As arguably the best American sports car in recent years, the Viper promised a hardcore driving experience that caught out experienced and naive drivers alike. Would we buy one?
On the one hand, Chrysler delivered everything it set out to achieve. The Viper is fast, brutal, and remains every gearhead's dream ride. However, demand came from both novice and seasoned drivers. The former was lured in by a low-slung two-seater body combined with a scintillating V10 engine. These were not Chryslers target audience. Think of the RT/10 as a flawed masterpiece wrapped around a potential ticking time bomb. The Viper is nonetheless awesome in every sense. From the whirr of the starter, once the V10 cranks in to life, it's hard to resist the adrenalin-filled buzz of anticipation.
The question is, do we want a Viper? Yes. But for every awesome detail, there remains a nagging doubt concerning taking ownership, knowing the RT/10 is deeply flawed. Dodge/Chrysler over time remedied the more worrisome faults, but the Viper throughout production is still a huge gamble.
10 Awesome - Viper Roadster Or Coupe
Underrated American supercar or bonkers muscle car, we'll let you decide. The Viper was Chrysler's (Dodge) attempt to resurrect interest in muscle cars during the early '90s. Think of the Viper as a modern day take on the Cobra, and that's what gearheads got.
Pairing the Viper back to the bare essentials generated a lot of interest among the press and gearheads alike. However, not every owner craved the back-to-basics weather-proofing of the RT/10. Dodge listened and responded with the Viper GTS.
9 Awesome - Production Car Engines Don't Come Any Bigger
More of anything car engine-related is nearly always viewed as better. The Dodge Viper's engine, being the largest engine of any production car to date, didn't disappoint. Only the Veyron/Chiron comes close for dramatic effect. Even then, the Viper has more cubic inches.
Launched in 1992, the Viper used a truck-based, Lamborghini co-developed 8.0-liter V10 cranking 400 hp. This gasoline-powered behemoth sits behind the Viper's front axle for better weight distribution, which considering its 712 lbs bulk is probably a good thing. Over time, as the Viper "matured," so too did the V10 engine, growing to its peak displacement of 8.4-liter.
8 Awesome - Side Pipes Bring The Noise
Following in the Cobra's footsteps, Dodge fitted the RT/10 1st-Gen cars with side exiting exhausts. The retro-nod to '60s muscle cars only lasted two years before the Viper adopted a more conventional, and safer rear-firing twin pipe set-up.
However, any serious gearhead is going to want the side pipe option. If, by design or pure coincidence, the tips are located almost to the inch in line with the driver's seat and head. How loud? At 3000 rpm the Viper emits 90 decibels, perilously close to costing you 3 points on your driver's permit.
7 Awesome - From Road To Track, The Viper Is Fast
The Viper RT/10 is a mixed bag in terms of performance. In a head-to-head drag race, the Viper is within striking distance of more exclusive exotics costing several times as much. Off the line out-dragging Ferraris F355 to 60 mph in 4.2-seconds, an impressive four-tenths faster. At the top end, however, the tables were turned the Viper running out of ideas at 165 mph.
By contrast, a pair of privately prepared Viper RT/10 contested the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994. Validating the Viper's competitiveness, both cars finished the race, while car no. 40 secured 2nd place in the LMGT1 category. In 1998, Chrysler fielded a factory-backed team of GTS-Rs, dominating the GT1 series three years in succession.
6 Awesome - U.S. Muscle/Sports Car Bargain
Thirty years on and nothing beats the Viper for sheer visual or aural drama. Dodge had succeeded in recapturing the noise and feel of the '60s perfectly. Devilishly good-looking and packing supercar-shaming performance, the Viper was a bargain with a recommended list price of $52,000.
Taking 30-years of inflation into account, and rarity values, the Dodge Viper is still the same V10-powered bargain today. With very little effort, we found a dozen or so low mileage RT/10s under $50k.
5 We'll Pass - Low Rent Interior
Suspiciously cheap, even when new, the Viper does have several negative points that are sure to sway gearheads towards other brands. Remembering Chrysler/Dodge at the time envisaged the Viper as driver's car foremost goes some way to explaining how little you got for your cash.
Slide into either of the two leather seats, and you'll be greeted by acres of cheap plastics. Instruments are also on the basic side. However, it's what is missing entirely that worries us most. Door locks, air-con, window winders, and windows themselves are all missing through design. The RT/10 did have weather-proofing, side windows instead of glass consisted of vinyl panels.
4 We'll Pass - Unrefined Chassis & Body Design
Following the theme of minimalism further, the Viper used a separate frame chassis beneath with a lightweight fiberglass body. By the '90s monocoque construction had long since replaced body-on frame designs bringing the benefits of improved structural rigidity.
The Vipers dated design wasn't without its merits. Both cheaper to build and repair, it would be a plus point further down the line. Removing excess weight was chief among Chrysler's design and engineering requirements. If the Viper could be driven without driver aids, they were deleted from the blueprints.
3 We'll Pass - Tricky Handling
A lack of driver aids in pursuit of weight saving proved a step too far. Anti-lock brakes and traction control both would have stood owners in good stead given the Vipers 400+ hp power output.
In part, the Viper's reputation for tricky handling must be attributable to its astonishing 1g cornering loads. However, gearheads unused to the huge power reserves and internal organ realigning grip could easily be caught out pushing the limits too far. Like a wild animal cornered, the Viper packs a ferocious bite.
2 We'll Pass - Wallet Busting Spares & Maintenance Costs
The Viper vanished from dealerships a second time around in 2017, with combined Chrysler/Dodge sales numbers of 31,850 cars. As a result, spares and accidents repair parts, unsurprisingly, are a rare commodity. While service items shouldn't present too much of a headache to owners, accident repairs are another matter.
Any gearhead underestimating how much space the Vipers elongated hood requires will be shocked by OEM parts' prices. Picking up an original factory spec hood will set you back $3,500. Similarly, misplacing the more desirable hard top will cost you around $4,500.
1 We'll Pass - It's a Bit Thirsty
Last, but by no means least, the Viper's accidents and servicing aside, it isn't cheap to run. Those enormous 275/40 (Front) and 335/35 (Rear) tires are quite a rare size guaranteeing higher than average purchase price. But for us, it's the Viper's demonic power delivery and associated thirst that causes the greatest concern.
In perfect conditions, the V10 should deliver a combined 13 MPG. In reality, a mid-high single digits range is much more believable no matter how gently you squeeze the throttle. Unless you're fortunate enough to have an oil well in your backyard pumping crude oil 24/7, the Viper isn't a viable daily driver.