1997 Dodge Viper GTS

The car has covered just 60,000 kms from new. In 2006, it was showing 53,566 kms on the odometer so, as you can no doubt deduce, this car has been used only sparingly over the last 18 years.

It is ready to rumble.

And boy, does it rumble.

Unencumbered by loads of tricksy modes and menu options, the car simply does what your right foot tells it to do.

With not much more than a slight flex of the ankle, it gets changed into its cape and tights in a phone box and emerges to a splendidly throaty soundtrack of snorts and barks.

Press down a bit more and it’s time for another costume change. The boxing gloves are laced up, it puts a towel around its neck, and comes out swinging like a Bronx title contender punching sides of beef in a cold store.

Dare to flex your ankle a little further and you’ll unleash a sonic crescendo that rises though a cacophony of other-worldly shrieks, pops, wails, roars, moans, bangs and grunts to an epic aural climax that will make pedestrians in different counties dive headlong into hedges while making the sign of the cross.

Mercy.

The car was first registered new in Canada in 1997, which explains why the odometer is calibrated in kms.

It made its way to the UK in 2002.

The previous owner bought the car privately in 2018.

At the time of purchase the car featured a retrofitted ‘Roe Racing’ supercharger – because, obviously, 450 bhp from an 8-litre V10 was only desirable to shy, retiring types who wouldn’t say boo to a goose.

The then owner set about getting the car just right for him, which involved spending a great deal of money.

He had the car totally resprayed in its original red, entrusting the work to a respected Corvette specialist.

He also removed the supercharger and had the naturally aspirated engine remapped to optimise power and torque.

He upgraded the suspension with adjustable coil-over components, improved the brakes through the addition of Movit 6-pot front brakes, fitted an Edelbrock exhaust system and a Centerforce clutch kit, installed a ‘Safety Devices’ roll cage, and added an Aeroquip fuel pump and swirl pot upgrade.

He then used and enjoyed the car, often as a daily driver, and told us that it never once let him down.

To say that this car has presence is something of an understatement.

With a slim waist and alluringly voluptuous curves that would put Jessica Rabbit to shame, this is a car that will always get you noticed – whether you want it to or not.

It also squats low, sits wide, looks means and would frighten the living daylights out of any real viper, cobra, anaconda or other serpent foolish enough to stray into its path.

The shut-lines and panel gaps are consistent and even, and the condition of the bodywork is excellent more or less wherever you choose to look.

Overall, the vehicle’s condition is far more a reflection of its low mileage than its age, and it’s clear to even the most pernickety of observers that the car has evidently been well cared-for and carefully curated.

All the lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are in first-class order.

The red paintwork is shiny, bright and vibrant, as you might expect to find on a car that’s recently received a full respray.

Aside from a couple of stone chips on the ‘nose’ of the car ahead of the bonnet and a couple more on the front valance, there are no meaningful aberrations to speak of anywhere that we can see.

Even entirely standard paint chips and light swirly scratches are more noticeable for their absence than their presence.

Basically, it’s all really very good indeed.

If you want burr walnut veneers, Connolly hides and Wilton carpets, look elsewhere.

This décor inside is making no attempt whatsoever to disguise the car’s hairy-chested machismo.

The red and black colourways, the Sparco racing harnesses, and the thick roll cage combine to lend the interior an appropriately purposeful and focussed ambience.

In fact, if the interior of this car was any more masculine and steeped in testosterone it would have to live up a tree.

That said, the seats are supportive, comfortable and functional.

The door cards are fine, as is the headlining.

The carpets and mats are also in very good nick.

This car harks back to a simpler era when cars were raw, visceral and far more analogue than digital.

Accordingly, the controls and dials are easy to find, simple to use, and don’t require you to scroll through half a dozen menus on a touch screen. And they’re all in very decent condition.

The grab handle is missing from the shoulder of the driver’s seat.

There are a few biffs and scratches on the driver’s side kick plate and some of the rubber trim next to it has begun to disintegrate and turn a little sticky.

The handbrake gaiter has parted company from its moorings and needs re-attaching.

The rear luggage space is beyond reproach and contains a spare wheel and a fire extinguisher, along with a few spare parts.

We didn’t press every button, tweak every toggle or fiddle with every knob, but those we did press, tweak and fiddle with behaved correctly. The A/C may be the exception – we’re not sure that’s currently working.

There’s so much engine under the bonnet, sorry, hood, that we were almost frightened to open it.

There are more valves, manifolds, rods, crankshafts, pistons and pulleys in here than you’d find in Fred Dibnah’s shed.

Everything looks clean, shiny, bright and in its right and proper place as far as we can tell.

When the previous owner bought the car, the engine bay was even fuller than it is now and contained a thumping great ‘Roe Racing’ supercharger.

The effect of this forced induction was to raise the output to somewhere just north of 600 bhp…an eye-watering number that he sensibly thought was perhaps a trifle too strong for normal road use. That’s why he removed the unit and returned the car to its factory-spec natural aspiration.

The supercharger and the rear wing shown in the photographs are available through separate negotiation with the vendor.

The undersides of the car look to have a good deal of structural integrity and seem to us to be wholly untroubled by either time, wear or use.

Although the car comes with little in the way of history or service records, the previous owner has told us that it was always been maintained and fettled by an independent specialist while the car was in his care.

It comes with a clear HPI check, a user manual, a set of keys and a fresh MoT that’s valid until January 20206.

This is not a car for the faint-hearted or anyone looking for a quiet life.

Even in ‘standard’ 450 bhp factory spec, it takes off like a nervous cheetah at a fireworks display, sounds like an electrical storm over the Eiger, and smashes holes through the space-time continuum like the Millennium Falcon.

Quite what’s it’s like with the supercharger bolted into place is something we frankly can’t comprehend or imagine.

Feeling brave?

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £35,000 - £45,000. And it's No Reserve!

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am-12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.