2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10

Ever wonder what it's like to ride on the back of a dinosaur? Not one of those slow moving veggie-eating guys. No, we're talking one of the most ferocious and powerful of the prehistoric meat eaters—the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Well, climb behind the wheel of the Dodge Viper, and you'll get as close as any modern man has ever come to riding one of those monsters. Twist the key and the mammoth V-10 engine roars to life like the rousing of a giant T-Rex from an afternoon nap. Hit the road, mash the gas pedal to the floor and the Viper eats up pavement (and Corvettes) like a T-Rex chowing down on its prey.

Of course it looks good, but does it really matter with 500 horses underhood?

When the original Viper went into production in 1992, it was never intended to be a sophisticated sports car—and it wasn't. Owners of the first RT/10 love the fact that it was a front-engine, two-seat, rear-wheel drive sports car powered by a monstrous V-10. No automatic transmission, cupholders, cruise control or traction control were allowed. However, cries from these same owners were heard regarding the poor interior comfort, no real convertible top, lack of a "dead pedal" footrest and a braking system that couldn't keep up with the engine.


Enter the Dodge Viper SRT-10. Dodge made more than 100 changes and improvements in '03 to the chassis, brakes, suspension, tires, engine, transmission, cockpit, electronics and body panels. The result is a better T-Rex. The 2004 Viper carries over basically unchanged, although it's now also available in white.


Starting with the heart of the beast, for '03 Dodge increased the engine displacement of the OHV V-10 from 488 cubic inches to 505 by increasing both the cylinder bore size and crankshaft stroke length. This bumped horsepower from 450 to 500. Torque got a boost as well going from 490 to an even more neck-snapping 525 lb.-ft. This brute power is routed through a sturdy T56 6-speed manual transmission.


A new version of the Viper's 4-wheel anti-lock disc brake system, originally introduced for the 2001 model year, is included in this next-generation car, solving the weak brake performance of older Vipers. The new brakes consist of Brembo calipers and 14-inch rotors at the front and rear. Rolling stock includes polished 18x10-inch front and 19x13-inch rear forged aluminum wheels wearing P275/35ZR18 front and P345/30ZR19 rear Michelin zero pressure tires, with low-pressure sensors in the valve stems.