The Dodge Viper is a modern American performance classic. It was inspired by the Shelby 427 Cobra and designed by a crew of automobile fanatics headed by Chrysler President Bob Lutz with guidance from then Chief of Design Tom Gale.
The original Dodge Viper was conceived in 1988 at Chrysler Advanced Design Studios. The car would debut as a concept at the 1989 North American International Auto Show. In 1991, Carroll Shelby drove a pre-production Viper as a pace car at the Indianapolis 500 and in early 1992, the first retail sales began.
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The upcoming 2021 Dodge Viper is very likely to be announced at next year’s North American International Auto Show. Marking 30 years since the introduction of the original Dodge Viper concept it would be a fitting time.
The original Viper featured a 8.0-liter V10 engine developed by Lamborghini for the RAM pickup. That Viper was able to push 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. The new 2021 Viper is rumored to pack a 550hp V8. The supercharged model designed to compete against the 2020 Corvette Zora ZR1 is expected to deliver over 700hp.
The 2021 Dodge Viper is likely to feature a body made mostly of aluminum and carbon fiber to help reduce weight. Currently only a convertible is expected any time soon, though there have been suggestions that a coupe could follow a few years down the line.
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Surprising to some in the auto industry, Dodge plans to keep a traditional manual transmission in place for its 2021 Viper. This coming at a time when so many auto manufacturers are opting for automatics with paddle shifting-only.
The 2021 Dodge Viper is expected to be priced under $90,000.
Source: Motor1