performance sports car The original Viper was intended to be a performance sports car. The project was started in 1988 at Chrysler's Advanced Design Studios, when then-president Bob Lutz suggested to Tom Gale that the company should consider the production of a modern Cobra.

New for 2013 The 2013 SRT Viper is all new and includes a 640-hp V-10 engine that propels the coupe from 0-60 mph in just over three seconds. In addition to its performance creds, the 2013 Viper can be had with a relatively luxurious interior fitted with leather seats and a premium audio system.

One of the most famous parts of the Dodge Viper experience is the V-10 engine that lives under that ridiculously long hood. Yeah, it was developed by a little-known brand called Lamborghini, which Chrysler happened to own at the time.

The Viper was officially released in 1992 as the Dodge Viper R/T Roadster. The car's engine was designed by Lamborghini (then owned by Chrysler) and could generate up to 400 horsepower. The roadster had a plain design, no side windows, exterior door handles, or roof and was priced at $55,630.

sports car The Dodge Viper is a sports car that was manufactured by Dodge (by SRT for 2013 and 2014), a division of American car manufacturer FCA US LLC from 1992 until 2017, having taken a brief hiatus in 2007, and from 2010 to 2012.

Acceleration and Power A six-speed manual transmission is standard. SRT says the 2013 Viper can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 206 mph.

Tom Gale, who led the design team, and Chris Theodore, who led powertrain, both agree that when the as-yet-unnamed Dodge roadster was in its infancy in the late '80s, the team knew it wanted a snake-inspired name to honor the Shelby Cobra that so clearly served as its inspiration.

Vipers are characterized by a pair of long, hollow, venom-injecting fangs attached to movable bones of the upper jaw (the maxillaries) that are folded back in the mouth when not in use. Their eyes have vertical pupils, and their scales are keeled.

Initially, Fiat Chrysler cited poor sales as a reason for discontinuing the Viper; however, other sources have stated the car was discontinued because the Viper was unable to comply with FMVSS 226 safety regulation, which requires side-curtain air bags.

In fact, the Dodge Viper has always been a supercar with more than enough torque to beat muscle cars and the horsepower and aerodynamics to beat Lamborghinis, Bugattis, and Ferraris on the road track.