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Audi R8 vs. Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper, Porsche 911 Turbo: Supercar Shootout

Agent009 submitted on 06/07/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 9:49 AM
from: www.popularmechanics.com

[35] user comments | category: Misc News

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Audi R8 vs. Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper, Porsche 911 Turbo: Supercar Shootout

Supercars are speed machines engineered with advanced hardware and blistering performance that leave just about anything else with four wheels (or two) in a thick haze of tire smoke. These cars are so seductively styled and exude so much blacktop bravado, the mere sight of them makes hearts race and palms sweat. Yet many of these high-strung stallions are tame enough for everyday use, and luxuriously trimmed to make even the longest trips pleasurable. The number of models occupying the rarefied air in this $100,000 neighborhood has risen from only a few at the beginning of the decade to more than a dozen today. And many manufacturers have seen record sales while the rest of the industry struggles to achieve single-digit growth. At about 10,000 cars a year, this is one very small but very strong segment. So we picked three longtime favorites and one very promising newcomer. The goal? Determine which ones provide the best all-out speed and handling as well as daily comfort. Our quartet of speed maestros consists of the Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe, Porsche 911 Turbo, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the new Audi R8. We ran them all through our usual battery of tests at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif. Then we spent a day hot-lapping each one on the 1.8-mile Streets of Willow road course. To find out which ones rose to the top of our score card, read on.

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matt635 - 6/7/2007 10:08:18 AM

-1 Boost

I do like the Viper and the 'Vette, and I'm not a big fan of the R8's looks (especially from the side), but I suspect that the lack of refinement in the American Muscle cars would start to bother me after a while.

If if had a shopping list and these cars were on it, I'd probably take the Viper first then maybe the Audi, and lastly the Porsche (I'm sure its a good car, I just dont wanna be a porsche driver!)

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matt635 - 6/7/2007 12:28:08 PM

+4 Boost

I'm glad you approve of my tastes.

I like big, RWD cars, with big engines and long bonnets... Here in England we don't see many Corvettes or Vipers, Porsches are all over the place and I'm not keen on the generic Audi gaping-gob grille, as Audi's are also very common around here I don't get that excited about seeing them!

I'm not saying that the US cars are the best cars there, I'm just saying those are the ones I'd rather own!

I'm guessing you are a porsche wannabe?

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bmwdrvr - 6/7/2007 4:20:21 PM

+1 Boost

thats a good way to demean someone, by showing how ignorrant you are with low brow posts

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bmwdrvr - 6/7/2007 7:34:43 PM

+3 Boost

deboosted? so no one here things that its ignorrant to say that the only people that like vettes and vipers live in a trailer park...bright bunch

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Will_ - 6/7/2007 11:07:27 AM

+1 Boost

I would take the R8 over all the others.

Surprising is them putting the Corvette ahead of the 911 Turbo (assuming the order in which they reviewed them was the order they would be in on a ranking list). Apparently the Z06 is really good.

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Agent63 - 6/8/2007 7:16:38 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

next in line would be the 911 Turbo for me. I trust the engineering from Audi and Porsche much more than the all out muscle cars from America. The R8 and 911 are far more tamed and more controllable. All in all better super cars. I rather own a super car than a muscle car but that's just me.

rg12345 - 6/7/2007 11:46:39 AM

-2 Boost

Nope, the vette is only that good in straight line, other than it's far away from Porsche.

There is no ranking, as their is no race. They just put the 0-60 and 1/4 times down, which is nothing new for almost everybody on this website.

I would take an R8 or a Porsche for everyday driving over the viper or corvette ANYTIME. And for the race track, also, same choice. I would never buy a car just for a stupid drag race. And than keep it in the garage cause it's raining and you can't drive it in the rain (like so many people here in chicago with corvettes).

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Heyhuub - 6/7/2007 12:30:30 PM

+6 Boost

Notice how they also did laptimes....

Viper - 1:15.59
997 Turbo - 1:17.17
Corvette Z06 - 1:15.74
Audi R8 - 1:15.69

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 6/7/2007 2:52:15 PM

+1 Boost

And once again the reviewers don't have guts to take the 997 to its limits. It's just history repeating itself. Remember the 959?

bmwdrvr - 6/7/2007 4:23:09 PM

+3 Boost

the corvette is not an old gto, it handles well, and performs well.....lmao at only good in a straightline this is 2007, ill give gm credit no mag compares vettes to cars in its price range, like i said before the cars by comparison to the vette are thousands more the fact the vette is even here saids alot about it

chewy - 6/7/2007 5:58:26 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

That's beastly. The R8 beat the Z06 and was only 1 tenth away from the Viper. What a track beast the R8 is.

chewy - 6/7/2007 5:58:54 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

p.s

The acceleration times are slow.

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 6/7/2007 11:53:57 AM

+2 Boost

Stupid review. I would take the 911 Turbo over the others. When the R8 V10 comes out I would choose that car.

I would like to see a road test of the redesigned/reengineered Viper with 600 horses!

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S4cabriofoxone - 6/7/2007 12:46:41 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

This is a dumb review. These cars are too different in terms of power.

Even though it's the least-powerful there, I'd take the R8. It's (IMO) the best-looking, the easiest to live with, has a fantastic engine, and got lap times that were only second to the 500hp Viper.

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S4cabriofoxone - 6/7/2007 12:49:44 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Oh, didn't know it won. Go R8! It continues to win the critics over...

S4cabriofoxone - 6/8/2007 1:32:03 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

You know, there are other people who have given opinions on this too...? That was a strange response.

Agent63 - 6/7/2007 7:50:39 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

LOL!

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Baapo - 6/7/2007 5:38:42 PM

+2 Boost

I am not sure how these people are defining "supercar"?

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HeavyChevy - 6/7/2007 5:41:10 PM

+3 Boost

Give me an R8

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MunichRob - 6/7/2007 7:57:10 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Aside from the Aston Martins & Ferrari F430, the R8 could quite possibly be the most beautiful car on the road.

My only problem with the R8 is it's a little underpowed (Not Vantage underpowered, but never-the-less underpowered), an RS4 is pretty much as fast as the R8, they should have tuned the engine to put out an extra 40 horses or so. Absolutely can not wait to see this baby on the road.

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S4cabriofoxone - 6/8/2007 1:33:30 AMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

R8 just isn't underpowered, sorry. It's RELATIVELY underpowered- but that's comparing it to raw muscle cars like the Viper and Z06. But for "everyday" car enthusiasts like us, the 420hp will be more than adequate. The quickest I've seen on this car is 0-60 in 3.9; this article seems to have unusually slow times, for all but the Turbo.

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 6/8/2007 1:40:23 AM

+3 Boost

0-60 in under 4 seconds for the R8? That's properly quick.

MunichRob - 6/8/2007 5:39:22 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Really? Where'd you see the R8 running 0-60 under 4 seconds? I'd also like to know the 1/4mile time from that test. The best I've seen the R8 run to 60 is 4 seconds flat, & the 1/4mile @ 12.6 sec in Car & Driver. The best I've seen for the RS4 is 4.2 sec 0-60 & 12.7 sec 1/4mile.

So I'm not really saying the R8's underpowered, I just don't like that the RS4 can almost keep up with it, I wish there was more there to differentiate the performance numbers between the two cars.

Just picture this scenario, you just bought an R8 for a 120 grand & your neighbor or friend or w.e just bought a 68 grand RS4. Now of course your package looks 120 times better, but buddy with the RS4 has just as many features as you do, & the exact same engine your R8 showcases so well tucked under his hood.

Now you have to explain that even though they have the same power, your car is lighter, more aerodynamic, & as a result faster than the (to the untrained eye) rather normal looking Audi next door. When you buy a car that looks this good with a price tag so big, you want no questions, if, ands, or buts about it, just all out jaw dropping reactions to it.

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S4cabriofoxone - 6/9/2007 1:03:35 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Read Motor Trend July 2007. They took an R8 for a road trip, which is where I encountered the 3.9 sec time.

motoring127professor - 6/8/2007 6:53:13 AM

+3 Boost

european cars all the way!!!

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S4cabriofoxone - 6/9/2007 1:04:38 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

Not really. I mean, the M6 IS cheaper, slower around a track, less exclusive, guzzles more gas, can "only" keep up with a 420hp R8 on a straight, doesn't look nearly as good...

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SHOWTIME - 6/8/2007 3:59:41 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

I really don't understand why there is so much hate on corvettes. I personally own a BMW and wouldn't mind switching to a Corvette. I thought about getting a 335i or waiting for a new M3 but why not try something different? It's a 2 seater and a true sportcar to mess around with aspecially during the summer. The car brings out good numbers on the track and street. I know that the past vette's weren't in top shape with interiors but neither was Lamborghini until Audi toolk over. I don't think they are far off with that anymore and for 45K starting price, you can't expect to have the best of all.

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GermanNut - 6/9/2007 12:19:37 PM

+1 Boost

AmazinBimmer, I don't think you realize the Audi R8 starts at $109,000 for the manual and $118,000 for the R-tronic.

The M6 starts at under $100K and the M6 convertible starts at approximately $106,000.

That makes the M6 cheaper than the Audi R8 #1.

#2 there are a lot more M6s being built and driven around than Audi R8s so the BMW M6 is therefore less exclusive.

#3 The Audi R8 may ONLY have 420 horsepower from the V8 that is found in the RS4 but the R8 has accelerated faster to 60 mph than the M6. (The R8 has been clocked at 0-60 in 4 seconds flat meanwhile the M6's fastest time is 4.1 seconds)

#4 The Audi R8 has defeated the BMW M6's time around the Nurburgring by more than 8 seconds and lastly

#5 THere is an R8 coming with 500 horsepower via a V10.

#6 That car will easily out-run the M6 on the straights, demolish its time even further around the Ring and #3 win even more comparison tests than the current R8 already does.

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LS430Z06 - 6/18/2007 9:52:00 AM

+1 Boost

OK - As an actual owner of a Z06, I'll chime in here. This particular review shows that these testers cannot launch a high powered car. Smoking the tires in the first three gears is good for a show but will yield slow acceleration times. C6 Z06's can pull off sub 4 sec 0-60 all day long. As for lap times, the Z06 is slightly hampered by the Goodyear run flats that come stadard. Most owners see a couple sec lap time reduction by going with stickier rubber. But for the money, those are darn good lap times. And many Z06 owners are avid track folks.

As for the trailer park comment - I don't know of many people in a trailer park plunking down $70K plus for a car, let alone most of the folks posting here. That comment was from the '70's. I had my German cars - an 01 S4 that was great and an 03 MB E500 that couldn't stay out of the shop. Too much Chrysler crept into that one!

The R8 is a great car no doubt and the Turbo is fine as well. But it would kill me to own one of those, go to a track day and be unable to shake that stock Z06 lap after lap. And if that Z06 put a few grand into some cheap mods, bye bye.

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