The Dodge Viper is crude, rude, loud, unsophisticated, unsafe, inconvenient, impractical, ridiculous, and I have to say

Other than the wind-in-the-hair experience, the Viper SRT-10 Coupe and Roadster are the same. (Photo: Dodge)

one of the most enjoyable vehicles I have ever driven. With today's technological brand of supercar, it is not often that one gets to drive a new vehicle without the intervention of a computer, where all that’s standing between you and the road are your feet, hands, brain, and 600-horsepower plus 560 lb-ft of torque.

While some like to criticize the Dodge Viper for its simplicity and lack of features that many other high performance vehicles in its class have, I prefer to celebrate that. The Viper has really not changed a lot since its early introduction in the nineties, other than a few extra liters of engine, a bit more horsepower, a couple additional safety warnings, a revised chassis, and a slightly modernized body style.

The

Coupe or Roadster, it depends on your priorities. (Photo: Dodge)

interior is still just as simple as it ever was, with only the very essentials, including sport seats, tilt steering, 300-watt stereo (optional navigation), 220 mph (354 km/h) speedometer, accelerator/brake pedal (electronically adjustable for 2009), clutch and 6-speed manual shifter. It doesn't feature traction control or side airbags, but thankfully it at least comes with a roof and side glass now.

The 2009 Dodge Viper may be impractical, but compared to the ‘90s models void of windows, top, door handles, etc., it is now good for more than just a few circles around the neighbourhood and then back into the garage. The ’09 Viper comes as either a coupe or roadster complete with weatherproofing, locking doors, and barring the necessity for a little extra mousse or sunscreen,

Still a fabulous design. (Photo: Dodge)

you won't find a heck of a lot of difference between the two.

The coupe has a little extra trunk space, more cold weather convenience, and a slightly more comfortable highway presence, while the roadster offers the open air experience of a lifetime. Both the coupe and roadster will prove far beyond the capabilities of most drivers, therefore one is really no better than the other beyond its basic aesthetics, weather resistance, and noise factor.

Whether you are driving a Viper for your first or four-hundred-and-fifth time it will bring butterflies to your stomach. Perhaps that’s just the sensation of breakfast slapping against backbone as you command full acceleration from the big V10,

The simple, straightforward cockpit of a car that puts performance first and foremost. (Photo: Dodge)

but others say it’s the fear factor that 600 horsepower brings. Many critics of the Viper, however, say that it is not as refined as it should be.

Perhaps by refined they are referring to the fact that driving a Viper in the inner city is like walking a Dalmatian through downtown Tokyo during an attack from Godzilla. There is just too much energy bunched up within its 8.4 litres and not enough opportunity to release it. The Viper does not respond particularly well to the daily grind of stop and go traffic, but neither will the driver for that matter.

After cruising the 2009 Viper SRT-10 down the Las Vegas Strip, which is as practical

There's absolutely nothing else even remotely like the Viper's V10! (Photo: Dodge)

as slicing bread with a chainsaw, it was a pleasure to finally open her up along the twisty roads of the Nevada red rock mountains. This is where I was reminded that the Viper remains just as raw as it ever was. It continues to be only as good as its worst driver, and is still one of the few supercars in the world that cannot compensate for a bad driver.

The Viper works off the age old equation that a gigantic engine plus enough rear wing force to keep its rear wheels on the ground, can propel a gutsy driver to speeds in excess of 320 km/h (0-100 in 3.8 seconds). But just because you can, doesn't mean that you should. This car commands the same respect as a 1,000 cc sport bike. It may feel safe being behind a hood that is longer than the entire chassis of a Daimler-built smart car, but with a minimum

There are few road legal cars that come closer to giving you a true race car experience than the Viper. (Photo: Dodge)

of safety equipment beyond its massive 14-inch rotors, there's little room for mistake.

I had planned on about a half day of road testing the 2009 Dodge Viper Roadster along the open Nevada dessert, but that quickly stretched through the morning and late afternoon. Despite the fact that I could have barbecued a rack of lamb on the exhaust flange, pork chops on the hood, and an egg in the passenger seat by mid-afternoon, the discomfort was not enough to dissuade me from the Viper's eminent charms.

The Viper is everything it should be; quick, deadly, unpredictable, logs terrible gas mileage (19.6/10.7 L/100km by US EPA standards... not as lenient as our Canadian EnerGuide rating, but more realistic), and in the hands of the right person it can be one of the most enjoyable and potent sports cars for under $90,000 ($89,395 for the roadster and $90,395 for the coupe). It is fundamentally unchanged for 2009, beyond an extra notch hidden deep within its chassis, signifying yet another year it has bullied the Z06 Corvette out of first place. As Ferris Bueller once said, “Oh, and the car? It is so choice—If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(M92) Dual Black Painted Stripes

(J004) Standard Black Paint

(M91) Dual Silver Painted Stripes

(M97) Dual Red Painted Stripes

(AP7) Dual White Painted Stripes

(RB1) AM/FM CD GPS Navigation Radio

(JBE) Light Arc Instrument Panel Bezel

(CD7) Premium Two-Tone Interior

(ADB) Protection Group

(J003) Standard Metallic Paint

(JBK) Graphite Instrument Panel Bezel

(M96) Dual Graphite Painted Stripes

(M93) Dual Blue Painted Stripes

(DLXT.) Premium Leather Trimmed Seats

(ARY) Aero Group

(WP4) Forged Aluminum 6 Spoke Wheels

(WPS) Polished Aluminum Wheels