2013 SRT Viper

Exterior

The SRT Viper offers a brand new exterior design language while focusing on making the body more aerodynamic, lighter, and more functional than it was in the last generation Viper. Changes like an all-new carbon-fiber hood, roof, decklid, which are 50 to 60 percent lighter than the sheet molding compound (SMC) used in the last generation Viper. Aluminum door panels now replace the SMC used in the 2010 model year, not only giving them a sleeker look, but reducing each door’s weight by seven pounds from the 2010 model. SRT took weight savings to an extreme by shrinking the backlight, using 0.7 mm thinner side glass, resizing and lightening the headlamps, using a 6-pound lighter battery, and even using wiring that weighs 1.5 pounds less than the 2010 model year.

There were numerous modifications made to the Viper’s body to get an impressive 0.364 drag coefficient – 0.016 better than 2010 – and increase performance, but several stand out from the pack. The front air intake was modified and incorporated with the brake ducts, to both increase brake cooling and lower drag. SRT positioned “Air Trippers” on the forward edge of each extractor – the vents on the rear of the front fenders – to generate negative pressure to enhance the frontward ground effect. The rear quarters kick outward, giving the Viper its famed fat rear end, but also are designed to kick air away from the back end, reducing drag on the tail end. Lastly, a duct along the belly of this beast draws air from underneath the vehicle and directs it to the rear differential to keep things cool.

SRT took special care not to reinvent the wheel with the new Viper, as it opted to bring back the classical low-stance and the extreme cab rearward proportions that have become the unmistakable silhouette of the iconic supercar, next to the dramatic fender "gills" – another traditional Viper design cue - that helps extract heat from the engine compartment.Essentially the new Viper looks strikingly similar to the 2010 model, from a side profile, but from the front, it simply looks amazing.

The exterior design continues with the addition of the traditional "double-bubble" roof configuration that maximizes headroom for the driver and passenger while maintaining a low frontal area. Up front, the Viper gets dual-function, bi-xenon projector headlamps that feature light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running lamps and LED turn signals in a sinister "snake eye’ configuration.

The Viper has received a new side-exit exhaust system with cast aluminum, sill-mounted exhaust bezels that pop out from just behind the doors. A first for the supercar is the addition of new LED taillamps that integrate stop-and-turn illumination in one element. The car will be offered with a new set of wheels offered in a five-spoke, forged-aluminum "Rattler" wheel design.

The GTS version adds a split six-spoke forged-aluminum "Venom" wheel design with three available finishes, including polished face with graphite-painted pockets (standard), fully painted Hyper Black, or fully painted low-gloss black.

Interior

The Viper’s interior was once nothing more than a seat, tape player, steering wheel, and some pedals. Throughout the years, the interior got a little better, but it never matched up well with the competition in its class. In the new Viper, SRT took care of this by adding superior craftsmanship, premium material appointments, and performance-oriented technologies. The GTS models offers full leather, and standard accent colors which have been applied to the seats, doors, center console, and stitching.

This is a dramatic upgrade to the pretty much “blah” interior from the 2010 Viper, which was essentially a sea of black plastic. Now the inside of the Viper finally rivals its outward appearance,

The new Viper offers standard high-performance racing seats from Sabelt featuring a lightweight Kevlar/fiberglass shell. The seating position is 20 mm lower than the 2010 model for more room and enhanced performance-driving ergonomics. Seat travel is extended by 90 mm overall, which enables expanded seating options from a more rearward positioned bulkhead. For the first time, seat height can be adjusted by up to 40 mm – manually on the SRT model and power controlled on the GTS. All these adjustments make the new Viper the most spacious in the history of the nameplate.

The old Dodge Viper was always more about raw, unapologetic power and offered little in the way of interior technology. Pretty much what you got on the 2010 Viper was the standard Dodge radio, which looked like it was straight out of a Caravan, and some misplaced gauges next to the steering wheel. Now SRT is tossing in an 8.4-inch color touch screen system that controls the audio system, other driver control, and gives you access to Chrysler’s Uconnect system.

You’re also getting a 7-inch LED display in the instrument cluster that displays all of the vehicle information, and is fully customizable. This display shows off important items that a Viper driver would worry about, including: 0-to-60 time, 0-to-100 time, 1/4- and 1/8-mile times, braking distance, G-forces, and top speed.

The steering wheel-mounted controls on the SRT Viper – another thing the old Viper never had – control the audio settings, cruise control, a linked Bluetooth phone, the standard stability control, and launch control.

Needless to say, the SRT Viper takes all of the fun of driving a 2010 Viper, but adds in all of the comfort and technology items that it was missing. Basically, the Viper is no longer an engine on four wheels; it’s an all-around luxury supercar.

Engine and Drivetrain

SRT took really the only great part of the 2010 Viper, the engine, and said “It’s not good enough.” First and foremost, the Viper’s 8.4-liter engine is massively long, so getting coolant from the front of the engine to the rear can cause some issues. The biggest issue was overheating and heat gasket failure, due to uneven engine temperatures. According to SRT engineers, the cooling system’s flow was revised, as was the head gasket construction. We’ll see if that eliminates the cooling issues.

Now onto the good stuff… The 2010 Vipers’ 8.4-liter engine pumped out an impressive 600 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 560 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. SRT engineers went to great lengths to increase this output to 640 horsepower at 6,150 rpm and 600 pound-feet of torque at 4,950 rpm – the highest torque output available on a non-turbocharged engine.

SRT started off by scrapping the old and rather congested cast-aluminum intake manifold and replacing it with a composite manifold that is freer flowing, thanks to computational fluid dynamics. SRT then scrapped the old pistons in favor of lighter forged pistons and replaced the old forged powder-metal connecting rods with stronger ones. SRT then rid the Viper of the old intake camshaft grind and added a more aggressive grind that has slightly increased duration, allowing the Viper to inhale the air-fuel mixture more deeply. The lift on the intake cam remains the same and the exhaust camshaft grind is a carryover from 2010.

Though the exhaust camshaft grind remains the same, SRT tinkered with the exhaust valves to allow for more power. Engineers used sodium-filled exhaust valves, which naturally cool themselves, so they could create a hotter ignition in the combustion chamber without damaging the exhaust valves. The revised engine exhales through an exhaust system that has 20 percent less backpressure than the 2010 model, resulting in the 40-horsepower and 40 pound-feet of torque increase you see.

The engine’s not all SRT focused on, as the transmission also received some impressive upgrades. The T6060 transmission, the same one that’s in the 2010, did make its way into the 2012 model, but with some significant revisions. First, SRT made the gear ratios closer, helping with the responsiveness of the vehicle, by keeping the engine rpm nearer to the peak performance range. Secondly, first, second, and third gears are all 15 percent wider than in 2010, making more effective use of the engine’s power band. The final drive ratio was shortened to 3.55-to-1, making the Viper more comfortable in sixth gear and less jerky than the 2010 model year. Plus, overall shift throws are 12.5 percent shorter than in 2010.

The last addition is one that all Viper lovers will rejoice over. SRT said “so long” to the all steel flywheel and made an aluminum flywheel standard on the Viper. Not only does this drop 11 pounds from the weight of the car, but drops a tenth of a second off of its 1/4-mile time.

Steering and Suspension

What fun is 40 extra horsepower if you can’t handle it? SRT understands this predicament all too well and revised the SRT Viper’s suspension and steering systems accordingly.

Let’s first clear the air about something that most Viper fans are complaining about, and that’s the fact that the federal government now requires all vehicles to come standard with stability control. SRT manipulated the stability control to conform to federal regulations without interfering with drivability.

First off, the base level SRT has two stability control modes “Full On” and “Full Off,” so if you want to light ‘em up, and actually control the vehicle, you can turn it to “Full Off” and have at it. On the GTS models there are two additional modes, “Sport” and “Track,” which give you differing levels of stability control.

SRT also flipped the stability control into something beneficial by using its electronic controls to develop an impressive launch control program. When you press the “Launch Control” button on the steering wheel, the engine revs to a predetermined launching speed. Once you dump the clutch, the stability control allows the perfect amount of wheel slip to maximize acceleration and you launch perfectly.

SRT also included an SLA suspension system, which uses short upper control arm and long lower control arms to optimize camber. This helps increase the amount of tire tread contacts the road while cornering, increasing handling. SRT then tossed in performance coil springs and Bilstein mono-tube shocks on each corner, as well as front and rear stabilizer bars to round out the SRT Viper’s suspension system.

A new option is available in the 2013 SRT Viper that was not available in 2010, and that is the “Track Package.” This includes ultra-high-performance Pirelli Corsa tires, two-piece brake rotors, and lightweight wheels. This package’s wheels are 18 inches x 10.5 inches on the front and 19 inches x 13 inches on the rear.

The standard braking system on the 2013 SRT Viper is the same Brembo system that the 2010 model featured. It has 14-inch ventilated rotors on the front and rear, along with 44/40 mm four-piston calipers on the front and 42/38 mm four-piston calipers on the rear. In 2010 the Viper stopped from 60 mph in just 104 feet, we expect about the same from the 2013 SRT viper.

When Can I Buy One?

The new generation Viper will go into production at the end of 2012 and will go on sale as a 2013 model. The sports car has been priced at $97,395, which is around $15,000 less than what Chevrolet is asking for with the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Sounds like a sound deal to us.

Exterior colors:

Racing Stripes

SRT Stripes – SRT Viper, N/A SRT Viper GTS

• $4,500 Billet Silver
• $4,500 Black Venom
• $4,500 Gunmetal

GTS Stripes – N/A SRT Viper, SRT Viper GTS

• $5,000 Billet Silver
• $5,000 Black Venom
• $5,000 Gunmetal
• Bright White (Launch Edition only)

Wheels

Audio systems:

Nine-speaker audio system

• Standard SRT Viper
• N/A SRT Viper GTS

12-speaker audio system

• $1,995 SRT Viper
• Standard SRT Viper GTS

18-speaker Harman Kardon® premium audio system

• $2,995 SRT Viper
• $1,000 SRT Viper GTS

Sabelt Sport Seats

Sabelt with premium ballistic covering (Black)

• Standard SRT Viper

Sabelt with Nappa leather and Alcantara (Black, Red*, Carmel)

• $3,000 SRT Viper (seats only)
• Standard SRT Viper GTS (Seats match door and interior trim)

Sabelt with SRT Laguna Leather (Black, Sepia)

• N/A SRT Viper
• GTS Laguna Interior package SRT Viper GTS (Seats match entire interior)

Packages:

Competition

When the new generation Viper is offered on the market, the list of competitors will be long. Models like the Acura NSX and the next generation Lotus Esprit come to mind as future cars that will try to give the Viper a run for its money.

The new NSX is expected to go on sale as a 2014 model. All we have on the future NSX is based solely on speculations as well, but for now it is rumored to get a new V6 engine that will deliver up to 400 HP. This will be more than enough to sprint the NSX to an impressive speed of 200 mph.

As for the future Lotus Esprit, it will be powered by a 5.0 liter V8 engine that delivers an impressive 620 HP and 720 NM of torque. With a weight of 1450 kilos, the new Esprit will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and will hit a top speed of 205 mph.

These may be the competitors in the Viper’s category, but a true comparison can only be made once we know what the heck is going on with the 2013 Dodge Viper.

Videos

• Love it
  • Sportier and wilder design is rather intriguing
  • Aiming at younger buyers seems promising
  • Powerful new engine
• Leave it
  • Goals of small sales figures typically mean high price tags