Media post: Taking a Look at The Viper of Old
Reminiscing about the old Dodge Vipers and how they are in comparison to the newer models.
It was the late 1980s and the Chrysler Group was in dire need of reinventing themselves, but also adding a true high class sports car, and they came up with the Viper. They appointed Chief Engineer Roy Sjoberg to head up the project, and he then selected what he felt was the best 85 engineers to be part of this Team Viper, not to be confused with Cobra and Cobra Commander from the fictional GI Joe series.
Chief Sjoberg and his team of 85 insanely talented engineers hit the road running in March of 1989. They started by asking Lamborghini to create a porotype engine block for their Dodge V10 truck engine for the Viper usage. Then the following fall months they were able to finalize the designs and production of the body. Then in the early part of 1990, the V10 engine block was throw in the body of the newly crafted Dodge sports car.
That same year in 1990 they received the thumbs up approval from chairman Lee Iacocca to finish the production and they showcased the model at that years Indianapolis 500, as a pace car. So in roughly two years’ time, they took a vehicle from concept to creation, and made it available to consumer in 1992. Since its first year in 1992 the Viper has become a cult classic for many automotive enthusiasts. There are Viper clubs all over the country, and the collectors of these very unique cars are notoriously known for being a bit over the top.
Now in the year 2016, we are expecting the next generation and final production of the Dodge Viper, as they plan to roll out their 25th Anniversary models, which have already sold out in a matter of weeks after being made available to consumers. For those of you that are avid fans of the Viper, and wish to see one of the 25th Anniversary models, you should reach out to your local Dodge dealership, like Kolosso in Wisconsin. Talk to your local dealership, and see if they plan on showcasing one of the models in their showroom in the next year, or if they know where you can go to see one on display. One thing is certain Viper came in strong into the sports car world, and it looks like it will exit just as strong.
