Two years after the iconic Dodge Viper performance muscle car ceased production, Chrysler has taken advantage of the New York Motor show last week to herald the debut of the new Viper supercar now wearing Chrysler racing and performance arm SRT (Street Racing Technology) badges.
There will be two types of the new model.
The Viper and the Viper GTS which comes in black and red leather upholstery (legacy of Chrysler’s Ferarri connection)- Both will have an upgraded version of the 8.4 litre aluminium V10 engine, developing 470kW and 814Nm linked to an improved short shift close ratio six-speed manual transmission. Other enhancements include a lightweight intake manifold, stronger forged pistons, sodium-filled exhaust valves and an aluminium flywheel.
New and improved aerodynamics, aluminium doors , carbon-fibre bonnet, roof and boot panels and a lightweight chassis cut the vehicle’s overall weight by around 45 kg. Both models are shod with Pirelli P Zero tyres, have stability, traction and launch control, GPS infotainment system, Kevlar-fibreglass racing seats, all electric options and greatly improved Brembo 355mm vented disc brakes all round.
Chrysler Australia imported and converted a small number of Vipers in the past, but as much as they would love to bring the new Viper and GTS here, due to lack of local estimated sales volumes (at around AUD$240K plus), Chrysler US is not planning to make or export any right hand drive variants for any overseas market yet.