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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Money & Work • Automotive

Dodge Viper

The Dodge Viper was an American two-seat sports car produced by Dodge, later by SRT for the 2013 and 2014 model years.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

The Dodge Viper is an American two-seat sports car known for its massive V10 engine and driver-focused design. It was produced from the early 1990s until 2017, with about 32,000 units built.

What it is

The Viper was first shown as a concept in 1989, inspired by the Shelby Cobra. Production began in 1991 or 1992 and continued through five generations until 2017. It was built by Dodge, and later by SRT for the 2013–2014 model years.

Why it matters

The Viper became one of the best-known American performance cars, remembered for its aggressive styling, large V10 engine, and minimalistic, track-oriented character. It remains of interest to Canadian car enthusiasts as a rare North American performance car.

Key details

The car featured a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with a V10 gasoline engine and manual transmission. Later versions produced 645 horsepower. Total production is estimated at 31,850 to 32,000 units.

In short

  • Concept shown in 1989, inspired by Shelby Cobra.
  • Production ran from early 1990s to 2017.
  • Known for large V10 engine and manual transmission.
  • Final generation produced 645 horsepower.
Canadian angle

The Dodge Viper was sold in the Canadian market and remains of interest to Canadian car enthusiasts and collectors as a rare North American performance car.

Quick questions

What is the Dodge Viper?
An American two-seat sports car produced by Dodge, later SRT, known for its V10 engine and performance-focused design.
When was the Dodge Viper first shown?
It was first shown as a concept car in 1989.
When was the Dodge Viper discontinued?
It was discontinued in 2017.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Viper
    Supports: Concept debut, production span, assembly locations, total production, and discontinuation.
  2. Car and Driver — https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g19865911/snake-recoiled-a-visual-history-of-the-dodge-viper/
    Supports: Origins under Bob Lutz, Cobra inspiration, and development context.
  3. Cars.com — https://www.cars.com/research/dodge-viper/
    Supports: 1989 concept, early-1990s production debut, and broad historical overview.
  4. MotorTrend — https://www.motortrend.com/features/dodge-viper-history-generations-models
    Supports: Production years, approximate total sold, and general model history.
  5. CarBuzz — https://carbuzz.com/cars/dodge/viper/generations/
    Supports: Generations, V10 engine details, and fifth-generation output.
  6. University Dodge — https://www.universitydodge.com/brief-history-of-the-dodge-viper/
    Supports: First release timing and later-model performance figures.
  7. Autoevolution — https://www.autoevolution.com/dodge/viper/
    Supports: First production year, generations, and model-year timeline.
  8. Yahoo Autos — https://autos.yahoo.com/history-dodge-viper-183000547.html
    Supports: Discontinuation in 2017 and broad historical framing.