Among the many many automobiles that I lusted after as a younger automotive fanatic, the Viper ranked close to the highest of the listing. The automotive business had simply emerged from the Eighties – a interval during which most of the most typical automobiles in manufacturing have been identified for being boxy and boring. The Viper’s attractive strains stole the eyes and hearts of many, and it has remained on the map as a fascinating collectible even right now.

The Decide of the Day is a low-mileage 1997 Dodge Viper GTS listed on the market on ClassicCars.com by a personal vendor in Mechanicsville, Maryland. (Click on the hyperlink to view the itemizing)

“An actual head turner,” the itemizing begins. “This 1997 Viper GTS is filled with upgrades together with the sought-after John Hennessey twin-turbo 850-horsepower improve bundle at over $55,000.” The vendor continues, “Simply two house owners, garage-kept, and a low 3,921 unique miles make this automotive a collector’s dream.”

Wow – solely 3,900 miles on a virtually 27-year-old sports activities automotive! Somebody clearly exercised restraint with the urge to drive this beast. Other than the efficiency modifications, its curb enchantment has been enhanced through a set of staggered 19-inch (entrance) and 20-inch (rear) BBC wheels shod in Pirelli Z-rated tires.

The primary retail deliveries of the two-seat Viper sports activities automotive started happening in January 1992. It retailed for $52,000 on the time. Dubbed the “SR1,” the primary era was produced by way of 1995. At its core, it was designed as an all-out sports activities automotive, and facilities have been sparse: The primary automobiles had no exterior-mounted door handles, no air-con, and a canvas roof with zip-in entry. The crowning achievement of this automotive was its powertrain, which centered round a 400-horsepower 8.0-liter V10. The one accessible transmission on the time was a BorgWarner T56 six-speed guide.

The SRII model debuted in 1996 with just a few noteworthy modifications. Considered one of them needed to do with the routing of the exhaust: The earlier side-exit pipes have been relocated to a single-exit rear outlet. Energy was elevated to 415 horsepower (inventory, after all) due to the lowered backpressure. New gear included aluminum suspension parts and an accessible detachable hardtop.

At the moment’s characteristic automotive is a liftback fixed-roof coupe from 1997 without having for that additional hardtop. It’s completed in beautiful “GTS Blue Pearl” with white accenting stripes. The vendor says, “Automobile has by no means touched moist pavement, and exterior paint is in immaculate situation.”

This performance-upgraded automotive is for sure a “true iconic American sports activities automotive.”

The itemizing concludes with, “Wouldn’t it look nice in your storage?” There actually are only a few sub-5,000-mile Vipers nonetheless round nowadays. The asking value for this nationwide treasure is $139,000.

To view this itemizing on ClassicCars.com, see Decide of the Day.