1992 Dodge Viper — The Return of the American Exotic
In the automotive performance wars of the 21st century, a 400-horsepower 8.0-liter V10 stuffed into a two-seat roadster barely raises an eyebrow. But the thought of such a vehicle, produced by an American company best known for minivans in 1992, was truly revolutionary. The Dodge Viper started as a concept car in 1989, but overwhelming public reaction and a desire by Bob Lutz (then president of Chrysler) to create a production version got the car to dealer showrooms in just three years. Carroll Shelby was a member of the original Viper team, and to some enthusiasts it is essentially a modern-day Cobra successor. Capable of zero to 60 in 4.6 seconds, the Viper reestablished Chrysler's performance pedigree on a worldwide scale and, many would argue, initiated the high-dollar horsepower and performance war that continues today.
First application of Chrysler's V10 engine in a performance roadster
The first in a series of modern-day "dream cars" that became production vehicles
Johnny Carson hosts The Tonight Show for the last time in 1992
