We’ve been waiting for what seems like forever for the new 2013 SRT Viper, but it’s finally here and we have to admit, we’re pretty impressed.
Packing an astounding 640 horsepower, 600 pound-feet of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated engine in the world — and a hand-assembled 8.4-liter all-aluminum, V-10 overhead-valve engine, the SRT Viper is poised to inject some serious horsepower-filled venom into the automotive world.
When it goes on sale, customers will have the option of choosing between the performance-rich SRT and more technologically advanced GTS. According to Ralph Gilles President and CEO of the Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, “the SRT Viper model is meant to offer a perfect blend of extreme performance and a deliberate preservation of what has become the iconic DNA of the Viper.” Those looking for a more comfortable and tech laden experience, however, may want to opt for the GTS, which adds two-mode active suspension, advanced drivetrain, advanced interior technologies, and other “creature comforts” absent from previous Vipers.
While it’s easy to get lost in the dizzying numbers being spit out by the Viper, SRT has also gone through the trouble of refining the cars overall design mechanics and weight reduction. For the first time the 2013 SRT Viper will feature an all-new carbon-fiber hood, roof, decklid, and aluminum door panels, providing a significant weight reduction and improved stability.
SRT will also offer three different wheel options: five or six spokes in polished, matte black or gloss black finishes, as well as a special lightweight set included in the SRT Track Package.
In addition, the SRT Viper receives a major update to its chassis with the new aluminum “X” brace under the hood, allowing for overall structural rigidity and improved weight distribution while shedding approximately 100 pounds of skin from the Viper’s body.
The interior of the Viper has been seen to as well. New introductions include a vivid seven-inch LCD screen that sits directly in front of the driver, Chrysler’s 8.4-inch Uconnect Media Center, and a Kardon audio system.
Other touches like the Viper’s dual-function projector headlamps and LED turn signals with a sinister “snake eye” configuration point to SRT’s attention to detail in making this one stylish snake.
With the fifth generation Viper it’s clear that SRT set out to target both the road and track crowd with its close attention to improving design aspects – both aesthetic and performance-based – while at the same time attempting to carry on the Viper’s longstanding pedigree as an American performance icon. The result: a world class supercar that proudly lives up to the Viper’s legacy.
