Viper fans succeed in funding Nurburgring record attempt

Fans of the Dodge Viper have won their battle to fully fund one final attempt at setting a production car lap record at Germany's Nurburgring before manufacturing of the American supercar ceases later this year.

In total, Viper enthusiasts managed to raise an incredible $US165,165 ($A213,000) in less than six months to ensure their dream of a lap record send-off becomes reality, with fans donating anything from ranging from just $5 ($A6.50) to $US10,000 ($A13,000).

To help incentivise the giving, fans who donate more than $US250 ($A320) get their names listed on a commemorative poster while anyone who contributes more than $10,000 are invited to witness the record attempt that takes place next month.

As well as contributions from fans, Viper dealer ViperExchange says it will supply two Viper ACR Extremes for the attempt, while Kumho has announced it will supply tyres.

Taking care of the driving duties will be German racers Dominik Farnbacher and Luca Stolz.

Both are known as Nurburgring lap time specialists, with Farnbacher recording a 7:12.13 time driving a Viper ACR back in 2011.

Originally, it was hoped the latest (and last) Viper ACR Extreme's huge aero would give it the competitive edge to help it beat the Porsche 918 Spyder's 6:57 lap time -- but that time was subsequently beaten last October by the Lamborghini Huracan Performante, which set a blistering lap of just 6:52.02.

Before setting up the crowd-funding account, fans said they had tried lobbying Dodge to organise a factory-backed record attempt at the Nurburgring, but their calls fell on deaf ears.

Instead, the US car-maker used the Viper ACR Extreme to set 13 lap records at circuits around the US, including an outright production car record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, where the Viper beat the 918 by more than a second.

Despite the new lap record, enthusiasts remain confident the Viper ACR Extreme’s 480kW/813Nm 8.4-litre alloy V10, big aero and talented driver line-up should be enough to take the record from Lamborghini.