2003 Dodge Viper Review

The 500-horsepower Dodge Viper SRT-10 sports car is the most powerful production auto sold in America, and its new design for 2003 gives it much-needed refinement.

Still, the essentially hand-built Viper SRT-10 (Street and Racing Technology and 10 cylinders) isn't for casual drivers. It's a "pure'' warm-weather rear-drive convertible sports car for dry roads because it lacks anti-skid or traction-control systems.

Why no such systems? Because the $79,995 Viper was designed to be reminiscent of "no frills'' high-performance cars--especially sports car builder Carroll Shelby's legendary 1960s Shelby Cobra 427 two-seater, which arrived when technology for such systems didn't exist.

"When we developed the Viper, we had a back-to-basics philosophy. That was to deliver on the expectation of a true sports car,'' former top Chrysler Corp. designer Tom Gale said. Shelby, who helped design the first Viper, said of the original Viper in 1992, "Some things you just don't mess with. The Viper is the best of both the past and the future.''

Street driving is entirely different from track driving, so the combination of the Viper's awesome power and enormous tires doesn't make it user-friendly for average drivers on slippery roads.

I briefly drove the 2003 Viper last November, which wasn't a good time to try out a high-performance sports car. Recent warm, dry weather best suited the car, so I gave it a second shot.

This is a great-looking car. Its styling isn't as zoomy as that of the first generation Viper's, but the design is cleaner and it's still unmistakably a Viper. The interior is rather noisy, but roomy for two tall adults. The trunk has enough soft luggage room for two--at least for a weekend getaway.

The Viper debuted as a 1989 auto show concept car to show that Chrysler could create sexy cars at a time when it was selling outdated, boxy cars. The first limited-production Viper was introduced with a 400-horsepower V-10 in mid-1992--and was available only in red. Black was offered as a second option in 1993, and Jay Leno bought the first black one.

Some Vipers sold for far above the car's $50,000 list price.

Early Vipers were almost too elemental, without air conditioning or roll-down windows. But they gradually became more refined without losing their edginess. A striking coupe version was sold for a while, but the new-generation Viper comes only as a convertible.

The current model has power windows with an automatic-down feature and door locks with a remote entry system. There's also a tilt steering column, power-adjustable pedals, AM/FM/CD, defroster for the soft top's rear window and a power trunk release.

That's about it in the comfort and convenience departments. The Viper still is an elemental sports car, which is part of its charm. No automatic transmission is offered, and the six-speed manual gearbox works with a long-throw, high-effort clutch needed to handle the engine's massive power and torque.

Moreover, the convertible top is operated manually. And opening the hood calls for working two manual releases in the grille area.

A driver inserts the ignition key in a switch on the steering column, but a race-car-style red starter button on the dashboard brings the engine to life.

Outside mirrors should be larger, and reflections in the gauges on sunny days can make them hard to read. The large climate controls work well, but sound system controls are small.

An open hood reveals what seems like a mile-long engine with red cylinder heads. But it's far back in the chassis under the long hood to help give the car perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

Razor-sharp steering, firm suspension, short 98.8-inch wheelbase and enormously wide tires result in extraordinary handling. Powerful brakes provide short stopping distances. However, that suspension and wheelbase provide a ride that occasionally is choppy. It thus doesn't encourage long drives unless you're a diehard high-performance car fan.

There seems to be no end to this 3,357-pound car's performance. It hits 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and 100 mph in 8.5 seconds, which is amazing for a road car that can be driven leisurely. Top speed is an estimated 190 mph, but the important thing is the tremendous surplus of power for quick merging and passing.

Viper designers have given the accelerator pedal a long throw, presumably to prevent the car's owners from unintentionally giving it too much acceleration. The Viper is so fast that even seemingly mild acceleration leaves vehicles far behind.

The penalty paid for such performance is low fuel economy in town. The Viper only gets an estimated 12 mpg in the city--the same rating gotten by the big, luxurious 345-horsepower Cadillac Escalade sport-utility vehicle. However, the engine produces so much torque that a driver could add several miles per gallon by starting in second gear and then shifting to fourth or fifth gear. As it is, mild acceleration off the line causes the shifter to lead a driver into fourth gear--a factory feature designed to provide better fuel economy.

The estimated 21 mpg highway rating is much better than the city rating because the car is very aerodynamic, and the sixth gear lets the 8.3-liter engine loaf at highway speeds.

Viper production only totaled about 14,000 cars by the end of 2002. That put it far behind the more comfortable rival Chevrolet Corvette. Not that a Viper owner is likely to care.

DODGE VIPER SRT-10
Price:
$79,995

Likes:
More refined design. Awesome engine. Sharp handling.

Dislikes:
Occasional Choppy ride. High-effort clutch. No automatic transmission.