Dodge Viper

Dodge / Chrysler / SRT Viper
Production period:	1992-2017
Class :	Sports car
Body versions :	Coupé , convertible

The Dodge Viper (also called Chrysler Viper and SRT Viper ) is a sports car from the American manufacturer FCA US LLC , which was manufactured between 1992 and 2017 (no production from early 2011 to late 2012). The Viper was Dodge's most powerful model for a long time , but more powerful versions of the Charger and Challenger are now available under the name "Hellcat". For a long time the Viper was available as a roadster and a coupé , in the end only as a coupé.

Originally sold as the " Dodge Viper", it was temporarily (especially in Europe) also offered under the name "Chrysler Viper".

The fifth generation, introduced at the end of 2012, was temporarily sold as the “SRT Viper” of the Street and Racing Technology brand until SRT became a pure model name again.

On August 17, 2017, after a production period of 25 years, the production of the Viper, now regarded as a "classic", was stopped.

Viper RT / 10 / Viper GTS (1992-2002)

First and second generation
Dodge Viper RT / 10
Production period:	1992-2002
Body versions :	Coupé , convertible
Engines:	Petrol engines : 8.0 liters (290–335 kW)
Length:	4488 mm
Width:	1935 mm
Height:	1228 mm
Wheelbase :	2445 mm
Empty weight :	1575 kg

The Dodge Viper (marketed as Chrysler Viper in Europe) is a reinterpretation of classic American muscle cars .

The first prototype was tested in December 1989. The debut was in 1991 as a pace car in the Indianapolis race .

In the spring of 1992, the Viper RT / 10 finally came into the salesrooms as an open roadster. The closed coupé , called Viper GTS , followed in 1993 as a concept car. A special design feature was the double bubble roof contour with two bulges that made it easier to ride with a helmet. The driving performance made the car interesting for amateurs and professional racing drivers.

engine

The engine was revised by Chrysler with the help of the then subsidiary Lamborghini , the engine block and cylinder heads were made of aluminum and the output was increased. The engine distributes its comparatively large displacement of eight liters to ten cylinders, which was a special feature for passenger cars in 1992. Today there are B. from Audi and Lamborghini also vehicles with ten-cylinder engines.

The finished engine developed 300 kW (408 PS), achieved a maximum torque of 664 Nm and, thanks to the long gear ratio, was comparatively economical: around 11.2 l / 100 km according to the US consumption guidelines; however, the actual consumption can be between 15 and 47 liters, depending on the driving style.

Revised versions of the Viper engine were used in the British high-performance sports car Bristol Fighter , 14 of which were produced from 2004 to 2009. The power range in the fighter ranged from 385 to 755 kW (525 to 1027 hp).

Others

Classic Blue White Viper GTS

The Viper reaches a top speed of 264 km / h, and experienced drivers can complete the classic quarter mile in 12.9 seconds.

The body was mainly made of GRP parts and aluminum. The construction of the Viper is typical of US sports cars: engine in front, drive in rear. Dodge deliberately did without the usual electronic driver assistance systems such as ABS , ESP and traction control . These were also not available for an extra charge. Only ABS was offered as standard from 2001.

Among other things, because of the lack of traction control and ESP, the Viper is difficult to control, especially in wet conditions, as the car tends to oversteer due to its high performance and, in particular, its high torque.

In 1995 the racing version Viper GTS-R appeared , which in the following years developed into one of the most successful racing cars of all time.

The second generation was introduced in the 1996 model year and the output of the eight-liter engine was increased to 421 hp; In addition to the RT / 10 Roadster, the Viper GTS Coupé was added to the range from mid-1996, initially only available in dark blue metallic with white trim.

From the 1998 model year, the ten-cylinder engine developed 335 kW (456 hp), making the aerodynamically more favorable GTS Coupé up to 295 km / h. The "side pipes" were also omitted from 1998, with the exception of the racing model, all variants had a twin-pipe exhaust system located in the center at the rear.

In 1999 the Viper ACR ("American Club Racing") appeared as the basic model for club racing with a standard roll bar and an engine with 467 hp.

From 2001 ABS was part of the standard equipment in all civilian Viper versions.

Up to and including 1998, 8468 Vipers were sold worldwide, including 1802 GTS. In Europe they were offered under the brand name Chrysler .

Models in Europe

• Chrysler Viper RT / 10, 290 kW (394 PS)
• Chrysler Viper GTS, 282 kW (384 PS)
• Chrysler Viper GTS, 335 kW (456 PS)

Technical specifications

• Engine: liquid-cooled V10 four-stroke petrol engine
• Bore × stroke: 101.6 × 98.6 mm
• Displacement: 7994 cm³
• Power: 335 kW (456 PS)
• Power transmission: six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive
• Chassis: steel frame with tubular main and side beams
• Suspension: independent front suspension, with coil springs; Rear suspension independent suspension
• Brakes: disc brakes
• Body: glass fiber reinforced plastic

Viper SRT10 (2003-2010)

Third and fourth generation
Dodge Viper SRT-10 Roadster
Production period:	2003-2010
Body versions :	Coupé , convertible
Engines:	Petrol engines : 8.3–8.4 liters (372–447 kW)
Length:	4458 mm
Width:	1911 mm
Height:	1209 mm
Wheelbase :	2510 mm
Empty weight :	1533 kg

In 2003 DaimlerChrysler presented a redesigned version, the Viper SRT10 , under the label Street and Racing Technology ( SRT ) . The engine was enlarged to 8.3 l displacement , the rated output increased to 372 kW (506 hp) and the maximum torque increased to 711 Nm. This enables it to reach a top speed of 306 km / h. From this version, only 188 copies of the German were Chrysler Germany sold (2002-2010), it had no side pipes (exhaust pipes instead at the rear), revised headlight illumination, headlamp washers and a km / h speedometer, Road Traffic Licensing Regulations to fulfill. The base price was 115,000 euros.

Again, initially only the Roadster was offered, the closed version was presented in 2005 at the Detroit Auto Show . The sale took place from 2006 as Viper SRT-10 Coupe . The coupé again had the distinctive "Viper stripes" and was therefore strongly reminiscent of its predecessor, the GTS, thanks to its proportions. The coupé was not officially offered on European markets. It is noteworthy that the coupe was built on the existing roadster chassis. With the new roof structure, the coupé was significantly more torsionally stiff than the roadster.

model	8.3 V10	8.4 V10
Number of cylinders	10	10
Displacement (cm³)	8285	8383
Max. Power (kW / PS)	372 (506) at 5600 min -1	447 (612) at 6100 min -1
Max. Torque (Nm)	711 at 4200 min -1	760 at 5000 min -1
Top speed (km / h)	306-314	325
Acceleration (0-100 km / h)	4.2 s	3.6 s
Transmission (standard)	6-speed manual transmission	6-speed manual transmission
price	€ 115,000

• 

  Rear view

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  cockpit

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  Engine compartment

The aerodynamics were also given greater consideration in the development process. The Viper SRT-10 Coupé combines high contact pressure with high speed stability due to its sloping roof line and its tailgate spoiler. The body of the Dodge Viper SRT 10 Coupé has something in common with the Cabriolet: front spoiler, fenders, bonnet and doors. In addition to the fixed roof and the tailgate, the Dodge Viper SRT 10 Coupé also has special windscreen surrounds, side windows, rear spoiler, trim strips and taillights to offer.

“ It was important for us to rely on emotion when designing. The design of the Dodge Viper SRT-10 Coupé should be contemporary as a reference to the original Viper GTS Coupé. The owner of a Dodge Viper SRT 10 Coupé is often a racing driver, and his vehicle needs to make that clear when he is idling at a red light. So it can be said that the new design of the Dodge Viper SRT 10 Coupé says a lot about its unique character, with the car's performance being something like the icing on the cake. "

- Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President, Design

Since 2008, the Viper in North America had an 8.4-liter engine with 447 kW (612 hp), variable valve timing and 760 Nm of torque, it accelerated to 100 km / h in 3.7 s and reached a top speed of 326 km / h. H.

The 8.3 liter engine with 372 kW (506 hp) remained in the range until the end of 2010, after which production of the Viper was discontinued. The successor was presented at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2012.

Dodge Viper Competition Coupé in the 2006 FIA GT3 Championship

Racing model

The Viper SRT-10 Competition Coupé is not approved for road traffic. In contrast to its predecessor from the GT2 class, the vehicle was developed according to the guidelines of the GT3 group , so the engine power is only slightly higher than the production model. The weight, however, was reduced to 1315 kg by omitting all comfort equipment that is not important for racing. It is equipped with a roll cage, special tank and lightweight bucket seats. The Competition Coupé is used by various racing teams, including in the FIA GT3 European Championship .

Viper SRT (2012-2017)

Rear view

Fifth generation
Production period:	2012-2017
Body versions :	Coupe
Engines:	Otto engine : 8.4 liters (477 kW)
Length:	4463 mm
Width:	1941 mm
Height:	1246 mm
Wheelbase :	2510 mm
Empty weight :	1495-1556 kg

In April 2012 the new Viper celebrated its world premiere at the New York International Auto Show . However, the third generation was marketed neither as a Dodge nor as a Chrysler, but initially under the sports label SRT. From 2014 the model was offered again as Dodge in the USA ("2015 Dodge Viper SRT").

At the end of 2012, the new Viper reached US dealers. The vehicle was developed in Auburn Hills , but Ferrari and Maserati were also involved in the development.

At the end of November 2015, FiatChrysler announced that it would cease production of the 2017 Dodge Viper. The reason for this is the lack of demand. In 2014, 760 copies of the small-series model were sold. The last model is the Dodge Viper SRT ACR, which appeared in 2016. Production of the Dodge Viper ceased on August 17, 2017.

model	8.4 V10
Displacement (cm³)	8382
Max. Power (kW / PS)	477 (649) at 5600 min -1
Max. Torque (Nm)	814 at 5000 min -1
Top speed	330 km / h
Acceleration (0-100 km / h)	3.9 s
Drive, as standard	Rear wheel drive
Transmission (standard)	6-speed manual transmission
Fuel consumption over 100 km (combined)	15.4 l super
CO 2 emissions (combined)	359 g / km
Tank capacity	60 l

Trivia

• The vehicles of the first generation were delivered with exhaust tailpipes attached to the side until 1995 . The last 300 copies were marked as Last Side Exhaust in 1995 in the passenger footwell and the bonnet .
• In the US version, the Viper SRT-10 also has side pipes . Since some sidepipes were not approved in Europe, all copies were individually converted for the European market at Startech in Bottrop . The models from 2006 were again delivered with sidepipes, as Chrysler received a special permit.
• Several other Chrysler sports cars were also based on the Viper chassis, but so far they have all remained in the prototype stage. These include the Chrysler Firepower and the Dodge Copperhead. In addition to a completely changed design, the former had the well-known 6.1-liter Hemi V8 under the hood instead of the V10 engine. The Copperhead (also known as the Dodge Concept Car) was equipped with a six-cylinder and, unlike the Firepower, was intended as a convertible. A series production did not follow, however, both remained pure show cars.
• The viper is also depicted in video games. I.a. it appears in the Need-for-Speed series. A viper in the classic blue / white design is also shown on the packaging of the NICE 2 racing game .
• In the television series Viper , a Dodge Viper RT / 10 takes center stage. In later seasons, the RT / 10 became a Viper GTS after the RT / 10 was destroyed.
• In 2011, the Mintgen Motorsport team from Mayen will field a Dodge Viper GT3 Competition Coupe in the ADAC GT Masters racing series. The racing version was supplemented by a self-developed upgrade kit.

swell

• Flammang, James M./Kowalke, Ron: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976–1999 , Krause Publications, Iola, 1999, ISBN 0-87341-755-0
• Robert Genat: 50 years of muscle cars. Chrysler Dodge Plymouth , Heel Verlag, Koenigswinter, 2005, ISBN 3-89880-490-9

Individual evidence

1. ↑ SRT: 2015 Charger Hellcat, 2015 Challenger Hellcat , accessed on August 25, 2014
2. ↑ t-online: 2010 ended for cars , accessed July 9, 2012
3. ↑ ^{a b} Archive link ( Memento of the original from March 1, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
4. ↑ http://www.autoplenum.de/Auto/DODGE/Viper/Test-DODGE-Viper-SRT-10-2003-2009-id2790.html
5. ↑ SRT Homepage , accessed on January 7, 2015
6. ↑ Motorvision.de, Stefan Wagner, February 1, 2012: New Viper still 2012!  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed July 9, 2012  
7. ↑ allpar.com, April 4, 2012: Viper: 640 hp and much more , accessed July 9, 2012
8. ↑ Death on the 25th Dodge Viper. In: handelsblatt.com. Retrieved December 16, 2015 . 
9. ↑ Uli Baumann, Andreas Haupt: Remaining parts are still being installed. Dodge Viper will be discontinued in 2017. In: auto-motor-und-sport.de. August 18, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2017 . 
10. ↑ Brochure about Viper SRT 2013 (PDF; 6.9 MB) from http://www.drivesrt.com , the official Viper website. Retrieved Nov. 14, 2012

Web links

Commons : Dodge Viper  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Official SRT website
• http://auto-presse.de/autonews.php?newsid=116309