By Chris Bruce, Motor1.com
A 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Carbon 65 Edition and a Dodge Viper arrive at the drag strip to decide which American sports car is the king. Once the lights turn green, things get weird.
The 2018 Corvette racing here is one of the 650 examples of the Carbon 65 Edition that is available on the Z06 3LZ and Grand Sport 3LT (like this one). The package included exposed carbon fiber on the front splitter, side sills, rear spoiler, and fender ducts. Blue accents add color to the front fenders and brake calipers. Being a GS, the 6.2-liter V8 produces 460 horsepower (343 kilowatts) and 465 pound-feet (631 Newton-meters) of torque. However, YouTube description claims this one has 755 hp (563 kW) without offering any further details. Given the results of the race, we aren't so sure. Judging by the pace of the shifts here, the car likely has the available eight-speed automatic, rather than the standard seven-speed manual.
The now-retired Viper packs an 8.4-liter V10 that makes 640 hp (477 kW) or 645 hp (481 kW) depending on the model year and 600 lb-ft (812 Nm) of torque that runs through a six-speed manual.
The Corvette and Viper race twice, and neither run is clean. In their first duel, the Viper driver's foot appears to slip during a gear change, and the brake lights briefly flicker on. The snake still wins with a time of 11.93 seconds at 117.87 miles per hour (189.7 kilometers per hour), versus 12.28 seconds for the 'Vette at 112.54 mph (181.1 kph).
The second run leaves us confused. The Corvette gets off first, but the Viper begins reeling it in. The driver once again taps the brakes, then lets off, but rides the stoppers across the finish line. We aren't sure why, though. There's a loud engine roar about the time the Viper driver initially hits the brakes that could suggest a missed shift, but the sound could easily a car at the other end of the strip warming up its tires.
However, a missed shift is generally fairly obvious from a visible shock through the car or a chirp of the tires. Neither of those things are evident in this clip.
The video ends with a Corvette Grand Sport racing against what appears to be a fully drag-prepped Buick Grand Sport. See if the modern sports car can beat the highly tuned classic.
The Corvette and Viper race twice, and neither run is clean. In their first duel, the Viper driver's foot appears to slip during a gear change, and the brake lights briefly flicker on. The snake still wins with a time of 11.93 seconds at 117.87 miles per hour (189.7 kilometers per hour), versus 12.28 seconds for the 'Vette at 112.54 mph (181.1 kph).
The second run leaves us confused. The Corvette gets off first, but the Viper begins reeling it in. The driver once again taps the brakes, then lets off, but rides the stoppers across the finish line. We aren't sure why, though. There's a loud engine roar about the time the Viper driver initially hits the brakes that could suggest a missed shift, but the sound could easily a car at the other end of the strip warming up its tires.
However, a missed shift is generally fairly obvious from a visible shock through the car or a chirp of the tires. Neither of those things are evident in this clip.
The video ends with a Corvette Grand Sport racing against what appears to be a fully drag-prepped Buick Grand Sport. See if the modern sports car can beat the highly tuned classic.
