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.

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



