performance sports car The original Viper was intended to be a performance sports car. The project was started in 1988 at Chrysler's Advanced Design Studios, when then-president Bob Lutz suggested to Tom Gale that the company should consider the production of a modern Cobra.

The Dodge Viper is a sports car that was manufactured by Dodge (by SRT for 2013 and 2014), a division of American car manufacturer FCA US LLC from 1992 until 2017, having taken a brief hiatus in 2007, and from 2010 to 2012.

An unmistakable American icon, the Viper and Viper SRT® ruled the streets from 1991 to 2017. Now out of production, their legacy of power and performance lives on.

In fact, the Dodge Viper has always been a supercar with more than enough torque to beat muscle cars and the horsepower and aerodynamics to beat Lamborghinis, Bugattis, and Ferraris on the road track.

The Viper was officially released in 1992 as the Dodge Viper R/T Roadster. The car's engine was designed by Lamborghini (then owned by Chrysler) and could generate up to 400 horsepower. The roadster had a plain design, no side windows, exterior door handles, or roof and was priced at $55,630.

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.

What does SRT stand for? Fiat Chrysler Automobiles originated the SRT division while conceptualizing the Dodge Viper. SRT stands for "Street and Racing Technology," and this division implemented innovative performance-driven technology across the Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler lineups.

So, what does SRT stand for you might be wondering? SRT stands for “Street and Racing Technology,” but the SRT meaning goes deeper than that. Dodge SRT automobiles are made with the highest quality Dodge parts designed for high-octane performance.

The Viper engine is a high-performance naturally-aspirated pushrod 2 valves-per-cylinder 90° V10 engine designed by Chrysler but with aluminum block castings designed by Lamborghini for use in the Dodge Viper. Despite its large displacement, it is based on the Chrysler LA V8.

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.

Tom Gale, who led the design team, and Chris Theodore, who led powertrain, both agree that when the as-yet-unnamed Dodge roadster was in its infancy in the late '80s, the team knew it wanted a snake-inspired name to honor the Shelby Cobra that so clearly served as its inspiration.

The Viper's 3.8-second 0-to-60 sprint is still plenty quick, but it's almost a half-second slower than the Vette's. Some of that difference comes down to an issue of engine rpm and gearing. The Vette, for example, can reach 60 mph in first gear, whereas the Viper must use up a time-consuming gearshift.

The Special Response Team (SRT) is a group of highly trained and specially equipped police officers who respond to emergencies requiring advanced police tactics. The SRT is deployed in: High-risk warrant executions.