The Dodge Viper utilizes a winning sportscar formula, a big V10 engine up front, a six-speed manual transmission, and drive going to the rear wheels. Unfortunately, the Viper sales were not enough to sustain it, with Dodge announcing its retirement back in 2017. Despite this, a new sales report from FCA states that Dodge sold two brand-new vipers during the third quarter of 2020. To make things even more unusual, Dodge sold five Vipers in 2019 and 19 in 2018. 

Where are all of these brand new Dodge Vipers hiding?

A quick search for new Dodge Vipers does not provide an answer. While there are plenty of low mileage examples with ridiculous price tags, none are in brand-new condition from Dodge dealerships. The Dodge website won’t even allow you to search for the Viper in their national inventory. One explanation for their lack of advertising could be that those two Vipers sold were the last ones available. Given that Dodge hasn’t sold a Viper since June of 2019, this seems unlikely. 

A second more conspiratorial explanation could be that dealerships are keeping their inventory quiet as prices for Vipers surge. It’s not uncommon to see low-volume sports cars appreciate long after going out of production. Given that FCA appears to have no intention of reviving the model, dealership owners could patiently be waiting to cash in for the long-run. Hoarding special edition cars isn’t even that rare. Lexus reported that it managed to sell three brand-new LFA’s in 2019, over seven years after the model went out of production.

Can I find one if I look outside of the U.S.? 

Oddly enough, although two Dodge Vipers sold in the U.S. during Q3, one Viper sold in Canada during the same period. As you’d expect, a search of the Canadian classifieds yielded no results. The consistent lack of advertising could mean that these cars are only available for sale in person. If we look at it from the dealership’s perspective, it begins to make more sense. If someone has to take the time to track down your car, they are most likely determined to buy it, regardless of price.

On the flip side, selling a brand-new four-year-old vehicle doesn’t paint the brand in a positive light. More than anything, it says that it took that particular dealership four years to sell a highly desirable model. The result is that while there may be none available for sale online, they could be available in person if you can find them. So, if you have the cash and want a Viper, there should be a couple left in the U.S. and abroad as well. 

Powering the Dodge Viper is a V10 developed with Lamborghini

Interest in the Dodge Viper is not hard to understand. A V10 developed by Lamborghini engineers lived under the hood and produced 640 hp. All generations of the Viper were exclusively available with a six-speed manual transmission. Aside from being a V10, the Vipers engine was also 8.4-liters large, making it over twice the McLaren 720S engines’ displacement. The Viper reached 60 mph in around 3.4 seconds and continued to a top speed of over 200 mph. 

The Viper was more than just a muscle car, with track-ready ACR versions setting lap time records worldwide. Most notably, the ACR did not include an automatic transmission, meaning it set track records with three pedals. All generations of the Viper also found success in motorsport racing in various classes since the 1990s. This rich and successful history should see values skyrocket in the coming years. So if you want a brand-new Viper, put on your detective’s hat and go track them down.