The Dodge Viper has always been more than just a car. To enthusiasts, it represents the purest expression of free-spirited driving. For a re-emerging Chrysler Corporation, it heralded a new way of doing business, taking chances and stepping over the edge. To the industry, it served as a wake-up call that the Dodge brand would be the catalyst for change in automotive design throughout the 1990s.

Beneath its iconic imagery, the Dodge Viper has backed up its reputation with cold, hard numbers – horsepower, torque, 0-60 mph, ¼-mile, slalom, skid pad and top speed. Unlike the pseudo-sports cars, at Dodge, slick copy has never been a replacement for raw performance.

So when it came to writing the third chapter in the remarkable story of America's ultimate sports car, Dodge once again defied convention and built the all-new 2003 Viper lighter, faster and more powerful than ever.



Technical Details

The 2003 SRT-10 retains Viper's front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat layout. A true convertible model replaces roadster and coupe offerings. Its wheelbase has been lengthened 2.6 inches to accommodate convertible top stowage.

Dramatic styling cues include lowered hood lines, swept-back fenders and deep-cut side scallops, reminiscent of the original, yet giving the Viper a fresh look. Inside, from a race-derived, two-seat cockpit, the driver looks over a highly functional instrument panel with a center-mounted tachometer and a 220-mph speedometer. A traditional pushbutton starter refires old-time sports car memories.

The Viper V-10 engine retains the basic architecture of its predecessor, but otherwise it is virtually all new -- and more powerful than ever. A new bored and stroked engine block increases the Viper's displacement from 488 to 505 cu. in. and sends its power output to 500, with 525 lb.-ft. of torque -- 90 percent of which is delivered between 1500 and 5600 rpm.

Viper's four-wheel independent aluminum suspension has been revised to handling characteristics, and a new version of Viper's four-wheel anti-lock disc brake system is enhanced for world-class stopping performance. The new Viper rides on P275/35ZR18 front and P345/30ZR19 rear black sidewall Michelin zero pressure (ZP) tires, with low-pressure sensors in the valve stems.

Reduced weight -- along with increased power -- is one of the two most effective means by which a car's performance can be enhanced. Overall, the SRT-10 weighs approximately 100 pounds less than previous models. Numerous weight-saving measures were taken, including use of a one-piece magnesium front of dash, a cast magnesium instrument panel substructure, and aluminum bodied shock absorbers.