TACH Drives the New Dodge Viper GTS Coupe and Gets Reactions

12/10/96

This is not a nuts and bolts evaluation of the new Dodge Viper GTS Coupe, the car that paced the 1996 Indy 500, 'cause everyone knows the car has an eight-liter, 10 cylinder hot rod mill, 450 ponies, and goes like stink. You've read all about it in the buff books and enthusiast magazines.

We took one to the Chrysler Grand Prix vintage car race in Palm Springs where empressarios Bill Lilly and former GM PR biggie, Harry Kelly interrupt their Marina Del Rey, Ca siestas aboard their yachts each year to spend a few weeks producing a neat vintage car race in the California desert.

This year they set up a "hard-on-brakes" 1.3 mile road course near Cathedral City. There were a bunch of Dodge Vipers on hand, as the Viper club motored in from the Peterson Auto Museum in Los Angeles and took a few laps around the circuit on Saturday and Sunday. It appeared, however, that we had the only coupe, and the motor never got cold during our two day Palm Springs odyssey. EVERYONE wanted to drive or ride in it.

Gary Odegard, rich PR person and Z-28 Camaro chauffeur, said, "this thing is awesome . . . it sure has steam." Bruce Donaldson, ad mucky-muck from San Francisco, said "I'll put a tank of gas in it if you let me drive it." Randall Koch, suspect auto chemicals marketer and well know wine taster . . . in fact at 300 pounds the biggest wine taster in Orange County, California . . . said, "is it good? Is it fast? I got a ticket within five minutes behind the wheel!" Matt Smyrnos, well known saloon-keeper in Van Nuys, California: "I don't want to give it back . . . can I wash it for you?" Will Maloney, racing team boss, videographer and self proclaimed answer to a maiden's (any maiden's) prayers: "Not too much room in this big car to do anything but drive it fast . . . but heck, that's what it's made for." Later Gary Pomeroy, home builder/developer, had an opportunity to take a lap around the streets adjacent to John Wayne Airport in Newport Beach, California, whereupon he uttered the phrase we heard so often . . . "Awesome!"

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel