1994 Dodge Viper

This 1994 Dodge Viper was at Cruisin' Sherwood on June 13, 2009. It is typical of the first generation of the Viper from 1992 to 1995. Powered by an 8.0-Liter V10 engine with a 6-speed manual transmission, the Viper offered performance that far surpassed the American competition, at a price that was lower than European exotics.

The Viper's 8-Liter V10 engine was designed as a cast-iron truck engine, but made its debut in the 1992 Viper with an aluminum-alloy block and heads. The truck version didn't appear until 1994. In the first generation Viper, the engine produces 400 horsepower and 465 foot-pounds of torque. The Viper would accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds and would reach 100 in 9.6 seconds and reach a top speed of over 180 miles per hour.

Aside from its performance, the Viper was quite no frills. It featured side curtains of fabric and clear plastic instead of side windows and a manual soft top that folded to fit in the trunk instead of a more typical convertible top. The Viper also lacked traction control and anti-lock brakes, and air conditioning did not become available as an option until 1994. This would change with the 1996 debut of the second generation Viper, which not only included many of these features, but was also available as a fixed-roof coupe.