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SRT unveils $459,000 Dodge Viper GT3-R – and, no, you can’t drive it home

Viper GT3-R
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you ask us, half the fun of owning a nearly $500,000 car is showing up at the supermarket or your kids’ piano recitals in it. If you can’t rattle windows and scare old people with it, why not just get a $100,000 Porsche, then?

We say that – then we see the SRT GT3-R and rethink things.

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Though it’s powered by the same V10 as the standard Viper, SRT has added a few new, special bits. The body is more aerodynamic, thanks to the upgraded body package, which is said to improve handling.

Next SRT added Xtrac six-speed sequential transmission with paddle shifters, six-piston front brake calipers with four-piston rears, lightweight wheels, and a multi-disc race clutch. “The SRT Viper GT3-R is the next logical progression of our successful Viper GTS-R, a championship-proven formula that has captured some of the world’s most prestigious races,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of SRT.

SR013_095MO
Image used with permission by copyright holder

OK – yes – the Viper GT3-R is too much money. But in a track world dominated by Porsches, we’d seriously own the daring Viper if we had more money than sense.

We suppose that if we had that much money, a highly illegal drive to the supermarket in our specially designed American racecar wouldn’t be completely out of the question. Heck, how much could that ticket be anyway?

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
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