2001 Dodge Viper RT/10

This is a second generation Dodge Viper RT/10 - built in 2001 in left-hand-drive with a 6-speed manual ‘box, the 450 hp motor and the newly introduced ABS. It was imported and registered in the UK in June 2005.

The current owner bought the car in February 2017 and is its fifth keeper on this side of the pond. Collectively the successive owners of this Viper have only driven the car around 33,500 miles, a low mileage for a car of this age that is backed up by the online MOT record.

The vendor is a serial owner and collector of American muscle cars and pretty much anything that converts vast quantities of petroleum into noise. He first saw a Viper in the

USA around ‘96 - or rather he heard it first, then saw it. From that point on, it was on his bucket list to own one.

He was attracted to this particular car because of the low miles (about 30k when he bought it) and its honesty and originality - not having been performance-modified in any way. What he also likes about driving the Viper is that he has to stay engaged, being on guard and respectful of the car’s power and handling.

He’s not used it a great deal, only a few thousand miles, and of late those miles have been to the garage and back once or twice a year for an MOT or service. That’s part of the reason for selling - that and making space to bring a race car into the purpose built and humidity-controlled car house it has been kept in.

The exterior of the car is finished in Viper Race Yellow, one of three colours available in 2001. The broad dark grey racing stripes complete the look and although stripes were a factory option, we understand that these ones were applied in 2017. The current owner chose dark grey rather than black which he felt created too harsh a contrast.

The paint is in very good condition with just the occasional knock - such as the chip on the edge of the passenger door and the scuffs to the bottom of the front spoiler and leading edges of the sills. The largely fibreglass bodywork shows even panel alignment and shut lines are generally also good but the bumper and off-side headlamp/wing are a bit misaligned.

The offside headlamp unit has a little condensation inside, there is a small scratch on the front windscreen by the nearside A-pillar and there is a small patch of bubbling on the trailing edge of the nearside sill, inside the wheel arch.

The removable Targa hardtop is in good order and where it meets the paintwork to the rear of the cabin there is a small strip of PPF to protect the finish.

The Viper sits on 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, painted dark grey to match the stripes and in good condition. All are shod with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres dating from 2010 and 2011.

The interior of the Viper is mostly clad in black leather and vinyl, with the seat upholstery showing in largely good, undamaged condition although the driver’s seat side bolster is a little worn and soft. The gaiter on the handbrake is also slightly scruffy in places and the plastic trim around the gear shift gaiter is lifting slightly.

Below the quartet of auxiliary dials sculpted into the central dash, there is a more modern Pioneer stereo with Bluetooth and Spotify capability, which works as it should, as do the windows and other electricals we’ve been able to test. Between the seats is a woofer speaker along with a small, lockable storage compartment.

The carpets are clean and intact and have fitted overmats carrying the Viper logo in contrasting yellow. The fabric up the lower sides of the door cards are pilling and there are scuffs on the sill kick plates - as you’d expect.

To be fair, the minor niggles mentioned above are just that and really don’t detract from the fabulous look of the Viper’s cabin.

Under the long, front-hinged, clam-shell bonnet - well it needs to be long to contain the 8-litre monster within - the engine bay presents very well, with just a touch of blistering in the paint on one of the cam covers. Everything else looks in order and there’s a nice touch of the Viper logo embossed into the bonnet lining.

The undersides of the car appear undamaged and relatively clean, with just the surface rust on some of the fixings and on suspension and steering components that you’d expect.

Inside the boot - which isn’t huge but more than adequate - is a fitted floor mat the same as in the footwells but covering the whole area. Underneath is a temporary-use spare wheel fitted with a Michelin tyre.

The Viper has a current MOT valid until October 2023, which it passed without advisory.

As well as the owner’s manual and service manual, the paperwork with the car contains MOT reports and a number of invoices documenting servicing, parts and maintenance back to 2011 as follows:-

• Oct 2020 - MOT, oil cooler pipes - 33,099 - Mann Autoservices, Tewkesbury
• Mar 2020 - service - 31,586 - a/a
• Nov 2017 - service & stripes added - 31,487 - a/a
• Oct 2016 - power steering - Modurstang, Oxon
• Aug 2016 - ABS control unit, alternator - Montaini Automotive, Essex
• Oct 2015 - MOT, suspension, electrics - a/a
• Aug 2015 - service - 29,175 - Modurstang, Oxon
• Jun 2011 - service - 21,618 - a/a
• Apr 2011 - MOT, wheel refurb, O2 sensor and tail lamp - Atlantic Sports Cars, Edinburgh
• Apr 2011 - O2 sensor and tail lamp parts - Tator’s Garage, Salem, NY
• Jan 2011 - service plus front tyres - 18,530 - Modurstang, Oxon

This larger-than-life chunk of American muscle cannot fail to attract attention as it drives by, whether from the bumble-bee visuals or the V10’s growl-to-howl audio track. It is fabulously raw to drive - albeit a little thirsty, making 20 mpg at best - and it’s easy for a sensible driver to pilot without coming unstuck.

For a performance car with a Lamborghini-derived V10, the Viper is pretty agricultural compared to the prima-donnas from Sant’ Agata, so it’s fairly straight-forward to work on and even to maintain yourself if desired.

We think this eye-catching 2001 RT/10 convertible with good history and low mileage will sell for between £35,000 and £45,000.

According to most owners, the 2001 Dodge Viper is “the greatest American muscle car ever made”. Of course, they may be biased and there are many other cars out there with a legitimate claim to this accolade, but the Viper is a truly awesome machine that will put a big smile on your face.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.