2000 Dodge Viper Review Summary & Specs
RT/10 Roadster
Hard to keep your foot down in this one.
Summary & Specs
reviewed by
To be sure, Porsche's 911 and Chevy's Corvette are more comfortable and livable as commuter cars. But the Viper works surprisingly well from a comfort standpoint. It suffers from a rough ride and climbing in and out is difficult. But it steers easily, the engine will chug happily around town at legal speeds, the seats are very comfortable, the heater, wipers, and other foul weather gear all work well. And the stereo cranks out tunes loudly enough to drown out the omnipresent exhaust note.
For those only mildly interested in maximum performance, the Corvette is a bargain and is more comfortable to drive than the Viper. The 911 is about the same price, and is great fun to drive, but it is an entirely different breed of animal.
For maximum performance and maximum impact on bystanders, the Viper has no domestic equal. Where else can you get a V10? It demands constant driver involvement, which can be viewed favorably or not.
Specs
| Vehicle Category |
Sports Cars |
| Editor |
Dan Carney |
| Model Lineup |
RT/10 Roadster ($67,225); GTS Coupe ($69,725) |
| Engines (standard) |
8.0-liter V10 |
| Transmissions (standard) |
6-speed manual |
| Engines (optional) |
8.0-liter ohv 20v V10 |
| Transmissions (optional) |
6-speed manual |
| Safety Equipment (standard) |
dual airbags, five-point racing harnesses |
| Safety Equipment (optional) |
|
| Basic Warranty |
3 years/36,000 miles |
| Assembled In |
Detroit, Michigan |
| Manufacturer Phone |
1-800-4A-DODGE |
| Manufacturer URL |
www.4adodge.com |
| Base Price MSRP |
$67,225 |
Specs as Tested
| Model Tested MSRP |
Viper GTS Coupe ACR |
| Standard Equipment |
leather bucket seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power steering, power brakes, adjustable pedals, security system, tilt steering wheel |
| Destination Charge |
|
| Options as Tested (MSRP) |
Competition Group ($10,000) includes five-point restraints, competition suspension, low restriction intake; painted stripes ($2,500); Comfort Group ($910) includes Alpine 200-watt CD stereo, air conditioning; gas guzzler tax ($3,000) |
| Gas Guzzler Tax |
|
| Layout |
rear-wheel drive |
| Price as Tested |
$86,835 |
| Horse Power |
460 @ 5200 |
| Torque |
500 @ 3700 |
| Fuel Economy |
12/21 |
| Wheelbase |
96.2 |
| Length/Width/Height |
176.7/75.7/47.0 |
| Track Front/Rear |
59.6/60.6 |
| Turning Radius |
40.5 |
| Seating Capacity |
2 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room |
36.8/53.8/42.6 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room |
|
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room |
|
| Trunk Volume |
9.2 |
| Payload |
|
| Towing Capacity |
|
| Front Suspension |
Independent |
| Rear Suspension |
Independent |
| Ground Clearance |
5.0 |
| Curb Weight |
3460 |
| Stock Tires |
P275/35 ZR18 - P335/30 ZR18 |
| Brakes Front/Rear |
vented disc/vented disc |
| Fuel Capacity |
18.5 |