The Viper RT/10 was the ultimate hotrod, brutally fast and brutal to drive. It was a no-holds-barred race car for the street, demanding both skill and endurance from its driver. Really in a class by itself, its closest competition was the more civilized (imagine that!) Corvette ZR-1. Porsches and Ferraris were simply too refined to be considered in the same league.
Year-to-year changes[]
1992[]
The Viper sported the biggest engine on the road, this side of an 18-wheeler, a 400-hp all-aluminum 8.0-liter V10 that could propel the 2-seat roadster from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 4.5 seconds. A Viper was timed from 0 to 100 and back to 0 again in less than 14.8 seconds, showing that its massive disc brakes and huge, steam-roller tires were as powerful as its V10. Those brakes were not available with ABS, putting a premium on driver skill. Because it could spin its rear wheels at almost any speed, much delicacy was required on the gas pedal as well.
The car was a 2-seat roadster. It had removable side curtains in place of roll-up windows and a primitive folding top that required a building permit to erect, no Mercedes-like one-button operation here! It was basically a fair-weather toy for the person who needs to own the fastest car in town.
The only option available was air conditioning, which was probably superfluous in a convertible with a top you would never want to put up. The only available transmission was a 6-speed manual. Like most high-performance cars, the Viper had rear-wheel drive.
1995[]
The '95 model was pretty much a carryover. It was now available in green and yellow, as well as the original red.
1996[]
A coupe was introduced in 1996, as the "Viper GTS".
Retail prices[]
As of mid-1994:
- $56,000 (1995 Dodge Viper RT/10)
As of September 22, 1995:
- $58,600 (1996 Dodge Viper RT/10)
As of January 4, 1996:
- $66,000 (1996-1997 Dodge Viper GTS)
Shipping prices[]
- $700 (1992-1999 models)
- $2,100 (early 1995 models)
Gallery[]
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.jpg "Dodgeviper(3).jpg (33 KB)")
