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An original Viper is one of the last truly ferocious driving experiences.
This first-gen car is from later in the production run and benefits from a few engineering improvements.
This example has seen limited use and has just 29K miles.
The original Dodge Viper has a V-10 engine that displaces 8.0 liters, meaning that every cylinder is about the size of a fifth of Jack Daniel's Tennessee whisky. Considering that driving one feels like somewhere between a fistfight at a cowboy bar from Yellowstone and being front row at a Motörhead concert, the comparison seems apt. Dodge will never build anything like it again.
This silver serpent on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is a 1999 Dodge Viper RT/10. This example is one of the revised cars from the second half of first-gen Viper production, which included adding more horsepower. As the Viper did not actually need more horsepower, this was like hammering a nail through the two-by-four you had been beating up Corvettes with. Dodge did, however, reroute the exhaust, so at least you won't burn your legs when getting out after a spirited drive.
Since the engine is the talking point, let's take a good look at it. For '99, it was rated at 450 horsepower and a meaty 490 pound-feet of torque. That doesn't seem unreasonable by 2025 standards, but do remember that a Viper doesn't weigh very much, and it has almost no driver-assist features whatsoever. Provoke it, and it will bite you.
However, treat it with the respect due a car named after a venomous reptile, and a Viper of this generation is enormous fun. This example has just 29K miles on it, but you will want to check the date codes on those massive Michelins. Modern rubber will really help improve the handling and help get the power down.
But even on fresh performance tires, a Viper of this generation is cartoonishly overpowered. That's its essential charm: It bellows like the Incredible Hulk, smells like fiberglass, and has the interior materials of a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. It's wonderful.
When Dodge decided to bring back the spirit of the 1960s Shelby Cobra in a 1990s package, it did the world a great favor. It's a shame that the Viper couldn't stick around to give the Corvette a run for its money. Stellantis won't ever make a car like this again. But you can own this one.
The auction ends on December 2.
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