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Old 08-08-2012, 11:09 PM   #11 (permalink)
Vman455
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcrews View Post
the rear is narrower by 1.9 inches..........
2003 and on, yes. Your source isn't trustworthy: the Viper was redesigned in 2003, and the dimensions weren't consistent from 2002 (last year of Gen II) to 2006 (last year of Gen III). My car was a 2002 GTS (Gen II, 1996-2002), which does indeed have a narrower front track than rear:

Track, f/r, in./mm 59.6/60.6/1514/1538

(courtesy of Motor Trend)

Also, the engine specs from that source are for the Gen IV (2008-2010), not the Gen III (2003-2006), and all Vipers from 1992-2010 came from the factory with a 3.07:1 final drive.

To get back on topic, it is quite possible for manufacturers to engineer a car with a narrow-enough front track to accommodate front skirts (which doesn't have to be all that narrow anyway), and concept cars in the past have showcased unique solutions for maintaining steering ability. I don't buy the argument that we don't see them currently because of safety concerns having a narrower front track than rear, as cars sold in the past have done that and even been marketed as high performance vehicles (the Lamborghini Murcielago is another notable case, with a rear track 3 inches wider than the front!). That's the point I was trying to make.

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