The Viper was the first of the 'new age' front-engined rear wheel drive GT cars. It sparked renewed interest in top flight GT racing.

But...

Dodge didn't homologate the Viper Competition Coupe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans or the American Le Mans Series.

http://americanlemans.com/home/index.aspx

Dodge Viper Competition Coupe (http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-2003-Dodge-Viper-Competition-Coupe.htm)

The Competition Coupe does race in the Speed World Challenge where Tommy Archer won the Drivers' Championship last year in a Viper Competition Coupe. Dodge has revised the Competion Coupe for 2005.

http://www.world-challenge.com/news/05press35.html

http://www.3rracing.com/

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Speed%20GT/2005/09%20Denver/052.jpg

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Speed%20GT/2005/07%20Infineon%20Raceway/013.jpg

Dodge should sell the new SRT10 Coupe and support teams in racing.

Vipers were a dominant force several years ago...

Olivier Beretta was one of the drivers of the winning Viper GTS-R (GTS class) in the 2000 12 Hours of Sebring.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Sebring-2000-03-19-091.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Sebring-2000-03-19-mc7.jpg

David Donohue and Tommy Archer were two of the drivers of the second place Viper GTS-R.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Sebring-2000-03-19-092.jpg

Third place Viper GTS-R

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Sebring-2000-03-19-093.jpg

1996 24 Hours of Le Mans

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1996/24h/lemans-1996-24h-jl-0135.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1996/24h/lemans-1996-24h-jl-0140.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1996/24h/lemans-1996-24h-jl-0133.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1996/24h/lemans-1996-24h-jl-0146.jpg

This shot shows the sun kissing the fenders.

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1996/24h/lemans-1996-24h-jl-0141.jpg

Olivier Beretta drove the car shown below

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1996/24h/lemans-1996-24h-jl-0101.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1996/Le_Mans-1996-06-16-050.jpg

David Donohue, Luca Drudi, and Justin Bell won the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans (GTS class) in a Viper GTS-R (# 53).

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Le_Mans-1998-06-07-053.jpg

Olivier Beretta, Pedro Lamy, and Tommy Archer finished 3rd in their class.

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Le%20Mans/1998/016.jpg

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Le%20Mans/1998/031.jpg

Olivier Beretta, Karl Wendlinger, and Dominique Dupuy won the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans (GTS class) in the # 51 Viper GTS-R.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1999/Le_Mans-1999-06-13-051.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1999/Le_Mans-1999-06-13-055.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1999/Le_Mans-1999-06-13-056.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1999/Le_Mans-1999-05-02-054.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1999/Le_Mans-1999-05-02-052.jpg

Vipers finished 1-2 (GTS class) in the 2000 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Olivier Beretta was one of the drivers of the winning Viper GTS-R shown below.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Le_Mans-2000-06-18-051.jpg

Tommy Archer

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Le_Mans-2000-06-18-052.jpg

David Donohue finished 3rd.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Le_Mans-2000-06-18-053.jpg

other Viper GTS-Rs

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Le_Mans-2000-06-18-057.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Le_Mans-2000-06-18-056.jpg

A Viper GTS-R won the 2000 24 Hours of Daytona outright, bettering the prototypes that were assumed to be faster.

The winning # 91 Viper of Karl Wendlinger, Olivier Beretta and Dominique Dupuy.

http://motorsportsforum.com/photos/data/559/15CM47.jpg

http://www.ferrariownersclub.co.uk/happenings/2000/february/060200/7.jpg

http://www.endurancesportscar.com/photo/rr14.jpg

http://www.grandamerican.com/ARCHIVE/photogallery/winner_400.jpg

http://www.endurancesportscar.com/photo/rolaft62.jpg

Karl Wendlinger takes the checkered flag.

http://www.grandamerican.com/ARCHIVE/photogallery/checker_400.jpg

1/18th scale model

http://www.scalecars.com/images/Detail/95.jpg

# 93 Viper

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/photos/viper_gtsr_11.jpg

http://www.endurancesportscar.com/photo/prer8.jpg

# 45 Viper

http://www.endurancesportscar.com/photo/night55.jpg

# 92 Viper of Tommy Archer, Jean Philippe Belloc, Marc Duez, and Vincent Vosse

http://www.grandamerican.com/ARCHIVE/photogallery/viper_night_400.jpg

http://www.endurancesportscar.com/photo/padf16.jpg

Olivier Beretta was one of the drivers of the winning # 91 car (GTS class) in the 1999 Petit Le Mans. Petit Le Mans is a 10 hour/1,000 mile race at Road Atlanta.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1999/Road_Atlanta-1999-09-19-091.jpg

Tommy Archer, David Donohue, and Jean-Philippe Belloc finished 2nd in GTS.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1999/Road_Atlanta-1999-09-19-092.jpg

2000 Petit Le Mans

2nd place in GTS

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Road_Atlanta-2000-09-30-092.jpg

4th place in GTS

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Road_Atlanta-2000-09-30-091.jpg

6th place in GTS

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Road_Atlanta-2000-09-30-093.jpg

Olivier Beretta and Karl Wendlinger won their class at Laguna Seca in 2000.

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/ls00/alms-2000-ls-dj-0108.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/ls00/alms-2000-ls-jf-0418.jpg

This one finished first in GT2 at the 1998 A1-Ring in Austria.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/A1-Ring-1998-09-20-052.jpg

Olivier Beretta Pedro Lamy won the FIA GT race (GT2 class) at Donington in 1998.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Donington-1998-09-06-051.jpg

Both men also won the FIA GT race (GT2 class) at Hockenheim in 1998.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Hockenheim-1998-06-28-051.jpg

Winner of the 2000 FIA GT Championship race at Monza.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Monza-2000-04-16-025.jpg

dude, where do you get all these pics from?

racingsportscars.com

motorsport.com

speedarena.com

fast-autos.net

The Viper Competition Coupe has an 8.3 liter V-10 with 520 hp and 540 lb-ft of torque.

check the link

http://www.vipercompetitioncoupe.com/

Olivier Beretta and Karl Wendlinger won the GTS class in the 2000 ALMS race at Portland.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Portland-2000-09-10-091.jpg

David Donohue and Tommy Archer won the GTS class in the 2000 ALMS race at Sear point.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Sears_Point-2000-07-23-092.jpg

Karl Wendlinger Olivier Beretta finished 2nd.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Sears_Point-2000-07-23-091.jpg

Carsport America's ride at the 2005 53rd annual 12 Hours of Sebring.

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2005/03%2012%20Hours%20of%20Sebring/03%20Raceday/110.jpg

http://images.planetlemans.com/albums/05_sebring12/2005_ALMS_Sebring12_0023.sized.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/seb/alms-2005-seb-eg-1127.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/seb/alms-2005-seb-th-0314.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/seb/alms-2005-seb-th-0439.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/seb/alms-2005-seb-rs-0450.jpg

http://www.lightspeedphoto.net/alms/sebring05/saturday/marc/images/IMG_3371.jpg

http://www.sebringraceway.com/graphics/gallery/2005/Sebring05-597.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album1/Source/KM_Sebring_2005_Race11.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album1/Source/KM_Sebring_2005_Race43.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album1/Source/KM_Sebring_2005_Race45.jpg

Competition Coupe's V-10 engine

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2915-0-3.jpg

2005 Petit Le Mans

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album6/Source/PLM2005Raceam9.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album6/Source/PLM2005KMThurs8.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album6/Source/PLM2005KMThurs19.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album6/Source/PLM2005KMThurs23.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album6/Source/PLMRaceDayKM28.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album6/Source/PLMRaceDayKM43.jpg

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Galleries/ALMS%202005/My%20Web%20Galleries/2005%20ALMS%20Season/Albums/Album6/Source/PLMRaceDayKM46.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ra2/alms-2005-ra2-eg-0510.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ra2/alms-2005-ra2-th-0321.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ra2/alms-2005-ra2-eg-0506.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ra2/alms-2005-ra2-th-0324.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ra2/alms-2005-ra2-th-1127.jpg

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2005/11%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/02%20Raceday/079.jpg

http://www.lightspeedphoto.net/alms/plm05/gallery2/images/IMG_8046.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3398-6-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3398-14-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3398-15-3.jpg

Viper at Mosport in 2000

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Mosport-2000-08-06-092.jpg

Winner of the 2000 FIA GT race at Brno

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Brno-2000-09-17-025.jpg

Winner of the 2000 Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres (GTS class)

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Nurburgring-2000-07-09-091.jpg

Winner of the 2000 Swedish GTR Championship at Falkenberg in race 1 and race 2.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Falkenberg-2000-07-09-002.jpg

Winner of the 2000 Silverstone 500 Kilometres (GTS class)

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Silverstone-2000-05-14-091.jpg

2nd place in GTS

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Silverstone-2000-05-14-092.jpg

Winner of the 2000 ALMS race at Charlotte (GTS class)

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2000/Charlotte-2000-04-01-091.jpg

cant wait to see what will come out of the SRT-coupe platform as far as racing goes

Viper GTS-R

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1998-viper_gts-r/1024x768/wallpaper_01.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1998-viper_gts-r/1024x768/wallpaper_07.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1998-viper_gts-r/1024x768/wallpaper_08.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1998-viper_gts-r/1024x768/wallpaper_06.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1998-viper_gts-r/1024x768/wallpaper_04.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1998-viper_gts-r/1024x768/wallpaper_02.jpg

Derek, Justin Bell Announced as Part of Molyshield Racing in 2006 SPEED GT

Justin Bell mentions a 1997 Le Mans win, but two Viper GTS-Rs finished 14th and 15th overall that year. Viper GTS-Rs won the GT2 class at Le Mans in 1998, and the GTS class in 1999 and 2000.

http://www.world-challenge.com/news/story.php?ID=237

http://www.world-challenge.com/files/news/05-justinbell.jpg

Derek Bell from the 2005 Goodwood Revival

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3235-5-1.jpg

Laguna Seca was the last race for a Viper GTS-R in ALMS a month ago.

The silver car in the background is a Saleen S7R.

http://www.biodan.org/pix2/alms_LS/_MG_0153.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0468.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0585.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0840.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0853.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0863.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0891.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0910.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0925.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0937.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2005/ls/alms-2005-ls-tc-0955.jpg

Competition Coupe

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupe/112_0305+First_Drive_2003_Viper_Comp_Coupe_2003_Do dge_Viper_Comp_Coupe+Rear_Trunk_View.jpg

Chassis-stiffening roll protection and track-spec fuel cell

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupe/112_0305_3z+First_Drive_2003_Viper_Comp_Coupe_2003 _Dodge_Viper_Comp_Coupe+Rear_View.jpg

Viper GTS-Rs finished 1-2-3-4 in the 2001 24 Hours of Spa.

1st place

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-007.jpg

2nd

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-017.jpg

3rd

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-026.jpg

4th

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-012.jpg

Other Viper GTS-Rs

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-003.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-004.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-011.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-010.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-021.jpg

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/2001/Spa-2001-08-05-jm2.jpg

Winner of the 2002 24 Hours of Spa.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Spa-2002-08-04-001.jpg

Other Viper GTS-Rs from that race

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Spa-2002-08-04-012.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Spa-2002-08-04-090.jpg

Viper GTS-Rs

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-2.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-4.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-5.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-6.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-7.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-8.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-9.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-11.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-12.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-13.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-15.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-16.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-17.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-18.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-19.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-20.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-24.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-27.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-30.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-31.jpg

http://www.7extrememotorsports.com/lemans/cars/dodge-viper-gtsr-32.jpg

This Viper GTS-R won the first and second race of the Euro GT Series in Barcelona in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Barcelona-2002-04-07e-011.jpg

This Viper GTS-R won the first race and came in second place in the second race of the Euro GT Series at Zolder in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Zolder-2002-07-21-005.jpg

This Viper GTS-R won the first and second race of the Swedish GTR Championship at Mantrop in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Mantrop-2002-08-25-001.jpg

This Viper GTS-R won the first and second race of the Swedish GTR Championship at Gellerasen in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Gellerasen-2002-08-18-001.jpg

Viper GTS-Rs from an FIA GT test at Magny-Cours in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Magny-Cours-2002-03-27-003.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Magny-Cours-2002-03-27-004.jpg

Winner of the FIA GT race at Silverstone in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Silverstone-2002-05-05-012.jpg

Other Viper GTS-Rs from that race

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Silverstone-2002-05-05-011.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Silverstone-2002-05-05-004.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Silverstone-2002-05-05-001.jpg

Winner of the FIA GT race at Donington in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Donington-2002-10-06-003.jpg

Other Viper GTS-Rs from that race

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Donington-2002-10-06-001.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Donington-2002-10-06-002.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Donington-2002-10-06-029.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Donington-2002-10-06-005.jpg

Petit Le Mans in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Road_Atlanta-2002-10-12-044.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Road_Atlanta-2002-10-12-045.jpg

Winner of the 2002 24 Hours of Zolder. It is a Belcar race.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Zolder-2002-08-25-042.jpg

Winner of the Belcar Spa Racing Festival in 2002.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Spa-2002-09-22b-052.jpg

2nd place finisher

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2002/Spa-2002-09-22b-042.jpg

Anthony Kumpen, Bert Longin, Vincent Dupont, and Mike Hezemans won the 2003 24 Hours of Zolder by a margin of ten laps.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/2003/Zolder-2003-08-24-002.jpg

Tommy Archer won the SWC (Speed World Challenge) GT race at St. Pete earlier this year.

check here

SPEED GT (http://www.speedvisionwc.com/news/05press56.html)

http://www.speedvisionwc.com/news/images/2005/05-stp-gtr-1-66.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/scca-wc/2005/seb/sccawc-2005-seb-jt-0219.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/scca-wc/2005/stp/sccawc-2005-stp-jt-0445.jpg

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Speed%20GT/2005/02%20St.%20Petersburg/063.jpg

Phil McClure

http://motorsport.com/photos/scca-wc/2005/stp/sccawc-2005-stp-jt-0105.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/scca-wc/2005/stp/sccawc-2005-stp-jt-0207.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/scca-wc/2005/stp/sccawc-2005-stp-jt-0261.jpg

Mike McCann

http://motorsport.com/photos/scca-wc/2005/stp/sccawc-2005-stp-jt-0103.jpg

From the SWC race two months ago.

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Speed%20GT/2005/11%20Laguna%20Seca/012.jpg

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Speed%20GT/2005/11%20Laguna%20Seca/027.jpg

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Speed%20GT/2005/11%20Laguna%20Seca/047.jpg

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/Speed%20GT/2005/11%20Laguna%20Seca/067.jpg

Pedro Lamy Olivier Beretta won the GT2 class of the 1998 FIA GT race in Silverstone.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Silverstone-1998-05-17-051.jpg

Other Viper GTS-Rs from that race

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Silverstone-1998-05-17-052.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Silverstone-1998-05-17-053.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Silverstone-1998-05-17-054.jpg

1st place in GT2 class at Hockenheim in 1998

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Hockenheim-1998-06-28-051.jpg

1st place at Dijon

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Dijon-1998-07-12-051.jpg

Other Viper GTS-Rs from that race

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Dijon-1998-07-12-052.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Dijon-1998-07-12-053.jpg

1st place at Donington in 1998

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Donington-1998-09-06-051.jpg

Other Viper GTS-Rs from that race

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Donington-1998-09-06-052.jpg

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/Donington-1998-09-06-053.jpg

1st place at the A1-Ring in Austria that same year

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1998/A1-Ring-1998-09-20-052.jpg

The 'double-bubble' can be clearly seen in the two pictures directly below.

http://www.hezemans.nl/img/551dfe34a26ee8f7f6d1c88ded5b6d6eimage001.jpg

http://www.hezemans.nl/img/2754e7c17c2bd534eb043c5f22ec1b4cimage001.jpg

A win in Budapest

http://www.hezemans.nl/img/b110047ec3d2f46814eea8579a351e97image001.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2912-0-1.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2912-0-2.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2788-13-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2788-14-3.jpg

F16s, SRT10 Viper, and Comp Coupes

http://automobilemag.com/photo_gallery/0505_viper_vs_viper_02_1024.jpg

http://automobilemag.com/photo_gallery/0505_viper_vs_viper_06_1024.jpg

http://automobilemag.com/photo_gallery/0505_viper_vs_viper_07_1024.jpg

http://automobilemag.com/photo_gallery/0505_viper_vs_viper_08_1024.jpg

Tom Weickardt, Jean-Philippe Belloc, and Fabio Babini finished 3rd in class in a Viper GTS-R (ahead of a Saleen S7R and two Lamborghini Murcielago R-GTs) in the 2004 Petit Le Mans which lasted for over 9 hours and 30 minutes.

Pre-race pictures

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-0223.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1719.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-th-0218.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1539.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-th-0105.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-th-0317.jpg

Fabio Babini spins

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1323.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1324.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1325.jpg

http://speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2004/08%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/01%20Practice/072.jpg

http://speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2004/08%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/01%20Practice/077.jpg

http://speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2004/08%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/01%20Practice/120.jpg

The race

http://speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2004/08%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/Race%20Day/119.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1140.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-th-1065.jpg

http://speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2004/08%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/03%20Race%20Day%202/051.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1229.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-eg-1010.jpg

http://speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2004/08%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/03%20Race%20Day%202/126.jpg

http://speedarena.com/gallery/albums//Sportscar/ALMS/2004/08%20Petit%20Le%20Mans/03%20Race%20Day%202/112.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-th-0910.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/alms/2004/plm/alms-2004-plm-th-0920.jpg

Dodge Viper Competition Coupes will race in the FIA GT's new GT3 Championship.

Go to google.com and search for "FIA GT" if the first link doesn't work.

http://fiagt.com/newsitem.php?key=816
Testing

http://www.sportscarpros.com/images/0209/itc.captio-9328.jpg

Road-going Viper for comparison

The 1999-2002 Viper GTS was available with an ACR (American Club Racer) option that included the following:

(from allpar.com)

- Smoother intake hoses and a K&N air filter element increased air flow to add 10 horsepower (460 instead of 450)

- 60 pounds were cut by removing the audio system, air conditioning, and fog lights (brake cooling ducts can be put into the openings)

- Suspension components have been replaced by GTS-R racing units with Meritor springs. Michelin Pilot Sport high-performance radials (275/35ZR18 front, 335/30ZR18 rear) mount on one-piece 18-inch BBS wheels for improved traction.

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1999-viper_acr/1024x768/wallpaper_02.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1999-viper_acr/1024x768/wallpaper_03.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1999-viper_acr/1024x768/wallpaper_04.jpg

http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/1999-viper_acr/1024x768/wallpaper_05.jpg

Dodge, ORECA form partnership

- motorsport.com

1/16/2006

- ORECA to be exclusive source of Dodge Viper race cars to European teams

- Dodge Viper Competition Coupe to compete in new FIA racing series

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (January 16, 2006) -- Dodge announced it has signed a letter of intent with France-based Organisation et Exploitation Courses Automobiles (ORECA) Motorsport for sole distributorship of the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe in Europe.

"This agreement will help us build on the racing heritage and presence of the Dodge Viper, which has been one of the most successful racing cars in Europe," said John Fernandez, Director -- Motorsports Operations, Chrysler Group. "Our European customers who race will benefit tremendously from the services offered by ORECA, with whom we've partnered for many years."

The Dodge Viper Competition Coupe currently competes in several U.S. and European racing series, including the SPEED World Challenge GT Championship and Dutch Supercar Challenge. Until now, Viper Competition Coupes racing in Europe have been purchased from Dodge in the U.S. and exported to Europe. ORECA will now directly handle sales of the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe in Europe from its Toulon, France facilities, as well as provide race preparation, service and parts availability.

"We can offer racing customers a wide range of services," said Hugues de Chaunac, ORECA Chairman. "Our goal is to not only provide customers with the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe -- a proven race winner -- but also with whatever level of support they may require."

Building on a long relationship

ORECA campaigned Viper GTS-R race cars in Europe in the 1990s, winning three consecutive Federation de l'Automobile (FIA) championships in 1997-1999, as well as victories in the GT2 and GTS categories at the 24 Hours of LeMans endurance race in 1998, 1999 and 2000. In the U.S., Viper Team ORECA entries captured first overall at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and a 1-2-3 class win at the Sebring 12 Hours race, both in 2000; as well as championships in the American Le Mans series in 1999 and 2000.

Viper Competition Coupe in a new series

Separately, the FIA recently announced a new GT3 European Championship for 2006, with 10 manufacturers expected to field cars in competition. Dodge Viper Competition Coupes are anticipated to race against cars including the Aston Martin DBRS9, Ferrari F430 Challenge, Maserati Trofeo Light, Porsche 997 Cup and Lotus Exige [and the new Corvette Z06].

The Viper was the first of the 'new age' front-engined rear wheel drive GT cars. It sparked renewed interest in top flight GT racing.

But...

Dodge didn't homologate the Viper Competition Coupe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans or the American Le Mans Series.

They were meant more as a race car built buy dodge for the masses. More for the weekend want a be with money or a SCCA/NASA racer. You can walk into and dodge and they can order one for you... how many other company's can do walk in and by a racecar at any of there dealerships.

I was talking about the Viper GTS-R, not the Comp Coupe.

The Competition Coupe is only available to "professional and semi-professional drivers with racing credentials."

http://www.vipercompetitioncoupe.com/home/home.html

I wish Chevrolet would sell the Corvette C6-R like Dodge does with the Comp Coupe.

Ford sells the Mustang FR500C to race in Grand-Am Cup.

It only take's one weekend racing class’s to get "racing credentials". Hell some place's you can get it in a day. I had myn when I was 17 I couldn’t drive a car on the street but I could drive a 100+k car around the track 4-5x street speeds. I hate that

At the Nürburgring

http://www.langstreckenpokal.de/fotos/2005-10-08/2005-10-08-031.jpg

Download this file for a video of a Viper GTS-R without a driver's door and a Saleen S7R

video (http://plexminex.de/tobi/videos/fiagt_viper_ohne_tuer.zip)

This Viper RT/10 finished 12th overall in the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans. Justin Bell was one of the drivers.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1994/Le_Mans-1994-06-19-040.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1994/24h/lemans-1994-24h-jl-0124.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1994/24h/lemans-1994-24h-jl-0212.jpg

Another Viper RT/10 from that race.

http://racingsportscars.com/photo/1994/Le_Mans-1994-06-19-041.jpg

2006 Geneva Motor Show

http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/459/17234.jpg

http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/459/17233.jpg

A 1,000 km race at Monza last year.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/images/slide/lmesmonza05/4326.jpg

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/images/slide/lmesmonza05/4330.jpg

Le Mans in 1997

Qualifying/practice

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0381.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0118.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0224.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0344.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0242.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0244.jpg

Race

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0186.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0175.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0199.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0375.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0173.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0205.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0401.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0394.jpg

http://motorsport.com/photos/lemans/1997/24h/lemans-1997-24h-pm-0349.jpg

At the Paul Ricard Circuit in France recently.

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3329-32-1.jpg

http://www.infoscourse.org/2006_FIA-GT3/00_Test_GT3_bis_Viper_01.jpg

Another picture from the Geneva Motor Show

http://www.infoscourse.org/2006_Divers/00_Geneva_Dodge.jpg

Jaguar D-Type, I love you!
This has to be the most informative, most educational, and most vauable post I have ever seen.
Ever.
I thank you.

I archived this thread to my personal files so if for whatever reason this is removed I will be able to come back to it at any time.

Thanks. I often edit this thread.

Michael McCann won the Speed World Challenge GT race at Sebring, Florida a coupe of weeks ago.

http://www.world-challenge.com/news/story.php?ID=278

http://www.world-challenge.com/files/news/06-seb-gtr-82.jpg

http://www.world-challenge.com/files/photos/thumbnails/DSC_5596_720x0.JPG

Archer took the Speed GT pole at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

http://www.world-challenge.com/news/story.php?ID=296

At Dijon testing for the FIA GT's new GT3 Championship.

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-0-1.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-0-2.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-0-3.jpg

http://www.infoscourse.org/2006_FIA-GT/F0411_30_b002.jpg

http://www.infoscourse.org/2006_FIA-GT/F0411_30b_b090.jpg

http://www.infoscourse.org/2006_FIA-GT/00_Test_Dijon_Pouchelon.jpg

Nine Comp Coupes will be racing in the FIA GT's new GT3 Championship this year.

Last year in Italy

http://www.lemansmodelfanclub.org/sarannofamosi/gramenzi05/civm_fasano050146.jpg

AD Sport to race rebuilt Viper GTS-R in Belcar

Belcar news (http://www.the-paddock.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1409&Itemid=1)

http://www.belcar.com/

Oreca won the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans with this car, chassis # C11.

http://www.the-paddock.net/storypic/thumbs/adrollouthumb_s.jpg

http://www.the-paddock.net/storypic/pics/adrollout2.jpg

http://www.the-paddock.net/storypic/pics/adrollout1.jpg

Victory at Silverstone

The # 27 Viper Comp Coupe won race 2 of FIA GT3 race at Silverstone. It was driven by Andrea Ceccato and Stefano Livo.

http://the-paddock.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1464&Itemid=1

http://the-paddock.net/storypic/pics/GT3_race2_29.jpg

Other Comp Coupes

http://www.infoscourse.org/2006_FIA-GT/01_Silverstone/PICT0058.JPG

http://www.infoscourse.org/2006_FIA-GT/01_Silverstone/PICT0062.JPG

Viper GTS-R chassis overview

Viper GTS-R (http://www.aboutsportscars.net/vipergtsr/chassisnr/viperschassisnrs.html)

FIA GT3 race one at Silverstone

http://www.the-paddock.net/gallery/expose/img/2006/fia-gt_silverstone/gt3_friday/_lg_12.jpg

http://www.the-paddock.net/gallery/expose/img/2006/fia-gt_silverstone/gt3_friday/_lg_14.jpg

http://www.the-paddock.net/gallery/expose/img/2006/fia-gt_silverstone/gt3_friday/_lg_20.jpg

Race two

http://www.the-paddock.net/gallery/expose/img/2006/fia-gt_silverstone/gt3_race_2/_lg_4.jpg

Erik Behrens and Magnus Wallinder won the second race of the rhino’s GT Series at Spa recently in a Viper GTS-R.

http://www.eurogtseries.com/

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/images/gallery/spa1k06/2503.jpg

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/images/gallery/spa1k06/2504.jpg

Tommy Archer started 13th at Mid-Ohio and finished 4th in his # 5 Comp Coupe.

http://theracesite.com/client_images/albums/1547_28.jpg

Viper GTS-Rs are currently raced in the Italian GT Championship.

Stefano Livio and Andrea Ceccato won the 1st race at Oschersleben in Germany on the 2nd of July in their # 27 Viper.

There are two races every time the FIA GT3 Championship makes a visit to a race track.

http://www.fiagt3.com/newsitem.php?key=63

http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/853/388122.jpg

NOO!! he's banned!!! This is my favorite thread!!!

The Viper Competition Coupe has an 8.3 liter V-10 with 520 hp and 540 lb-ft of torque.

check the link

http://www.vipercompetitioncoupe.com/
why only 520hp?

There is more to a race car than hp such as weight.

Tommy Archer Wins From Pole at Road America

(LG's Corvette had a lot of restrictions at Road America though)

http://world-challenge.com/news/story.php?ID=393

Triple victory at Spa

Patrick Bornhauser and Frédéric Bouvy won both FIA GT3 races at Spa in late July in their # 10 Racing Logistic Viper.

race one -

http://www.fiagt3.com/newsitem.php?key=72

race two -

http://www.fiagt3.com/newsitem.php?key=73

The #116 Signa Racing Patrick Chaillet Viper Comp Coupe of Patrick Chaillet, Laurent Nef, Loic Demans, and Christophe Geoffroy won the G3 class of the 24 Hours of Spa. It was the 58th running of the race and the first time since 2002 that a Viper has won the race.

http://www.fiagt.com/newsitem.php?key=1048

The first picture is from the GT3 race while the second is from the 24 Hours of Spa.

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2912-79-2.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2912-79-3.jpg

Dr. Z killed the Viper racing program

Dodge showed a racing-inspired car at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show, the Viper GTS/R to show the styling of the next generation Viper.

Check the bottom of this post for pictures.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche joined the research department of the then Daimler-Benz AG in 1976 and became assistant to the Development Manager in the Commercial Vehicles business unit in 1981.

Dr. Zetsche completed a doctorate in engineering in 1982 at the Technical University of Paderborn.

He became the CEO and President of the Chrysler Group in late 2000. His major early actions there included cutting 26,000 jobs from the payroll and shuttering six plants to help the reel Chrysler from the red ink. The last model year for Plymouth was 2001.

Two factory Viper GTS-Rs were pulled out of the American Le Mans Series at the end of the 2000 season.

Dr. Zetsche has been a member of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler AG since December 16, 1998, and Chairman of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler AG since January 1, 2006.

The Chrysler Group returned to profitability in the first quarter of 2004.

The following is from the July, 2003 issue of Sports Car International:

The coupe's enclosed body shell and full roll cage make the already stiff topless Viper even stiffer, while also providing better aerodynamics and crash protection. In addition, the Competition Coupe is much wider: The front track has been increased by nearly five inches and the rear by over two. The race car is also over ten inches longer than the street car - the wheelbase is the same, but the front and rear overhangs have been increased.

The fact that the Competition Coupe made it into production shows that Dodge didn't completely forget about fans of the old Viper GTS coupe and the GTS-R race car that dominated sports car racing in the late 90s. For those of you keeping score, the latter scored three consecutive wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three FIA world championships [actually five, but the first three were the 1997 and 1998 championships in GT2 and the 1999, 2001, and 2002 championships in "GT"] and two American Le Mans Series championships. Many had hoped that the 2000 show car was the new race car; it wasn't.

At that point, a budget crunch and Dodge's decision to enter the NASCAR Winston Cup series doomed plans for a new all-out Viper racing program and, at best, shelved plans for a production coupe. However, the Viper faithful - fanatics who rank themselves by how many Vipers they own rather than whether they own one - still wanted a coupe they could at least race among themselves. Viper Club of America president Tony Estes pressed this request upon John Fernandez, who headed the Viper program at the time. Fernandez, an SCCA racer himself, didn't need much convincing, but those above him did.

When DaimlerChrysler head honcho Dieter Zetsche [Dr. Z in the car commercials] killed the Viper racing program, it was just five weeks from constructing a prototype of the Le Mans racer. There was a lot of good useful development work that had been done and there were still a few dollars in the budget when the Viper Club asked for a car suitable for club racing, so Fernandez steered the racing program in that direction.

This caused a tense moment when rumor leaked back to the boss that Fernandez was secretly continuing development of the new GTS-R in defiance of Zetsche's orders. Fernandez got the humbling opportunity to explain to a hopping-mad boss that, well, yes, he was developing a Viper race car, but it was a different Viper race car than the one he'd been expressly ordered not to build.

Once Zetsche was satisfied that the program would be financially self-supporting and wouldn't distract Team Viper from the task of building the production 2003 Viper SRT10 street car, Fernandez proceeded.

"We presented a five-year business case," says Fernandez. With the cars earning the company a profit, while providing racers a good value for their money, the future of the Competition Coupe should be secure. Says Fernandez, "We wanted to do it right so the program takes root and grows."

"Our main goals were to make the car safe and to make it a good value," says development engineer Eric Petersen. [Petersen was the suspension, steering, and brake engineer for the Viper GTS-R race car. He is the Lead Development Engineer on the Viper Competition Coupe.] That means that the really big-dollar engine parts, brakes and shocks were out. Also, while the production headlight shells are in place, the pricey high-intensity discharge guts aren't there. If a customer wants to go nighttime endurance racing, they can always put the lights in the car.

The team wanted a durable, dependable race car that needs little more than a tank of gas to go racing. And in the unfortunate event the driver experiences the dreaded "sky, grass, sky, grass" spin cycle, engineers wanted to maximize driver protection. Club racing is supposed to be fun, and it is no fun to get hurt or killed playing with your toys.

"We've designed a seat with better lateral support than all of the seats on the market," Petersen says. That means the Racetech carbon-fiber seat will keep the driver in place during a crash, for better protection: "It is hard to build a seat stiff enough so that it doesn't bend away at the head and shoulder in a crash."

The seat was specifically designed to accommodate the HANS neck protection [Head And Neck Support] device, and a center net is installed to the driver's right to restrict movement to that side of the car. "A lot of what we've done has come out of our work in NASCAR," says Petersen. Naturally, a six-point harness is included as well.

Despite the Viper's safety and simplicity, it remains a stupendously fast and capable car - top speed is a claimed 193 mph. So Dodge isn't selling the Competition Coupes to collectors, speculators and wannabes. The customer needs to present a racing license and resume to qualify to buy the car. "We don't recommend that this be their first race car," Petersen says.

The Viper Competition Coupe gives Viper nuts more than they could have hoped for. The first batch of 32 coupes sold for an absolute bargain price of $100,000. The next 30, also already sold, cost $118,000. All of those cars should be in customers' race shops by mid-summer [of 2003]. The next batch will cost more, by about the same margin as the first increase. If these numbers sound like serious money, you probably haven't done much race car shopping recently.

What's that hundred grand plus get you? How 'bout wind tunnel-sculpted bodywork made of carbon fiber, Kevlar and fiberglass; a carbon-fiber front splitter (that's the black paint scraper mounted under the front bumper); an adjustable rear wing; and a rear diffuser [and a rear spoiler]?

You get a production frame that is braced and gusseted. This, along with that full roll cage, results in a Coupe that is twice as torsionally rigid and 60 % more resistant to bending forces than the convertible from which it is derived.

Gone from the suspension are the street-spec rubber bushings; they are replaced with spherical bearings for more precise control. In go Moton monotube two-way adjustable gas shocks, fatter anti-roll bars with adjustable ends and three-piece BBS alloy wheels with Hoosier racing slicks. A Ricardo viscous speed-sensing limited-slip differential helps keep both of the massive 345-mm-wide rear Hoosiers on task.

In addition to the aforementioned racing seat - the car only has one - the interior is fitted with a Motec digital dashboard and data acquisition system, a necessary component for any serious race car. Plug in the laptop and all the driver's lies and exaggerations are laid bare.

The Lilliputian steering wheel pops off the steering column for easier ingress and egress. Toggle switches for the ignition, starter and other functions cross the center stack where the radio resides in the street car. To keep it out of harm's way, the 25-gallon Fuel Safe fuel cell is centrally located. A fire extinguisher can be summoned by a dashboard button.

Under the hood, changes are limited to a hotter cam, a smaller accessory drive pulley and a reprogrammed engine management system. The catalysts are missing from the exhaust, too (this makes 520 hp and 540 lb-ft of torque). The engine gets an upgraded oil cooler, and the transmission gets a cooler, too, along with a pump to circulate the oil. In addition, an optional lightened flywheel gives the engine even quicker throttle response than the street car's. One suprise is the absence of a dry sump system for engine oil. Team Viper engineers swear the deep "trap door"-style oil pan and ten-quart oil capacity make a dry sump unnecessary.

Even with all of this race-spec hardware, the Competition Coupe would get its butt handed to it by the old GTS-R race car. That car cost $325,000 and had [an available] 700 horsepower, so it oughta be faster. But the new Viper's speed potential still demands respect and skill. The stiff suspension and short, stiff sidewalls of the Hoosier racing slicks lend the car a kart-like feeling, but they also make it unforgiving. The street Viper soaks up track curbing and rumble strips that make the racer skitter nervously. But kept off the curbs, the Competition Coupe is more secure, and operates all the while on a higher performance plane. Lateral acceleration measures 1.25 g.

Not suprisingly, the side exhausts are loud. But the car doesn't approach the offensive racket of very high-compression race engines. The Viper proves it is possible to have proper race car sound without perforating anyone's eardrums - though even the street Viper is sufficiently loud to accidentaly set off car alarms in an office building parking lot when making a spirited departure (it was an accident, really!).

All enclosed front-engine cars struggle with cockpit heat, and the Viper GTS-R racers were nortoriously miserable places to work. But on a pleasantly warm 75-degree day in Phoenix, no excess heat was noticeable. The roll cage is reassuring, but, combined with the protective foam covering, can get kind of thick, especially around the left A-pillar, obscuring a good bit of the view ahead.

The clutch, like the steering, is lighter than one might expect, considering the clamping force needed to handle the Viper's 540 lb-ft of V10 fury. The shifter and Tremec T-56 6-speed gearbox are the very same parts used in the street car, but they not only feel capable in race duty, they feel like race parts. The precise, short-throw shifter demands little of driver's attention, and the transmission tolerates 5-2 downshifts while threshold braking from high speeds with no complaints. A one-piece input shaft in the transmssion was developed for the GTS-R race car. The gearbox doesn't just feel indestructible, it may actually be.

For our test, the Comp Coupe was set up with pronounced understeer - easily changed with different anti-roll bar, shock and tire pressure settings. It is a safer setup, but slower than more neutral or slightly oversteer-biased settings. However, the Viper offers fast, fast relief from the heartburn of understeer in the form of instantly available power oversteer.

On the tight Firebird test course we used only second and third gears, but that still meant reaching 120 mph at the end of the straight. The car never breaks a sweat and seems to regard this slow stuff with indifference. The challenge for the driver is to pour on the power in measured doses, especially while changing direction, to maintain rear traction. The car rewards finesse with reduced wheelspin and better stability.

A day of pounding by journalists made no impression on the Viper. Unlike some other cars we've tested, everything that worked in the morning still worked on the afternoon. Every part of the car proved well considered and well executed.

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-8-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-9-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-10-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-7-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-11-3.jpg

http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/3375-12-3.jpg

those are ****ing cool.

will dodge make a new viper for le mans now that the chrysler corp. has been sold?