be changed without removing the lightweight forged aluminum gloss black Sidewinder wheels, which are shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup street-legal race rubber. Brakes are upgraded as well, with slotted two-piece StopTech 14-inch rotors providing enough stopping power to bring the Viper ACR to a halt from 60 mph in less than 100 feet, according to Dodge.



All told, the wheels, tires, rotors, and carbon fiber components conspire to reduce weight by 40 pounds over the base Viper, which tips the scales at 3450 pounds. Another 40 pounds can be removed by opting for the "Hard Core" package, which deletes the audio system (replacing the door speakers with carbon fiber panels), underhood silencer pad, trunk carpet, and tire inflator.

Powering the ACR is the same aluminum, 8.4-liter V-10 found in the 2008 Viper that pumps out a sick 600 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque, mated to a Tremec six-speed manual. It's safe to assume with all the improvements to the ACR that our base 2008 Viper's test 0-60 times of 3.7 seconds and the quarter mile of 11.7 seconds at 124.4 mph are in jeopardy. But of course, this car isn't as much about the drag strip as it is the multi-turn circuit - a place where the ACR will most certainly be a regular.

In its signature two-tone red and black livery, the ACR looks nothing short of menacing, and a red leather accent to the top of the steering wheel adds an extra touch of class. An optional driver's side racing stripe is available on the red or black sprayed car and the package includes a red stripe at the top of the steering wheel to indicate straight ahead. Standard Viper monotone and twin-stripe schemes are also available, including violet, bright blue metallic, and very orange -- with a body-color wing and dual stripes.

Dodge says the ACR will cost "under $100,000" -- which could very well end up translating to $99,995 - when it arrives in the second quarter of 2008. With a base Viper coupe running about $87,000, a $10-12,000 track pack is not horribly unreasonable for a car on which racing stripes alone are a $3000 option.