It's what's bolted into that chassis that's most exciting however. Because 450 hp from 488 ci (8.0L) just wasn't enough, the new Viper gets a studly 500 hp from 505 ci (8.3L). The basics of the engine haven't really changed much; it's still an all-aluminum piece with a pushrod-operated valvetrain and two valves per cylinder that's at least distantly related to the old Chrysler small-block V-8. But many of the details have been tweaked, most notably the new intake manifold, which feeds both cylinder banks from a common plenum that winds up in a single huge throttle body. The original Viper used two throttle bodies feeding individual plenums or each cylinder bank, resulting in throttle linkage that was complex and throttle response that was often sudden. The single-throttle-body system offers more progressive throttle modulation than the old system while still producing an awesome whack when the pedal is slammed to the firewall.
It may not be as exciting to look at as the first Viper, but the new body offers significant advantages. Gone are the distinctive roof hoop behind the passenger compartment and the giant clamshell hood. The roof hoop is gone because this Viper is a true convertible with a top that easily folds back manually with the rigid forward portion forming an effective tonneau cover when retracted. The top looks good, is easier to use than the Corvette's, features a heated real glass rear window, and is in every way a huge advance over the original car's hideous mix of a targa roof and side curtains. The first car didn't even have side windows, this new one has power windows that drop a fraction of an inch when the door is opened to provide a good seal with the top.
The clamshell disappears for the very good reason that it cost a small fortune to replace in the case of an accident. That huge piece of fiberglass gives ways to a conventional hood and flexible plastic front fenders that should repel most parking-lot scrapes and help keep insurance rates out of the stratosphere.
Grabbing the door handle actuates a solenoid that unlocks the new Viper's door to reveal a comfortable, it not particularly lavish interior. Getting into the car means stepping over the side exhausts (they're back!) and a wide sill, but the new seats are big improvement, the dash is laid out logically, and the controls make intuitive sense even if some still feel cheesy.
The side pipes do the exhaust note no favors (though they do open up the bottom of the car to be aerodynamically cleaner), but the car still growls with menace when the big red "Start" button is pushed. The Tremec T56 six-speed's shifter pokes straight up from an aluminum-ringed boot and vibrates (slightly) with the 525 lb-ft (at 4,200 rpm) of peak torque available.
The Viper is still a car that wears its vices as virtues; heat still pours into the cockpit from the engine bay, it's still pretty loud, and there's room for long legs to stretch out but not to splay. It's more comfortable than the old Viper, but it's still a car that demands to be taken seriously as a car and not as a mobile lounge chair. Manhandle the car into First and the new Viper almost strains against its brakes in its eagerness to lunge.
This is a seriously quick car-it feels significantly quicker than the old Viper. We haven't had the car to the track yet, but we'll guesstimate mid- to low-12s for the quarter-mile and a 0-to-60 time somewhere in the very low 4s or high 3s. It will likely be the quickest car available in the U.S., and it spins those big 345-section rear tires with such ferocity that we're not sure if the rubber is losing traction, or if it's the Earth itself that's crying uncle and letting go of the tires.