The Snake Awakens

We thought they killed it in 2010, but the Viper returns to strike again.
By Bill Heald

It was a dark day indeed in 2010 when Chrysler announced that it was discontinuing production of the uniquely American (and very exclusive) Dodge Viper, and to help ease the pain of this poisonous news we celebrated the last version on these pages. We did this even though we’d been told there were no plans to resurrect the V-10-powered hard-core sports car, but even dire economic circumstances failed to keep the snake in hibernation for long. The new SRT Viper (the Dodge nameplate has been shed like old skin as the big creature grows) is here, and is even more amazing than its previous incarnation. This may be a case where some time away from production was a really good thing, for while the SRT’s performance has been pumped up, the engineers also took some of the track-oriented roughness out of the car, making it more civilized, and therefore more desirable, than any version to date.

“Beyond being the flagship for the new SRT brand, the launch of the 2013 Viper proves that we simply would not let the performance icon of the Chrysler Group die,” says Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. “Willed to live on by a very special group of performance enthusiasts inside the company and across Viper Nation,” Gilles continues, “this SRT team under our new leadership was challenged to not just continue the legendary Viper, but to create the fifth generation of our world-class supercar that would showcase the very best we have to offer.”

Fortunately, they left intact all the things that made the Viper such a unique commodity, such as the evocative body shape and a truly boisterous big-block V-10 engine that sounds like nothing else in the class (or on the road, for that matter). Now, at 640 horsepower and 600 foot-pounds of stump-ripping torque, the SRT folks claim this 8.4-liter monster is the most torque-rich normally aspirated (i.e., free of turbo or supercharging) engine in the production sports-car world. The lone transmission is a six-speed Tremec manual, fortified to dole out all that torque to the rear wheels reliably, even under the harsh environment of the racetrack. The Viper’s three-year hiatus from production means the engineers not only had time to address some weaknesses from the past, but they could also apply the latest blackbox electronics to increase performance, safety, and refinement.

There are two models available, the Viper and the Viper GTS, and we focus on the latter, because it is truly the ultimate expression of high-dollar domestic performance in a very sensual package. This model builds on the standard Viper (which has such features as a 50 percent stiffer body structure than before, steering wheel–mounted launch control, and an exotic carbon-fiber-and-aluminum body), with advancements like a two-mode suspension system with Bilstein DampTronic Select shock absorbers. This features street and track settings, and by using a softer setting for road use, the Viper is designed to be much less harsh than in the past (which your lone passenger will no doubt appreciate, as a violent reaction to a pothole can upset the digestion after a romantic dinner).

The interior is as sharp as the chassis, and enhances your ride while exploiting the car’s superb cornering capabilities. Racing seats by Sabelt have a Kevlar-and-fiberglass shell for support and durability, and changes to interior architecture deliver more room than before. But the most pleasing feature of the new Viper GTS is how it’s still an absolutely unique piece of handmade domestic muscle that thunders its way into the souls of enthusiasts, collectors, and even people who know little about exotic automobiles.

The time away has managed to sharpen the fangs on this snake, while making it more comfortable and ultimately more enticing. All this, when we’d feared tough financial times had buried this icon forever. There’s a lesson in there for all of us.

SPECIFICATIONS (FWD
Body style	Two-door coupe
Engine	8.4-litre V-10
Power	640 horsepower
Torque	600 foot-pounds
Transmission	Six-speed manual
Front tires	295/30 ZR18
Rear tires	355/30 ZR19
Curb weight	3,431 pounds
PERFORMANCE
0–60	3.5 seconds
Top speed	206 mph
Fuel capacity	16 gallons
EPA mpg	12 city/19 highway
Base price	$120,395