Very cool first-year GTS coupe. 40,000 original miles, very well maintained, two owners. Mostly stock except upgraded exhaust with high-flow mufflers. Beautiful paint and interior, everything works. The one Viper you’ve always wanted to own!

The original Viper was one hell of a car, but it had one shortcoming—it was too crude. Yes, it was the perfect update of the classic Cobra recipe with big power and no frills, but by the mid-1990s, no-frills was adding up to a no-sale. Maybe we’ve become softer than our parents and grandparents, but having A/C, power windows, and enough weather protection that you don’t need a raincoat and sunscreen when you drive it makes a car far more livable. That was the idea behind the GTS: a more livable (but certainly NOT civilized) version of the Viper. The shape and colors of the first-year 1996 models echoed the Shelby Daytona coupes and there was no question that the big horsepower was still on tap. In fact, the GTS found an extra 50 horsepower to go with its GTS Blue Pearl paint and white stripes, so it definitely got the job done on the street. And there are many who would argue (myself included) that the addition of the fastback roofline made the Viper downright gorgeous, much more than a blunt instrument but a graceful machine that belonged with the all-time greats. And this one, with 40,000 loving miles, has been used but also expertly maintained by guys who obviously loved the car. There are a few very, very minor nicks in the usual places, but nothing substantial that needs to be addressed. Using a Viper is the right way to own one. It would be a shame to turn it back into garage art, especially when it works so well.

Part of the GTS’s long list of upgrades included a more comfortable, livable passenger compartment. Not only did you have that awesome hatch for your gear, but you also got A/C, power windows and locks, and an interior that felt more like a production car and less like something you built at home. Sure, there are standard Mopar plastic switches and dials for the A/C system, but the white gauges are all business and the fat steering wheel feels serious in your hands. There’s even a decent AM/FM/CD stereo system, although I’d argue that if you’re using the radio, you’re Vipering wrong. The seats are in great shape with only minor signs of use on the driver’s side, the dash isn’t cracked, and everything is operational so it’s ready to rock. The 6-speed shifter falls easily to hand and shifts well, but this is a burly car so you need to show it who’s boss. There’s some sound insulation, but the upgraded exhaust means that you hear that awesome V10 wail when you punch it. Oh, and use care getting out—even though the exhaust isn’t on the side, it still gets a little hot. There’s also decent storage in the rear hatch, and yes, we have the factory spare that goes with the car.

The Viper’s 8.0 liter V10 is still a very special engine. With the red dual path intake and matching valve covers, it looks spectacular when you tilt the hood forward and you’d better believe it’s functional: 450 horsepower and a massive 490 lb-ft. of torque. It barks to life and idles reasonably well thanks to the wonders of fuel injection, but this isn’t a luxury car and it ain’t luxury car smooth. However, thanks to factory engineering, it’s content to sit in traffic with the A/C blasting and never gets fussy, and the guys who use these on the track will vouch for their potency (the track is really the only place you can experience a Viper’s full potential). The upgraded exhaust system sounds spectacular (the stock components are included with the car if you want to put it back to OEM spec) and really transforms the Viper’s admittedly utilitarian factory exhaust note to something a bit more exotic. Otherwise it remains stock, which means bulletproof reliability and easy maintenance because parts and knowledge are plentiful within the Viper club and online. The undercarriage shows some minor signs of use, but it has obviously never been hit or wrecked and certainly never used in the winter, so everything is clean and tidy the way it should be. And it’s cool to see the fabricated look off the tube frame chassis and sheetmetal panels underneath—the Viper was practically a hand-built car. Super tall 3.07 gears in the rear end mean that the Viper just loafs along at highway speeds and the slippery GTS shape was a lot better at top-speed runs than the roadster. Beautiful polished aluminum wheels wear the biggest rubber you could get at the time: 275/40/17 front and 335/35/17 rear Michelin Pilot radials.

Extras include the original exhaust components and heat shields, as well as a custom-fit car cover and some service receipts.

If I was going to buy a Viper for myself, this would be it. The later cars never quite captured the pure performance shape that the GTS represents, and the connection to the Shelby Daytona is irrefutable. Add in the still-brutal nature of the car and the fact that it demands more of the driver than any of today’s performance machines, all add up to an experience that can’t be duplicated any other way. A fantastic car ready to stop some hearts for its new owner. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.