2006 Dodge Viper Review

Specifications

The GTS is Back in a Big Way

I remember how giddy I was when I received the invitation to join Chrysler Group in Santa Barbara, California for the introduction of the Viper SRT10 back in the summer of 2002.

I have to admit to being a little intimidated too, after hearing so many stories about the unwieldy nature of Dodges racetrack-bred supercar. Fortunately for me, not as familiar with track cars as some of the more seasoned journalists that frequently attend such launches, the completely reworked 2003 Viper was a lot more forgiving than the previous generation RT/10.

I also found its styling more sophisticated, having never completely warmed up to the pumped up muscularity of the outgoing car. The SRT10 seemed leaner, more finely sculpted than the old Viper, and overall more European.

But not everyone was as impressed as I was. I overheard some of my colleagues complaining that the new car didnt appear as omnipotent as its predecessor, a grumbling that was reiterated by the president of the Viper club who was also on hand for the launch.

Dodge shouldnt have to face such murmurings again now that the Viper SRT10 Coupe is unveiled. While the current roadsters styling cues are evident in the front fascia, headlamps, hood, fender lines, and reverse canted engine vent cutouts behind the front wheels, the double-bubble roofline, raked rear window glass, Kamm tail, ovoid taillights and horizontal backup lamps pay homage to its 1996 through 2002 GTS predecessor in a big way, as does its dual Stone White racing striped, Viper Blue metallic paint scheme. Even the Center High-Mounted Stop Light (CHMSL) on the decklid looks similar to the “snake-head” design on the old GTS.

“It was important for us to sustain the emotion in the design,” said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President, Design, Chrysler Group. “We wanted the 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe design to include a nod to the original Viper GTS Coupe, but in a contemporary way.”

Actually, the only bodywork that the Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe shares with the Convertible is the front fascia and fenders, hood and doors. In addition to the new canopy and decklid, the 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe has a special windshield surround, door side glass, rear fascia, quarter panels and taillights.

It should be mentioned that the 2006 Coupe wont actually be the first second-generation Viper to get a hardtop, the first being the Viper GTS/R concept that appeared at the 2000 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, also the first time the redesigned Viper was shown. It was followed up by a limited run of non-street legal Competition Coupes purely meant for taking on Corvettes, Porsches and the likes on the racetracks of the world.

With the initial SRT10 concept being a coupe, and Competition Coupes out on the racetrack, GTS fans began petitioning Dodge for a hardtop they could park in their driveways as soon as photos of the roadster turned up on internet message boards.

“Demand for a Dodge Viper Coupe started the day we introduced the Dodge Viper SRT10 Convertible for 2003,” said Dan Knott, Director, Street and Racing Technology (SRT), Chrysler Group. “The all-new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe is a natural evolution of the heritage of the Dodge Viper, and gives enthusiasts exactly what theyre looking for in the ultimate American sports car.”

If the new SRT10 Coupes styling alone doesnt have current GTS owners scrambling to Dodge dealerships in order to place their orders, the SRT10 roadsters running gear under the skin certainly will.

Like its softtop stablemate the new Coupe gets the 500/500/500 treatment, or in other words, 505 cubic inches, 500-horsepower, and 500+ lb-ft of torque. In reality the 8.3-liter V10 makes 525 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm to go along with its 500 horsepower, attainable at 5,600 rpm, which incidentally is 400 rpm below its redline.

Getting on the throttle is a revelatory experience when out on the open road. Dodge claimed zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds for the roadster, which is probably conservative. Zero to 60 to zero mph happens in the low 12-second range, according to the SRT crew.

Compared to the old RT/10 and GTS, the hand-build V10s displacement has been upped 300 cc to 8.3L, complemented with new and improved cylinder heads, all-new cast aluminum pistons, lighter cracked steel connecting rods, wet-sump oil system with twin cast in wing tanks, and the list goes on and on. An amazing 90 percent of the torque is available between 1,500 and 5,600 rpm.

As with most supercars, no automatic transmission is available. The Viper SRT10 Coupe gets a heavy-duty 6-speed manual instead, featuring a Hurst shifter mechanism and linkage, which transfers power to the rear wheels via a Dana 44-4 Hydra-Lok speed-sensing limited-slip differential.

Taming the overzealous acceleration are Brembo 44/40 dual opposing piston calipers up front and Brembo 42/38 dual opposing calipers in the rear, clamping down on four 14.0 by 1.26 inch rotors, enhanced with ABS. Bringing the coupe from 60 mph to standstill takes less than 100 feet, according to Dodge.

In town, the roadster was much more docile than I initially expected, using its gobs of torque to rumble away from stoplights without even the need to depress the throttle. The new coupe should perform similarly, making morning and evening commutes user friendly, and conversely, weekend getaways to the track memorable.

“The Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe owner is often a racer, and the car has to scream that, even when its idling at the stoplight,” Creed added. “The bottom line is that the new Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupes design says a lot about its unique character, and the cars performance is the payoff.”

Of course the Viper Coupes real performance payoff over the roadster is its stiffer overall structure. Rather than the convention of building a convertible model from a hardtop, Dodge began with the already reinforced roadster and constructed the coupe to extremely high torsional rigidity tolerances. It features a backbone tubular space frame with separate cowl structure, plus SMC and RIM body panels, aluminum sills, RIM front and rear fascias with composite impact beams. In English, the 2003 roadster was 31 percent stiffer than the old roadster, and even more rigid than the old GTS coupe. The new coupe should be rock solid.

Other benefits are improved aerodynamics with enhanced downforce properties, characteristic of the sloping rear glass and Kamm tail, which should grant the coupe a higher top speed and better at-the-limit road-holding.

But, of course, its the Vipers race-bred, 4-wheel independent suspension that will keep it glued to the tarmac. It features lightweight, high-performance cast-aluminum unequal-length upper and lower A-arms front and rear, coil springs and lightweight low-pressure gas-charged shock absorbers front and rear, a stabilizer bar at both ends, plus toe-control links in the back. /p>

The new SRT10 Coupe is finished off with a set of forged aluminum wheels, 18 by 10 inches in the front and 19 by 13 in the rear, wrapped in P275/35 ZR18 front, P345/30 ZR19 rear, Michelin ZP (zero pressure) run-flat tires complemented by a low-pressure sensor in each valve stem.

Inside, a stylish two-tone interior color scheme sets the coupe apart from its roadster sibling, while attractive metal-finish surfaces give it an upscale ambience.

Along with the richer appointments, Dodge has reduced exterior noise by adding various weatherstrip pieces, a sound-deadening headliner, carpet and trim panels.

Theres also plenty of room for occupants to move around, even with an integrated safety cage installed and while wearing helmets.

“For helmet clearance, we brought back the double-bubble roofline from the original Dodge Viper GTS,” said Creed. “In fact, we began the process by utilizing a mannequin with a helmet to determine the height and shape of the roof.”

As practical as the extra passenger room, the liftback configuration adds 4 cubic feet of cargo space over the SRT10 Convertible, for a total of 6.25 cubic feet.

The new SRT10 Coupe should be an overwhelming performer, worthy of the Viper name which has become legendary the world over.

“Dodge Viper SRT10 customers want to go beyond the level of the regular enthusiast, to the level of outrageous performance,” stated Knott. “Our all-new 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe gives our customers that performance in a stunning new package.”

The new coupe, made alongside the roadster at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, will become available in Dodge dealerships in the fall of 2005.