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