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Why Dodge #Viper Was The Bad Boy of The 90's | The Bad Blonde
Chrysler, one of the "Big Three" American automakers, had a vision of creating a high-performance sports car that would rival the likes of European supercars of the day.
Amid all this buzz, the concept of the Dodge Viper was conceived.
It Chrysler’s president, Bob Lutz, that wanted to Chrysler to create its own flagship sports car. Bob Lutz has worked at all of the big three, Ford, GM, Chrysler.
Lutz’s contributions include: the Ford Explorer, 1994 Dodge Ram, last-generation Pontiac GTO, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice twins; the Pontiac G8, the Hummer H3, the Plymouth Prowler, the Chevrolet Cruze, and the Chevy Volt.
Chrysler assembled a team of talented engineers, designers, and enthusiasts to bring the vision to life.
The project was given the codenamed "Copperhead," (pretty bomb code name - Triumph Spitfire - if you have any others write them down below) and it aimed to combine the brute force of American muscle with the precision and finesse of European sports cars.
Very similar vein to what Carroll Shelby did with Ford. And we would see Shelby play a role in the birth of the Viper. Primarily a marketing role.
Chrysler designer, Tom Gale, created a clay model of what would be become the Viper we know and love.
They decided to shove the Dodge V10, of the like used by Dodge Ram pickups of the day and they were ready for action.
Lee Iacocca, CEO of Chrysler at the time, the man that saved Chrysler and brought us the Mustang, would be the man to give the Viper the final greenlight.
In 1989, the world got its first glimpse of the Dodge Viper concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The concept car was an instant sensation, with its aggressive styling, long hood, and iconic side exhaust pipes.
The crowd was captivated by its bold presence and the promise of exhilarating performance.
Encouraged by the overwhelming positive response, Chrysler decided to put the concept into production.
The development team worked tirelessly to refine the Viper's design and engineering, ensuring that it would meet the expectations of performance enthusiasts.
Finally, in 1992, the first production version of the Dodge Viper rolled off the assembly line.
It was a two-door, two-seat sports car that embodied the spirit of American muscle.
Under the hood lay an 8.0-liter V10 engine that produced a staggering 400 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful production cars of its time.
The V10 was co-developed by Lamborghini which was owned by Chrysler at the time.
With limited creature comforts and all that power, the Viper quickly became the hellion car, the bad boy, of the 90s.
The Viper's performance matched its aggressive looks.
It could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just over four seconds and had a top speed of over 160 miles per hour.
It quickly gained a reputation for its raw power, impressive handling, and exhilarating driving experience.
Over the years, the Dodge Viper went through several generations, each one pushing the boundaries of performance and refinement.
The car evolved, adopting new technologies and design cues while staying true to its original essence.
It became a symbol of American automotive engineering prowess and a dream car for many enthusiasts worldwide.
Let’s talk generations:
Second generation brought limited changes but an increase in power.
Third generation brough the new Viper roadster, the Viper SRT-10.
Displacement increased and sharper design lines. This generation was larger BUT lighter than previous.
More power is more better, with the fourth generation.
The 2008 model year, the Viper was powered by a 8.4liter V10 engine capable of 600hp and 560lb of torque.
However, Despite its popularity, the Dodge Viper faced challenges, particularly during economic downturns that affected the automotive industry.
There were periods when production halted, and the future of the Viper seemed uncertain.
And in 2010 Dodge announce plans to kill the car.
BUT that didn’t quite happen…
They still popped out a fifth generation, unveiled in 2012, would have 40 more horsepower and just about everything else new: New six speed manual transmission, electronic stability control and traction control, reworked body panels.
Just to be turned around an killed - AGAIN.
Unfortunately, in 2017, Chrysler announced that the Viper would cease production.
However, the legacy of the Dodge Viper lives on.
It remains an icon of American automotive performance, a testament to the pursuit of speed and adrenaline. #dodge #dodgeviper #viper #cars #car #speed