THESE DODGE VIPER SPECIAL EDITIONS ARE A BITTERSWEET SENDOFF
Just as soon as the news broke that production of the Dodge Viper would come to an end in 2017, speculation on what kind of special editions were going to roll out of Conner Avenue began. It’s well known that Dodge—and parent company FCA—love themselves a good special edition vehicle, whether it’s a Gucci Fiat 500, or a “Go Mango” Challenger. However, when it comes to sending off a car as legendary as the Viper, it requires more than digging up an old paint code, or partnering with some overhyped designer label.
Dodge will begin taking orders on June 24th, and those interested in choosing one (or more if you’re about that life) of the five special edition Vipers will have some soul searching to do. All 5 special edition models have the same internal bits—the same ‘ol 8.4-liter V10, making the same ‘ol 645-horsepower. But they have very different personalities thanks to some interesting aesthetic choices.
First there’s the Viper 1:12 Edition ACR, named for the current model’s single lap record set by Randy Pobst at Laguna Seca. The vehicle is defined by a black exterior with red ACR stripes, 1:28 decals on the sills, carbon ceramic brakes, and red ACR accent stitching inside the cabin. 28 examples of this special edition will be built, which should make it the second rarest model in the lineup if you’re going by production numbers.
The model which will see the most units produced, no fewer than 100 according to Dodge, is the Viper GTS-R Commemorative Edition ACR. This blue and white paint scheme is the same as that of the 1998 GTS-R GT2 Championship Edition, and it seems fitting to have a tribute to an iconic Viper model in addition to an iconic lap time. It features the same extreme aero package as the 1:28 Edition, but looks far better thanks to the Pearl White/Pearl Blue Stripe paint scheme.
The rarest of the bunch is the Viper Snakeskin Edition GTC, as only 25 examples of the bright green machine will be manufactured. The color is borrowed from the original 2010 Snakeskin edition, and pairs well with a custom snakeskin patterned SRT stripe. This model also features an Advanced Aero Package, black GT interior, and serialized instrument panel badge, which I imagine adds 20-25 horsepower depending on how clean you keep it.
Falling in between the Snakeskin Edition GTC and GTS-R Commemorative Edition ACR is the Viper VoooDoo II Edition ACR, and before you get out your pitchforks, they put that extra “O” in there to make it 5 total. Clever. This is the badass, blacked-out model of the lineup, and it pays tribute to the 2010 VooDoo edition that is apparently adored by Viper fans. Distinguishing this car from the others is a graphite metallic ACR driver’s side stripe with a red tracer outline, VoooDoo II exterior sill decals, silver accent stitching in the interior, and custom badging. The car also gets the same extreme aero pack and carbon ceramic brakes found on the other two ACR special editions. Since Dodge built 31 of the original VooDoo Vipers, they’ll stick with that number for the VoooDoo II as well.
Finally, there’s the Dodge Dealer Edition ACR, 33 of which will be built for sale exclusively at the dealerships with the highest sales volume of the Viper. Tomball Dodge of Tomball, Texas, and Roanoke Dodge of Roanoke, Illinois, will be the only dealers to receive these special edition models, though, no information on how they’ll be allocated was given. The Dealer Edition ACE will be white with a Competition Blue center stripe, Adrenaline Red driver stripe, carbon ceramic brakes, extreme aero pack, red accent stitching for the interior and a custom car cover that matches the exterior paint scheme while showcasing the customer’s name above the driver’s side door.
If none of the five special editions tickle your fancy, don’t worry, Dodge announced that they’ll continue their “1 of 1″ customization program for the Viper for the 2017 model year, meaning you can still build your custom Viper from the ground up. If you haven’t played with the configurator, I highly recommend it, just be careful going down that rabbit hole, you may find yourself weighing out draining your rainy day fund in the name of all that is American.