ZR1 vs. Lambo vs. Mercedes vs. Viper

[Baldilocks]

Finally! The ZR1 gets a break!

Full article: Corvette ZR1 vs. SL65 AMG Black Series, Murciélago LP640, Viper SRT10 - MSN Autos

Summary:

Corvette ZR1 vs. SL65 AMG Black Series, Murciélago LP640, Viper SRT10

With 600-hp (and then some), these supercars are at the pinnacle of the automotive food chain. Just like dinosaurs, they may be doomed.

By Mark Gillies of Car and Driver


Click to enlarge picture

2010 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series, 2009 Dodge Viper SRT10, 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and 2009 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 (clockwise from above left)




It’s easy to diss old-fashioned people as dinosaurs, with their plodding resistance to change, but think about this: Those lumbering, small-brained behemoths ruled the earth for 165 million years, which is a lot longer than Homo sapiens have been in charge of messing up the planet.

Although Diplodocus had similar brain power to bankers who thought asset-backed securities were a sure thing, you've got to be impressed with this 90-foot-long, 20-ton beast that perambulated the third planet from the sun all those years ago.

Like dinosaurs, the 600-horsepower beasts gathered here could soon become extinct, but they are also highly impressive. Machines that weigh as much as two tons and sport massive 12-cylinder engines aren’t exactly in tune with the zeitgeist, which is increasingly angst-ridden over global warming, dependence on foreign oil, and the greening of energy. Performance cars may soon become more fuel efficient — lighter and more compact, with smaller engines. No doubt they’ll be great to drive, but they won’t be as dramatic as a Dodge Viper or a Lamborghini Murciélago in full flight.