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