The car that stole the 2013 NY auto show and sparked the most media attention had to be the 2013 SRT Viper. It was actually pretty amazing to see the media mass try to get a look as the car was released! In a surprise move after the unveiling of the SRT, the Jacob Javits Center became filled with a roar (trust me, it did not sound like a mere hiss). What could this be? Just as one might think there couldn’t be much more of a buzz surrounding the release, out came the all-new SRT Viper GTS-R driven onto the show floor by Kuno Wittmer.
The Viper is back in the American Le Mans racing series GT class in 2012! The race car is designed through a joint venture between Rieley Technologies and Chrysler’s SRT division. In addition to Kuno driving the car, it will also be campaigned by Dominik Farnbacker, Marc Goossens, and Indy Car driver Ryan Hunter-Reay. Pretty damn good driver line up!
Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series said “I don’t think it’s possible to overstate the significance of the SRT Viper returning to the top level of professional sports car racing. The Chrysler Group has a long, storied and very successful history of competing with the American Le Mans Series. The fact that they’re coming back concurrently with the introduction of the new production car and doing it simultaneously, we would be hard-pressed to come up with a better-case scenario. What a great way for SRT Viper to come back to racing.”
Obviously it’s the hope of Chrysler to “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” and this just might do it.
The SRT Viper looks awesome! The older generation Viper was in my opinion a bit unrefined, and the 2013 SRT has molted its skin into a true super-car. SRT went to get lengths to shed this previous perception beginning with eliminating the vast black plastic and rubber that the previous generation was filled with. They worked with interior suppliers from Ferrari and Maserati to significantly upgrade it’s interior and replaced the cheap looking materials with beautiful leather.
“Beyond being the flagship for the new SRT brand, the launch of the 2013 Viper proves that we simply would not let the performance icon of the Chrysler Group die. Willed to live on by a very special group of performance enthusiasts inside the company and across Viper Nation, this SRT team under our new leadership was challenged to not just continue the legendary Viper, but to create a world-class super-car that would showcase the very best we have to offer,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC.
Preliminary performance ratings for the V-10 Viper are 640 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque, representing the most torque of any naturally aspirated engine in the world.
Other elements that stood out to us:
– A 50% stiffer chassis compared the the previous generation Viper. This is partially 
accomplished through adding a new aluminum “X” brace that ties suspension points.
– All-new carbon-fiber hood, deck lid and aluminum door panels.
– To help control the Viper’s power, a steering-wheel-mounted launch control switch was added.
– Expanded interior which allowed the seat travel to be extended by 90 mm overall. SRT stated that finally now taller guys will actually be able to comfortably fit inside the car.
– 18, yes 18! Harman Kardon speakers including four subwoofers are located behind the seats. Looking inside of the car, we anticipated it to look a bit, well you know…but they did a nice job blending them in. This was clearly not done for show.
Track Option:
You can upgrade a Viper or GTS into an ACR, though without a wing. The option package is expected to save more than 40 lbs. It replaces the Brembo all-steel rotors with lightweight 2-piece brake rotors from Stop Tech and incorporates a unique suspension with monotube Bilstein dampers and stiffer spring rates. Although we’re sure the GTS model will be more than sufficient for an unbelievable ride out on the track.
Technical Summary
Engine: 8.4-LITER V-10
Engine: 8.4 Liter (512 cu.in) , 10-cylinder, liquid-cooled
Compression Ratio: 10.2:1
Power (SAE net): 640 bhp @ 6,150 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 600 lb-ft @ 4,950 rpm
Max. Engine Speed: 6,400 rpm (fuel cutoff)
Fuel Requirement: Unleaded premium — 91 Octane
EPA Fuel Economy: TBD
Gear Ratios & Related Information: 1st: 2.26, 2nd: 1.58, 3rd: 1.19, 4th: 1.00, 5th : 0.77, 6th: 0.63.
Frame-mounted hypoid bevel gear with GKN ViscoLok speed-sensing limited-slip differential; 3.55:1
Curb Weight, lbs: 3,354 – Viper model, 3,297 – Viper model with SRT Track Package,
3,431 – Viper GTS model, 3,374 – Viper GTS model with SRT Track Package
Weight Distribution, percent F/R: 49.6/50.4
Drag Coefficient, Cd: 0.365
Suspension
Type: Four-wheel independent with high-performance aluminum control arms and knuckles and lightweight coil-over shock absorbers. Two-mode, driver selectable Bilstein DampTronic shock absorbers on GTS model
Front: Cast-aluminum unequal-length upper and lower “A” arms, coil springs,
low-pressure gas-charged shock absorbers, stabilizer bar
Rear: Cast-aluminum unequal-length upper and lower “A” arms, toe-control links, coil springs, low-pressure gas-charged shock absorbers, stabilizer bar
[nggallery id=18]
