Dodge Viper and Airbags
The Dodge Viper did not have side curtain airbags, and this played a significant role in its discontinuation. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) #226 requires side curtain airbags, and the Viper, as it existed, couldn’t be fitted with them without significantly reducing its already limited headroom. This led to the discontinuation of the model in 2017, as all vehicles were expected to comply with FMVSS #226 by that time.
The side curtain airbag regulation that affected the Viper was for model year 2018 and onward. FCA would have had to redesign the car for side curtain airbags, but due to its low volume sales and the recent debut of the Gen V in 2013, FCA opted to discontinue it instead.
The first generation of Vipers did not have airbags, and as federal safety standards got stricter, more airbags were added, but they still lacked side curtain airbags. When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) required all cars to have these airbags in 2017, it spelled the end for the Viper.
In summary, the Dodge Viper did not have side curtain airbags, and this ultimately contributed to its discontinuation in 2017.
Contents
- Why did the Dodge Viper fail?
- Can you still buy a new Viper?
- What is the Dodge Viper famous for?
- What was the first car with airbags?
- Why did no one buy the Dodge Viper?
- What is the rarest Dodge Viper?
- Why did Chrysler destroy Vipers?
- Why is the Dodge Viper so fast?
- When did Dodge Viper get airbags?
- When did Dodge start using airbags?
Why did the Dodge Viper fail?
The Viper came with a six-speed standard transmission, favored by muscle car enthusiasts. Still, it lacked some standard features like air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, traction control, and airbags. Heck, it was so minimalist that it didn’t come with a hard roof, exterior door handles, or glass side windows.
Can you still buy a new Viper?
DODGE VIPER FAQ
Unfortunately, the Dodge Viper has been discontinued and is no longer in production.
What is the Dodge Viper famous for?
The Viper was designed by Chrysler’s Tom Gale. The Viper is powered by a V10 engine. The Viper has been featured in a number of movies and television shows, including “The Fast and the Furious” and “Need for Speed.” The Viper is a popular choice for track racing.
What was the first car with airbags?
1973 Oldsmobile Toronado
The 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado was the first car with a passenger airbag sold to the public. General Motors later offered an option of driver-side airbags in full-sized Oldsmobiles and Buicks in 1975 and 1976, respectively.
Why did no one buy the Dodge Viper?
At first sight, the Dodge Viper had everything working in its favor: a powerful engine, a decent-enough design, and a cool, sporty interior, and yet, sales were less than stellar compared to its legendary rivals. Meanwhile, bad rep and misrepresentations also didn’t help with car sales.
What is the rarest Dodge Viper?
So they dug their hands into the parts bin. And created the iconic Viper v10 power plant the 8 liter V10 produced around 400 horsepower. Which means only 40 horsepower for silver.
Why did Chrysler destroy Vipers?
The agreement with the donated Vipers is that once they are no longer of educational value, the cars must be destroyed. Due to their age, Chrysler believes that this is now the case. Furthermore, it does not believe any of the Vipers hold historical value, so it won’t be saving them.
Why is the Dodge Viper so fast?
How on earth did Dodge engineers build this world-beating machine—and price it under $121,000? There’s no secret to the Viper’s acceleration. It’s just straight-up brute force, with that 8.4-liter V10 kicking 645 horses and 600 lb. -ft.
When did Dodge Viper get airbags?
1997
In 1997, the RT/10 would receive a power increase to 450 hp along with airbags and power windows. In 1998, both of the versions of the Viper were equipped with second-generation airbags, revised exhaust manifolds (saving 24 lb (11 kg) over the previous cast iron components) along with a revised camshaft.
When did Dodge start using airbags?
In October 1993, the Dodge Ram became the first pickup truck with a standard driver-side airbag.