When it was announced that the new SRT Vipers would be hitting the showroom floors, we couldn’t wait to feast our eyes on one. We’ve all seen the added dealer markup on limited run vehicles before, and the dreaded waiting lists for new model releases. But that doesn’t stop some buyers, who will do all they can to get their hands on one of these limited vehicles, including paying a whopping $30,000 over the MSRP of $134,590.
Our friend Joe Bourdage, Heavy Line Tech at Carl Burger Dodge in La Mesa, California, was able to snap a couple of pictures of the first one to arrive in their showroom. Bourdage tells us it was sold the day it arrived, and the Viper now awaits the new owner to take delivery.
We were told that this was the first Viper to be delivered within a 400 square mile radius, making it the first SRT Viper to hit Southern California. It also sports VIN 000008, making it the 8th Viper off the assembly line.
With SRT Brand Chief Ralph Gilles at the helm, and given his disdain for that ZR1 race at Laguna Seca, we’re all excited that the current brood of Vipers isn’t going to be enough. The announcement that a special version, the Viper TA, is in the works, and that means much better handling around the twisties.
With the same 640 horsepower as in the stock SRT Viper, the TA, which stands for Time Attack, promises to be far different everywhere else, making it a beast at the track. The TA, however, will be even more limited than the standard Viper with just 33 being slated thus far.
The Viper, when it was first released, was wrought with labels such as being “very hard to drive” because it had so much torque and nearly untamable horsepower. But like a fine wine, some things get better with age and the SRT Viper has come a long way. It’s much more refined, with features like traction control and fine leather, making it a far cry from the brutality of the original Viper GTS with it’s “business only” interior.
Will the TA share the interior or will it be as spartan as we expect? We can’t wait to see the new Viper TA, but wonder a couple of things about it: why not a couple more colors, and how much will it sell for – including the dealer markup?
How much would you be willing to pay above sticker for a car like this, knowing it’s limited numbers? Keep in mind, you will likely be the only person in your town with one, so does that make it worth even more to you?