2014 SRT Viper gets 'Rain Mode'

"doodon2whls" (doodon2whls)
10/23/2013 at 15:40 • Filed to: Viper, SRT

No Joke... What doth ye say, Opponauts ? Good Idea ? Bad Idea ? Meh ?

Full Text:

A development goal for the new !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! was making the car more forgiving and accessible to a broader constituency of enthusiasts, without sacrificing a bit of its track capability. A critical step to achieve this was developing a specially calibrated, high-performance Stability Control, incorporating this technology into the SRT Viper for the first time.

For 2014, the Viper’s stability and traction controls work in calibrated harmony with the brake system ABS to provide drivers with Rain Mode functionality. Introduced for 2014, Rain Mode is positioned as an additional driver-programmable performance setting.

Wheel speed, yaw, and G-sensors continuously monitor the SRT Viper’s on-road behavior. These inputs to the ESC controller manage ABS, Stability- and Traction-Control.

When Rain Mode is manually engaged by the driver, multi-directional wheel slip thresholds are lowered accordingly.

This restricted vehicle behavior can serve as a confidence-builder for less-experienced drivers, potentially gun-shy when driving a high-performance vehicle under less than ideal precipitation conditions.

SRT Vehicle Dynamics Manager Erich Heuschele participated in Rain Mode development testing. He’s justifiably proud of the results.

“When Rain Mode is engaged, the SRT Viper drives like a normal car’s ESC and Traction Control – more restrictive,” says Heuschele. “We validated the system in every possible weather, surface, and tire combination, from warm and wet to dry and cold – and everything in-between, even extremes such as summer tires on cold, dry pavement. The system operates seamlessly and can even be used on a road course.”

SRT believes that Rain Mode will help mitigate potential anxiety among wary drivers, helping them to build confidence in their car-control skill-sets under varying weather conditions.

Rain Mode is the kind of technology that enables SRT Viper to be a dominant player in experienced hands at track-day, to an accessible, confidence-building, user-friendly grand touring machine when a novice pilot is at the helm.

Driver-selectable Rain Mode is standard on all !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! models.

DISCUSSION (13)

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 15:44

lol Traction control, Viper? That once was a foreign concept.

I hope EVERYthing in that car that assists the driver can be turned off, so I can get a taste of what it's like to drive something that could kill you at any turn or every dollop of throttle.

RazoE > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 15:48

I have SNOW mode on my IS 300. All it does is cut power. I can still slide if I clutch out too fast.

lepie > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 15:51

Good idea as long as everything can be turned off. I'm all for systems that ASSIST you when you want them, but all against systems that LIMIT you when you don't want them.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 15:51

"...an accessible, confidence-building, user-friendly grand touring machine"

Forgive me for asking, but isn't that the complete polar opposite of what makes a Viper a Viper? I thought the whole appeal of the Viper (and quite honestly the only reason I could think of for buying one) was that it was a frightening, no-fucks-given, zero-tolerance sports car that punished the slightest mistake with an instant drop of the hammer, and thus took quite a bit of skill to drive.

Lets Just Drive > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 15:52

The original Viper wouldn't pass muster today. Thus, the current SRT Viper is required to have basic security and safety measures such as ESM which needs ECU controlled traction control etc. But SRT did a good job of letting the driver disable a great deal of that electronic nanny BS even though, and correct me if I'm wrong, I don't believe the "off" setting on the traction control actually turns it all the way off.

If you're going to be required to have the electronic nanny, why not go ahead and make that nanny into a hot ass babysitter in a see-thru tank top? So yeah, I'm good with it. Not that what I think matters anyway.

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 15:54

Can't have all the 50-year old men (because who else buys a Viper, not that I don't want one, but let's be serious) wrecking their precious $120,000 sports car as they try and show off to their 22-year old gold-digger, I mean wife.

doodon2whls > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
10/23/2013 at 16:01

Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about this development...

First - 'Rain Mode' is a manually configured mode, so it does not default to that mode. I suspect that the ESP/TCS functions can still be defeated for track duty.

Second - Most everyone that wants to drive a frightening, no-fucks-given, zero-tolerance sports car that punishes the slightest mistake with an instant drop of the hammer most likely already owns one, or their spouse won't let them own one. THEREFORE, the market for a frightening, no-fucks-given, zero-tolerance sports car that punishes the slightest mistake with an instant drop of the hammer is quite limited and I'm betting that Chrysler is realizing this as Vipers accumulate at the plant and dealers around the country.

On one hand, I think it's heresy to include these features on what should be a frightening, no-fucks-given, zero-tolerance sports car that punishes the slightest mistake with an instant drop of the hammer. On the other hand, the car is still a monster and if they need this mode to put more butts in the seats of Vipers, I think I am OK with that. I'd like the Viper to be around for a while.

doodon2whls > Lets Just Drive
10/23/2013 at 16:08

IIRC, the ESP/TCS still has multiple modes. On, 'Off', and 'OFF OFF' like the other SRT vehicles. (ABS is always on - it's better that way)

On - is the default and provides reasonable ESP/TCS for daily driving.

'Off' (press the ESP button briefly) - raises the yaw and wheel spin limits, but it'll still save you.

'OFF OFF' (hold the ESP button or access through another easter egg) - turns the ESP/TCS off altogether and is accompanied by notification on the EVIC/TFT on the instrument cluster that you 'are on your own, buddy'.

Lets Just Drive > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 16:10

Thanks!

Now I know and...

Kinja'd!!!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 16:11

And the Viper has died.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 16:12

Valid points. The Viper (along with the Corvette) is one of the very few American cars able to hang with the European crowd in terms of performance, and thus I'm perfectly fine with anything that keeps it around longer, be it traction control or otherwise.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 16:22

How's it gonna kill people when it's got a damn sissy rain mode?

Kinja'd!!!

Somethingwittyer likes noisy > doodon2whls
10/23/2013 at 17:32

I was hoping it was going to be more around the lines of proper performance TC mode. After reading the text it seems that your not going to get anywhere near the limit. Still, I've heard Viper's normal TC mode is still pretty unforgiving (at least in the base), with the limits still plenty high before it has to intervene. And hey, if this means you can drive a Viper in pretty much any road condition (bar snow), then I'm fine. Just hoped it would be more performance based.