Ronnie,
Finally a post I feel supremely qualified to respond to:
First off - I am (was) a fellow C6 Z51 Pre-Order - a Mill Yellow Coupe with Polished Wheels, Nav, XM and Cash interior.
I am now a very happy, could not be more pleased owner of the following:
http://gallery.viperclub.org/showphoto.php/photo/7482/size/big/sort/1/cat/500
2004 SRT-10 Viper
White Mamba #146/200
To answer your questions:
Q1. Performance Comparison C6 Z51 to SRT-10
A1. There is none. Nothing can prepare you for 525lbs of torque and the monstrous power of 505 cu in. The track performance is also no comparison. The Viper corners, tracks and stops better - and this is by a lot.
Q2. Ride Comparison
A2. No doubt the Viper will ride rougher. The suspension is very tight on a brand new car. Mine is starting to loosen up and feels so much better than it did out of the showroom. The Vette will still be more comfortable. If you are really looking for comfort then I recommend the M5 or 6 Series BMW, maybe a STS-V. I love people who say they are buying a Vette because it is comfortable. Isn't that like saying I bought a Hummer for the gas mileage?
Q3. Interior
A3. Again the Vette comes with options for creature comforts the Viper will never have. When you drive a Viper you do so for the Driving experience. I can't stress this enough. The sound, the engine, the power and the show stopping traffic is unprecedented. If you want creature comforts and a semi fast car, the Vette is the best option on the planet. For me I didn't want a jack of all trades master of none experience, which is what the Vette provides.
Lastly, and for me the most important point to this whole debate -- EXCLUSIVITY. Even when the C6 Z06 Comes out, and that is likely to be a screamin' car, the debate will come down to this thing called exclusivity.
35000 cars per year compared to 1500, 4000 on a good year. Or go with the Mamba and be 1 of 200 like I did.
There are thousands of Vettes on the road, I see them all the time. There are 15 in my parking lot at work, and those are just the Z06's.
I had 6 cars (WRX, Evo, S2000, Vette) follow me home from the show room floor. I didn't know these people. One of the shop guys called his son (18), told him the White Mamba was there and being sold. 6 cars and their owners meet at the dealership with video and digital cameras and follow me 20 miles to my driveway, videotaping the entire experience.
The amount of waves, horns, thumbs up, people taking pics of you with their phone camera and the sheer amazement people express at the gas station is worth the price of admission. You'll never get that with any Vette.
The Viper is in another class. There's a good reason why 80%+ of all Viper owners were one time Vette owners - that's my story.
If you are looking for the best looking best performing car you can buy for under 100K there is no comparison. And to get Viper performance you have to pay over 300K for a stock car or spend 30K on mods to a Vette and have it not be under warranty and have it suffer on the track (because it's likely the car only goes straight).
Personally I feel a lot smarter going with the Viper. The only other smart decision would have been waiting for the C6 Z06, but even then I would be hoping on something that's not confirmed (500Hp or better) and would still have to put up with everyone else Vette.
And one more thing - there is no substitute for cubic inches. Find a local Viper specialist like we have here in Austin, Tx (props to David Weaver) and you can have all manner of upgrades done under warranty -- like my Hi-Flow Cat, *** Exhaust and Headers which will have me well over 500 to the wheels...woo hoo!!!
Viper all the way - but if you choose to go the Vette route, congratulations. They are both super fine sports cars and the best value going. I hate folks that tear down something else just to build up their opinion. I likem both, my preference is the SRT-10 Mamba.
Chris