Buying Guide
Dodge Viper
The ‘modern-day Cobra’ is powered by an 8.0-litre V10, and is still surprising value
THE VIPER HAS always had a reputation for being a handful to drive, somewhat crudely built and extremely powerful – thanks to an 8.0-litre V10 crammed under the bonnet. It’s a recipe for excitement, and one that became a real poster car during the 1990s, yet for such a powerful car it remains relatively affordable in today’s market.
During the late 1980s, Chrysler’s president Bob Lutz wanted the company to build a sports car that would be something of an extreme and up-to-date interpretation of the Shelby Cobra. A concept car, designed by Tom Gale, was first shown at the Detroit show in 1989, with the production version following at the same location in 1992.