5 Reasons 2000 Viper GTS-R was Ahead of its Time
Slideshow: Vipers aren’t always thought of as being cutting-edge, but this one certainly was.
Adjustable Pedals
The GTS-R concept actually had adjustable pedals way back in the year 2000. It’s now almost 20 years later and we are just seeing this tech advertised in the latest hypercars that cost over $1 million. Part of the reason manufacturers do this now is to keep the driver’s seat in a fixed position so as not to disturb weight distribution which gives the car better rotational properties on corner turn in. Engineers at Dodge were thinking about every detail in designing this concept.
image courtesy of supercars.net
Keep it Simple Stupid
...A motto often muttered by old mechanics when you overcomplicate an easy task. The same philosophy can be applied to great cars. This concept car took everything a step further by doing what has been proven to work: huge tires, a big engine with no turbochargers for the best feedback via your right foot. And double-wishbone suspension on all four corners keeps the R concept planted. It was a certain foreshadowing of things to come in the future when they launched the ACR. That car broke records not by having trick gizmos, but by not overcomplicating the basic formula of speed.
>>Join the conversation about the Viper GTS-R concept right here in the Dodge Forum!
Aerodynamics
In the early 2000s, factory aerodynamics weren’t even an idea. Cars like the Enzo and Carrera GT had very rudimentary wings and splitters by today’s standards, with very little attention paid to things like rear diffusers or splitter end plates. Take a close look at this concept and you’ll see a rear diffuser and a bit of a front lip that comes out in the form of a very tamed front splitter. It shows Dodge was thinking about aerodynamics in a different way than the competition around this time. You can also see a fixed wing that runs in line with the roof for added downforce. Very advanced stuff for the year this car came out.
image courtesy of supercars.net
>>Join the conversation about the Viper GTS-R concept right here in the Dodge Forum!
Center-Lock Wheels
Center-locking wheels have the benefit of being able to be changed quickly in racing, but what about on the street? Many manufacturers have used this after Dodge (most famously the Carrera GT in 2004 which debuted with center-locking wheels that had everyone’s collective jaws on the floor) to reduce rotating assemblies and improve handling dynamics. Again, many people forget how innovative Dodge is as a brand. They just don’t go off shout about it as much for some reason, they simply let the car do the talking for them.
image courtesy of supercars.net
>>Join the conversation about the Viper GTS-R concept right here in the Dodge Forum!
Withstanding Time Itself
Any great car that was ahead of its time has stood the test of the time, so as not to look worn or outdated decades later. The Viper GTS-R was purposely created with a “higher belt line, bump-up rear fender shape, and more defined side crease” according to Osamu Shikado who designed this stunning concept car. The last and final way the GTS-R was ahead of its time is that it still looks good years later, which is something certain manufacturers are only just beginning to realize. Dodge has been ahead of the curve in every aspect of the game, so we can only hope the Viper name is not dead. After recent announcements that the snake might be coming back to strike again, we can only hope the next iteration is just as ground-breaking.
image courtesy of wheelsage.org
>>Join the conversation about the Viper GTS-R concept right here in the Dodge Forum!
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