The 2014 SRT Viper TA makes its formal debut in New York (New Video)

Even though the new 2014 SRT Viper TA is not the most expensive option in the new Viper lineup, it is a culmination of the most crucial high performance features of the base model SRT Viper and the high end Viper GTS – making it the best performing of the current street legal Vipers. The goal for SRT was to build a Viper that maintained the ability to comfortably be driven on the street (unlike the Viper GTS-R race cars) while offering a more competitive package for the Viper owner who is more than the occasional track time competitor. The other (unspoken) goal in designing the 2014 SRT Viper TA was to build a car that could go head to head with the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and beat it in a venue where the Viper GTS fell short. That venue happened to be Laguna Seca Raceway and after taking up Motor Trend’s challenge to pit the Viper head to head with the ZR1, the Viper TA was able to reclaim the record for the fastest lap around the famous American road course.

“The new 2014 SRT Viper TA is being engineered for the dedicated track enthusiast, who still wants to drive to the track and take their hobby to the next level” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. “We’re re-launching some of the fastest production-built cars that people can buy straight from the factory. Our engineers revised the suspension settings to refocus the Viper specifically for track duty, using a blend of components from the GTS and the SRT models, add in the extensively developed aero package and the new Time Attack package is born. We’re not only saluting the existing capabilities of our current models, we’re also targeting another niche in our customer base with a tremendously capable track machine.”

Technically built on the foundation of the base Viper, the SRT Viper TA features the same high performance two mode Bilstein DampTronic suspension system from the Viper GTS but this high tech setup has been specially tuned for the Time Attack Viper. Where the GTS suspension system offers modes for street and track, the Viper TA offers two different track modes with varying levels of stiffness. One offers more assistance for the novice driver with the second is more of an extreme, all assists off mode that is ideal for the experienced racer. In addition to the special tuning of the adjustable suspension setup, the components of the system have been enhanced with specially tuned dampers, springs and stabilizer bars for optimal handling.

Next, the Sidewinder II wheels from the Viper Track Package have been added and while many expected that SRT would call on new tires to best the ZR1, the Viper TA features the same Pirelli P Zero Corsa that we find on the other new Vipers. Where the Track Package adds high performance StopTech rotors, the new Viper TA uses specially developed Brembo rotors that improve stopping force while also improving heat dissipation to help the braking system stand up to the rigors of road racing.

While the drivetrain remains unchanged for the 2014 SRT Viper TA with the 8.4L V10 sending 640 horsepower and 600lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission, the aluminum engine bay cross brace has been replaced by a carbon fiber unit that provides just as much structural rigidity while cutting unnecessary weight from the front of the car. Finally, helping the Viper TA cut through the air is a unique front splitter and rear spoiler – features which work together to add some 300 pounds of downforce to the new track ready supercar.
The result of all of these changes is the 2014 SRT Viper TA lapping Laguna Seca Raceway quicker than any Viper – or any other street legal car – ever. Even though the Time Attack Viper was only able to beat the ZR1 by less than a tenth of a second, it was still able to beat it by basically using components already in the company parts bin.

Of course, there is also that stunning orange paint scheme which we have learned is named TA Orange (early reports suggested that it would be more appropriately named Crusher Orange) and just 33 examples of the Viper TA will be built in this orange hue. Production of the Viper TA will begin later this year and if you aren’t able to get your hands on one of the 33 bright orange supercars – don’t worry – Chrysler plans to build more in other colors next year.

To offer a little more insight on the design of the 2014 SRT Viper TA, the Street and Racing Technology division of the Chrysler Group put together the short video below in conjunction with the New York Auto Show launch of the new package.