Dodge isn’t sitting on its laurels with the two Hellcats in its stable. In fact, the brand is doubling down on speed with the 2016 Viper ACR. ACR stands for American Club Racing, and it means the most extreme Viper built for public roads is slithering our way.
The ACR is powered by the same 8.4-liter V10 that it used last year, with the same output of 645 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. But where the ACR makes its money, where it takes its checkered flags, is in the rest of the details, starting with aero.
The 2016 Viper ACR will generate a ton of downforce. Literally a ton — 2,000 pounds, at 177 mph. That’s not enough to drive upside down, but it ain’t far off. The package comes with a 74-inch adjustable dual-element rear wing, rear carbon fiber diffuser, unique SRT hood with removable louvers, detachable extension for the front splitter and four dive planes. The total (optional) package makes three times the downforce of the Viper TA.
A new, ACR-exclusive Alcantara wrapped high-grip steering wheel with color racing stripe and unique badging sets the ACR apart from other production models.
The big rear wing isn’t the only adjustable aero part. The carbon fiber diffuser features six removable strakes that aid in straight line stability. The hood louvers can be removed for less pressure in the front wheel wells and the front splitter extension is removable.
Speed is bled off by six-piston Brembo calipers in front and four-pots in the back with Brembo Carbon Ceramic Matrix pads all around. The discs measure 15.4 inches in front and 14.2-inches in back. That makes for the largest brake pad area ever on a Viper. More area means better heat dissipation, which means better performance. The ACR also gets detachable brake ducts, which can be used on the track for even more cooling.
The Kuhmo tire company got the nod for the Viper’s rubber. The ACR is fitted with Ecsta V720s with unique tread patterns for the front and rear. Front tires are 295/25-19 and the rears are 355/30-19. Dodge says those rears provide the largest combined tire patch available on any production car. To make use of that rubber, the electronic stability control system has five settings: full on, sport, track, rain and full off.
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Bilstien was tapped for the shocks, which have 10-way rebound and compression adjustments and 3 inches of ride height adjustment. Dodge says the front springs are rated at 600 pounds per inch while the rear springs are 1,300 pounds per inch. That’s more than double the stiffness of the Viper TA, which seems to be the common comparison here.
“This car is not a 1-3 lap track special. You can run the car at the track all day, and the performance doesn’t fall off,” said Tim Kuniskis, president and chief executive officer-Dodge Brand and SRT Brand, FCA North America.
Dodge hasn’t priced the ACR yet, but the base SRT is $87,095 — about $90K with gas guzzler and destination. The GT starts at roughly $100K and the GTS goes for $113K. The 2010 ACR package added about $13,000 onto the base price of the snake, so take that into account when you’re estimating this one.