The Big Three are all back with high end sports cars. What's your pick?

22 May 2016

Chevrolet has the Corvette, Dodge has the Viper, and Ford has the GT. This is the first time since the above photo was taken a few years ago that all three manufacturers have had super cars to match each other. Each derives it’s power from very different engines, with a TT V6, SC V8, and an NA V10 for comparison. However, they all put down within 50 HP of each other. But how well do they match up?

Ford GT

Let us start with the one that is not yet for sale, and is also by far the most expensive. With a projected price of $400,000 when it goes on sale, it is by and far the largest price tag of these three. It is priced to compete with the Lamborghini Aventador, not it’s domestic counterparts. Is the extra price worth it? That’s for you to decide.

For roughly $400,000 you get a carbon fiber shell and body, with a mid mounted twin turbo 3.5L V6 pushing out over 600 HP and torque. This is mated to a seven speed dual clutch automatic. It also has active aerodynamic components, and six piston Brembo carbon ceramic brakes. Everything is available in carbon fiber for this vehicle, from the seats to the rims. This should be the lightest of the three by quite a bit.

Dodge Viper ACR Extreme

A Viper ACR with the Extreme Aero body kit comes in at $150,000, a far cry from the price of the GT. It has the highest aerodynamic down force of any current production vehicle, which helps it through the corners. However, this also hurts it’s top speed to the tune of 27 mph. The Viper is powered by the largest engine in any production vehicle, an 8.4L V10 which puts out 645 HP and 600 torque. This is put through a six speed manual gearbox. Stopping power is again provided by six piston Brembo carbon ceramic brakes.

Chevrolet Corvette Z07

Coming in with a price tag just under the Viper is the $145,000 Corvette Z06 with the Z07 performance package. 650 HP and torque is provided by a supercharged 6.2L V8, mated with an eight speed automatic. If you guessed that the brakes were comprised of six piston Brembo carbon ceramics, you’d be right. This doesn’t have the fancy aero of the other two, but it is the cheapest. It is also the most powerful.

There you have it: Three very different, yet comparable vehicles. Which would be your choice, and why?

Comments

Viper

Nice. Why?

Ford GT, because brand loyalty and it’s absolutely amazing in every way.

Unlimited budget, that’d be my pick.

Corvette

Cool. Why?

GT because of the history and it needs to be shared (which ford is requiring 🙌), viper because it wants to hurt me, then a c6 zr1, because the c7 z06 doesn’t do anything for me. But in seriousness though, 5-10 years from now when all of these are mid-engined, if you want a serious supercar, money will be pouring into the USA.

Yeah, they all seem to be very good at what they were designed for.

the vette will never be mid engined, hell no

I would choose GT as well, but you have to consider that you are thinking “everyone knows I’m driving descendand of legendary GT40” and then some bloke will say: “hey bro, nice Ferrari”