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The 1994 Dodge Viper RT/10 (SR I) is a V10-powered sports car manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler.

Production of the two seat sports car began at the New Mack Assembly in 1992 and moved to the Conner Avenue Assembly in October 1995.

The 1st Generation Dodge Viper debuted in 1991 with two pre-production models set to be used as pace cars for the Indianapolis 500. Dodge was forced to substitute it in place of the Japanese-built Stealth because of complaints from the United Auto Workers, but the Viper still went on sale in January 1992 as the RT/10 Roadster.

The RT/10 was fitted with a V10 engine based on the design of the Chrysler LA although the design was meant for use in trucks. The design made the engine too heavy to be used effectively in a sports car, but the engine was altered by Lamborghini as they were owned by the Chrysler Corporation at the time.

Further modifications were planned for the engine, but these were dropped after Chrysler became concerned with the uncertain production costs and sales potential of the RT/10.

Games[]

The Need for Speed[]

The Viper RT/10 appears in The Need for Speed.

In all releases, following the 3DO original release, it is grouped in Class B alongside the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 and Porsche 911 Carrera. It has the best acceleration in its class as well as good handling, but also has a low top speed.

It can only be selected with a dark blue body colour although, in the PlayStation and Sega Saturn releases, it can appear in red when driven by A.I. and split-screen opponents.

Description

The Viper is a monstrous V10 engine with a car built around it. It has very crisp and predictable handling. The massive quantities of torque can be a problem in cornering where a too early application of the throttle can snap the tail end around quicker than you'd like. Of the bunch, the Viper has the most direct racecar feel.

— In-game Showcase (3DO)

Whisk from car show sweetheart to production vehicle in just 3 years, the Viper has put Chrysler back on the supercar map in bold, block lettering. The approach is brute force rather than finesse, as the Viper is really a car built around its engine, a thundering 400 horsepower 8 liter push rod V10. Pampering its driver is not part of the equation - the Viper has side curtains instead of roll-up windows, a rudimentary fabric top, and just the basic controls and gauges.

With a short wheelbase and an impressive 450 lb feet of torque, the Viper can feel twitchy when exiting low-speed corners if you're not smooth on the throttle, but its handling in general is fantastic, and has the most direct racecar-like feel of the bunch, with 96g of lateral grip, just a touch of under steer in a steady state condition and virtually no body roll. With a 0 to 60 time of 4.8 seconds, the Viper’s straight line performance so overpowers the senses that its excellent handling can be overlooked.

By far the largest production car engine sold in the US today, the Viper's 8 liter all-aluminum V10 shares the architecture of Chrysler's small block 360 cubic inch V8, but with two more cylinders grafted on. Its exhaust exits through side pipes incorporated into the rocker panels. The Viper's construction follows race car practice, with a square section tubular steel frame, tubular double wishbone suspension with coil over shocks and plastic bodywork.

— In-game Showcase (DOS, PlayStation, Saturn, and Special Edition)

Gallery[]

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