2013-2017 SRT and Dodge Viper: Exterior Design and Styling
The new 2013 SRT Viper carries the proportions of the three previous body styles. The redesigned Viper badge, named "Stryker" by the Viper Club of America, is in the center of a new clamshell carbon-fiber hood. Selected to satisfy Viper purists, the hood cuts weight and provides access to the front suspension and the V-10 powerplant.
A newly designed, larger dedicated "cold-air" intake is integrated into the hood. The 9-inch (229 mm) by 2-inch (51 mm) scoop puts cooler air directly into the engine and doesn't mix with air taken in for the radiator. As a result, the incoming air is only 10° above ambient temperature on average, producing consistent power output.
Three air extractors are on both sides of the centerline of the power-bulge hood on the base Viper to remove heat and reduce air turbulence. Viper GTS has dual extractors to give the hood a more refined and organic look. Both designs were refined in Chrysler's full-sized wind tunnel in Auburn Hills.
Dual-function, bi-xenon projector headlamps are tightly packaged with white light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running lamps and LED turn signals in a sinister "snake eye" configuration.
Functional "blisters" in the headlamp lenses create a three-dimensional view, while visually reducing the front overhang appearance. The 70-mm projectors are surrounded with silver rings - the only "bright element" in the car's face - and are set against matte-black (Viper) or Dark Neutral Metallic Graphite (Viper GTS) bezels.
The lower front grille, purposefully designed as an evolution of the traditional Viper "bottom mouth" configuration, discretely carries a refined V-shape structure (which was re-created, independently, without having seen or heard about it, by allpar artist JackRatchett).
Front-brake cooling ducts in body color (Viper) or high-gloss black (Viper GTS) within the lower grille channel air to the front rotors and Brembo® calipers. Sculpted air inlets at the lower outboard corners of the front fascia channel incoming air through the front wheel wells to reduce lift and increase high-speed stability. The dramatic fender "gills" carry the same mold-in-color black serpentine textures as the grille extractors.
The 2013 Viper's "double-bubble" roof maximizes headroom while maintaining a low frontal area, and is constructed in carbon fiber for the first time. Rear brake ducts (gloss black or optional carbon fiber), integrated into the B-pillars, channel air downward to cool rear rotors and calipers while also visually stretching the roof, window graphic and side view profile. The rear back glass is flatter, inset and carries a seal free exposed edge of glass, the result of an extended canopy.
Dramatically shaped doors are constructed using an innovative superform aluminum process to achieve lightweight targets and aggressive styling. New door-release handles are electronic-solenoid-switch (touch) activated and work in unison with SRT Viper's Keyless Go system. (Exterior handles are on the tops of the doors and are painted body-color.)
The exhaust system exits forward of the rear wheels with cast aluminum, sill-mounted exhaust bezels. A one-piece, anodized aluminum fuel door carries the "VIPER" font.
For the first time, the 2013 SRT Viper models carry LED taillamps that integrate stop and turn illumination in one element; the lens has a snakeskin texture. With dark-masked lenses, the horizontal lamps appear dark until the LED elements fire. Each lamp carries 50 LEDs that provide a unified "crystallized" effect. (Headlights are 2.8" bi-xenon HID projector beams, and running lights, turn signals, and tail-lamps are all LEDs.)
The lightweight carbon-fiber decklid carries the central high-mounted stoplight (CHMSL), with the new "Stryker" logo.
A new rear appliqué, body color on the Viper and gloss black (or carbon fiber) on the Viper GTS, accentuates the rear width proportions. Rear ports beneath the taillamps extract air from beneath the car and rear wheelhouse to relieve pressure buildup. The rear diffuser was designed in the wind tunnel for enhanced aerodynamic performance (drag coefficient, cD, is 0.364). The brake and differential cooler vents are functional, not for show.
For 2013, the SRT Viper lineup will feature the deepest, richest, highest quality paint ever offered with optional painted stripes that are buried under a top-layer of clear coat. The Stryker Red was originally shown to management with 16 layers of paint; the current version contains four layers.
Paint colors will be black, white, Adrenaline Red, Gunmetal Pearl, Race Yellow, Shadow Blue Pearl, Stryker Red tinted Pearl, and Viper GTS Blue Pearl. Calipers are painted black on the base Viper, red on Viper GTS.
Both the Viper and GTS models feature their own unique optional stripe pattern in three available colors including Black, Bright White and Gunmetal Pearl.
2016 Dodge Viper: Matte finish paints
Beginning with the 2016 Dodge Vipers, buyers could order matte-finish paint on every color. Vipers are painted by hand, with 145 to 160 man-hours taken to prepare and paint the body panels, and eight hours to apply the exterior paint. After paint and clear coat, every Viper body panel is sanded smooth by hand with 1,000 grit paper and polished to a near mirror finish. To create the new matte finish, each body panel is also sanded for a second time before the matte clear paint is applied.
Nose to tail stripes are also hand painted and finished underneath the clear coat or matte clear finish coat so there are no discernable edges, a process which adds 18 hours to the paint process.
Also see:
How Dodge Vipers are built • Plastic and resin body parts • Conner Avenue Plant • 2013 Viper Event
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The new 2013 SRT Viper carries the proportions of the three previous body styles. The redesigned Viper badge, named "Stryker" by the Viper Club of America, is in the center of a new clamshell carbon-fiber hood. Selected to satisfy Viper purists, the hood cuts weight and provides access to the front suspension and the V-10 powerplant.
A newly designed, larger dedicated "cold-air" intake is integrated into the hood. The 9-inch (229 mm) by 2-inch (51 mm) scoop puts cooler air directly into the engine and doesn't mix with air taken in for the radiator. As a result, the incoming air is only 10° above ambient temperature on average, producing consistent power output.
Three air extractors are on both sides of the centerline of the power-bulge hood on the base Viper to remove heat and reduce air turbulence. Viper GTS has dual extractors to give the hood a more refined and organic look. Both designs were refined in Chrysler's full-sized wind tunnel in Auburn Hills.
Dual-function, bi-xenon projector headlamps are tightly packaged with white light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running lamps and LED turn signals in a sinister "snake eye" configuration.
Functional "blisters" in the headlamp lenses create a three-dimensional view, while visually reducing the front overhang appearance. The 70-mm projectors are surrounded with silver rings - the only "bright element" in the car's face - and are set against matte-black (Viper) or Dark Neutral Metallic Graphite (Viper GTS) bezels.
The lower front grille, purposefully designed as an evolution of the traditional Viper "bottom mouth" configuration, discretely carries a refined V-shape structure (which was re-created, independently, without having seen or heard about it, by allpar artist JackRatchett).
Front-brake cooling ducts in body color (Viper) or high-gloss black (Viper GTS) within the lower grille channel air to the front rotors and Brembo® calipers. Sculpted air inlets at the lower outboard corners of the front fascia channel incoming air through the front wheel wells to reduce lift and increase high-speed stability. The dramatic fender "gills" carry the same mold-in-color black serpentine textures as the grille extractors.
The 2013 Viper's "double-bubble" roof maximizes headroom while maintaining a low frontal area, and is constructed in carbon fiber for the first time. Rear brake ducts (gloss black or optional carbon fiber), integrated into the B-pillars, channel air downward to cool rear rotors and calipers while also visually stretching the roof, window graphic and side view profile. The rear back glass is flatter, inset and carries a seal free exposed edge of glass, the result of an extended canopy.
Dramatically shaped doors are constructed using an innovative superform aluminum process to achieve lightweight targets and aggressive styling. New door-release handles are electronic-solenoid-switch (touch) activated and work in unison with SRT Viper's Keyless Go system. (Exterior handles are on the tops of the doors and are painted body-color.)
The exhaust system exits forward of the rear wheels with cast aluminum, sill-mounted exhaust bezels. A one-piece, anodized aluminum fuel door carries the "VIPER" font.
For the first time, the 2013 SRT Viper models carry LED taillamps that integrate stop and turn illumination in one element; the lens has a snakeskin texture. With dark-masked lenses, the horizontal lamps appear dark until the LED elements fire. Each lamp carries 50 LEDs that provide a unified "crystallized" effect. (Headlights are 2.8" bi-xenon HID projector beams, and running lights, turn signals, and tail-lamps are all LEDs.)
The lightweight carbon-fiber decklid carries the central high-mounted stoplight (CHMSL), with the new "Stryker" logo.
A new rear appliqué, body color on the Viper and gloss black (or carbon fiber) on the Viper GTS, accentuates the rear width proportions. Rear ports beneath the taillamps extract air from beneath the car and rear wheelhouse to relieve pressure buildup. The rear diffuser was designed in the wind tunnel for enhanced aerodynamic performance (drag coefficient, cD, is 0.364). The brake and differential cooler vents are functional, not for show.
For 2013, the SRT Viper lineup will feature the deepest, richest, highest quality paint ever offered with optional painted stripes that are buried under a top-layer of clear coat. The Stryker Red was originally shown to management with 16 layers of paint; the current version contains four layers.
Paint colors will be black, white, Adrenaline Red, Gunmetal Pearl, Race Yellow, Shadow Blue Pearl, Stryker Red tinted Pearl, and Viper GTS Blue Pearl. Calipers are painted black on the base Viper, red on Viper GTS.
Both the Viper and GTS models feature their own unique optional stripe pattern in three available colors including Black, Bright White and Gunmetal Pearl.
2016 Dodge Viper: Matte finish paints
Beginning with the 2016 Dodge Vipers, buyers could order matte-finish paint on every color. Vipers are painted by hand, with 145 to 160 man-hours taken to prepare and paint the body panels, and eight hours to apply the exterior paint. After paint and clear coat, every Viper body panel is sanded smooth by hand with 1,000 grit paper and polished to a near mirror finish. To create the new matte finish, each body panel is also sanded for a second time before the matte clear paint is applied.
Nose to tail stripes are also hand painted and finished underneath the clear coat or matte clear finish coat so there are no discernable edges, a process which adds 18 hours to the paint process.
Also see:
- The 2017 SRT Viper (main page)
- 2017 SRT Viper suspension, tires, wheels, and steering
- Viper power: engine and transmission
- 2017 Special Editions
- Our predictions: renderings
- Viper GTS Launch Edition
- 2013-17 SRT/Dodge Viper
- 2008-2010 Dodge Viper
- 2003-2007: Dodge Viper SRT-10
- 1992-2002 Viper RT/10 and GTS
How Dodge Vipers are built • Plastic and resin body parts • Conner Avenue Plant • 2013 Viper Event
Home •
Engines •
Reviews •
Chrysler 1904-2018 •
Upcoming •
Trucks •
Cars
Spread the word via <!--Tweet or--> Facebook!
We make no guarantees regarding validity or accuracy of information, predictions, or advice - .
Copyright © VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, Ram, and Mopar are trademarks of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.