Dodge Viper
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Chrysler had a problem in the 70’s and 80’s. The company was hurting and failing. However, it managed to save itself through the K-car series and minivans. However, this gave Chrysler a bit of an image problem. They were suddenly seen as producing the most boring vehicles on the planet. That all changed when the Dodge Viper was the pace car at the Indy 500. As it drove around the track, people were mesmerized. The original was awful as a car but beautiful as a showpiece. The original didn’t even have door handles on the outside because it wouldn’t have looked as good. But thankfully there were no windows either, so you could just reach in and unlock it.
Power Overwhelming
Power is what the Viper such a beast. The Viper was almost pure power simply because it lacked the frills that makes cars like that hug curbs. There was no traction control. Anti-Lock brakes were still a pipe dream. The original Viper featured a Lamborghini tuned V10 putting out 400 horsepower. For the early 90’s, that’s a ton of power.
Evolution
The Viper started out as flashy bodywork with a huge engine tucked inside. It was barely drivable as a car. It was a statement. However, the modern Viper is an incredible piece of automotive engineering. The Viper needed to stay true to itself as it evolved. The trademark long hood and stubby rear of the car needed to stay. The Viper has gone through a series of evolutions and is now in its fourth series entitled “Phase VX I” The Viper is now a 630 horsepower behemoth that is actually an enjoyable and drivable car. Admittedly it still isn’t exactly the best handling car of all time, but it’s amazing what a decade of engineering on a gorgeous and powerful car can do.
