Dodge announced that the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10® ACR – short for American Club Racer – will make its public debut at this week’s Los Angeles Motor Show.

The latest addition to Chrysler LLC’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) stable of performance vehicles, the all-new 450 kW 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is a street-legal Viper engineered to dominate on the race track. Because it is street legal, diehard Viper and track enthusiasts can drive their car to the race track, run it at speed on the track and then drive it home.

“With the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, SRT has taken the ultimate American sports car and injected it with an extra dose of racing DNA,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing and Communications, Chrysler LLC. “With the Viper SRT10 as the starting point, SRT engineered a combination of reduced weight, race-tuned suspension and aerodynamic improvements to create the ultimate Viper for the street and track.”

Derived from the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10, the heart and soul of the all-new 2008 Viper SRT10 ACR is SRT’s new 8.4-litre aluminium V-10 engine that produces 450 kilowatts and 760 Nm of torque.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR stays true to the five key aspects of SRT: standout powertrain, bold exterior styling, race-inspired interior, benchmark braking and world-class ride and handling characteristics across a dynamic range.

Bold Exterior Styling

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR exterior styling cues offer not only bold aesthetics but functional benefits on the track. These include a variable geometry “fanged” front splitter, an adjustable rear wing sculpted by CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and optimised front dive planes. These new aerodynamic devices are formed in high-performance autoclaved carbon fibre. By using both unidirectional and woven laminates, the aero equipment is optimised for the minimum possible weight.

The splitter and dive planes feature a clear coated carbon fibre weave on all Viper SRT10 ACR models.

The front splitter includes three removable rub strips that provide protection and wear resistance. Supported by stainless steel tension cables, the splitter is designed to absorb the energy from minor upward deflections.

The Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR aerodynamics are tuned and balanced to maximise down-force and provide increased levels of lateral grip. Each Viper SRT10 ACR also includes a track extension that replaces the centre splitter rub strip and fills out the fanged splitter scallop for closed-circuit events. The aerodynamic effect of the track extension is a reduction in overall drag and an increase in front down-force of nearly one third.

The front fog lamps have been deleted and replaced with lightweight filler panels.

America's 2008 Viper SRT10 ACR features a signature two-tone paint scheme with a black centre section. An optional driver’s stripe is available on a two-tone Viper Red or a Viper Black ACR. The driver’s stripe also features a sewn leather accent on the steering wheel. A clear coated exposed weave is featured on the rear carbon fibre wing of all two-tone and driver’s stripe Viper SRT10 ACR models.

A standard Viper SRT10 monotone paint scheme is also available featuring a body colour rear wing and dual painted Viper stripes.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is available in five colours: Viper Red, Viper Black, Viper Violet, Viper Bright Blue Metallic and Viper Very Orange.

Lightweight forged aluminium Sidewinder wheels are painted gloss black to complete the one-of-a-kind exterior styling.

Race-inspired Interior

Based on the 2008 Viper SRT10 interior, the Viper SRT10 ACR goes a step further to satisfy what racers want: the least weight possible. An optional “Hard Core” package offers maximum weight savings by deleting the audio system, under bonnet silencer pad, rear cargo carpet and tyre inflator. The radio is replaced by a lightweight cover that can be configured to mount the included lap timer. The door speakers are replaced by lightweight carbon fibre panels. The Hard Core package offers an 18 kilogramme weight saving and provides ultimate street legal race-ready performance.

World-class Ride and Handling

The all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is specifically modified and tuned for track performance. The ACR suspension includes coil-over racing dampers from KW Suspensions that are adjustable for damping and ride height. The shocks are two-way adjustable without removing the wheels – a timesaver on the track – and they include a large range for compression and rebound. The KW dampers and forks are machined from solid aluminium billet, feature spherical bearing mounts and are optimised to minimise weight and maximise performance.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR features a new front stabiliser bar for increased roll-stiffness.

Lightweight forged aluminium Sidewinder wheels are optimised by using Finite Element Analysis to achieve a lower rotating unsprung mass. Finished in gloss black paint, they wear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup DOT-approved (street legal) race tyres, providing enhanced grip on the track.

Track performance is maximised in the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR via several weight-savings initiatives. The savings were achieved with the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tyres, Sidewinder lightweight wheels and StopTech brake rotors. With the aerodynamic and suspension elements, the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is 18 kilogrammes lighter than the Viper SRT10 coupe. The optional Hard Core package further reduces the weight by another 18 kilogrammes, for a total weight savings of 36 kilogrammes.

Benchmark Braking

The Viper SRT10 benchmark brakes are taken to the next level in the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR. StopTech two-piece, slotted, lightweight rotors combine with the Viper SRT10’s Brembo calipers to reduce rotating inertia and unsprung mass, improve brake cooling, and significantly reduce fade even under extreme conditions. The StopTech rotors feature a patented curved-fin design, a key element in improving brake cooling. The StopTech brake rotors combined with the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tyres and Sidewinder lightweight wheels combine to reduce 27 kilogrammes of unsprung, rotating mass.

Standout Powertrain

America's 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR utilises the Viper SRT10’s new 8.4-litre aluminium V-10 engine that produces a ground-shaking 600 horsepower and tyre-smoking 760Nm of torque. It features a deep-skirted V10 aluminium engine block, cylinder heads equipped with Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC)-shaped combustion chambers, large valves and Variable Valve Timing (VVT). VVT Electronically adjusts when the exhaust valves are open and closed according to engine speed and load, allowing the engine to “breathe” cleaner and more efficiently.

The two-piece intake manifold combines cast aluminium lower with smooth runners for better air flow, bolted to a die-cast aluminium upper plenum. A revised air-cleaner box with a low-restriction filter sends air through a dual electronic throttle control into the intake module.

The air-fuel mixture in the cylinders is ignited by platinum-tip spark plugs fired by individual plug coils mounted on the cylinder-head covers.

Within the cylinders, pistons are equipped with large-diameter floating pins with bronze bushings for high-load capability. Forged powder-metal connecting rods are secured with aircraft-quality fasteners for increased fatigue strength.

Engine lubrication is managed by the large oil pump and a swinging oil pick-up adapted from Viper competition engines, to ensure proper oil pressure in high-rpm and hard cornering conditions.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR sports the latest evolution of the Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission known as the TR6060. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a GKN ViscoLok speed-sensing limited-slip differential.

Manufacturing

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR will be hand built at Chrysler's Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR will arrive in North American showrooms in the second quarter of 2008.

Street and Racing Technology

SRT develops some of Chrysler LLC’s boldest, most distinctive products by single-mindedly following its core vision: Deliver benchmark performance at the lowest price and deliver it with absolute integrity and credibility.

Every SRT vehicle showcases five key aspects: Exterior styling that resonates with the brand image; race-inspired interiors; world-class ride and handling characteristics across a dynamic range; benchmark braking and stand-out powertrain.

Availability

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR will arrive in North American Dodge SRT showrooms in the second quarter of 2008.