When people think of sporty Dodge cars, a few come to mind. The Dodge Charger and the Dodge Challenger are 2 of the big ones...but can you think of a third? Did you guess Dodge Viper? In 2014, the Viper was named number 10 on the "Most American Cars" list, meaning 75% or more of its parts are manufactured in the U.S and learned it’s place in Dodge history forever.
The Dodge Viper is a car that was manufactured by Dodge from 1992 until 2017, having taken a brief hiatus in 2007, and from 2010 to 2012. The Viper was eventually discontinued in 2017 after 26 years of production.
The Viper was intense...the Viper was fast. It stood by its name; a viper is a snake known for its attack and speed when doing so. The Dodge Viper could easily do 0-60 mph from around 3.5-seconds to 4.5 seconds and top speed ranges from 160 mph to over 200 mph, depending on variant and year.
“Team Viper" began development and ideas in March 1989. The team asked the Chrysler subsidiary Lamborghini to cast a prototype block for the sports car to use in May. The production body was completed in Fall 1989, with a chassis prototype running in December. A V10 engine was how the production car was meant to use, was ready in February 1990. In November 1991, the car was released to reviewers with the first retail shipments beginning in January 1992.
The powerful two-seater sparked immediate interest in the Dodge brand among enthusiasts and the automotive press. Dodge had hoped it would raise the spirits of the designers and engineers by something new and fresh on the line for Dodge; something fun, fast, and feisty.
In 2015, the SRT Viper was renamed the Dodge Viper and the engine received an extra 5 HP, raising the maximum power output to 645 hp. There was also an improved highway fuel economy of 20 miles per a gallon, which helped when the prices of gas fluctuated so much.
In October 2015, Fiat Chrysler group announced that the Viper would end production in 2017 and in July 2017, Fiat Chrysler announced they would be permanently closing the Conner Assembly Plant on August 31, 2017.
The Viper itself is a stunning car; it demands attention and is fast, loud, and ready to race. The Viper isn’t hard to spot out in the wild either; it’s unique design draws people in. It also can come in a lot of flashy and fun colors because let’s face it: it’s a sports car.
The Dodge Viper was a huge gamble in the 90’s but well worth that gamble. The Viper will forever be a part of Dodge history and is known as one of the most recognizable cars Dodge has ever produced. Dodge has produced some pretty gutsy cars: the Challenger, the Charger, the Durango- but the Viper? Something very special about that car.
If you’re looking for a sporty car, whether it be Dodge, Ford, Chevrolet, or any other make and model, we can find it if we don’t have it! Stop in today.