New 2013 SRT Viper Viper Returns at NY Auto Show

2013 SRT Viper at the NY Auto Show

Amanda Hart

Viper ready to strike

The Viper has been one of the most iconic cars in American history. Since it rolled off Detroit assembly lines in 1992, it has been prominently displayed in television, movies and video games as a premium vehicle in terms of performance, speed and style. The 2013 SRT Viper brings this tradition of excellence back, and is set to debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show.

Due to the financial difficulties and other factors that Chrysler experienced a few years ago, they had to pull the plug on this storied sports car. While initially thought to be the end for the Viper, it was revealed on September 14, 2010 by Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne that the Viper would be getting a revival, courtesy of the SRT branch of Chrysler. While Chrysler offers many deals on new cars for affordable vehicles, the Viper is their cream of the crop, and will likely have a price tag close to six figures.

Name change

SRT (Street and Racing Technology) is now a stand alone division of Chrysler and has branched away from Dodge, much the same way that Ram did. SRT has been around for a while, and actually has its roots in being Team Viper, the original group responsible for making the first Vipers. The 2013 SRT Viper will be its flagship vehicle, and will look to establish the group not unlike the Ram trucks did for Ram. The 2013 SRT Viper will have no attachment to the name Dodge anymore, and will be badged under SRT. The first available models will actually only be sold to long standing members of the Viper Club of America, but many people will still be looking to get national auto finance to pursue their dreams of driving this kind of car.

The Viper was one of the first cars to sport a v10 engine, and the new 2013 SRT Viper will carry on the tradition. Estimated to sport about 660 horsepower, this beast of an engine will be paired to a standard six speed transmission, but they are also working to provide a seven speed dual clutch automatic in the near future. Stay tuned after the New York Auto Show for more news, details and pictures.

Previous Ford Focusing Attention on Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

Next NHTSA's SaferCar App Available for iPhones