The auction car was a lottery prize in Sweden in 1996 and was won by a gentleman who drove only 1800 kilometers during the first two years. It was then bought by the current owner who, during his 25 years with the car, added just another 23 000 kilometers.
So obviously, this low milage Viper is in a very good condition and retains its original paint, apart from the front, bonnet and sills. Since the car is a generation II Viper, which arrived as model year ´96, it has a targa roof made of cloth that, together with the side windows, can be folded and placed in the rear compartment.
The 8 litre V10 in the Viper developed 375 horse power in its European version, but this car had the US engine soft ware installed by a Chrysler dealer in Sweden - adding another 75 horse power. The engine is mated to a 6 speed manual and this combination takes the Viper to 100 km/h in just 4 seconds.
The chassis is also an updated version, the one that arrived in the 1997 RT model and in the GTS coupe.
When the, at the time, relatively young Jerry Clarkson drove a Viper in Top Gear in 1992, he stated: ”This is not a car that you drive, it is a car you try to hang on to”.
You might wonder why this is a Chrysler and not a Dodge, after all it is as a Dodge Viper the model is known? The answer is that Chrysler chose not to use the Dodge name in Europe markets since they determin ed it to be too unknown.
When Chrysler started to plan for the Viper in the late Eighties the idea was the create a modern AC Cobra. The concept created an immediate enthusiasm for the somewhat lack-lustre brand among both customers and the automotive press.
Dodge Viper became a long running model and was produced for 26 years in five generations, ending not until 2017. It was a very popular racing car worldwide, both among professional teams and amateurs, and driver for example at 24 hour Le Mans.
The auction car has been estimated at a value of between 555 000 and 600 000 SEK. The auction closes on 17 August.
16 AUG 12:38 PER-ÅKE FRÖBERG
Low mileage, brutal and so American - 1996 Chrysler Viper
The auction car was a lottery prize in Sweden in 1996 and was won by a gentleman who drove only 1800 kilometers during the first two years. It was then bought by the current owner who, during his 25 years with the car, added just another 23 000 kilometers.
