Photo: Cars & Bids / autoevolution
Nobody can accuse you of not being a car enthusiast if you own a Dodge Viper. It’s just that simple. This used to be the type of car you bought because you loved to drive, and “regular” sports cars or muscle cars simply weren’t enough for you.
The first-generation Viper was truly bonkers and paved the way for what was to come later, even though each iteration of this car seemingly got softer as it matured. The fifth and last generation model was pretty much just as easy to drive as your run-of-the-mill Corvette, having lost some of those raw and exciting properties found in the original car.
We’re here to discuss the third-generation model though, heavily restyled to take after the GTS-R concept. Even though the design language changed (some would argue for the worse), this was still instantly recognizable as a Viper, which in the end is all that counts.
Unveiled initially as a convertible, the third-gen Viper came out swinging with an 8.3-liter V10 engine under the hood, producing 500 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque, channeled to the rear wheels via a six-speed Tremec T56 manual gearbox. Whenever it hooked properly, the SRT-10 could rocket from zero to 60 mph (97 kph) in just 3.8 seconds, before completing a standing quarter mile in 11.77 seconds. Not bad at all by early 2000s standards.
Speaking of “not bad”, here’s a 2003 Viper Bright Silver Metallic variant we just found through Cars & Bids, rocking a black soft top and a black interior. Mind you, it’s not some amazing mint condition example – far from it (rock chips, misaligned hood, plus plenty of wear and tear on the inside).
However, it more than makes up for all that via its extensive modifications, such as the ported heads, K&N cold air intake, stainless steel exhaust, short throw shifter, BC Racing adjustable coilover suspension, custom brakes, APR Performance carbon fiber elements (hood, front splitter, side skirts, rear splitter), OEM wheels, an Alpine touchscreen head unit with front and rear cameras, A-Pillar gauge pod, two 10-inch subwoofers and carbon fiber trim.
On top of all that, you also get more than decent standard features available from the get-go, such as the HID headlights, power-adjustable pedals, air conditioning, keyless entry, suede and leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
As for what it can do in terms of performance, according to the dyno sheet we’re dealing with 533 hp and 547 lb-ft of torque on 91 octane gas, whereas 100 octane juice will net you 580 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque, respectively. It may not sound like a great deal more compared to what this car already produced, but all these mods together should make for a significantly different driving experience.
We’re here to discuss the third-generation model though, heavily restyled to take after the GTS-R concept. Even though the design language changed (some would argue for the worse), this was still instantly recognizable as a Viper, which in the end is all that counts.
Unveiled initially as a convertible, the third-gen Viper came out swinging with an 8.3-liter V10 engine under the hood, producing 500 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque, channeled to the rear wheels via a six-speed Tremec T56 manual gearbox. Whenever it hooked properly, the SRT-10 could rocket from zero to 60 mph (97 kph) in just 3.8 seconds, before completing a standing quarter mile in 11.77 seconds. Not bad at all by early 2000s standards.
Speaking of “not bad”, here’s a 2003 Viper Bright Silver Metallic variant we just found through Cars & Bids, rocking a black soft top and a black interior. Mind you, it’s not some amazing mint condition example – far from it (rock chips, misaligned hood, plus plenty of wear and tear on the inside).
However, it more than makes up for all that via its extensive modifications, such as the ported heads, K&N cold air intake, stainless steel exhaust, short throw shifter, BC Racing adjustable coilover suspension, custom brakes, APR Performance carbon fiber elements (hood, front splitter, side skirts, rear splitter), OEM wheels, an Alpine touchscreen head unit with front and rear cameras, A-Pillar gauge pod, two 10-inch subwoofers and carbon fiber trim.
On top of all that, you also get more than decent standard features available from the get-go, such as the HID headlights, power-adjustable pedals, air conditioning, keyless entry, suede and leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
As for what it can do in terms of performance, according to the dyno sheet we’re dealing with 533 hp and 547 lb-ft of torque on 91 octane gas, whereas 100 octane juice will net you 580 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque, respectively. It may not sound like a great deal more compared to what this car already produced, but all these mods together should make for a significantly different driving experience.
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