Thus the chassis is 50 percent stiffer, the body work materials include carbon fiber and aluminum, the interior features Sabelt seats like the ones used by Ferrari, an electronic, driver-configurable instrument binnacle, the dashboard is fully covered in leather in high-end versions and there’s even a touch-screen infotainment system.
Add the electronic stability and traction control systems, the 50/50 front/rear weight distribution and the (optional) electronically adjustable suspension and the question if the latest Viper, despite its 640HP and 600 lb-ft (812Nm) of torque coming out of the 8.4-liter V10 has, somehow, lost some of its venom suddenly made sense.
That’s the question Motor Trend sought to answer, too, which is why they picked up a top-of-the-line, US$124,990 as tested, Viper GTS and had associate road test editor Carlos Lago and racing driver Randy Probst test it and lap the Laguna Seca circuit respectively to find out.
The Viper V-10 injects a venom-worthy boost of 650 horsepower into the Charger Juiced, but tones down the emissions to remain eco-friendly," the company said in a statement.
Other performance upgrades include the Mopar cold air intake, cat-back exhaust and lowering kit to tighten the ride and improve cornering.
Moving on to the rest of the car, the sedan sports a performance prototype hood with a functional air scoop, which along with the roof, is painted in a darker matte version of the custom Metallic “Copperhead” hue of the vehicle.
A matte black chin spoiler, the matte black hood and decklid graphics, and 20-inch lightweight alloy rims finished in black with “Copperhead” accents, round out the exterior upgrades.
The interior of the SEMA Show concept features black Katzkin leather seats and “Copperhead” accents throughout the cabin, along with an aluminum instrument panel bezel, and Mopar-branded door-sill guards and pistol-grip shifter.
This version spices up the snake with several goodies such as a two-mode active suspension and six-spoke forged-aluminum “Venom” rims, while keeping the same 8.4-liter V10 engine that delivers 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque to the rear wheels via a 6speed manual gearbox.
SRT said that dealer orders are expected to open in mid-November 2012.
The most expensive model of the Chrysler Group will be produced at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, which has been the home for Viper since the first generation of the series that launched in 1995.
The car is named the SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition and it pays homages to past Viper Coupe reveals in 1996 and 2006. It is finished in the Viper's distinctive GTS Blue paint with dual Bright White stripes running the entire length of the sports car and it rides on five-spoke polished forged-aluminum design wheels.
The interior of the special edition model will feature a serialized dash plaque, while Black Laguna leather with contrast stitching will cover the seats, door trim, instrument panel, steering wheel, grab handle, shift knob and center console. In addition, the headliner is done in Alcantara while the white bezels are finished in Satin Silver.
Power comes from the same all-aluminum, 8.4-liter V10 delivering 640 ponies and 600 lb.-ft. of torque as the regular models
"Designed with Viper loyalists in mind, the 2013 SRT Viper GTS Launch Edition model brings back the classic paint schemes that have adorned all previous Viper coupe launches to help us celebrate the return of our brand’s flagship performance machine to the supercar market," commented Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of the SRT brand.
Chrysler didn't say how many Viper GTS Launch Edition it plans to build.
After production stopped in 2010, there were reports that the Viper would not be resurrected, which the group later dismissed. Nevertheless, for a while its future was shaky, a fact acknowledged by the company’s executives.
“Beyond being the flagship for the new SRT brand, the launch of the 2013 Viper proves that we simply would not let the performance icon of the Chrysler Group die”, said SRT boss Ralph Gilles.
“Willed to live on by a very special group of performance enthusiasts inside the company and across Viper Nation, this SRT team under our new leadership was challenged to not just continue the legendary Viper, but to create a world-class supercar that would showcase the very best we have to offer.”
Chrysler’s supercar has evolved quite a bit since its first iteration that shook the automotive world two decades ago. The hood, roof and decklid of the 2013 model are made out of carbon fiber, while the doors are aluminum.
Yet the basic recipe remains the same: a large displacement V10 with tarmac-shredding power and torque placed up front driving the rear wheels. It may not have been the most sophisticated supercar in the world, but it sure means business.
The new iteration of the Viper is powered by an all-aluminum 8.4-liter V10 that puts out 640HP and 600 lb-ft (812.6 Nm) of torque – with the latter being the highest figure for any normally aspirated engine in the world.
The latest V10 features lightweight composite high-flow intake manifold, high-strength forged pistons, sodium-filled exhaust valves, an aluminum flywheel and new, back-pressure-reducing catalysts.
Power is directed to the rear wheels via a six-speed Tremec TR6060 manual gearbox with a short throw shifter and closer gear and final drive ratios, which enables it to achieve top speed in sixth gear at the 6,200 rpm redline.
As the saying goes, power is nothing without control. The chassis, which offers a 50 percent increase in torsional stiffness, features an X-shaped brace that ties the front suspension pickup points to the magnesium cowl. Many areas of the chassis have been redesigned; not only to increase rigidity, but also to reduce weight by nearly 100 pounds (45kg) and the rear suspension has also been tweaked, with the toe link now being in front of the axle improving stability.
The snakeskin bodywork sports a lower 0.364 drag coefficient. Moreover, standard equipment includes electronic traction and stability control, four-channel ABS and 352mm disc brakes with four-piston Brembo aluminum calipers all around.
The iconic supercar will be available in two flavors: SRT Viper and SRT Viper GTS. Both are identical as far as the design is concerned, retaining the extra-long hood, the huge air-vents (or “gills”) behind the front wheels and the side-exiting exhausts of the original.
Chrysler claims that one area where all preavious generations have received criticism, namely the interior, has been taken care of. This has been achieved by using premium materials and additional padding in all major surfaces, with the GTS cabin being fully covered in leather.
The Viper now sports a standard 8.4-inch console-mounted touch screen, touch screen buttons and a choice of infotainment systems with applications. Of more importance to driving-oriented customers, however, is the newly added launch control.
The lightweight Kevlar/fiberglass Sabelt seats are positioned 20mm lower and have their travel extended by 90mm, which along with the ability to adjust their height by 40mm, results in the most spacious cabin ever in a Viper, according to the automaker.
We’ve left the exterior design for last because the 2013 model somewhat strays from its predecessors. Namely, the front bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights and turn signals are completely different, the grille is much smaller in size and, if we dare say so, quite a few details remind us more of Modena than Detroit.
The five-spoke, forged-aluminum “Rattler” wheels on the 2013 Viper model are available with fully polished, fully painted Hyper Black or fully painted low-gloss black finishes.
The Viper GTS gets split six-spoke forged-aluminum “Venom” rims with three available finishes: polished face with graphite-painted pockets (standard), fully painted Hyper Black and fully painted low-gloss black. In addition, the GTS gets more technologically advanced solutions, like the two-mode active suspension featuring Bilstein DampTronic Select shock absorbers with both street and track settings.
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