Istorie
In tribute to the Shelby Cobra, which was the initial inspiration for the project, the concept car that was revealed at the 1989 Detroit Motor Show was called Dodge Viper. It was received with such enthusiasm that Chrysler put a small team of just 85 people to work on turning the Viper into a production car. Their collaboration was so successful that the first customer deliveries began 1992.
Full description
In the late 1980s, Chrysler was a company desperately in need of a shot in the arms. Its chairman Lee Lacocca had put in place a new model programme, but the new cars aimed at restoring the fortunes of the struggling company wouldn’t be ready for launch until at least 1992.
In tribute to the Shelby Cobra, which was the initial inspiration for the project, the concept car that was revealed at the 1989 Detroit Motor Show was called Dodge Viper. It was received with such enthusiasm that Chrysler put a small team of just 85 people to work on turning the Viper into a production car. Their collaboration was so successful that the first customer deliveries began 1992.
The first Vipers were powered by a Lamborghini 7,990cc V10 engine that developed 400hp, while there were no driver aids such as ABS or traction control.
The Dodge Viper’s performance was outstanding -0-60mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 266km/h – but its appearance was even more incredible. He was a genuine supercar, with head-turning presence on the street that had been conceived and created on a shoestring budget. It was a triumph for Chrysler, not only because of the interest it created but also because it demonstrated that a small team working closely together could achieve great things.
Chrysler learnt the lesson: from then on, each new model was created by a dedicated “Platform team”.
This car has covered 19.446 miles (approx. 31,300 km).
