Dodge Viper GTS: Spotted

The last of a dying breed!

Production of the Dodge Viper is due to end any minute now, a true American beast of a car that sadly no longer has place in the world; we can have a Hellcat, yes, but not a Viper as well. But this all-American beast had an Italian heart. When the Viper was first thought up in the late 80s, Lamborghini, then a subsidiary of Chrysler, was asked to build an engine that was two litres larger than that of the Diablo. The Viper V10 was born...

Now THAT is an engine brace!

The rudimentary model had very little in terms of driver aids and such a powerful engine on a tubular chassis proved difficult to handle. Over the course of its life, the Viper was upgraded and tweaked, engine displacement increased from 8.0- to 8.3-litres and then later to 8.4 thanks to assistance from McLaren and Ricardo Consulting engineers providing more power; eventually weight was reduced and driver aids brought in as well - airbags and ABS among them. The focus remained on improving power output and reducing weight up until Chrysler announced Viper production would cease in mid-2010.

A month later, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed a new Viper, one that would be more forgiving and accessible than previous models; this car is one of those. Fitted with an aluminium 8.4-litre V10 with 645hp and 600lb ft, it's capable of reaching 208mph. This 2015 GTS looks similar to the early launch edition models - painted Viper Blue with white GTS stripes and inside there is black leather with contrast stitching but missing the commemorative plaque of the LE cars.

The Viper is such a niche product that competitors are few and far between. Looking at Dodge's product range throws up a Challenger Hellcat in the UK, while if you want that other iconic American sports car, this Corvette is similarly priced, similarly powerful and similarly, er, blue. Both will cause something of a stir over here but, as the Viper has proven for 25 years, sometimes there really is no replacement for displacement.

DODGE VIPER GTS

Engine: 8,390cc, V10
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 645@6,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 600@5,000rpm
MPG: 18 (NEDC combined)
CO2: N/A
First registered: N/A
Recorded mileage: 6,000
Price new: $107,995
Yours for: £86,990