Skip to main content

Mangle of American Muscle: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray vs 2014 SRT Viper

For 60 years, the Chevrolet Corvette has held the title of “America’s Sports Car”, but it’s not America’s only sports car.

Since it first slithered onto showroom floors in 1992, the Street and Racing Technology (SRT) Viper, former under the Dodge moniker, has won fans and terrified unprepared drivers with its own unique brand of American performance.

While they’ve typically been separated by significant price and performance gaps, although the previous-generation Corvette Z06 and ZR1 essentially closed those gaps), the ‘Vette and the Viper have a lot in common. They both emphasize raw power and performance over finesse and luxury, which is why they’re both often viewed as unrefined compared to European rivals.

Now, there are new versions of both of these cars. Both General Motors and Chrysler’s SRT claim that each has the sophistication to take on the best from the Europe, but without losing any of the American brutality.

Which sports car truly deserves to represent America? Read on to find out.

Exterior design

The designers or the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and SRT Viper had plenty of baggage; each car has its own iconic styling cues that would be hard to ignore without infuriating fans and detracting from the car’s character. Each carmaker dealt with this issue in its own way.

SRT played things relatively safe. The current Viper looks different from the previous version, but that’s mostly because of its snazzy LED-ringed headlights, and because the car’s two-year (2011-2013) hiatus gave people plenty of time to forget the old one.

Still, there wasn’t much that needed changing. The extremely long hood and short rear deck are just as alluring as ever, as are that gaping mouth of a grille and the many air scoops. And don’t forget those ankle-frying side exhaust outlets. Where many cars try to look aggressive, the Viper actually is.

However, while SRT was in preservation mode, Chevrolet was in innovation mode. The seventh-generation Corvette’s styling has drawn a lot of controversy, but the Bow Tie Brigade deserves a lot of credit for trying something different.

Except for its general proportions, the Stingray shares very little with previous Corvettes, yet it is instantly recognizable as one. The car looks energetic and lithe even sitting still, in stark contrast to the less-sharp flanks of the previous, C6 Corvette.

Both cars are gorgeous but, for daring to be different and representing a greater improvement over its predecessor, the Corvette wins this round.

Interior design, comfort, amenities

The Corvette and Viper are steeped in nostalgia, but no one wants to remember the interiors of the old models. Like most American cars of the past 20 years, they were known for being bad enough to embarrass a rental car.

For the Viper’s 2013 relaunch SRT added a little flash to the interior with a TFT gauge cluster taken straight out of the Dodge Dart. Don’t laugh: It’s about as advanced as anything in the Chrysler inventory, although the “Stryker” logo graphic that appears in the middle of the display is a bit much.

A second major addition was a pair of race seats from Sabelt, which also supplies seats to Chrysler’s distant corporate cousin, Ferrari. There’s also an 8.4-inch center stack screen, and copious leather in the upscale GTS model.

For the Stingray, Chevy added an 8-inch digital gauge cluster, and an 8-inch infotainment screen to match. The two displays form the basis for driver- and passenger-centric areas of the cabin, which allude to the twin-cockpit design of the original 1963 Corvette Sting Ray.

The Corvette also gets upgraded seats from Lear, the same supplier used for the C6 (and currently used by Porsche), and optional carbon fiber trim.

Both cars feature versions of their respective makers’ infotainment systems: MyLink for the Corvette, and UConnect for the Viper. But that’s not really why you buy a sports car, right?

There’s one more important feature that both cars share: a grab handle for scared passengers.

Each car’s interior is vastly improved over the previous versions, and in essentially the same way. This round is a draw.

Powertrain

This is all about American muscle. That means more displacement, more power, and not a single turbocharger in sight.

The Viper packs an all-aluminum 8.4-liter V10 640 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque – the most torque of any naturally-aspirated production engine, SRT says. That torque monster is mated to a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission.

The Corvette sports the latest version of Chevy’s small-block V8, known as the LT1. Displacing 6.2 liters, it produces 455 hp and 460 lb-ft, or 460 hp and 465 lb-ft with the optional performance exhaust system. It features new-fangled tech like direct injection and cylinder deactivation, which allows the V8 to run as a 3.1-liter four-cylinder under light loads.

The ‘Vette comes with either a seven-speed manual transmission with a clever Active Rev Matching system that blips the throttle for smoother shifts, or a six-speed automatic.

Anyone buying a sports car with more than twice the displacement of a four-cylinder family sedan probably isn’t that interested in fuel economy but, for the record, The Viper gets 15 mpg combined (12 mpg city, 19 mpg highway); the ‘Vette gets 21 mpg combined (17 mpg city, 29 mpg highway) with the manual, and 1 mpg less in each category with the automatic.

This round is a real battle between the subjective and the objective. The sheer brutality of the Viper V10 is hard to deny, and no Mopar fan would ever say that a Chevy engine is better. Still, the Corvette does a lot with (a little) less displacement, so it gets the nod.

Performance

Looking at the specs, you might think the 460 hp, V8 Corvette is a bit outgunned by the 640 hp , V10 Viper. You’d be right.

SRT says the Viper will do 0-60 mph in the “low 3-second range,” complete the quarter mile in around 11 seconds, and reach a top speed of 206 mph.

The Stingray will do 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds and run the quarter mile in 12 seconds (Chevy doesn’t quote an official top speed for the ‘Vette, but it’s likely below the 200-mph mark). It should be noted that these numbers are for a Corvette with the optional Z51 performance package.

The Viper will stop from 60 mph in 106 feet, while the ‘Vette requires an extra foot to erase all of its momentum.

So while the Corvette puts up a spirited performance, the Viper wins this round.

Future pairings may have different outcomes, though. SRT has already upped the ante with the track-focused Viper TA, and you can expect successors to the old Corvette Z06 and ZR1 performance models as well.

Price

Both the Corvette and the Viper are often viewed as sports car “bargains,” because they offer performance that rivals traditional benchmarks like the Porsche 911 and various Ferraris without crossing the $100,000 line.

However, one of these cars is more of a bargain than the other.

The 2014 Corvette Stingray coupe starts at $51,995 ($56,995 for the convertible). A fully-loaded ‘Vette costs $73,360.

The 2014 SRT Viper starts at $102,485; the TA starts at $118,485, and the fancier GTS model starts at $124,985.

While the Viper is faster, and has more an air of exclusivity, Corvette aren’t sacrificing too much considering how much less expensive the Chevy is. For that reason, the Corvette wins the price war.

Cool Factor

Coolness isn’t a problem here.

Even if the names weren’t wrapped up in a flurry of brand loyalty, iconography, and patriotism, it’s hard to argue with the appeal of a powerful, rear-wheel drive sports car.

Each car has a string of racing victories for owners to brag about, although the Corvette’s 60 years in showrooms definitely give it the advantage in the history department. Plus, no one’s ever written a song called “Little Red Viper.”

Still, the two cars are more than their pasts; each has its own character. The Corvette is known for being a familiar set piece in American pop culture and – in the spirit of democracy – for being accessible to people with a wide variety of talent levels and bank accounts.

The Viper is anything but snobbish, but it’s also not for everyone. The more recent generations are tamer, but this is still a car with a nasty reputation for striking back at drivers who make mistakes. It’s price also makes it much rarer than a Corvette.

“Cool factor” doesn’t involve practicality, so the Viper’s bad attitude wins this contest, even if the car might be hard to live with. You’re also less likely to see another one at the stoplight.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more