Dodge Viper ACR Sets 7:01.3 Nürburgring Lap Just Before Crashing

Not exactly how the team wanted to go out...

Dodge Viper ACR Crash

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Sep 5, 2017 at 9:31am ET

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This past weekend, the crowdfunded team of Dodge Viper ACR enthusiasts wrapped up their record-setting run of the Nürburgring with a lap time of 7:01.3. Though that time was just shy of their sub-seven-minute goal, it still bests their previous lap of 7:03.45, and makes the ACR the fastest street-legal Dodge Viper ever around the Nürburgring.

But that record run wasn’t without a hiccup or two. According to Road & Track, which was there in Germany to witness the record run, the Viper team lost one car to a seized differential earlier in the week, and the second to a high-speed tire failure following the second lap, leading to a serious crash. Thankfully, both drivers walked away without any injuries. You can watch record-setting lap in the video below.

At 7:01.3, the Viper is now fifth fastest car overall on the Nürburgring lap record list, falling just behind the Lamborghini Aventador SV, which set a record of 6:59.73 in 2015, but besting competitors like the Nissan GT-R Nismo (7:08.68), and the new Mercedes-AMG GT R (7:10.92), and shattering the previous-generation’s record of 7:12.13 set back in 2011.

The entire crowdfunded Viper campaign began in January, and saw two brand-new, completely stock Viper ACRs with a GTS-R appearance package take to the ‘Ring. The run was powered by a few privateers thanks to a crowdfunding effort, and sponsored by tire providers Kumho. The two Vipers in question were purchased new from the Texas dealership Viper Exchange, and were completely unmodified for the record attempt.

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With Viper production coming to an end, it’s unlikely that we’ll see another Nürburgring attempt any time in the near future. Thankfully, rumors suggest a new Viper could be in the works – and hopefully it will be even quicker around the 'Ring when it does debut.

Source: Road & Track