One of the last truly thrilling ways to drive is in a real Viper. A few technical changes made later in the production run of this first-generation car make it better overall. This one has only 29,000 miles on it and hasn’t been used very often. The V-10 engine in the first Dodge Viper was 8.0 liters in size and had cylinders that were almost the size of a fifth of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey. It makes sense to compare driving one to being in the front row at a Motörhead show and getting into a fight at a Yellowstone cowboy saloon. It’s not like any other car Dodge would make. This silver snake on Bring a Trailer is a 1999 Dodge Viper RT/10 that belongs to Hearst Autos and costs what it was bought for. This is an example of one of the updated cars made during the second half of the first-generation Viper’s production run. It has more horsepower. Since the Viper didn’t need more horsepower, this was like driving a nail through the two-by-four you’d been using to build Corvettes. Dodge did change the exhaust routing, though, so your legs won’t be burned when you get out after a long trip. Since the engine is the main subject of our conversation, let us look into it in great detail. Back in 1999, it had 450 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. In 2025, that wouldn’t be too strange, but remember that a Viper is very light and doesn’t have many driver-assist features. If you disturb it, it will bite you. Still, a car named after a dangerous snake should be taken seriously, and it’s fun to drive a contemporary Viper. You should check the date codes on those huge Michelin tires, even though this car only has 29,000 miles on it. Modern rubber will improve control while reducing power. A modern Viper is so strong that it looks like a cartoon, even with new performance tires. The best thing about it is that it smells like fiberglass, sounds like the Incredible Hulk, and has the inside parts of a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. That’s great. The world was greatly helped when Dodge brought back the spirit of the 1960s Shelby Cobra in 1990s form. The Viper was supposed to stay and fight with the Corvette, but it couldn’t. Stellantis will never make another car like this one. You can keep this, however.
