ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END: The future of the Viper
January 9, 2018
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Chris Griggs
Lot #1436, a 2017 Dodge Viper ACR TA from the Steve Todhunter Collection, will be among the fine examples of the marque to cross the block at the 2018 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.
Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson received his first new-car purchase – a 1997 Viper Roadster – at the Viper assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan.
The year is 1988; the U.S. auto industry has been struggling to figure out the formula to balance performance with rising emissions standards. The Corvette, America’s sports car, was finally back over the 200-horsepower mark, but it was still a far cry from the big-displacement, high-horsepower muscle cars that ruled the late ’60s and early ’70s. It looked like the days of big horsepower were only a memory now, never to be seen again – but Chrysler saw a different future. To make this vision a reality, Head of Global Product Development Bob Lutz looked to the past for inspiration: the legendary Shelby Cobra. Tom Gale at Chrysler design heard Lutz’s orders loud and clear when he was tasked with building a modern-day take on the Cobra. The car debuted as a concept to the public at the North American International Auto Show in 1989, bearing the name “Viper” as a snake-themed homage to the original inspiration. The reaction was so positive that it was immediately approved to be a production vehicle.
Crossing the auction block on Saturday, January 20, will be this 2016 Dodge Viper ACR (Lot #1291.1).
By 1992 the Viper was ready hit the streets, and a new era of performance had arrived. The only thing more head-turning than the radical styling were the performance numbers: an aluminum V10 putting out 400 horsepower and 465 ft/lbs of torque with a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds. And all of this while meeting modern emissions and fuel economy standards. In the true spirit of the Cobra, the first-generation cars were very Spartan, offering a no-frills performance for those brave enough. By 1996, several refinements had been made, such as air conditioning and roll-down windows, but power had been steadily increasing and was now up to 450 horsepower. Despite the brute monster the car was, it was still very streetable; in fact, when Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson broke his tradition of using collectibles as daily drivers and purchase his first brand-new car, he went with a 1997 Viper Roadster.
The Viper’s performance ignited a new horsepower race. Chevrolet and Ford couldn’t sit idle and be bested by their crosstown rival, and European manufactures realized they were no longer alone at the top of the sports car market. What resulted over the next two decades was the resurgence of a war.
From the Steve Todhunter Collection, this 1996 Dodge Viper GTS (Lot #1476) is selling at No Reserve on Saturday, January 20.
After 22 years of production, Dodge built over 25,000 examples, making them easily available on the secondhand market. An older Viper has always been a good entry point into the exotic and collector car market, offering enthusiasts tremendous bang for the buck. They have always had a steadfast presence on the Barrett-Jackson auction block, but recent years have seen prices on the rise. Since 2014, Gen 1 Vipers prices have risen approximately 42 percent on average; Gen II 21 percent – and even Gen III are no longer looked at as just “used cars,” with an uptick of 6 percent. As production came to an end this year, values are expected to continue rising, with no new supply coming into the market. Another driving force is the influx of younger buyers into the collector car market, chasing the cars they lusted after growing up – and every car-crazed kid in the ’90s had a poster of a Viper on their wall.
While the Viper made waves with its own performance, its lasting mark will be the resurgence of performance it helped create, forcing other manufactures to step their own game up and push the boundaries of what was possible. In its final generation, the Viper put out an astounding 645 horsepower; its closest competitors – like the Corvette Z06 and Nissan GT-R – are at or above 600 horsepower, and the Ford Shelby GT500 put out 662 horsepower in 2014. Not to be bested at their own game, Dodge raised the stakes again with the Hellcat in 2015 at 707 horsepower, and now the Demon in 2017 at 840 horsepower. As the numbers keep rising, one can’t help but look back at the horsepower race of the ’60s and ’70s and wonder “How long can this really last?” After all, the Viper is proof that all good things must, indeed, come to an end.
To see the selection of Dodge Vipers and other great collector cars coming up in the Scottsdale Auction, click HERE.