Yet, as ridiculous as that is, one simply can’t deny that this 600-h.p. version of Dodge’s eponymous Viper is nothing short of a barrel of fun, as long as your idea of fun is scaring yourself half to death. The Viper’s power output has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous, but Dodge still believes in complete bare bones motoring. The Viper may come with anti-lock brakes (thank goodness!), but there is absolutely no hint of the traction control or electronic stability programs that adorn even the sportiest of cars these days.
It does, however, have a new limited slip differential (the better to ensure that both rear tires contribute their share to smoky burnouts) and there’s more feedback through the steering wheel. The big Brembo brakes also make things easier by restraining all that speed (Dodge claims—shades of the Shelby Cobra—that the new Viper can accelerate from a standstill to 160 km/h and then brake to a complete stop in less than 12 seconds).
However, in one of the few complaints about the Viper’s performance, the brakes seem a little wooden—their feel doesn’t quite match their power.
Nonetheless, the Viper must still be treated with the utmost respect.
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