| The Viper was conceived as a modern take on the | | | | alloy. Some within Lamborghini felt the pushrod |
| classic American muscle car. While there are some | | | | two-valve design, while adequate for the truck |
| who insist that the iconic AC Cobra was a source of | | | | application, was unsuitable for a performance car and |
| inspiration, the final version of the Viper was far too | | | | suggested a more comprehensive redesign which |
| large and heavy to seriously claim any direct lineage | | | | would have included four valves per cylinder. Chrysler, |
| with the compact and lightweight vehicle. Most saw | | | | however, was uncertain about the Viper's production |
| claims to kinship with the Cobra as a marketing | | | | costs and sales potential and so declined to provide |
| exercise, although Carroll Shelby was involved in the | | | | the budget for the modification. |
| initial design of the Viper. | | | | The engine produced 400 hp (298 kW) at 4600 rpm |
| The Viper was initially conceived in late 1988 at | | | | and 450 ft·lbf (610 N·m) of torque at 3600 |
| Chrysler's Advanced Design Studios. The following | | | | rpm, and thanks to the long-gearing allowed by the |
| February, Chrysler president Bob Lutz suggested to | | | | torquey engine, provided surprising fuel economy at a |
| Tom Gale at Chrysler Design that the company should | | | | claimed 21 mpg US (11.2 L/100 km) if driven sedately. |
| consider producing a modern Cobra, and a clay model | | | | The body was a tubular steel frame with resin |
| was presented to Lutz a few months later. The car | | | | transfer molding (RTM) fiberglass panels. Much of the |
| appeared as a concept at the North American | | | | suspension, following the manufacturer's "engine first" |
| International Auto Show in 1989. This concept vehicle | | | | mantra, was sourced from the Dodge Dakota pickup. |
| was originally named Copperhead because of it's low, | | | | Typical of American performance car design, it had a |
| wide appearance characteristic of reptiles and would | | | | front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels; it was |
| later be changed to Viper. Public reaction was so | | | | also heavy with a curb weight of 3,280 lb (1,488 kg) |
| enthusiastic, that chief engineer Roy Sjeoberg was | | | | and lacked many modern driver aids such as traction |
| directed to develop it as a production car. | | | | control or anti-lock brakes. Car and Driver magazine |
| Sjoberg selected 85 engineers to be "Team Viper", | | | | referred to this generation as "the world's biggest Fat |
| with development beginning in March 1989. The team | | | | Boy Harley", and likened driving it to "playing ping pong |
| asked then-Chrysler subsidiary Lamborghini to cast | | | | with a Louisville Slugger baseball bat." Despite this, in |
| some prototype aluminum blocks based on their V10 | | | | straight line performance, it completed a quarter mile in |
| truck engine for sports car use in May. The production | | | | 12.9 seconds and had a maximum speed of 164 mph |
| body was completed in the fall, with a chassis | | | | (264 km/h). |
| prototype running in December. Though a V8 was first | | | | The car was also devoid of any real luxuries. Along |
| used in the test mule, the V10 which the production car | | | | with the absence of exterior door handles, the vehicle |
| was meant to use was ready in February 1990. | | | | lacked windows and even a roof. Although a soft top |
| Official approval from Chrysler chairman, Lee Iacocca, | | | | cover was available, it was designed primarily for |
| came in May 1990. One year later, Carroll Shelby | | | | outdoor vehicle storage. In terms of interior space, the |
| piloted a preproduction car as the Indianapolis 500 | | | | trunk was large enough for the rain cover and little |
| pace car. In November 1991, the car was released to | | | | else. Chrysler's purpose for the vehicle was clear in |
| reviewers with first shipments beginning in January | | | | almost every aspect of its construction; from the |
| 1992. | | | | unyielding bolstering of the seats to the side-exit |
| The first prototype was tested in December 1989. It | | | | exhaust that came with its own disclaimer against |
| first debuted in 1991 with three pre-production models | | | | passenger injury. Performance came first, creature |
| as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 when Dodge | | | | comforts last (if at all). |
| was forced to substitute it in place of the Stealth, and | | | | Performance: |
| went on sale in January 1992 as the soft roofed RT/10 | | | | 0-60: 4.6 sec. |
| Roadster. | | | | 0-100: 9.2 sec. |
| The centerpiece of the car was its engine. Originally | | | | quarter mile: 12.5 sec. @ 112 mph |
| designed for a truck platform and based on the | | | | top speed: 180+ (confirmed by Road and Track |
| Chrysler LA design, a division of the Chrysler | | | | magazine / 1992) |
| Corporation revamped Dodge's cast-iron block V10 for | | | | 700 ft slalom: over 65 mph |
| the Viper by recasting the block and head in aluminum | | | | skidpad average g: .96 |