While you might be thinking “the 2013 SRT Viper has been here since being introduced at the 2012 New York International Auto Show” after reading the title of this piece – I am referring to a different sort of being officially here. The Chrysler Group issued their February 2013 sales report today and for the first time in a year, the Viper line had a number other than 0 next to it.
In February, the Chrysler Group officially sold the very first 2013 SRT Viper. Leading up to Viper #0001 being sold, the new SRT supercar only existed at auto shows and on the internet but with this first 2013 Viper being sold in February 2013, the new Viper has entered the real world. This means that Mopar lovers around the country can begin looking around for the new Viper on the open road – although the first Viper is most likely to be spotted in Texas.
We actually talked about this first 2013 SRT Viper back in early January when it rolled off of the Connor Avenue Assembly Line. Steve Thomas, the man who won the right to own the very first 2013 Viper at the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction for a whopping $300,000, was in attendance with his family when his Stryker Red 2013 Viper GTS marked the official completion of the first SRT branded vehicle ever sold to the public. While the Thomas family made the trip from Texas to Detroit to celebrate the production of their new Mopar supercar, they would have to wait until all of the quality control procedures were complete before taking delivery of it – meaning that they weren’t able to leave with the car when their trip to Detroit came to an end. Top Viper dealerships Tomball Dodge later handled the delivery of Viper #0001
The delivery process of the 2013 SRT Viper was expected to begin in February so over the next few months, more of the new Vipers should start hitting driveways and roads outside of Texas.
Get your cell phones ready Mopar fans – the Viper is on its way to a highway near you.
"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.
