The Dodge Viper is an American automotive icon. Its engine is huge, it sounds like a demon, and it was impossible to beat in a straight line. The uncomplicated nature of the Viper endeared it to many, but unfortunately it's been out of production since 2017. With various rumors circulating about its return, it's worth seeing what the Viper was all about.
From its introduction, the Dodge Viper stood out from the crowd. It had the low slung appearance of true sports cars. The long hood stretched out into the distance beyond the windshield and the two seats in the cockpit perched so far back that they were almost directly above the back wheels. The Viper had the traditional sports car layout with the engine in the front and drive coming from the rear. Coupled with a manual gearbox, it ticked all the boxes that guaranteed a purely thrilling driving experience.
The Dodge Viper Is A True American Sports Car
The idea for the Dodge Viper began in the late '80s and drew much inspiration from the sports cars of the '60s, including the Ferrari 250 GTO, Jaguar E–Type, and Shelby Cobra. The heads of Chrysler, then owners of Dodge, wanted to create a beautiful, modern performance car with a huge engine up front and a manual transmission. At the time, V8s powered most of its American rivals, so the designers opted for a V10 which would really set it apart. While a powerful engine is one aspect of a proper sports car, keeping the weight down is just as important.
The tubular frame was only the beginning of the story of how serious Chrysler were about sticking to the lightweight thesis behind the Dodge Viper. They must have been particularly worried about the weight because they went to pretty extreme measures to keep the Viper skinny. The first generation, the RT/10, came with a canvas roof and vinyl windows (can you even call them windows if they're made from vinyl?!) that opened with zippers. The RT/10 didn't come with air–conditioning or airbags. It didn't even have door handles on the outside. It's obvious that they built this car with one thing in mind: speed.
The original Viper was an infamously difficult car to drive, with its massive engine, lightweight body and distinct lack of technology, as was common at the time. The absence of anti–lock brakes or traction control made handling the car no easier. It truly was a skill to drive one of these fast and there's something so nostalgic about that. These days, with the abundance of driver aids, it's rare to come across a car that demands as much respect as the Dodge Viper.
The Heart Of The Viper
Chrysler sourced a monstrous 8.0-liter V10 from the Dodge Ram truck range, but they knew that a heavy lump like that under the hood would ruin the balance of their lightweight concept. Conveniently, Chrysler owned Lamborghini at the time, and so, took advantage of this Italian connection.
Lamborghini are more experienced than most with V10 engines, and so equipped Chrysler with the knowledge to fabricate the Viper engine from aluminum, making it much lighter. It wasn't as straightforward as swapping out the iron for aluminum. The materials function differently, and therefore the designers added in lots of different bracing and support to ensure structural integrity. Creating the lightweight V10 was the final piece in the puzzle for the legendary Viper.
The first generation Viper put out 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, getting it to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds and on to a top speed of over 160 mph. That's not bad for 1992! As Dodge released newer iterations of the Viper, the heart of this beast just got more and more special up until the release of the fifth generation in 2013. This model had an 8.4-liter V10 producing 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. It did 0–60 mph in 3.5 seconds and would keep on going until it hit 206 mph. It was a brutal car that would keep you pinned to the back of the seat every time you touched the accelerator.
The Viper Held So Many Lap Records
Some think of the Viper as a traffic light warrior, unbeatable in a straight line from one junction to the next. But there's a lot more to it than that. The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR set an astounding thirteen lap records around the world. At the time, it held more lap records than any other car. Included in the list are some of the most famous racetracks in existence, such as Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta.
One of the elements that helped the ACR to this milestone was its aerodynamics. The Extreme Aero Package consisted of an enormous rear wing, a carbon diffuser, a front splitter and canards. This helped the ACR produce over 1700 lbs of downforce at 177 mph, meaning that this lap time chaser was absolutely glued to the track. So next time someone says that Vipers are only good in a straight line, point to the ACR!
Will The Dodge Viper Ever Return?
Sadly, production of the Dodge Viper ended in 2017. There have been murmurings of a reintroduction, but it's hard to know if there is any truth in the whispers. What would a modern Viper look like? We have an answer in one of our exclusives.
It's unlikely that the V10 would survive, and it's difficult to imagine a Viper with a hybrid or fully electric motor. We are all hoping for its return, but we'll never forget the original. It remains an icon, a fire-breathing beast that covers miles like no other.
Sources: Stellantis, Volo Cars