1995 | Dodge Viper RT/10

• One of the most exciting sports cars of modern times

• 8-litre V10 engine with 6-speed manual gearbox

• Belgian registration documents

• Factory side pipes

• Beautiful double bubble hardtop

THE RT/10 VIPER

That a major US manufacturer could come up with such an exciting concept car was startling enough, but Chrysler's decision to put the Viper into production was nothing short of astonishing. Inspired, as its name suggests, by the legendary Cobra, Tom Gale's design study made its auto-show debut in 1989 following discussions between Chrysler boss Bob Lutz and Cobra-creator Carroll Shelby, its appearance triggering an avalanche of deposit cheques. Without doubt, a large part of the Viper's 'back to basics' appeal stemmed from its unique selling point: a massively powerful 8-litre V10 engine. The latter had been born out of the requirement for a larger unit to power the Dodge Ram pickup truck, the prototype being created simply by grafting two extra cylinders on to the Ram's existing 5.9-litre V8. Despite being relatively 'low-tech', the Lamborghini-developed pushrod V10 churned out 400bhp and a brutal 450lb/ft of torque at a lowly 3,600rpm, figures which the 3,280lb Viper translated - via a six-speed manual gearbox - into a 0-100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 265 km/h.

Early Vipers lack modern driver aids such as traction control and anti-lock brakes. The car also has no exterior-mounted door handles or key locks, and instead, entry is done by unzipping a vinyl window to reach the interior door release handle (when the canvas/hard top is in place). No air conditioning was installed on the car; the option for A/C was added in later 1994 models. There were also no airbags for weight reduction. The roof was made from canvas, and the windows were made from vinyl and used zippers to open and close. Despite this lack of features, the car still had some features in order for it to be tolerable as a daily driving car, such as manually-adjustable seats with lumbar support, an AM/FM stereo player, a clock, and carpeting.

Luigi Cimarosti a Belgian race team owner was the first to see the Vipers racing potential and developed an early RT/10 for long distance racing. To their own surprise the team won the GT1 class at Le Mans in 1994 triggering Chrysler HQ in Detroit to develop a racing version of the RT/10's successor, the GTS-R.

THIS VIPER RT/10

Originally sold in California, this early Viper roadster stayed with its first owner before coming over to Europe. Today it indicates only 28.800 miles; as a result the car is presented in like new condition. Finished in the impressive Viper Black over grey leather interior, this beautiful Viper comes complete with its original weather equipment and all books and tools. The car also has the beautiful aftermarket double bubble hard top which makes the amazing design reallyt stand out!

The car was imported to the Netherlands around 2006 and was sparsely used since. Around 2023 it arrived in Belgium and is presented today with the old Dutch and Belgian registration and certificate of conformity. In view of age, the model now appeals even more to EU-buyers (who after 30 years no longer have to pay expensive road tax) as well as US-collectors, an interesting opportunity indeed.

Even today, some 30 years after its introduction, the Viper still looks stunningly fresh and modern. Representing a rare opportunity to acquire an black example of one of the most exciting sports cars of recent decades, this quite exceptional car would enhance any private collection.

The car is sold on behalf of a client.