For 2003 the all-new Viper SRT-10 gets just what it really needs: more power. The redesigned roadster now sports an 8.3-liter V-10 making a road-ripping 500 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque. That�s enough to either generate the electricity for a small city or rocket the Viper�s new body to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Most people prefer using it for the latter.
DaimlerChrysler engineers started the redesign of America�s supercar four years ago by clipping off the rear �sports bar� of the old 450-hp, 8.0-liter roadster and developing a genuine convertible top to replace its flimsy and unpopular �toupe.� They soon realized that would require a complete rear-end redesign, which would need new fenders and rocker panels, which would entail new front fenders, and so on. At some point, then chief designer Tom Gale blew the whistle and ordered up an all-new car.
This allowed engineers to fix a lot of the old Viper�s flaws. They pulled out the wheelbase by 2.6 inches to accommodate the manual canvas top and also create more room in the footwells. They moved the main load-bearing elements of the steel skeleton from the perimeter to the center tunnel, narrowing the side sills and making ingress and egress easier. The dash was reorganized to be easier to read, and the quality of the materials went up a notch.
While the giant clamshell hood is gone and a coupe version won�t come until later, Viper addicts should approve of the return of the side exhaust pipes of the original car. In addition to looking buff, they allow for a rear underbody diffuser that helps high-speed stability. Twin hoops behind the seats protect the noggin in rollovers.
The 90-degree, cast-aluminum V-10 transmits its awesome power through a Tremec T-56 six-speed manual to gargantuan 345/30ZR-19 Michelin Pilot Sports. Those tires are doomed to live a short life, as the engine will light them up in a cloud of ozone at the slightest provocation. For slowing down, there are massive 14-inch vented discs gripped by Brembo calipers and assisted by a standard-equipment anti-lock brake system.
The Viper SRT-10 eats the drag strip, turning in a quarter-mile run of 12.1 seconds at 121 mph, but even more impressive is its new civility. It�s content to motor about town at slow speeds, conveying instant celebrity to its passengers. At $83,795 to start, the Viper SRT-10 is an expensive opiate, especially considering that a Chevy Corvette Z06 runs within a few tenths of a second in performance for $51,155. But the top doesn�t come off the Z06, and the crowds don�t form around it like they do a Viper. To many people that�s worth whatever the dealer is charging.
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-drive; 2-door 2-passenger roadster
Interior volume, F/cargo (cu ft) 48/7
Wheelbase 98.8 in
Length/width/height 175.6/75.2/47.6 in
Turning circle 40.5 ft
Curb weight 3350 lb
EPA city/hwy mpg 12/21
Fuel-tank capacity/range 18.5 gal/222 mi
Passive restraints driver and passenger airbags
POWERTRAIN
8.3-liter pushrod 20-valve V-10, 500 hp; 6-sp man
SUSPENSION
F ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar
R ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
F/R vented disc/vented disc
ABS standard