2010 Viper Breaks Cover (and Breaks a Record)

Dodge officially unveiled the new 2010 Viper at the L.A. Auto Show—showing two new exterior colors—Toxic Orange Pearl Coat and Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat—with a wider dual racing stripe pattern. Also new for 2010 is a revised fifth gear ratio—.80:1 instead of .75:1—for all Vipers, to dramatically improve high-speed acceleration. A standard Viper will reach 200 mph 14 seconds faster with the new gear. The idea came from SRT’s experiences at the Nürburgring, when Viper set the production car lap record. It was thought that the ACR would be even quicker with the new gear. Will we see a new expedition to the famous track in the near future?

The 2010 ACR and the ACR-X will have new slotted wing endplates to go with a revised wing profile to give more downforce in yaw. This means the 2010 ACR will be even quicker in corners, which would have been a factor at Laguna Seca a week earlier. ACRs also get a short-throw shifter and the new fifth gear.

To celebrate the new lap record at Laguna Seca, Ralph Gilles announced a Viper special edition ACR, to be built in the same special red and black livery as the record car. The paint scheme is the reverse of the one that was on the Nürburgring record-setter. The new edition’s name: “1:33,” to commemorate the record of the same number. Thirty-three (33) will be produced.

Lurking in the pits at Laguna Seca the previous week, and featured in the Chrysler booth, was Ralph Gilles’ black ACR with its new graphite-color driver stripe enhanced by red outlines. This menacing color combination is the hallmark of another new edition named “Vooodoo,” offered for this 2010 model year. Dodge will produce only twenty of these darkly beautiful monsters.

An improved gearbox, a better ACR aero configuration and gearshift, striking new colors, two exciting new special editions and two new track racers introduced at PRI—Viper is poised to have a great year in 2010 with even more goodies rumored to be in the pipeline as Dodge and SRT finish a legendary run and gear up for 2013.