Dodge has grown to become a household name. While the Challenger takes care of the sporty bits, the Charger and Durango take care of the sensible side of things. However, SRT is known for its ridiculousness with the likes of the absurdly powerful Dodge Demon and the absolutely bonkers Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
Before all these came into existence, there was the Viper. An idea that sprouted from a need to introduce the next Cobra, the Viper was a true thoroughbred in every regard. However, Dodge axed the Viper back in 2017, and the hopes of it coming back are slim to none.
Perhaps an all-electric Viper could end up being part of the Dodge lineup in the near future, but nothing’s confirmed as of yet. While that’s a topic for another day, we’re focussing on how the 2017 Dodge Viper GTS embodies American rowdiness, all while offering a pleasurable driving experience.
With a manual transmission to augment the available oomph, the Dodge Viper GTS is, without doubt, one of the best sports cars ever made. Couple that with a forgiving yet fairly athletic chassis, and you have yourself a blissful V10 experience, epitomizing the best of American ingenuity.
Let’s Look Back At The Dodge Viper
The Viper is no stranger to any American. Although many claim the Dodge Viper to be a supercar, a good chunk of the community likes to think otherwise. Because Chrysler was struggling at the time, they needed to make a radical choice. With previous attempts failing miserably, they had to get back to the drawing boards. The Viper was initially conceived in late 1988 at Chrysler's Advanced Design Studio. The team was given the idea of designing a modern Cobra, and boy did they deliver. A concept was shown at the NAIAS of 1989, and the people loved it. Originally engineered to be a performance car, the Viper had no exterior-mounted door handles, key cylinders, or even air conditioning.
Since Chrysler owned Lamborghini at the time, they were told to design an engine for the Viper. Lamborghini made use of Chrysler’s LA V8 and gave birth to an 8.0-liter V10 with a set of cool side-exit exhausts. The first Dodge Viper made around 400 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque and was rear-wheel driven. The 1991 Dodge Viper could reach 0-60 in about 4.2 seconds, with a top speed of 165 mph.
Generation VX Made The Dodge Viper Modern
Although the Dodge Viper has seen many generations before ending production, it’s the Viper VX that brought in modernity and true handling prowess. Launched back in 2013, many tweaks were done to the original Viper platform leading to the birth of an immensely capable machine. Power now comes courtesy of an 8.4-liter naturally aspirated V10 putting out 640 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque (645 hp for 2015 models and up).
Driving the rear wheels only, one of the distinguishing factors of the Viper was that it came with a stick. Yes, an 8.4-liter behemoth paired to a good ol’ six-speed three-pedal experience. This was also the generation when the Viper TA and the record-setting Viper ACR were introduced. The standard Viper GTS was the perfect formula for enthusiasts thanks to its meaty engine-gearbox combo and surprisingly athletic dynamics.
2017 Dodge Viper GTS Is Not For The Rational-minded
At around $93,000, back when new, the 2017 Dodge Viper GTS was far from the most rational choice of wheels. While the Dodge Viper’s miserable mpg figures won’t attract your attention, its sumptuous exhaust note and that V10 are enough to gravitate towards it. We understand it’s not as luxurious as its European adversaries nor an all-out track toy as the Porsche GT3 (unless it’s the ACR). However, the sheer absurdity presented in a package that’s in the ballpark of a well-specced Ford Expedition was enough to get people giddy. Any rational family man would think twice before stepping in and ordering a Viper, but if you have the means, why wouldn’t you?
Though the Viper has been discontinued, the used market is pretty strong. People who own Dodge Vipers are not selling them. Those that are part of the pre-owned market are demanding hefty premiums. A used 2017 Viper GTS is going for $136,000, which shows the market demand and general positioning of the front-engined American thoroughbred. Its raw and visceral characteristics paired with the widowmaker title from the ‘90s make it an absolute treat. The Dodge Viper, especially in its later generation, proved to be quite the package. However, not many people were sold on the idea leading to its eventual demise. We hope the Viper moniker is resurrected by something that lives up to its legendary name.
Sources: Stellantis