I was driving our long-term 2009 Dodge Viper yesterday and realized I'd gone over halfway home (25 miles) without turning on the audio system. Very unusual, as I tend to get my in-car entertainment handled right after the seatbelt is secured.
It's such a cliche to say, "I don't need no audio system, 'cause my car's drivetrain provides the music," and, honestly, I've never bought into that mentality. Whether driving an old muscle car or a new Ford GT, even the best exhaust note won't keep me satisfied for more than a few minutes.
But the Dodge Viper has more than an exhaust note to keep you entertained (actually much more, which is good because the exhaust tone is pretty mediocre by supercar standards). Driving this car is what's known in exotic car circles as "an Event."
I've heard people argue about the advantages of driving something like a Ferrari over a Mercedes-Benz AMG. Often people (certainly the Ferrari people) claim that even if the AMG pulls the same peformance numbers the Ferrari driving experience is much more of "an Event."
Defining what transforms a driving experience into "an Event" isn't always easy, but it relates to everything from exhaust note to performance and handling dynamics to visual impact. A easy measurement can be taken by simply driving a car into a busy parking area. The more heads that spin and/or the larger the size of the crowd that gathers, the more likely your driving "an Event."
In the case of our long-term Viper, the car never fails to turn heads. But that alone doesn't make me forget to turn on the audio system. For me it's the car's combination of potential performance balanced against its potential for disaster if you don't get it right.
You can't just get into a Viper, lean back, and put your left arm on the window sill. The car demands more of you and will quickly teach you the folly of treating it like a standard form of personal transportation. The shifter is inherently clunky, but if you focus you can avoid the worst of it. Of course the power is monstrous, but accessing it can be risky and it's not something you do blithely.
Even more unexpected, the Viper is unequivocally growing on me (and not in the "somebody get me a disinfectant cream for this!" kind of way). I wasn't too imrpessed after my first drive several months back, and like any car with foibles (inconsistent throttle response, cantankerous shifter, darty steering, etc.) these faults could have gone from mildly annoying to overtly frustrating over time.
But they didn't. Instead, they simply taught me to pay attention and treat the car with respect. You can't make phone calls in the Viper. You don't need audio accompaniment. And don't even think about texting. You have to focus and actually DRIVE this car (what a concept, eh?), and if you don't you'll hate it.
But if you do, the Viper will guarantee "an Event."
Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor at Large @ 15,639 miles
rocklah says:
05:57 PM, 09/ 1/10
Great Post!
Your impressions of driving the viper reaffirm that this cars street legal track car traits are no joke.
Viper = 4 wheeled motorcycle
Got to hand it to dodge for producing a car with such focus
desmolicious says:
06:51 PM, 09/ 1/10
I understand the sentiment, but not the spelling mistakes and incorrect grammar..
ampeg500 says:
02:27 AM, 09/ 2/10
True that...I get the iPod going before I leave the driveway.
zoomzoomn says:
05:21 AM, 09/ 2/10
I know the feeling! I have an '03 Mazda 6s 5-speed with a cold air intake and performance exhaust. It sounds pretty damn awesome with just the perfect note as you either pull through the revs, or downshift into the next corner. There are just simply some nice days where all I want to do is turn the audio system off, drop the windows and enjoy the sounds emminating from my car!!!
coxwill says:
06:22 AM, 09/ 2/10
I leave love having the stereo off and the windows down in my Cooper S, the sound of the turbo just makes things way more fun than they should be
coxwill says:
06:25 AM, 09/ 2/10
Yikes! Sorry about the "leave love" think. Need more coffee...
felonious says:
09:53 AM, 09/ 2/10
Hey Karl, do you still have the Ford GT? (That was you, right?) If so, can you please post a subjective comparo between it and the Viper?
Thanks!
milt721 says:
10:16 AM, 09/ 2/10
I felt the same way about my old Neon SRT-4. Rarely turned on the radio with that car. The snaps, crackles and pops were more than entertaining. I loved to blip the throttle at idle (just up to about 1700 rpm or so) and listen to the pops and it winded down. Never heard another car (especially a 4-cylinder) sound like that from the factory.
c5z06er says:
10:32 AM, 09/ 2/10
I bought an aftermarket stereo from my C5 Z06, which was stupid, because now I rarely have the radio turned on. I have a 30 mile commute and prefer listening to the engine, road noise, exhaust... whatever. I just enjoy the experience... the event, if you will... of driving that car.
But sometimes my wife gets bored and tries to turn the radio on. If I'm feeling ballsy, I'll swat her hand away as she reaches for the power button.
dimic says:
03:44 PM, 09/ 2/10
Hi Karl, seconding question to compare Viper vs. Ford GT event-wise...
yellowmiata says:
04:49 PM, 09/ 2/10
I absolutely know what you mean Karl. I went without a car for nearly two years (not in a row) and each time depended on a motorcycle for transportation. Just like the Viper, a bike requires full attention when you're piloting. Also, when I did get a car, after the stint with only the bike, I found myself paying pure attention to driving, not fiddling with phones, listening to the radio or anything else. Just the tach, the speedo, the clutch, wheel & my butt to tell me which way the car was sliding. Good post.
Kevin
hansverner says:
10:21 PM, 09/ 2/10
I saw this car yesterday, September 1, driving north on the 405 freeway during the afternoon. There are not too many orange Vipers driving around. I made a mental note of the license plate. It's the exact same one as in this picture.
Pictures don't do the color justice. Never have I seen such a loud color!
Also, YAY!!, I saw one of the Insideline cars being driven!
hemi_ownz_u says:
01:40 PM, 09/ 5/10
Great post. This has always been the charm of the Viper and what makes unlike most cars sold today. It commands respect and that you pay attention to driving it, or it'll punish you for being careless. That's always been the charm of the Viper. What a fantastic car.