Summary & Specs
reviewed by
To be sure, a Porsche 911, or even a Chevrolet Corvette, would be more practical 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 supportive; 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 costs about as much as the Viper, and also great fun to drive; but it is an entirely different breed of animal.
This car demands constant driver involvement, which can be viewed favorably or not. For maximum performance and maximum impact on bystanders, the Viper has no domestic equal. Where else can you get a V10?
<i>Mitch McCullough contributed to this report.</i>
Specs
| Vehicle Category |
Sports Cars |
| Editor |
Dan Carney |
| Model Lineup |
RT/10 Roadster ($69,225); GTS Coupe ($72,225) |
| Engines (standard) |
8.0-liter V10 |
| Transmissions (standard) |
6-speed manual |
| Engines (optional) |
450-hp 8.0-liter ohv 20v V10; (460-hp on the ACR) |
| Transmissions (optional) |
6-speed manual |
| Safety Equipment (standard) |
dual airbags, ABS |
| Safety Equipment (optional) |
five-point racing harnesses |
| 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 |
$69,225 |
Specs as Tested
| Model Tested MSRP |
Viper GTS Coupe ($72,225) |
| Standard Equipment |
leather bucket seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power steering, power brakes, adjustable pedals, security system, tilt steering wheel |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) |
Competition Group ($10,000) includes five-point restraints, competition suspension, low restriction intake, silver aluminum wheels; painted stripes ($3,000); Comfort Group ($1,100) includes Alpine 200-watt CD stereo, air conditioning; gas guzzler tax ($3,000) |
| Destination Charge |
775 |
| Gas Guzzler Tax |
|
| Price as Tested |
$90,100 |
| Layout |
rear-wheel drive |
| Horse Power |
460 @ 5200 |
| Torque |
500 @ 3600 |
| Fuel Economy |
11/21 |
| Wheelbase |
96.2 |
| Length/Width/Height |
176.7/75.7/47.0 |
| Track Front/Rear |
59.8/60.9 |
| Turning Radius |
40.5 |
| Seating Capacity |
2 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room |
36.8/53.8/42.7 |
| 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 |
3479 |
| Stock Tires |
P275/35 ZR18 / P335/30 ZR18 |
| Brakes Front/Rear |
vented disc/vented disc, with ABS |
| Fuel Capacity |
19.0 |