CHRYSLER

A legendary and rare VIPER GTS-R GT2 goes up for auction

A rare collector's piece will be auctioned by Worldwide Auctioneers tomorrow. Not only is it one of the few units manufactured in the extremely rare Dodge Viper GTS-R GT2 Champion Edition package from 1998, it is also the # 002 issue of this exclusive limited edition, which despite its age is completely new and practically without use.
The Dodge Viper RT / 10 was launched in the early 90s as a kind of homage to the radical Shelby Cobra classic roadster. Although the original Cobra was actually a project related to Ford, a company that not only facilitated the necessary capital for its development, but also provided all the V8 engines that were used by the roadster, in the late 1980s, Carroll Shelby was associated with the Chrysler Group. Thus, it was the people in charge of this corporation who devised this tribute to the classic Cobra.



After the media success of the original Viper RT / 10, the company decided to create a coupe version and compete with it in the World Endurance Championship, as did different versions of the Ford-powered Shelby Cobra at the time. The truth is that the new Viper GTS, which is how this coupe version was named, had a great resemblance to the Shelby Cobra Daytona and like him, it was also very successful in competition. In fact, the Viper GTS-R (name of the racing version) was the great dominator of the FIA ​​GT category through the French team ORECA, which achieved numerous victories and no less than 5 world titles between 1997 and 2002.



To celebrate the achievement of the first title in 1997, it was decided to create a limited edition as a tribute based precisely on the coupe version of the Viper, which adopted the name of the competition version. Only 100 copies of this edition were manufactured, all of them characterized by the same configuration and with the possibility of equipping the spectacular optional GT2 Champion Edition package, which for a price of no less than $15,000, added the impressive aerodynamic kit that we can see in the images , which included the new front bumper with splitter and flaps, in addition to the huge rear airfoil, one of the most spectacular at the time. In addition to the different emblems referring to this limited version and competition seats with ORECA belts.



The logic would have been to call this limited edition the Dodge Viper GTS-R GT2 Champion Edition, since that was the name of the aerodynamic package that was only available in this version, however, the brand preferred to use only the name of the competition version and leave customers to decide whether or not to install this aerodynamic package.


Powertrain: 466 hp and 678 Nm

The unit that appears in the photographs is a very prominent example of this version, as it is not only in perfect condition and with all its original elements, but has always been in the hands of well-known collectors who have preserved it properly. In addition, this is unit number # 002 out of 100 manufactured in this limited edition, which is an argument for any specialist or model aficionado.
If the conventional Viper GTS had the 8.0-liter V10 made of aluminum from the Viper RT / 10, but with 456 hp, in the front span of the Viper GTS-R, this block delivered 466 hp and 678 Nm of maximum torque, associated exclusively with the 6-speed manual transmission.



Inside this version there is a very racing atmosphere thanks to the sports seats with belts, although the entire cabin remains covered in double tone leather and maintaining its basic equipment, such as the audio system and air conditioning. So, despite its exterior appearance, we are not talking about a radical lightweight version of the circuit, but a slightly more radical street version.
This copy will be auctioned tomorrow, September 5, by the American auction house Worldwide Auctioneers at its next Auburn event.



Autonews