No Comparisons Needed; Corvette V. Viper

    There was a very interesting article on Car Buzz that was posted recently in regards to a comment made by SRT CEO Ralph Gilles. As a quick recap of the statement, Gilles stated that the SRT Viper and Chevrolet Corvette were not comparable. Of course Gilles was leaning towards the SRT Viper, but the comments he made were highly debatable. Which got me thinking - why not compare them? So that’s exactly what I did, and my findings confirm Gilles’ statement. They two vehicles are not comparable at all.

    First off, I’ve seen both cars in person and they are both stunning -especially the newly designed models of each respective brand. Even though looks play a large role in which vehicle you will purchase, appearances differ for everyone. Therefore the look of the vehicles does not matter and for the record the two vehicles in question are both ridiculously breathtaking. 

    The Chevrolet Corvette and SRT Viper are both known for their engine characteristics and lets face it, horsepower does matter. The SRT Viper boasts a terror inspiring 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque. Very impressive numbers indeed. When comparing these figures to the new Chevrolet Stingray, the Chevrolet’s figures are almost commuter friendly. With 455 horsepower (without the performance exhaust) and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, Gilles is right; you can’t compare the two. However, a good car is not only measured by its horsepower figures, and so we must continue with the comparison.

     Another number to boast is 0-60 mph times. The SRT Viper achieves 60 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds. That’s impressive, until you start looking at the Corvette Stingray’s numbers. The Corvette Stingray takes only 3.9 seconds to get to 60 mph. Does approximately 200 horsepower only get you 0.4 seconds faster to 60 mph? Yes 3.5 seconds is faster than 3.9 seconds, so that round goes to the Viper SRT. However, I am more amazed by the Corvette Stingray’s ability to get to 60 mph under four seconds.

    There are a host of other comparisons that could be made. The Viper SRT weighs in at 3,354 lbs., while the Corvette Stingray weighs 3,298 lbs. The Corvette Stingray stops from 60 mph in 99 feet, while the SRT Viper takes 110 feet. The Corvette Stingray managed 1.05 g (g-force) on a skid pad, and the SRT Viper a mere 1.01 g. In the slalom test, the SRT Viper managed 72 mph while the Corvette Stingray a blistering 73.5 mph. So all in all, the Corvette Stingray is lighter, better at stopping, and is quicker in actual driving maneuvers. Check four boxes off for the Corvette Stingray.

    The last nail in the SRT Viper’s coffin is the poor show it put during Motor Trend’s Best Driver’s Car for 2013. Out of 12 competitors, the SRT Viper came in dead last. Why? Because it’s brakes broke, parts fell of the car, paint was starting to peel, the infotainment system’s applications froze, and the driver’s seat was not fastened to the actual car. These are problems that are not only deadly, but are inappropriate for a vehicle with such a large price tag. I don’t know how many boxes you would erase for the SRT Viper, but rather than do that, check a box for the Corvette Stingray.

    After this comparison, the only thing that the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray loses on is the 0-60 mph time and horsepower figures. Other than that the SRT Viper is far behind the Corvette Stingray. However, this quick comparison shows that the Corvette Stingray is not only a worthy adversary for the SRT Viper, but beats it on all levels, including price.

            A fully loaded Chevrolet Stingray costs approximately $62,800, while a 1LT model starts at $51,995. The SRT Viper starts at $102,485, or two times the amount of fully loaded Chevrolet Stingray. You can’t blame Ralph Gilles for going off on the Corvette Stingray. Sales are a lot better for the Chevrolet and the SRT Viper came dead last in Motor Trend’s Best Driver’s Car for 2013. He’s right about one thing though; the SRT Viper is not in the same league as the Corvette Stingray. The new Corvette is a much better driver’s car, track car, street car, and any other imaginable way to the SRT Viper. The only thing that makes the SRT Viper exotic is it’s insane price, huge horsepower figure, and the fact that it’s delicate. The SRT Viper is a great car, no doubt about it. At the end of the day, I’d rather have two Corvette Stingrays in my garage instead of a SRT Viper. Or for the same price I’d fancy the new C7 Z06, sorry Ralph Gilles, the new Corvettes are better. Don’t take my word for it, take Edmunds' or Motor Trend's.