Vehicle Overview Car buyers who can’t get enough horsepower will want to thank Dodge for introducing a revised version of its Viper SRT10 sports car. Not content with merely 510 horsepower, the Viper SRT10 now makes 600 hp from an enlarged V-10 engine. Isn’t America great?
The 2008 Viper SRT10 is available in roadster or coupe form and arrives at dealerships this summer.
Exterior The Viper SRT10’s hood now features gill-like vents on either side of the central scoop. Forged aluminum wheels in three styles are offered; they measure 18 inches in front and 19 inches in back. Five new colors are available, including Snakeskin Green and Viper Violet.
Interior The two-person cabin carries over mostly unchanged. The aggressively bolstered bucket seats are covered in leather with suede inserts, and the instrument panel is dominated by a large white-faced tachometer. A CD stereo is standard, and on the practical side the coupe has about 14.7 cubic feet of cargo room (the roadster has 8.4 cubic feet).
Under the Hood The Viper SRT10’s V-10 engine now displaces 8.4 liters — slightly more than before thanks to a 1-millimeter increase in the engine’s bore — and makes 600 hp and 560 pounds-feet of torque. That’s 90 hp and 25 pounds-feet of torque more than the previous 8.3-liter V-10 made. The engine runs on 91-octane gasoline.
The V-10 has variable exhaust-valve timing and its cylinder heads are new. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, and Dodge says clutch-pedal effort has been lessened thanks to a new twin-disc clutch, but I didn’t find it especially heavy before. The automaker says the Viper SRT10 can reach 60 mph from a standstill in less than 4 seconds.
While final gas mileage numbers have not yet been announced, Frank Klegon, Chrysler Group executive vice president for product development, said the 2008 Viper SRT10 should get better mileage than its predecessor’s 12/20 mpg (city/highway) even though it makes more power and the EPA’s testing procedure for 2008 models has gotten tougher.
Safety Available safety features include all-disc antilock Brembo brakes and adjustable pedals.
