Viper is a very pure sports car. Many car manufacturers try to create something that is all things to all people, therefore diluting the experience IMO. Viper does not try to be something it isn't. Amazing vehicles!
I had a roommate who had these giant house speakers, and when we played Need for Speed on the 3DO, the Viper at idle would make those speakers visibly throb.
Have never known anyone to own a 3do and have never heard of anyone playing nfs on a 3do. Had to look it up and was 100% surprised it existed for that.
Even louder in person. My gen 1 Viper is basically straight piped and shakes windows in houses and buildings. If I put an unopened tall boy in front of my pipes, it'll get knocked over when I start it :)
Yesssss JayEmm. Some guys love lambos or ferraris growing up but I've always been a bit different. The Viper was always my childhood dream car and I'm so glad you covered it.
kinda funny cuz the v10 from the viper was refined by the guys at lambo, since dodge owned lambo at the time. but even then, at that time lamborghini was pretty cool, much more than it is now.
@@JayEmmOnCars ALL VIPERS ARE SWEET LOOKING BUT MY FAVORITE VIPER IS THE 96 VIPER GTS AND BACK IN 96 WHEN IT CAME OUT LOL THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE STREET FUCKING WITH IT BUT TODAY IN 2024 HP NUMBERS ARE AS HIGH AS 1000HP PLUS AND MY 2010 KENNY BELL COUPE SUPER SNAKE HAS ROUGHLY 950HP AND IT'S STUPID FAST AND IT WILL SPANK MOST CARS ON THE PLANET.
I have a 97. I dont know why i keep watching reviews lol. I know how the car is. Its absolutely amazing. Sure, some modern cars have just as much or more performance, but they offer no where near the experience, except they probably dont roast you on a hot summer.
Hoovie did a mini series on a viper, my recollection is that if you put some high quality tires a lot of the issues aren't as prominent. The reason why the Viper likely has a bad reputation for being unmanageable is the tire quality back in the 90s as well as owner's likely not putting the money up for a decent set of boots
It''s PURE Raw, no assist on anything. This Car has real short Boundaries . Like a Delicious Hot Potato, U wanna eat it but , it takes Knowledge to manage to Eat it !
lot of these older vipers have very old tires on them. That is a death sentence if you lose grip with them. It is night and day if you get excellent modern tires like michelin super sports on them.
@Janusha I think you might be a little clueless about these cars. I have owned and raced Vipers, Porsches, etc. The legendary air-cooled 911/930 had far worse handling dynamics with its heavy rear bias, but it was also a sensationally fun and fast car in the right hands... but the rear end would come around in a heartbeat if you didn't know what you were doing. This again was because a poor balance issue, but the problem was magnified with the explosive power at the time. The Viper on the other hand actually had pretty amazing handling from the factory, including excellent mid engine weight balance and a quite rigid chassis. What made so many people wreck these cars is the monstrous torque. With no nannies to save people with little experience with this kind of torque, obviously there will be plenty of folks who find themselves in over their head quickly with the jab of the go-fast peddle in the middle of a corner or when trying to impress people with a smoke show. Handling was not a mystery to the Americans at the time. In fact right after the GTS was introduced, it completely dominated Le Mas for multiple years. I'm guessing that wasn't only because it's "all tyres"!
@@ssoffshore5111 Yep, that's right. I watched a (then brand-new) Viper GTS literally spin its tires, nearly AT IDLE, when entering our shop. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is good old-fashioned American, big displacement torque. The car had more power, and especially more torque over a broader range, than virtually any sports car that had come before it. Certainly more than anything built in significant numbers. The car did have a good chassis for its day, but NOTHING had electronic nannies yet, except a Porsche 959. Janusha, we here in America were not clueless about handling in those days. The C4 Corvette was one of the very best handling sports car in the world for many years, prior to the Viper's launch. You said a lot of disparaging things, but I'll bet you have ZERO personal experience with these cars, or with anything comparable. You strike me as just another 'armchair expert', without real knowledge or experience.
Funny how some laughed at it for years, even with it's international motorsports success, and now it can be seen as an antidote to the automatized modern speed machines. I want a Viper.
@@2steaksandwiches665 Which ever you choose, good luck. I'd also have the Viper over the 360. Lot more performance for the money and it looks just as good.
@@2steaksandwiches665 your in the right path. Viper GTS is muchhhh more fun and involving to drive than a 360 and quicker. Looks of these in person are simply next level. Buy the nicest, lowest mile, serviced car you can afford and You won’t be disappointed I assure you. I’m on my 6th Viper atm
Yes sir. Facts. The Viper is The Most Awarded international track car in the history of the world. It was production dropped straight onto a barge to Germany from dealership...then straight onto the track at green hell track, plastic covering still cover dash, stereo, guages, seats. The Italians and Germans laughed at it in 1996, said it was a bad American joke, then they all got scared in June 1996 when it made it's first trial run. Porsche supposedly regrouped that night and changed out at least one driver and modified suspension specifically, for heading into the hole at turns. The viper was inspired by Carl Shelby while he was earlier working with them before contracting with Ford again. His greatest regret was not developing an all American (no British AC car) production Shelby (Cobra/Daytona). The GTS is a New Shelby Daytona.... Period. Look up the side by sides. The viper is 100% handmade, hand painted, hand assembled, etc. No factory line. The viper was never made at dodge....made by less then 75 individuals working at Team Viper 70 Miles from dodge plant. They made more corvettes in 2014 then every single viper built from 1992-2017. Still today, a ln almost 30 year old viper GTS can take-on on most every single production sports car made today, especially on a true track. They are geared totally differently and the torque produced works with it. The Viper is Americas Ferrari. Time will tell this to be true only when it is over sadly. They only make so made a handful of Ford GTs, even those were out of reach of a normal American to own. The viper is not cheap, but still can be easily afforded. And best of all ...as Jay Leno says...they are absolutely bulletproof and need very little servicing. I have owned 5 vipers, I still have my 2000 GTS steel grey stripe delete with factory optioned brown "Connelly" importer Italian hand sewn for the handmade seats, by humans, right here in the United States. Search for "Viper at green hell" on RUclips. At the end of the day... the viper struck fear and pushed performance of every single European track car. In short, Europeans laughed until the fear transitioned to the tears. Merica' made a car to hit the corners at gforce speed and enough torque to escape the hole coming out. Porsche had turbo lag and corners were not the strongest. The viper had 355 tires that stuck the turn with a mammoth engine, slammed into a snake head design car that weighed as much as a new beetle, and high gearing to bypass shifts. If you could hold on to the steering wheel, the viper could make any turn at higher speeds. Trick to vipers, they are rigid frames and geared differently. You can't rpm match and downshift to 3rd gear on highway ...or downshift while in the turn itself. If you want to burn rubber downshifting while cruising at 80 mph...she will let you. Like a good bad girlfriend, her answer is always yes and how much more.
That smile and chuckle at the end says it all actually. This car is special. Not because it is the best or fastest, but because it was made to be fun. And kill you of course but it's funny how often those two coincide ;)
I like seeing these Vipers pop up on YT! Nice and fair review Jay. I've had several Vipers, including the 1996 B&W Underground Racing TT Viper GTS I've had over ten years now. This car after all these years still gets my blood moving, both in appearance and in performance (in fact it's quite terrifying with over 1100 rwhp on pump gas and 1500+ on race gas). These cars are simply timeless and I agree they deserve a spot in a dream car garage, I know mine fits in with the others and probably wont be going anywhere anytime soon!
Many years ago the Brands Hatch group ran 4 x Dodge Vipers, together with 4 x 911’s, 4 x Lotus Esprit V8 and 4 xFerrari 355 as part of their Supercar Experience,which I went on a few times at Snetterton. I still remember to this day that the Lotus felt like it was going to fall apart at any moment, the 911 felt like it has just come out of the factory, the 355 set alight my passion for all manual Ferrari’s with its awesome and slick gated gearbox..however the Viper, at the time, felt like and drove, like a 16-wheel semi more at home on Route 66 and I couldn’t wait to get out of it. However as time goes by it’s a massive regret whereby I wish I had spent more with the car so that I could appreciate it more. Thanks for reviewing it, it has brought back some excellent memories..👌
Trevor Mould my old man instructed on that race school, I was too young at the time. I can confirm the lotus esprit v8’s did all fall apart 😂 a friend of ours purchased them from Octagon and I think from memory made two good cars from 5 chassis 🙈
335 section rears and very tall gearing mean it's actually relatively easy to get the torque down in these cars. Re the exhaust, Yes the first gen RT10 Roadster had side exit exhausts, but they had no crossover. This meant they sounded quite poor , like 2 large, low revving 5 cylinder engines. The GTS and SRT / later models with proper X pipes sounded a lot better.
Long time owner of a blue and white GTS Viper. It's nice to see a review of someone who truly "gets" the purpose and thrill of these cars. There's something to be said about driving a car that you are not certain if you will be coming back alive!! Just a fabulous car for true automobile enthusiasts!
The history that's attached to the Viper make it absolutely special. It triggered a revival of American sports cars and took such a ransom in racetracks around the world that only the Gt-40 had done before it, so many decades prior. If this thing is not yet being traded for hundreds of thousands of dollars I hope it reaches it's deserved valuation. (Even if I disagree with paying that much for a car, if you're going to spend 200,000 on an old 911 that's slower and duller than this, then the Viper deserves the same status).
Enjoyed that, great Video. Nice to see the reference to the Lamborghini engineering too. For those that don't know, Chrysler Owned Lamborghini in the late 80s and engineers from chrysler were working with lamborghini on the development of the All aluminium Viper Engine. I have owned my Viper GTS since 2008 and its been an absolute blast.
I too have a soft spot for the Viper. This is largely due to wonderful memories of watching them race at the 24hr Le-Mans (1999). The race versions sounded truly epic.
More Viper content! 97 Viper GTS owner here from the states. Love your channel and was such a pleasant surprise to see you in my dream car. Nothing touches these Vipers for looks and pure driving experience.
Great driving review, James. I’m way out in Oregon USA, stateside ... and have always loved the Viper, from its debut as that borderline insane concept to the final version they sadly quit building recently. Also props to delivering your comments to camera. You’ve got the chops to step into a broadcast role should you ever be asked to. (Not that you’d even want it at this stage!)
If your wanting a hardcore drivers car I would recommend Gen 1-2 Vipers. I have owned all Gens and was disappointed in Gen 5 and went back to Gen 2 GTS from a Gen 5 GTS. Nothing comes close to a properly sorted Gen 2 GTS
I think it's easily one of the best "pure" sport cars out there even today. They're a blast to drive, super easy to work on, mostly affordable to maintain as a weekend car, and not bogged down with gobs of electronics. Plus if you want to tune them a bit, it doesn't need much to make it quicker. Absolutely love the Vipers.
I own a C6 Z06 and low mile WS6 TransAm at the moment and have been looking for the right Gen 2 Viper GTS to add to the collection. It was one of my childhood dream cars for sure.
I have a C6Z also, as well as a 96 Viper GTS. The C6Z is much more civilized and probably a better car, but the Viper is way more raw and exciting, in a good way. Granted my GTS is a UGR TT, but it's still a regular B&W GTS at heart!
I always found it rather uplifting that a major car company could make such an utterly bonkers and over the top car. I loved these, they were just so mad, it was the sort of car that generally appears as a concept car to act as click bait but which is never seen again which actually went into production, bravo!
Excellent summation of the car. I agree. The blue/white stripe GTS was my dream car. My neighbor had one. Very distinct sound. Its a big, stupid, fast car but be glad for that.
Great vid Youth! I drove a Viper (and yes in blue with white stripes!) on track many moons ago, along with a Ferrari 355, Lotus Esprit 3.5 turbo, and Porsche 911 turbo. The Viper was the surprise package of the day in the handling department for me, and all the other guests. The front end tucked in no problem which was trick considering the size of the lump that sat so far in front of the driver. It's no surprise that it is spikey on our roads, but in the right environment, it's a hoot!
Something people don't know is the European Vipers we're less than 450hp. They were at 383hp due to regulations in the UK and other parts of Europe. That is why it is very quiet... There is a huge difference far as performance due the the restrictions of the European spec Vipers. The US spec has 490hp and 500 TQ.. I have done videos on both subjects... Glad you enjoyed the experience
@@Blaidd7542 I can't tell you the exact regulation laws that were in place, However the European models had significantly less horsepower and they had only 383 horsepower in the UK due to Europe's regulation. Why it only possibly affected the Viper versus the others I'm not sure I can only speak on what's known as facts with the Viper.
Gran Turismo intensifies! Really enjoyed the review. I’ve seen a few on Car Wizards channel, and I can understand the issues with parts availability. It is a dream car for sure Jay.
Im suprised that Jay never reviewed Fiat x1/9, Fiat and Bertone built over 150 000units combined. Looking forward for that review, hopefully some of your UK subscribers owns this car there aren't reviews done by any bigger youtube channel.
Vipers are very sensitive to alignment and (like everything) tire age. Set up correctly on new rubber, they're a lot like a bigger Miata with huge, controllable torque. Set up incorrectly, they'll try to kill you. The 96-99 Gen II motors are hard to kill. I was involved in one build that made around 1500 rwhp on a bone stock long block. Trapped well into the 160s even when fighting traction.
Good stuff, my man. When I was about 9, the blue and white viper was the first model I ever had, and it's still stored with the 360 Modena somewhere... A Viper ACR poster later accompanied it
Great video. Much of the reputation these have for being skittish and unpredictable can be solved with new tires. Garage queens are usually riding on very old, very hard, rubber.
As a Dodge Viper owner I can say a Viper is like the MMA fighter Sean Strickland. At some point, you're gonna die. It's ok though, at least you'll die in style :)
I actually wrote a persuasive essay in college about why I think that the viper (specifically about the Gen 5 ACR) is one of the best cars ever made and I had so much fun writing it also I really want to own one in real life someday too.
The thing I like about Vipers are, they are not posers car, they never were, specially the first gen Vipers. And it's actually sad to think that cars like this will never be made again.
Another great video, I don’t know how you keep up the volume and quality of content under current restrictions but keep it up James. Only the ‘mericuns could extract 450bhp from 8 litres, wait, what? It’s Lamborghini derived?
Lamborghini did some engineering work on the block, I believe their input was making it out of aluminium not iron. This content and all of my reviews this month were filmed way in advance - lucky as it happens!
Great USA muscle review with some man to car talk at the star! 😉 ...is it possible next videos we see more angles of the dashboard, the view inside towards outside, etc...and your voice in background.
2nd gen vipers are one of the most successful racing cars ever built. Really should have mentioned wins all over including sebring, daytona, the nordschleife and last but not least, the crown jewel of them all, Le mans.
Update since this video. I own one.Just like any car dated pre early 00s and older. Where are the parts? Its getting harder and harder to find parts for older cars. Prices are going way up when you do find one. Make sure if your getting a Viper its well maintained and doesn't need a bunch of parts.
Ross I think silver really works on a Viper. Never really seen it before, most are blue, red or black. Silver is kind of refreshing to see. Gives it a very different look
Wonderful car; must be loads of fun! Definitely for the enthusiast. I laugh at the many comments in the vein of 'I can't like it. It's too _____.' That's entirely the point of enthusiast cars- they're excessive! Otherwise, drive a diesel economy hatchback the rest of your life. If you're a car enthusiast who cannot appreciate a 2 seater with great styling and a massive engine, and can't conceive of the benefits of massive torque, then gripe about how many liters it has. But then look at the entry price- it's pretty amazing value.
I get the point and I'd happily rent one for a day. Huge engine + huge tires and brakes gives it the sort of metrics American car magazines always go for: great lateral G on a skidpad and strong lap times on a smooth circuit with memorized curves and no oncoming traffic. But on regular roads I'd want less Schwarzenegger and more Chapman.
As an owner of a ‘98 Viper GTS, the first mod everyone should do is yo swap the rear end for a torsion differential. Then the propensity to kill you is gone and the car is absolutely brilliant!
I remember the first time I laid my eyes on a Viper in the flesh. 1997, downtown Ottawa. Blue with white stripes. I was nine years old. Nothing since then has come close for me. Not even the first time I bumped uglies.
Viper is a very pure sports car. Many car manufacturers try to create something that is all things to all people, therefore diluting the experience IMO. Viper does not try to be something it isn't. Amazing vehicles!
Love that intro conversation with the Viper.
I had a roommate who had these giant house speakers, and when we played Need for Speed on the 3DO, the Viper at idle would make those speakers visibly throb.
Something else is throbbing while watching this
Have never known anyone to own a 3do and have never heard of anyone playing nfs on a 3do. Had to look it up and was 100% surprised it existed for that.
Even louder in person. My gen 1 Viper is basically straight piped and shakes windows in houses and buildings. If I put an unopened tall boy in front of my pipes, it'll get knocked over when I start it :)
@@That_ViperDude I want to own a Gen 1 RT/10 some day...
@@t3hgir they're not that expensive, $40-45k
Yesssss JayEmm. Some guys love lambos or ferraris growing up but I've always been a bit different. The Viper was always my childhood dream car and I'm so glad you covered it.
Yeah, been a long wait for me too, having played them in Gran Turismo back in 96... but worth the wait!
kinda funny cuz the v10 from the viper was refined by the guys at lambo, since dodge owned lambo at the time. but even then, at that time lamborghini was pretty cool, much more than it is now.
@@JayEmmOnCars ALL VIPERS ARE SWEET LOOKING BUT MY FAVORITE VIPER IS THE 96 VIPER GTS AND BACK IN 96 WHEN IT CAME OUT LOL THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE STREET FUCKING WITH IT BUT TODAY IN 2024 HP NUMBERS ARE AS HIGH AS 1000HP PLUS AND MY 2010 KENNY BELL COUPE SUPER SNAKE HAS ROUGHLY 950HP AND IT'S STUPID FAST AND IT WILL SPANK MOST CARS ON THE PLANET.
I have a 97. I dont know why i keep watching reviews lol. I know how the car is. Its absolutely amazing. Sure, some modern cars have just as much or more performance, but they offer no where near the experience, except they probably dont roast you on a hot summer.
Hoovie did a mini series on a viper, my recollection is that if you put some high quality tires a lot of the issues aren't as prominent. The reason why the Viper likely has a bad reputation for being unmanageable is the tire quality back in the 90s as well as owner's likely not putting the money up for a decent set of boots
It''s PURE Raw, no assist on anything.
This Car has real short Boundaries .
Like a Delicious Hot Potato, U wanna eat it but , it takes Knowledge to manage to Eat it !
lot of these older vipers have very old tires on them. That is a death sentence if you lose grip with them. It is night and day if you get excellent modern tires like michelin super sports on them.
@@ForTehNguyen well that's kind of moot. Pretty much 99% of cars would be tamed the moment it gets the Super Sport.
@Janusha I think you might be a little clueless about these cars. I have owned and raced Vipers, Porsches, etc. The legendary air-cooled 911/930 had far worse handling dynamics with its heavy rear bias, but it was also a sensationally fun and fast car in the right hands... but the rear end would come around in a heartbeat if you didn't know what you were doing. This again was because a poor balance issue, but the problem was magnified with the explosive power at the time. The Viper on the other hand actually had pretty amazing handling from the factory, including excellent mid engine weight balance and a quite rigid chassis. What made so many people wreck these cars is the monstrous torque. With no nannies to save people with little experience with this kind of torque, obviously there will be plenty of folks who find themselves in over their head quickly with the jab of the go-fast peddle in the middle of a corner or when trying to impress people with a smoke show.
Handling was not a mystery to the Americans at the time. In fact right after the GTS was introduced, it completely dominated Le Mas for multiple years. I'm guessing that wasn't only because it's "all tyres"!
@@ssoffshore5111
Yep, that's right. I watched a (then brand-new) Viper GTS literally spin its tires, nearly AT IDLE, when entering our shop. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is good old-fashioned American, big displacement torque. The car had more power, and especially more torque over a broader range, than virtually any sports car that had come before it. Certainly more than anything built in significant numbers. The car did have a good chassis for its day, but NOTHING had electronic nannies yet, except a Porsche 959.
Janusha, we here in America were not clueless about handling in those days. The C4 Corvette was one of the very best handling sports car in the world for many years, prior to the Viper's launch. You said a lot of disparaging things, but I'll bet you have ZERO personal experience with these cars, or with anything comparable. You strike me as just another 'armchair expert', without real knowledge or experience.
Funny how some laughed at it for years, even with it's international motorsports success, and now it can be seen as an antidote to the automatized modern speed machines. I want a Viper.
I hear you. I’m looking at a Ferrari 360 in a few years and think I’d rather have this.
@@2steaksandwiches665 Which ever you choose, good luck. I'd also have the Viper over the 360. Lot more performance for the money and it looks just as good.
pabauza yeah I feel the Viper is more special.
@@2steaksandwiches665 your in the right path. Viper GTS is muchhhh more fun and involving to drive than a 360 and quicker. Looks of these in person are simply next level. Buy the nicest, lowest mile, serviced car you can afford and You won’t be disappointed I assure you. I’m on my 6th Viper atm
Yes sir. Facts.
The Viper is The Most Awarded international track car in the history of the world.
It was production dropped straight onto a barge to Germany from dealership...then straight onto the track at green hell track, plastic covering still cover dash, stereo, guages, seats.
The Italians and Germans laughed at it in 1996, said it was a bad American joke, then they all got scared in June 1996 when it made it's first trial run.
Porsche supposedly regrouped that night and changed out at least one driver and modified suspension specifically, for heading into the hole at turns.
The viper was inspired by Carl Shelby while he was earlier working with them before contracting with Ford again. His greatest regret was not developing an all American (no British AC car) production Shelby (Cobra/Daytona). The GTS is a New Shelby Daytona.... Period. Look up the side by sides.
The viper is 100% handmade, hand painted, hand assembled, etc. No factory line. The viper was never made at dodge....made by less then 75 individuals working at Team Viper 70 Miles from dodge plant.
They made more corvettes in 2014 then every single viper built from 1992-2017.
Still today, a ln almost 30 year old viper GTS can take-on on most every single production sports car made today, especially on a true track. They are geared totally differently and the torque produced works with it.
The Viper is Americas Ferrari. Time will tell this to be true only when it is over sadly. They only make so made a handful of Ford GTs, even those were out of reach of a normal American to own.
The viper is not cheap, but still can be easily afforded. And best of all ...as Jay Leno says...they are absolutely bulletproof and need very little servicing.
I have owned 5 vipers, I still have my 2000 GTS steel grey stripe delete with factory optioned brown "Connelly" importer Italian hand sewn for the handmade seats, by humans, right here in the United States.
Search for "Viper at green hell" on RUclips. At the end of the day... the viper struck fear and pushed performance of every single European track car. In short, Europeans laughed until the fear transitioned to the tears.
Merica' made a car to hit the corners at gforce speed and enough torque to escape the hole coming out.
Porsche had turbo lag and corners were not the strongest. The viper had 355 tires that stuck the turn with a mammoth engine, slammed into a snake head design car that weighed as much as a new beetle, and high gearing to bypass shifts. If you could hold on to the steering wheel, the viper could make any turn at higher speeds. Trick to vipers, they are rigid frames and geared differently. You can't rpm match and downshift to 3rd gear on highway ...or downshift while in the turn itself. If you want to burn rubber downshifting while cruising at 80 mph...she will let you. Like a good bad girlfriend, her answer is always yes and how much more.
That smile and chuckle at the end says it all actually. This car is special. Not because it is the best or fastest, but because it was made to be fun. And kill you of course but it's funny how often those two coincide ;)
the Viper is the mechanical embodiment of if you haven't been close to death you haven't lived
I like seeing these Vipers pop up on YT! Nice and fair review Jay. I've had several Vipers, including the 1996 B&W Underground Racing TT Viper GTS I've had over ten years now. This car after all these years still gets my blood moving, both in appearance and in performance (in fact it's quite terrifying with over 1100 rwhp on pump gas and 1500+ on race gas). These cars are simply timeless and I agree they deserve a spot in a dream car garage, I know mine fits in with the others and probably wont be going anywhere anytime soon!
This was my childhood dream car. I remember when the original RT/10 came out and I was obsessed. Didn’t think Chrysler would outdo it until the GTS.
“Throttle is where you expect the break to be”. Dancing coffin music
hahah
"Let's come to an understanding...I trust you, you don't kill me." Hahaha
I say that to my XKR everytime i get in it lmao
Many years ago the Brands Hatch group ran 4 x Dodge Vipers, together with 4 x 911’s, 4 x Lotus Esprit V8 and 4 xFerrari 355 as part of their Supercar Experience,which I went on a few times at Snetterton. I still remember to this day that the Lotus felt like it was going to fall apart at any moment, the 911 felt like it has just come out of the factory, the 355 set alight my passion for all manual Ferrari’s with its awesome and slick gated gearbox..however the Viper, at the time, felt like and drove, like a 16-wheel semi more at home on Route 66 and I couldn’t wait to get out of it. However as time goes by it’s a massive regret whereby I wish I had spent more with the car so that I could appreciate it more. Thanks for reviewing it, it has brought back some excellent memories..👌
Trevor Mould my old man instructed on that race school, I was too young at the time. I can confirm the lotus esprit v8’s did all fall apart 😂 a friend of ours purchased them from Octagon and I think from memory made two good cars from 5 chassis 🙈
I love them, not in silver and definitely not with chrome alloys. I had the Dodge Ram SRT10 a couple of years ago...... amazing machine
Best thing about a 90’s GTS on a hot day is the A/C that keeps the boys cool!
My favorite car of all time.... 🥰 The Dodge Viper, especially the GTS versions.
Fantastic car. For what it was made for. I have a 96RT, it puts a smile on my face every time I push the peddle down.
2002 Viper ACR is the bee's knees.
haha yes!! Blue viper with white stripes is my childhood icon as well! would love to drive one too, glad you enjoyed!
335 section rears and very tall gearing mean it's actually relatively easy to get the torque down in these cars.
Re the exhaust,
Yes the first gen RT10 Roadster had side exit exhausts, but they had no crossover.
This meant they sounded quite poor , like 2 large, low revving 5 cylinder engines.
The GTS and SRT / later models with proper X pipes sounded a lot better.
I like how the transit van at 2:39 has the exact paint scheme you were talking about at the start
That is hilarious.
aljowen You've got good eyesight 😂
Nice to see you on the correct side of a car.
Long time owner of a blue and white GTS Viper. It's nice to see a review of someone who truly "gets" the purpose and thrill of these cars. There's something to be said about driving a car that you are not certain if you will be coming back alive!! Just a fabulous car for true automobile enthusiasts!
The history that's attached to the Viper make it absolutely special. It triggered a revival of American sports cars and took such a ransom in racetracks around the world that only the Gt-40 had done before it, so many decades prior. If this thing is not yet being traded for hundreds of thousands of dollars I hope it reaches it's deserved valuation. (Even if I disagree with paying that much for a car, if you're going to spend 200,000 on an old 911 that's slower and duller than this, then the Viper deserves the same status).
It's a car I always forget about. Don't know why because it's a great looking machine with a lovely sound track
What a fantastic review of a dream car of mine aswell
Enjoyed that, great Video. Nice to see the reference to the Lamborghini engineering too.
For those that don't know, Chrysler Owned Lamborghini in the late 80s and engineers from chrysler were working with lamborghini on the development of the All aluminium Viper Engine.
I have owned my Viper GTS since 2008 and its been an absolute blast.
Love your new intro imagery. I drove the final generation on track last year, and it was so much better behaved than I expected. Love your channel!
Thankyou!
Your channel is fast becoming one of my faves! Great work.
Glad to see you survived a encounter with a Viper!
Thanks very much!
Hahaha laughing out loud! Hit Like, just for that opening "conversation"!
Very good presenation of Dodge viper
I watched this video December 2023. I bought a GTS a few weeks ago after wanting one since I was 13. This video really amplified my desire.
I too have a soft spot for the Viper. This is largely due to wonderful memories of watching them race at the 24hr Le-Mans (1999). The race versions sounded truly epic.
More Viper content! 97 Viper GTS owner here from the states. Love your channel and was such a pleasant surprise to see you in my dream car. Nothing touches these Vipers for looks and pure driving experience.
That exact car used to belong to my uncle. Many fun miles in it
This was my dream car too.
Thank you for the review.
The last generation viper ACR was king at the races tracks
Great driving review, James. I’m way out in Oregon USA, stateside ... and have always loved the Viper, from its debut as that borderline insane concept to the final version they sadly quit building recently. Also props to delivering your comments to camera. You’ve got the chops to step into a broadcast role should you ever be asked to. (Not that you’d even want it at this stage!)
Excellent review as always! Have a deep lust for a Viper myself especially the 4th and 5th gen cars they just tick all my hardcore drivers car boxes.
If your wanting a hardcore drivers car I would recommend Gen 1-2 Vipers. I have owned all Gens and was disappointed in Gen 5 and went back to Gen 2 GTS from a Gen 5 GTS. Nothing comes close to a properly sorted Gen 2 GTS
"one of my childhood icons . . . ." damn, I feel old now.
More American muscle on the channel please!!!
Jay mate kill it everytime! Videos keeping me sane !!
Perfect! Been waiting for a vid on this car, really wish there were more in the U.K. as they’re truly amazing
Nice review! In the summer months I daily a camed, bored and stroked 2003 viper. It’s at about 9L now 😊
7:15 The exhaust still goes under the sills to allow the car to be just as low as before. No space under the cabin.
I think it's easily one of the best "pure" sport cars out there even today. They're a blast to drive, super easy to work on, mostly affordable to maintain as a weekend car, and not bogged down with gobs of electronics. Plus if you want to tune them a bit, it doesn't need much to make it quicker. Absolutely love the Vipers.
I saw identical 1 in 99 at my local Dodge dealership
I own a C6 Z06 and low mile WS6 TransAm at the moment and have been looking for the right Gen 2 Viper GTS to add to the collection. It was one of my childhood dream cars for sure.
I have a C6Z also, as well as a 96 Viper GTS. The C6Z is much more civilized and probably a better car, but the Viper is way more raw and exciting, in a good way. Granted my GTS is a UGR TT, but it's still a regular B&W GTS at heart!
I always found it rather uplifting that a major car company could make such an utterly bonkers and over the top car. I loved these, they were just so mad, it was the sort of car that generally appears as a concept car to act as click bait but which is never seen again which actually went into production, bravo!
Excellent summation of the car. I agree. The blue/white stripe GTS was my dream car. My neighbor had one. Very distinct sound. Its a big, stupid, fast car but be glad for that.
Agree with everything except that the viper isn't really big. It's oddly proportioned which make it appear larger than it is.
Always loved the viper! The gen 4 acr will always be a dream car of mine
Great vid Youth! I drove a Viper (and yes in blue with white stripes!) on track many moons ago, along with a Ferrari 355, Lotus Esprit 3.5 turbo, and Porsche 911 turbo. The Viper was the surprise package of the day in the handling department for me, and all the other guests. The front end tucked in no problem which was trick considering the size of the lump that sat so far in front of the driver. It's no surprise that it is spikey on our roads, but in the right environment, it's a hoot!
90's kids such as myself always has a place for this in their hearts. Still have my model from the 90's of this in blue with white stripes.
I have a 2013 GTS Stryker Red. The hood (carbon fiber) will set you back no less than $23,000 to replace…
Funny on the drive bys - always see the brake lights coming on in terror!! 😂
Made my day with this review. My dream car too!
Thank you for doing this review. You’re awesome
My pleasure!
My affordable dream car garage ; 996 Turbo, NSX in imola orange.
(James releases a Viper vid)
...Ah yeah, that too.
A Brit should not be afraid of a Viper as long as he's been in bed with a TVR; I've always thought.
I'm not sure why more people haven't watched this? Fun introduction, interesting car, great video!
Something people don't know is the European Vipers we're less than 450hp. They were at 383hp due to regulations in the UK and other parts of Europe.
That is why it is very quiet... There is a huge difference far as performance due the the restrictions of the European spec Vipers. The US spec has 490hp and 500 TQ.. I have done videos on both subjects... Glad you enjoyed the experience
What regulations restricted the viper but not the 550hp vantage V550 or the 618hp mclaren F1 being sold in europe at the same time?
@@Blaidd7542 I can't tell you the exact regulation laws that were in place, However the European models had significantly less horsepower and they had only 383 horsepower in the UK due to Europe's regulation. Why it only possibly affected the Viper versus the others I'm not sure I can only speak on what's known as facts with the Viper.
@@dodgefreakingviper something about a detuned British-spec RT/10 RHD just speaks to me on a spiritual level... In Dandelion Yellow
I love it, especially in that color. I had a 1/18th die cast model of one. I'd prefer this over a Corvette or Mustang. Thanks.
Easy there Limey - holding any production car track record at Laguna Seca is inconsequential ?
Gran Turismo intensifies! Really enjoyed the review. I’ve seen a few on Car Wizards channel, and I can understand the issues with parts availability. It is a dream car for sure Jay.
My first ever Dreamcar of my childhood. When I saw it on tv in 92-93 I was totally Godsmacked!
Thanks for the review, happy 97 GTS blue and white owner, like you, my childhood dreamcar.
Love the new intro to the channel mate! Might be 24 years old but stills looks amazing to this day!
Great Video, shared it with a friend who thinks about getting one. Since it's about to be an oldtimer in germany.
Im suprised that Jay never reviewed Fiat x1/9, Fiat and Bertone built over 150 000units combined. Looking forward for that review, hopefully some of your UK subscribers owns this car there aren't reviews done by any bigger youtube channel.
I've had offers and will try to feature one when I can
Really great video, the quality of your work is really stepping up.
nice Video package! getting better by the video jay, good stuff!
Vipers are very sensitive to alignment and (like everything) tire age. Set up correctly on new rubber, they're a lot like a bigger Miata with huge, controllable torque. Set up incorrectly, they'll try to kill you.
The 96-99 Gen II motors are hard to kill. I was involved in one build that made around 1500 rwhp on a bone stock long block. Trapped well into the 160s even when fighting traction.
Loving the videos James. Keep them coming. Huge thumbs up.
Good stuff, my man. When I was about 9, the blue and white viper was the first model I ever had, and it's still stored with the 360 Modena somewhere... A Viper ACR poster later accompanied it
Casey Putsch has a Viper GTS in your dream spec, absolutely stunning car.
I was about to say that Casey would be an interesting collaboration given his odd-but-epic collection.
Engineered in Detroit, Chrysler only needed Lamborghini for the aluminum casting ability.
Great video. Much of the reputation these have for being skittish and unpredictable can be solved with new tires. Garage queens are usually riding on very old, very hard, rubber.
Another great video 👍🏻👍🏻 subscribed since early days and your content keeps me watching 👍🏻
Thanks Carl!
AWESOME INTRO! Thanks James!
You're very welcome Peter, thanks for watching
Your insurance company called and canceled your policy once they heard your driving this GEN2 widowmaker
As a Dodge Viper owner I can say a Viper is like the MMA fighter Sean Strickland. At some point, you're gonna die. It's ok though, at least you'll die in style :)
I actually wrote a persuasive essay in college about why I think that the viper (specifically about the Gen 5 ACR) is one of the best cars ever made and I had so much fun writing it also I really want to own one in real life someday too.
It looks like you have driven a gt40 because of the intro.
Watch this space
The thing I like about Vipers are, they are not posers car, they never were, specially the first gen Vipers. And it's actually sad to think that cars like this will never be made again.
Another great video, I don’t know how you keep up the volume and quality of content under current restrictions but keep it up James. Only the ‘mericuns could extract 450bhp from 8 litres, wait, what? It’s Lamborghini derived?
Lamborghini did some engineering work on the block, I believe their input was making it out of aluminium not iron. This content and all of my reviews this month were filmed way in advance - lucky as it happens!
Fascinating perspective on our quintessential American supercar.
Great USA muscle review with some man to car talk at the star! 😉 ...is it possible next videos we see more angles of the dashboard, the view inside towards outside, etc...and your voice in background.
Great review, I really enjoyed watching and I enjoyed the video style!
The GTS is the most masculine car of all time
My dream car and a car I can and will own. The only other one for me, which is unbotainable, is the Ford GT. Thx for the review.
2nd gen vipers are one of the most successful racing cars ever built. Really should have mentioned wins all over including sebring, daytona, the nordschleife and last but not least, the crown jewel of them all, Le mans.
Update since this video. I own one.Just like any car dated pre early 00s and older. Where are the parts? Its getting harder and harder to find parts for older cars. Prices are going way up when you do find one. Make sure if your getting a Viper its well maintained and doesn't need a bunch of parts.
Silver is the worst colour but it's still a cool car. The chrome wheels remind me of the Chrysler PT Cruiser
Gotta be blue or black maybe red
That’s last bit isn’t a good thing
nah I'm sure the toyota camry had those wheels lol
Ross I think silver really works on a Viper. Never really seen it before, most are blue, red or black. Silver is kind of refreshing to see. Gives it a very different look
Wonderful car; must be loads of fun! Definitely for the enthusiast. I laugh at the many comments in the vein of 'I can't like it. It's too _____.' That's entirely the point of enthusiast cars- they're excessive! Otherwise, drive a diesel economy hatchback the rest of your life. If you're a car enthusiast who cannot appreciate a 2 seater with great styling and a massive engine, and can't conceive of the benefits of massive torque, then gripe about how many liters it has. But then look at the entry price- it's pretty amazing value.
Love this car. So much more special than a Vette.
I get the point and I'd happily rent one for a day. Huge engine + huge tires and brakes gives it the sort of metrics American car magazines always go for: great lateral G on a skidpad and strong lap times on a smooth circuit with memorized curves and no oncoming traffic. But on regular roads I'd want less Schwarzenegger and more Chapman.
Love your perspective on cars, how about a video on the non M BMW petrol 1 series
PS- McLaren is asking for funding like you said
A nicely specced 720S recently traded for under 120K GBP; hell of a bargain
As an owner of a ‘98 Viper GTS, the first mod everyone should do is yo swap the rear end for a torsion differential. Then the propensity to kill you is gone and the car is absolutely brilliant!
Love the look of the original GTS... Shame about the interior but still.. What a brute.
I remember the first time I laid my eyes on a Viper in the flesh. 1997, downtown Ottawa. Blue with white stripes. I was nine years old. Nothing since then has come close for me. Not even the first time I bumped uglies.