Is the Dodge Viper SRT10 in the 200 mph club? The answer is yes. I like to write about fast cars and this prestigious club. Writing about the Viper is exciting for me because they will return to full production for the 2015 model year.
This decision was hard to make thanks to the obstacles facing manufacturers of fast cars, like the luxury and gas guzzler taxes. American car-makers were never motivated to build or mass-produce vehicles that would take the owners into the next dimension or above 200mph.
Sidebar: Don’t miss the Video Review added below. I went to see one of these SRT10 Vipers on display at a local Dodge dealer just before the dealer closed. It was on the Chrysler dealer hit list of poor performing locations and therefore eliminated. This article will be a mix of facts and figures as well as my own personal observations from sitting behind the wheel of one.
Facts About the Dodge Viper
The vehicle I saw on display was for sale and for this vehicle to be a member of the 200 mph club the price tag was truly amazing. Don’t quote me on this but as far as I can tell this may be the fastest car for the money I have ever seen.
The sticker price on the Dodge Viper SRT10 that I had a chance to look at and sit in was $92,000. Compared to some of the other vehicles in the 200 mph club this vehicle is a couple of hundred thousand dollars less. The Dodge Viper engine is the 8.4 L v10 magnum.
The vehicle I looked at had a six speed manual transmission which I believe is standard equipment on this model. Questioning the salesperson he stated that it is the only transmission option available in a Viper. The 8.4 L V10 is rated at 600 hp at 6100 RPMs. Although 600 hp may not seem like it would push the vehicle over the 200 mph mark I believe that a big influence on the Viper’s performance is its overall curb weight.
Weighing in at just 3400 pounds and most of the weight being the engine and transmission makes this one of the lightest vehicles in the 200 mph club. Dodge was one of the last companies to come around on fuel economy.
The Viper SRT 10 is rated at 13 miles per gallon city. The EPA sticker states that 22 miles per gallon highway is possible. Of course you would have to putter around in top gear to receive these kinds of mileage figures. And chances are if you bought this Viper, your foot would be in the throttle often which would in turn lower fuel economy.
The top speed of the Viper is rated at 202 mph. A 0 to 60 time of 3.4 seconds seems to be the average recorded time in the articles I could find. The automotive articles did agree that the Dodge is reported to run an 11.7 second quarter-mile time.
On Top Gear the USA version this car turned in a top 5 lap time with a professional driver while going against vehicles that were double the price. In my opinion Dodge has done a terrific job at balancing the top end performance without sacrificing how the dodge viper srt10 comes out of the hole, which is screaming. I also like the lack of electronics like traction control. The power is in the hands of the driver.
Sitting in the Viper SRT10
I am not tall in fact I am only about 5’8”. This car was definitely not made for me. Kind of surprising since I’m considered of average height in most parts of the world.
Long story short, I felt out of place in this car. However, there were nice amenities like leather seating and top-notch CD player stereo, but still the vehicle didn’t seem very comfortable.
When I sat in the seat and adjusted it so that my stubby legs could depress the clutch pedal to the floor. I felt way too close or on top of the steering wheel to say I looked cool.
It would seem that the Dodge Viper is designed for people of about 6 foot in height or better. I’m sure people with long legs and lots of money will feel comfortable sitting behind the wheel of this rocket ship.
Talking to the salesperson guarding the vehicle, whom stated he had driven it, said the ride was extremely hard and that there was a lot of road noise from the tires, the engine and transmission.
In fact he couldn’t hear his favorite CD playing that well. He went on to say, any of the vehicle shortcomings disappeared when you open up the throttle.I appreciated his honesty however, I think he knew I wasn’t a buyer.
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2013 Doge Viper Video Review