New 2008 Dodge Viper Exterior Review [ 2009 ]
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Dodge Viper's flashy, sleek exterior, which gets only minor changes for this year, gets good feedback.
For 2008, the Viper gets a new hood with functional vented gills and a few more exterior color choices. Car and Driver appreciates the visual change, saying it "achieves the seemingly improbable feat of making the Viper look even more aggressive" and describes the Viper's look as "a medieval spaceship." In fact, no reviewer seems to mind that the exterior changes are minimal; they like Viper's speedy racecar look. "[N]obody is going to mistake a Viper for anything other than, well, a Viper," says Edmunds.
A word of advice: The Viper's side exhaust can heat up to very high temperatures, which makes the exterior side sills dangerously hot and can put drivers at risk for burns on their calves. While some reviewers still cite this as a problem, others say it's been somewhat resolved this year. "Another side-benefit to sidepipes that flow exhaust more efficiently: They don't heat up to skin-searing temperatures, which makes getting in and out a much less risky business than in early Vipers," says Motor Trend.
The Viper comes in two body styles. A convertible soft top differentiates the new roadster from the classic coupe version. Auto reviewers have yet to test the convertible roadster for wind noise and ease of use.
