2013 SRT VIPER

"I want the new Viper to be a more forgiving car to drive and accessible to more people. We've never had stability control on a high-performance car, which is about to happen on the new car." ~ Ralph Gilles

Its back! After a whole year of suspense in 2011, Chrysler Group  have brought back the Snake, with even more Venom added to it. 640 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque from a front/mid-mounted 8.4-liter V10 and the best power-to-weight ratio of any Viper ever built.  Price? a whooping $137,000. This is the 5th generation.

It has an all-new carbon fiber roof, decklid, and door panels aluminum has helped give the car an impressive drag coefficient of 0.364. That's Impressive!

It has the most torque of any naturally aspirated engine and with a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission (final drive ratio 3.55) that's 50% improvement in torsional stiffness over previous one.

The Viper has enjoyed a successful racing heritage that began in 1996 with the first Dodge Viper racing entry, the original GTS-R, which earned five international GT championships and the 1997-1999 FIA GT championships. It also posted an amazing overall win at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2000 - the first for a production-based American car.

The first of this street car from SRT is thus intended for  the 2013 Viper's return to the American Le Mans Series in 2012, fielding a two-car team driven by Dominik Farnbacher, Marc Goossens, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Kuno Wittmer. For the gaming buddies, SRT has worked with the Forza Motorsport 4 crew to make sure the 2013 SRT Viper is available as DLC.

Away from motorsports, the snake also features a Vipers third logo, nicknamed "Stryker" while the wheels offered include a five-spoke, forged-aluminum "Rattler" wheel design. The GTS version adds a split six-spoke forged-aluminum "Venom" wheel design with three available finishes, including polished face with graphite-painted pockets (standard), fully painted Hyper Black, or fully painted low-gloss black.

The Viper's interior has also faced a new touch with seats from Sabelt the guys who also supply Ferrari with their seats and a seven-inch LCD screen directly in front of the driver, the seating position is 20 mm lower for more room and enhanced performance-driving ergonomics. Seat travel is extended by 90 mm overall, which enables expanded seating options from a more rearward positioned bulkhead. Chrysler's stellar 8.4-inch Uconnect Media Center and a Harmon Kardon sound system. 

My favorite was these bi-xenon projector headlamps with white light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running lamps and LED turn signals a trend that is growing with most cars, daily driver and supercars.

 The Viper has received a new exhaust system with cast aluminum with sill-mounted exhaust bezels but most impressive is the LED taillamps that integrate stop-and-turn illumination in one element.

SPECIFICATIONS: 2013 SRT Viper
Curb weight		est 3300 lb
Weight dist w/ driver		49/51
Height		49.1 in.
Width		76.4 in.
Length		175.7 in.
Wheelbase		98.8 in.
Track f/r		62.9 in./61.0 in.
Seats		2
Trunk space		14.7 cu. ft.
Body/frame		Composite/steel
Suspension f/r		upper & lower A-arms, coil spring, (elec. adj. on GTS) tube shocks, anti-roll bar
Wheels		Forged aluminum; 18 x 10.5 f, 19 x 13 r
Tires		Pirelli P Zero; 295/30ZR-18 f, 355/30ZR-19 r
Brakes		14.0-in. vented rotors w/4-piston Brembo calipers
Engine		8.4-liter ohv V-10
Transmission		6-speed manual
Horsepower		640 bhp @ 6150 rpm
Torque		600 lb-ft @ 4950 rpm
Top speed		est 206 mph

SRT Viper will be built in the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, MI (late 2012)