• Nitro vs. Apollo’s Chariot | Roller Coaster Showdown

  Written by The Coaster Critic 7 Comments
  Last Updated: July 10, 2007

  Two B&M Hyper Coasters Go Head-to-Head in the First Edition of Roller Coaster Showdown

  Bolliger & Mabillard’s critically acclaimed hyper coasters are tall, airtime-packed, modern thrill rides. This week, I’ll be pitting Busch Gardens Europe’s Apollo’s Chariot against Six Flags Great Adventure’s Nitro.

  Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure
  -Nitro boasts a taller first drop (215′). It’s the 9th largest America.
  -The fourth hill is a hammerhead turn more than 100′ in the air. (Seen here.)
  -Nitro has an S-curve and a tight upward helix. Nitro has more of a flying in the air feeling” than Apollo’s “closer to the ground” layout.

  Apollo’s Chariot at Busch Gardens Europe
  -Apollo’s Chariot’s lift hill is only 170′ tall, but it offers a 210′ drop to the surface of the Rhine River.
  -Apollo’s third drop features a swooping decent resulting in the train skimming the ground. Great for those riding on the left side of the train.
  -AC is packed with airtime, especially on the series of bunny hills on the trip back to the station.

  Edge: The edge goes to Apollo’s Chariot for its relentless amount of airtime on pretty much every hill. Not only are riders treated to an insane number of drops, but they also experience airtime (being lifted out of your seat).

  Which coaster would you pick in this week’s Coaster Showdown? Do you have suggestions for next week’s edition? Leave a comment below.

  

  Related Posts:

  1. Apollo’s Chariot @ Busch Gardens | Coaster Reviews
  2. Nitro @ Six Flags Great Adventure | Coaster Reviews
  3. Griffon vs SheiKra | Roller Coaster Showdown

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7 Comments

1. #1 Anonymous says:
   May 10th, 2009 at 9:30 am

   Cole, that post will be locked soon. Just trust me. It’ll be edited, or eliminated

   Reply
   • #2 The Coaster Critic says:
     May 10th, 2009 at 7:02 pm

     Yup. Cole you’ve been blocked. Please people, try to make your point without swearing.

     Reply
2. #3 Tom says:
   September 14th, 2009 at 8:02 pm

   I agree. A.C. is better.

   Reply
3. #4 MarvelMaker says:
   September 26th, 2009 at 5:09 pm

   I’ve been on both, and they both are very good rides – but I think Nitro has a slight edge. Nitro’s spiral is much better than A.C, and Nitro’s drops are better. I think the woods setting also helps Nitro.

   Reply
4. #5 rollercoasterfanatic says:
   June 21st, 2010 at 9:51 pm

   I think Nitro is better becuase you go over the hills faster and you kinda fall out of your seat. Nitro has more drops and their mostly bigger throughout the ride. I also like the bunny hills and drops at the end of nitro. I think nitro is in a better park than AC is in.

   Reply
5. #6 tom says:
   June 26th, 2010 at 8:36 pm

   i would have to say the edge goes to nitro.

   ac is good, but i don’t think it does a hole lot! the turn around on ac is pretty much just a double or tiple helix and their are no over banked turns on ac just a tun of bunnyhops.
   the themeing on ac is verry good verry colorful and a nice line to wate in with covered roofs wood, and umbrellas providing a canopy obstructing sunlight. another thing that turns you on is the smell of ac. they put the line next to some great pastery shop and it smells amazing.

   nitro offers a lot more nitro offers 3 great hills 100ft+ one of them turning you sidwase at the top, a hammer head(overbanked turn) a (s) curve and what few bunnyhops nitro has to offer, are better then any of ac’s bunnyhops going back to the station.
   nitro has a junk yard theme and i would have to say has the better theme. line wise. not station or ride wise

   for daytime riding i would choose ac cause the line is in the shade, but night time nitro lights up much like top thrill dragster where as ac id like kingda ka at night.so nitro looks cooler at night and you have a better sunset to look at.

   station rules, ac does not offer bins to put articals in. so you have to sit on what ever you have or your not riding ac. nitro your were allowed to just throw your shoes etc. on the other side but now i think they have bins.

   reply to me at youtbe.com/tslabjr7 if you want to reply.

   Reply
6. #7 Mike says:
   June 26th, 2010 at 9:24 pm

   I prefer A.C. because of the airtime as the critic pointed out. I also love the dive into the River and the pre-drop on the first drop. I rode Nitro front row and it is still on the chain when you go over and I think that halts some of the momentum. Either way they were Both GREAT rides and I love them both. B&M hypers are my favorite!

   Reply