The Viper. The name evokes a predatory serpent's snap — capable of overpowering but waiting to strike. Few finer names suit Dodge's outrageous supercar killer.
The Viper is low to the ground, unpredictable, and can strike at any time if you're not careful. It's no surprise that it's loosely related to the Shelby Cobra, another icon of American performance. The Cobra is loud, rude, cantankerous, and originals fetch insane prices.
With its rarity, many still wonder how many Shelby Cobras were made and what their value is today . When Chrysler president Bob Lutz spent time with his Autokraft Mk IV Shelby Cobra replica, he likely didn't suspect he was on the verge of birthing a legend. In the 1980s, Chrysler was struggling.
Kept afloat by a government bailout in 1980, the K-platform brought in money with its front-wheel drive practicality. But the idea Lutz brought to design chief Tom Gale was a wild departure. He wanted a Chrysler Cobra, a bare-bones race car in the spirit of Carroll Shelby's legendary machine.
The car delivered by Team Viper in 1992 was striking, powerful, and quickly garnered an instant fan base, launching 25 years of Dodge Viper production. Though an onslaught of absurdly powerful Hellcats – powered by Dodge's Hellcat and Hellephant engines — ultimately contributed to its demise in 2017, the Viper's legacy of American sport muscle remains. In honor of the Viper's vicious vibe, we rank every generation of Dodge Viper from slowest to fastest based on the .