The New York Auto Show is this week, and although there are thousands of cars on display, you might not notice because everyone’s talking about the same thing: the new SRT Viper. Sure, it doesn't have a supercharger or a turbocharger but it's still an absolutely breathtaking sight to behold. After a few years hiatus the Viper is back with a vengeance under the SRT name. Let’s dig in to some of the great details that make this car so magnificent.
The new Viper has a brand new exterior design that still pays homage to previous Viper models. An all carbon-fiber hood, roof, decklid, and aluminum door panels not only look great but keep the car as light as possible. The entire body is beautiful and extremely aerodynamic, with a .364 drag coefficient. The hood has been re-designed with a “double-bubble” shape that gives improved headroom to both the driver and passenger while maintaining a low profile. The Viper is equipped of course with dual-function bi-xenon projector headlamps and LED daytime running lamps and turn signals in the classic sinister snake eye configuration. The wheels will be offered in a five-spoke, forged-aluminum “Rattler” design.
The interior is fully leather with accent colors applied to the seats, doors, center console, and stitching. Both seats are high-performance racing seats with lightweight Kevlar/fiberglass shells. For the first time ever, seat height can be adjusted by up to 40mm and seat travel has been expanded by 90mm overall. A new 7-inch, full-color customizable instrument cluster is available for the discerning driver, with Uconnect to access more information, entertainment, and emergency services in-vehicle.
Under the hood lies a new 8.4L all aluminum V-10 overhead valve engine that delivers 640HP and 600lbs of torque – the most of any naturally aspirated engine in the world. The engine also features a new, ultra-high flow and lightweight composite manifold, high strength forged pistons, sodium-filled exhaust valves, new catalysts to reduce back pressure, and an aluminum flywheel that reduces reciprocating losses. This is paired with an updated Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual trans that has a shorter throw shifter and closer gear ratios.
This amazing piece of work will go into production at the end of 2012 to go on sale as the 2013 model. No word yet on exactly how much it is going to cost, but something tells me that if this is on your 2013 wishlist it’s going to set you back quite a bit. For the rest of us, the drool-worthy extensive photography will have to suffice.
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