Dodge Viper RT/10 Gets the Regular Car Reviews Treatment

As the one-of-a-kind Mr. Regular says: ‘The Viper made wives reach for their Bibles and husbands reach for their…’ 

Like Mr. Regular, we held the Viper up on a pedestal when we were younger. After all, it’s one of the most exciting and raw cars ever sold. The Viper was the second coming of Shelby’s famed Cobra. It was just an insane piece of machinery for its day. And we all thought it was the best thing ever, right? How could it not be? It had the biggest engine, the most power, and the highest top speed. It was the Grand Master of the Universe. He-Man on four wheels.

But as Mr. Regular says: “Everybody needs their own messiah, but at some point, he’s getting nailed up.” When he finds that his mythical Viper isn’t really the greatest car in the world, he’s disappointed and a bit stunned. He does this bit in the video representing his younger self-throwing a tantrum. Really, it’s probably not too far from the truth.

How can the first-gen Viper possibly be beaten? Whether in a magazine test or a real-world driving experience, it simply must be the best. Well, aside from the fact that the Viper is actually a pretty poorly assembled car with few options and little to offer in terms of usability, it’s actually quite a difficult car to manage. Looking back on it, fully exposed in the light of adulthood, it just doesn’t measure up to the lofty impressions of the past.
 

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Dodge’s MO for creating the Viper, as Mr. Regular puts it: “I present you an engine, a steering wheel, and some brakes. Whatever you do is up to you.” It may not be the best car even from its day, but despite all its foibles, it’s a genius monster of a car. It worked well for Dodge, getting eyeballs and foot traffic into dealerships. And it worked well for owners, who wanted a giant engine with a couple of seats strapped to it. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to Craigslist to find our childhood dream car at discount prices.