We’ve waited a long time for the 2013 SRT Viper‘s arrival, one that almost never came because of Chrysler filing for bankruptcy in 2009. The subsequent purchase by Fiat, the parent company of rival automaker Ferrari, helped turn it all around though and we finally have a new Viper after an extended period of uncertainty. Finally, without further adieu, here it is, America’s venomous supercar, but this time it has shed its Dodge skin in favor of the more form-fitting SRT nameplate.
Highlights for the 2013 SRT Viper include a much a redesigned exterior and better interior that includes a navigation system and leather seats. But if you’re reading this, chances are you’re more interested in what’s under the hood: an 8.4-liter V-10 engine with a whopping 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque. The former number is 2 horsepower greater than the world-beating 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, and the latter number is the highest rating for a non-supercharged or turbocharged engine in the entire world. SRT isn’t messing around with this one. The new 8.4-liter V-10 has been hooked to a six-speed manual transmission that promises to escort as many ponies to pavement as possible.
Besides a new engine and interior, the 2013 SRT Viper welcomes the sports car’s first-time use of stability control, something it has never carried onboard in the Viper’s 20 years of existence. However, you can shut it off entirely, and the icon on the dash shows a flaming burnout when you do. No, really.
The 2013 SRT Viper will be offered in two variations, the SRT Viper and SRT Viper GTS, with both being built at Chrysler’s Conner Avenue assembly facility in Detroit. The latest Viper is the most technologically advanced one to date, with features like a two-mode active suspension that allows the snake to open it up when possible while still giving the driver the utmost control of the car.
For more information about the 2013 SRT Viper or any other new vehicle debut at the 2012 New York International Auto Show.
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SRT Viper clip
