Popular
Mechanics August
With 488 cu. in., 450 hp and 490 ft.-lb.
of torque, not to mention a
quarter-mile run of 11.97 seconds at
118.88 mph, the Dodge Viper GTS sounds like it was built in
1970.
But dig deeper into its stat
sheet–V10 engine, direct port fuel injection, 6-speed transmission,
4-wheel disc brakes, steamroller 35-series rubber and, of course, its
$69,300 sticker price. There's no question this is a car of the
'90s.
It's also the quickest and fastest car Popular Mechanics
has ever tested.
Have any '60s musclecars ever equaled that
performance? Legend says the
1969 ZL-1 Corvette (two were built), ZL-1
Camaro (69 were built) and the
1966 427 Shelby Cobra could run such
times, although no such times have
ever been actually published. But
think about it. The Viper GTS has air
conditioning, power windows,
dual airbags, a CD player and a sixth gear for
somewhat respectable
economy on the highway. And it'll sit there and idle smoothly for hours in
Death Valley without overheating or fouling its
plugs.
The Viper wears the largest
rubber in this test, and the largest rubber ever mounted on a musclecar.
But tire spin is still a problem with 450 hp. Those big Michelins also
helped the Viper set the pace through the slalom and the skidpad, easily
outrunning the other modern cars. But the Viper's lack of ABS and its
tendency to lock its front tires put it in third place in the braking
contest. Still, the Dodge Viper GTS is the baddest of the bad–the
ultimate.
 
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