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In 1989, Chrysler Corporation introduced the Dodge Viper at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Three years later, it went from wowing show audiences to wowing the folks on Main Street. The Viper was a throwback to the muscle cars of the Sixties and Seventies. It was powered by a V-10, to achieve the neck-snapping performance once known on the roads of America. There may not be a Viper in every other garage, but the marque has a loyal following of owners and drivers who wouldn’t even think of owning that Chevy product.
This image of the newly restyled 2003 Viper, the SRT-10, is the fourth FM Die Cast Club release (or, the second mid-year release, if you prefer). Visually, it’s a stunning-looking model. Technically, it’s yet another example of the time warp FM’s in of late. What do I mean? Well, the image has the usual pluses – a working suspension, exceptional under-hood, undercarriage, and interior details – but here are my quibbles. Where are the clear plastic bezels over the gauge faces? Where are the authentic hood hinges? And why are the doors hinged on doglegs? DM’s been doing all of this for a couple of years. Why has FM stopped the innovations, some of which they pioneered? Perhaps it’s to cut cost. But it’s not going to sit well with discriminating collectors in the long run. I feel these little extras cost very little in the overall scheme of things, yet advance the state of the art in model building and, at the same time, cement collector loyalty. A read of the D4C Forum pages will yield a litany of praise for DM’s commitment to excellence.
Having said all of the above, I don’t want to detract from the overall desirability of this Viper image. Despite the older-style technology, it’s well executed, the finish looks smooth and glossy, and it’s of a newly re-styled automobile legend. It’s certainly worth collecting. Even the price, at $120.00, is lower than the $135.00 FM usually charges for specialty releases.
For 2003, Dodge is definitely bringing its premier road burner into the 21st Century. They’ve changed the styling some but have maintained the cues that Viper fans love. Perhaps, in 2042, Viper will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, a la that Chevy product. It certainly seems poised to take a good run at it. I think there’s room for 2 “American Sports Cars,” don’t you?
This car is available only to members of FM's Diecast Collectors Club car for 2003.
(07/05/2003)
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