Chrysler unveils new sleek Vipers

THE redesigned 2013 SRT Viper (pic) goes on sale in mid-November priced from just under US$100,000 (around $122,910), making it the most expensive car in Chrysler's US lineup.

The first Vipers off the assembly line in Detroit will be coupes. The original Viper, introduced in early 1992, was a two-passenger convertible. Asked if Chrysler has plans to add a Viper roadster to the new lineup, a company spokesman said, "Nothing yet."

The standard Viper will start at US$99,390, while the uplevel Viper GTS will be priced from US$122,390. Both stickers include a US$1,995 shipping charge.

The relaunch of the Viper sports car, which has been absent from the market for two years, is another signal of Chrysler's resurgence under corporate parent Fiat SpA, which took control of the Number Three US automaker after its 2009 bankruptcy.

Chrysler said the first Vipers should be delivered to customers in December.

The Viper's nearest domestic competitor is General Motors Co's Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, which has a base sticker of US$113,575, including shipping and a federal gas-guzzler tax. Chrysler said Viper will have a gas-guzzler tax, but prices do not yet reflect the tax because official EPA fuel-economy numbers have not been released for the car.

The new Viper features one of the largest engines available in a US production car - an 8.4-litre V10 rated at 640 horsepower. The Corvette ZR1 has a 6.2-litre V8 that delivers 638 horsepower.

The last Viper was sold by Chrysler under the Dodge brand as a 2010 model. The latest edition, which carries the SRT brand, was unveiled earlier this year at the New York auto show. Reuters