In 2003, the Viper SRT 10 convertible was introduced, the second generation of the “American Dream”. The 2005 Los Angeles Motor Show witnessed the presentation of the Viper SRT 10 coupe that will be on sale in 2006.
Usually sports cars of this type see the light as a coupe and if everything goes as expected, the convertible version appears. But the Viper was always rebellious. The first Viper RT/10 roadster appeared in 1990 as a concept and in 1992 was for sale.
It was only in 1995 that the Viper coupe GTS concept was introduced and in 1996 it was available to the public. That 1996 GTS was only marketed in blue with white twin strips along the entire body. In the years 97 and 98 they incorporated other colors such as red, yellow, silver grey and black.
This Viper is named SRT from the initials of the Street & Racetrack Technology team, which belongs to the Chrysler Group. Precisely its director, Dan Knott, explained that “The demand for the coupe version began on the day we introduced the Viper SRT 10 convertible into the market.” According to Chrysler the Viper is a combination of “lots of power maintaining good maneuverability with a spectacular appearance”.
And it really is. The roof called “double bubble” is intended to generate extra space for those who want to wear a helmet when taking it to a racetrack. The tail is very similar in design elements to that of its ancestor GTS. The front features the characteristic Chrysler cross grill and lighthouses similar to those of the first generation viper.
Under the hood is the same engine as the SRT 10 roadster. This is the V10 8.300 cm3 that reaches 500 HP at 5,600 rpm. This engine allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 310 km/h. The power is transmitted through a 6-speed manual gearbox with overdrive to the 19-inch diameter rear wheels. The front wheels are 18 inches.
The Viper Coupe coupe will be manufactured in Detroit, more precisely at the Dodge plant on Conner Avenue.
Rear wheel drive
0 to 100 km/h: 3.9 sec
Top speed: 310 km/h
Fuel consumption: 4.25 km/l in town and 8.5 km/l in route
© Adrián Blanco 2005 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —