How Fast Is the Dodge Viper?

The Dodge Viper was meant to be Dodge’s attempt at making a two-seater, high-performance sports car like the Shelby Cobra. For most of its iterations, one of the main features of the Dodge Viper was its V10 engine underneath the distinctly long hood. The first generation known as the SR I and dubbed the RT/10 was made from 1991 until 1995. It had a top speed of 165 miles per hour thanks to its massive 8.0-liter engine. It came without much creature comforts like air-conditioning and exterior door handles.

The second-generation SR II Viper was still called the RT/10, but it was updated with more creature comforts and more performance features like an improved exhaust. It had a top speed of 180 miles per hour.

The third-generation Viper was called the SRT-10 and it was made from 2003 to 2007. It had a more angular design language and a bulkier body. It had a more powerful 8.3-liter V-10 engine that produced 500 horsepower. The SRT-10 Viper can reach top speeds of 190 miles per hour. It also had a faster 0-60 time at only 3.9 seconds.

The fourth-generation Viper was made from 2007 to 2010. This generation was designated as the ZB II, and it was able to produce 600 horsepower and reach 202 miles per hour. Unlike the previous generations, which only came with a manual transmission, the ZB II was the first Viper to come with an automatic transmission.

Dodge stopped producing the Viper after 2010 before its fifth-generation was unveiled in 2013. As expected, the Viper’s engine grew more powerful. This iteration had an 8.4-liter V-10 engine that made 640 horsepower. These power numbers allowed it to reach a top speed of 206 miles per hour. This makes the fifth-generation Viper the fastest.

Unfortunately, the Viper ceased production in 2017 because of poor sales. It’s currently unclear whether the Dodge Viper and its V10 engine will make a comeback in the future.