A Dodge Viper ACR-X, not the Viper ACR that set the record. Image: Chrysler Group
Just last week we brought you confirmation that a Lexus LFA, equipped with the Nürburgring package, had set a new lap record for a production car around Germany’s Green Hell. Prior to the LFA’s run, the record Nordschleife time, from bridge to gantry, was 7:18, set by a Porsche 911 GT2 RS on race tires. The Lexus managed a lap time of 7:14.64, easily beating the Porsche and even beating the boutique Donkervoort D8 RS by a few tenths of a second.
Not so fast, said Chrysler’s SRT group. Wanting to reclaim a position on the Nürburgring lap time list above the Corvette ZR1, SRT “borrowed” two new-old-stock 2010 Dodge Viper ACR’s from Tomball Dodge and shipped them to Mintgen Motosport in Germany for staging. It’s unclear if the cars were modified in any way, but this much is clear: according to SRT, one of the ACR Vipers turned a lap in 7:12.13, which is two and a half seconds faster than the $400k plus Lexus LFA.
There’s no video of the run just yet, but we’re sure it’s coming in the next few days. We’ll get it posted for you as soon as we can.
Source: Jalopnik
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
