by
Tom Keane
Motor Matters
I have never been in a car so
sensuously thrilling as the all-new Dodge Viper GTS Coupe. Everything
about this car excites me beyond my wildest dream.
The Viper is not
an ordinary sports car. Other prestigious sports cars pale by comparison;
collectively, all the other cars are nothing more than also-rans. For
example, the bench mark used to evaluate a car's ability is the time it
takes to accelerate from 0-to-60 mph. Most fast cars do it in about six
seconds, the real fast ones hover around five seconds. The Viper is closer
to four seconds.
But the real measure for high-powered performance
is the 0-to-100-to-0 time, a standard that is ignored by most
manufacturers because the results are embarrassing. Real power cars, such
as the Ferrari, reach 100 mph and brake to a stop in about 15 seconds, yet
the 1992 Viper RT/10 roadster beat that mark by about a second, and I
expect the Viper Coupe will set new records. Yet this Viper is one-quarter
the price of a Ferrari. Including taxes and shipping, the 1996 Dodge Viper
GTS Coupe costs $73,030. Only 1,750 will be assembled this
year.
One reason the coupe has more muscle than the roadster is
engine improvement. It still has an 8-liter, V-10 engine, but it now
produces 450 horsepower compared to 415 hp for the roadster, and the
torque has been increased to 490 pound-foot.
I felt the wallop of
490 lb.-ft. of torque while driving the legendary 14 mile Nurburgring race
course near Frankfurt, Germany. This hilly track has 176 wiggly, wrenching
turns and braking is a key factor in negotiating them. With the Viper's
massive brakes, all that is required is mere tap on the brake pedal just
before hitting the curve, and then the torque kicks in making it
accelerate like a rocket. On a short straightaway on this course, I
reached a thrilling 154 mph in a matter of a few seconds. To the best of
my knowledge, this is the most powerful production car on the
road.
The Autobahn was another area where my wildest dreams came
true. Imagine driving at 140 mph and not feeling road vibration. At that
speed, you'd expect the interior noise level to be much too loud to enjoy
the music from the CD player, but the interior is surprisingly
quiet.
The seats in the coupe are very comfortable, and in the
interest of keeping weight at a minumum, they are mechanically operated.
The interior is attractive, and the new instrument panel is down-to-earth
in appearance. Behind the scene are dual airbags and side impact
protection.
Dodge is proud of their Viper team that took the Viper
RT/10 a step beyond the ``wind in your hair'' roadster design by adding a
hard top, providing decent storage space, making it easier to get in and
out of, and designing a comfortable interior. The team also came up with
innovative ideas that other manufacturers will probably try to
duplicate.
For example, instead of the driver having to move the
seat to accommodate the foot pedals, in the Viper you set the seat to a
desired position, then by turning one knob, adjust the foot pedals --
brake, clutch, gas -- to accommodate your size. Another innovation: door
handles that operate electrically without need for mechanical
connections.
This beauty now has aluminum suspension components for
improved ride and better handling. Michelin redesigned the tires to allow
the Viper to be pushed to greater outer limits. Yet, in spite of the
addition of more comforts, a hard top, and air conditioner, the coupe
weighs 70 pounds less than the roadster.
Rerouting the exhaust
pipes to achieve more horsepower also produced an unexpected bonus. Unlike
its predecessor, the coupe now sounds like a powerful sports
car.
Want a better picture of this Viper? Close your eyes and
visualizing the most exciting car you can imagine. What you see will be
very close to the real thing.
SPECIFICATIONS
1996 DODGE
VIPER GTS COUPE
VEHICLE TYPE................. 2-passenger, RWD sports
coupe
BASE PRICE................... $66,000 (as tested:
$73,030)
ENGINE TYPE.................. V-10, OHV
w/SMPI
DISPLACEMENT................. 8-liter
HORSEPOWER
(net)............. 450 at 5300 rpm
TORQUE (lb-ft)............... 490 at
3700 rpm
TRANSMISSION................. 6-speed
manual
WHEELBASE.................... 96 in. 2444 mm
TREAD
(front/rear)........... 60 / 61 in. 1514 /1538 mm
OVERALL
LENGTH............... 177 in. 4488 mm
OVERALL WIDTH................ 76
in. 1924 mm
HEIGHT....................... 47 in. 1194 mm
TURNING
CIRCLE (curb-to-curb) 40 ft. 12.34 m
CURB WEIGHT..................
3,383 lbs. 1535 kg
FUEL CAPACITY................ 19 gals. 72 L
EPA
MILEAGE RATING........... 13 city, 24 highway
ASSEMBLY
PLANT............... Detroit, Mich
STRONG FEATURES .............
Engine, brakes
WEAK FEATURE ................ Nothing
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