The 2013 SRT Viper is the only American performance car on the market today built in Detroit but since being introduced last April at the New York International Auto Show, Motor City show goers had to wait until the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit’s Cobo Hall to see the prodigal supercar on display in its home town. In fact, after touring around the country to shows and events all over the USA, it seems like Detroit was one of the last major cities to see the Viper on a show stand but with the start of the 2013 NAIAS, locals finally got a chance to see the new SRT Viper in person.
The 2013 SRT Viper stands as the centerpiece of the massive Chrysler Group display at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show with two examples of the new supercar nestled into the compact SRT section. First, the 2013 SRT Viper GTS in Adrenaline Red offered Detroit Auto Show goers a chance to see the top of the line road going Viper while the #91 SRT Viper GTS-R driven by Kuno Wittmer and Dominik Farnbacher which – oddly – no longer wears the Forza Motorsports sponsorship livery.Joining these two gorgeous American supercars was a lovely blonde model in a black dress who was answering questions on the new Vipers along with posing for photos with the cars.
Behind these two new Viper coupes was a black tower with a large video screen that was looping various video clips of the Viper in action.Finally, the Vipers were joined by a glassed-in 8.4L V10 engine that had been cut up to show the various features of the motor that provides 650 horsepower and 600lb-ft of torque in the 2013 SRT Viper.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
