2002 Dodge Viper GTS Final Edition - SOLD
     
  • Overview & History
  • Specifications
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It’s as easy to drive as a stock Viper despite 60% more horsepower. Nice, right?

The Dodge Viper was a game-changer. No, of course big horsepower in a simple, stripped-down roadster wasn’t a new invention but the Viper did it with unmatched bravado. Early Vipers didn’t even have windows, so you wore your hardcore attitude right out in the open, and it was definitely a party. But for the guys who actually wanted to use their Viper as more than a 4-wheeled motorcycle, there was the GTS. Arguably the most beautiful and dramatic car of the 1990s, the Viper GTS took everything that was great about the Viper roadster and turned it up to 11, all the while adding some much-wanted civility. Not too much, mind you, but enough that you could easily drive it every day and your trip home from the end of a track session is relaxing, not abusive. Few other cars put so much performance within reach of so many enthusiasts.

This 2002 Dodge Viper GTS is the last of the first, the final edition of the first-generation GTS coupe and in my opinion, it’s still the most beautiful of the bunch. They took everything that worked on the Viper RT/10 roadster and kept it, things like the aggressive nose, dramatic cut-away fenders just ahead of the doors, and the curvaceous rear end, and added a sleek fastback roof profile that finished the car perfectly. Never before has a coupe made from a convertible ended up looking better than its open-topped sibling, but the Viper GTS totally nails it. There’s simply not a bad line anywhere on the car and it’s instantly identifiable from a distance, a hallmark of truly innovative design.

As #065 of the final Viper GTS coupes built, this car is already collectable. The coupe would disappear from the Viper lineup for a few years as Chrysler debated whether it should continue to exist (it should and it did, check out the blue 2006 Viper SRT 10 coupe parked next to this GTS), making this one a symbolic period to the Viper’s first chapter. And with just 7907 original miles on the clock, it is still incredibly fresh despite being 13 years old. The Viper Red paint is brilliant and the Stone White stripes were part of a $3000 Final Edition package, making this the ultimate expression of Viper attitude. Of course, a Viper without stripes is like a Viper without tires, so it’s a good thing they’re there because there’s simply no point in sneaking around in a car that looks, sounds, and accelerates like this supercharged monster. The only notable issue is a small scuff on the rocker panel just below the side exhaust on the passenger’s side, but you need to get down on your hands and knees to see it. Otherwise, the car has been lovingly maintained by a very careful guy who has owned it from new.

The interior remains quite stock as well, which seems like a surprise when you have a car with so many modifications. Deeply sculpted black leather seats grab you like you’re trying to escape and despite the wide side sills, there’s plenty of room inside. When you’re behind the wheel, the controls are all in the right places and it’s clear that the Dodge boys spent their time getting the relationships right. The fat steering wheel is mere inches away from the 6-speed shifter and the gauges are big, bright, and easy to read at a glance. And like the exterior, the interior is virtually unmarked, with only some very, very minor comfort marks on the driver’s chair. Contrasting red stitching on the steering wheel and shifter knob brings it all together nicely and yes, this Viper includes such niceties as A/C, power windows and locks with remote entry, and a powerful AM/FM/CD stereo that sounds great even with the booming exhaust. A special plaque on the center console announces this one as a special edition, the last of the first. And everything works properly, from the gauges to the A/C to the stereo. There’s also a reasonably-sized trunk that was a big step up from the roadster, offering a realistic expectation of actually using the GTS for real travel.

The original Viper’s 8.0-liter V10 engine really doesn’t need an introduction. Making 450 horsepower in the GTS, it was bloody fast and could easily handle anything that they were making over at the Corvette factory. But for many guys, 450 is just a baseline, and that’s exactly what happened here. When the car was still brand new in the wrapper, it was sent to the experts at Viper Specialty Performance in New York, where the burly V10 was given a thorough horsepower injection. The biggest news is a polished Paxton Novi 2000 supercharger, which is a neat fit there on the nose of the engine. But to make it work properly, it needed more than just a blower bolted on, so they opened up the engine, installed fresh bearings, custom forged pistons with a low-friction coating (in fact, the valves and exhaust ports also got a ceramic coating), and a custom camshaft designed for use with the supercharger. A fresh set of ported Viper heads were installed and fitted with a set of gorgeous Jesel Mohawk roller rockers and custom pushrods. The stunning Viper dual-plenum intake manifold really didn’t need any work beyond a port match, not with a blower pushing nearly 10 pounds of boost into it. It’s all managed by an upgraded computer with a custom blower program running which means it starts instantly, idles perfectly, and doesn’t get cranky under any circumstances. It’s as easy to drive as a stock Viper despite 60% more horsepower. Nice, right?

Externally, the engine also received a set of beautifully built B&B stainless steel exhaust headers, a set of high-flow catalytic converters from Random Technology to keep it emissions legal, and a full B&B cat-back exhaust system that sounds absolutely spectacular. Most early Vipers sound like a UPS truck making deliveries, but this one sounds like the front straight at LeMans. The 6-speed manual transmission is plenty beefy for the upgraded 700-plus horsepower V10, as is the 3.07-geared rear diff, but upgraded Unitrax half-shafts rated at 1000 horsepower were installed just in case. The rest of the suspension remains stock, and that’s OK because the Viper GTS is incredibly well engineered right out of the box. It also includes some huge disc brakes that scrub speed without getting tired and they live behind polished 18-inch wheels that were also part of the Final Edition package. Tires are correct 275/35/18 front and 335/30/18 rear Michelin Pilot Sport radials, which do their best to plant all that horsepower.

If a bright red Viper can be a sleeper, this is it. Drive it lightly and nobody will ever know anything has been altered, save for a very slight gear whine from the blower itself. But lean on the loud pedal, even for a few seconds, and things happen in a real big hurry. Hit 3000 RPM and full boost shows up ready to rock and you’d better make sure this car is aimed in the right directly, because it takes off like that poor mythological sap who reportedly attached a JATO rocket to his Impala. The blower screams, the exhaust bellows, and the car lunges forward with an unworldly burst of acceleration that could be terrifying if you weren’t ready for it. Then back off and the car backs down with you, idling placidly as if nothing had happened, which is the real miracle of this build. Anyone can make horsepower, but to make it so civilized and so easy to access, well, that takes real talent.

This car is also fully documented with its original window sticker, owner’s manuals, and receipts for the engine upgrades, which total close to $22,000. In the trunk you’ll find a Viper-logo car cover and a programmer for the ECM.

This Viper isn’t a civilized car by modern standards, but for something this fast, it’s simply mind-boggling. Turn on the A/C, drop it into 6th gear, and you can drive to California tomorrow. Or take it to the track and probe its outer limits and you’ll be shocked by how well this brute really works. If you’re a Viper fan, this car is the total package: limited edition, great looks, incredible performance, and impeccable preservation. All at a fraction of the cost of building such a thing yourself. Yeah, it’s safe to say that we love this car. Who wouldn’t?

Vehicle: 2002 Dodge Viper GTS Final Edition
Price: SOLD
Stock Number: 112038
Odometer Reading: 7907
VIN: 1B3ER69E82V102893
Engine: 8.0-liter Supercharged V10
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Gear Ratio: 3.07
Wheelbase: 96.2 inches
Wheels: 18-inch polished aluminum
Tires: Front: 275/35/18, Rear: 335/30/18 Michelin Pilot Sport
Exterior Color: Viper Red/Stone White stripes
Interior Color: Black leather
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