The Dodge Viper was designed by Chrysler designer Tom Gale. The idea for the Viper came from Chrysler’s then-president Bob Lutz, who wanted the brand to build its own sports car in the vein of the Shelby Cobra. Tom Gale produced a clay model of what would become the Viper, and plans for a V-10 engine that would be shared with Ram pickups were underway. Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca greenlighted the project, and the Dodge Viper was first seen as a concept at the 1989 Detroit auto show.
Contents
- Did Carroll Shelby designed the Dodge Viper?
- Who is the father of the Dodge Viper?
- Did Shelby help make Dodge Viper?
- What was the Dodge Viper based on?
- Who made the first Viper?
- Why did Dodge stop making the Viper?
- Why did Dodge make the Viper?
- What cars did Carroll Shelby create?
- Why was Dodge Viper banned?
- Why did Chrysler destroy Vipers?
Did Carroll Shelby designed the Dodge Viper?
Most saw claims to kinship with the cobra as a marketing exercise, although Carroll Shelby was involved in the initial design of the Viper.
Who is the father of the Dodge Viper?
Sjoberg had spent 25 years at GM and had worked with Duntov on a mid-engine Corvette proposal. Duntov was the one who gave Roy the name “Father Viper“, after being selected by then Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca and President Bob Lutz as the first Chief Engineer of Viper in 1989.
Did Shelby help make Dodge Viper?
Shelby was also involved in several prototype/concept cars that never made it to production. He had early involvement with the Dodge Viper, which did make it to production. He became ill shortly after the project started and had little involvement after that.
What was the Dodge Viper based on?
The car is as raw as a modern vehicle could be, just as the Shelby Cobra that inspired it was in the 1960s. Most aspects of the Dodge two-seater seem designed to force comparisons to that classic Shelby: The Viper lacks door-mounted windows and exterior door handles but does have side-exit exhaust outlets.
Who made the first Viper?
The Dodge Viper (SR I) is the first-generation Viper sports car, manufactured by American automobile manufacturer Dodge. It was originally tested in January 1989 as a prototype, then later introduced in 1991 as a pace car for the Indianapolis 500, then finally going on sale in January 1992.
Why did Dodge stop making the 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.
Why did Dodge make the Viper?
The Viper was meant to be Chrysler’s version of the legendary Shelby Cobra offered up by Ford, and Carroll Shelby himself went on to help market Dodge’s very own muscle car (via MotoTrend). The following year the first generation production model of the Viper RT/10 appeared at the famed Detroit auto show.
What cars did Carroll Shelby create?
10 Legendary Cars Built by Carroll Shelby
- 1998 Shelby Series 1. The Shelby Series 1 cars hit the roads in 1998.
- 1969 Ford GT40. The next one on our list is the Ford GT40.
- 1985 Shelby Charger.
- 1968 Shelby EXP 500.
- 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake.
- 1967 Shelby Mustang GT350R.
- 1989 Shelby Dakota.
- 1965 Shelby Cobra 289.
Why was Dodge Viper banned?
Initially, Fiat Chrysler cited poor sales as a reason for discontinuing the Viper; however, other sources have stated the car was discontinued because the Viper was unable to comply with FMVSS 226 safety regulation, which requires side-curtain air bags.
Why did Chrysler destroy Vipers?
According to theSeattle Times, Chrysler said in an email that two Vipers from the educational fleet “got loose” and were involved in accidents costing Fiat-Chrysler millions. The Vipers, being pre-production cars, aren’t street-legal, so keeping the cars around could be a potential liability for the automaker.
