1997 Dodge Viper GTS

Bigger-And Badder-Than LifeFew legends truly live up to their press. The Dodge Viper GTS, on the other hand, exceeds the hyperbole that engulfs it. This, the "civilized" version of the famous Viper RT/10 roadster, has modern conveniences such as actual door handles, roll-up windows, and an everyday driving demeanor just within the bounds of conventionality. But dip deeply into the brimming reservoir of torque under the GTS's giant hood, and "civility" will be the last thing on your mind. The Dodge people claim a 490-pound-foot wallop out of the 8.0-liter V-10; believe them. In a car that weighs just 68 pounds more than the diminutive Porsche 911 Turbo, this torque translates into immediate, brutal-almost terrifying-throttle response. Mercifully, the GTS has a better composed, far more predictable chassis than that of the original RT/10. But it's still pure, unvarnished, wet-your-pants performance.

The GTS cut a swath of destruction through our ten tests, winning six of them outright, and only faltering significantly in 60-0-mph braking and on the wet skidpad. Although it only required 4.0 seconds for the 0-60-mph challenge, the Viper couldn't match the Porsche's initial pounce off the line (and 3.7-second 0-60 performance); the GTS, however, was the leader in the quarter mile, with a 12.2-second, 119.3-mph pass, and then blew through the one-mile mark at 169.4 mph (6.8 mph faster than the 911), on its way to an atmosphere-battering terminal velocity of 187.3 mph-5.5 mph faster than the Black Forest bomber. A maximum lateral g reading of 1.01 on the dry skidpad combined with the GTS's unerring chassis response to allow a breathtaking production-record 73.6-mph slalom pass; this tells you plenty about the way the Viper works. A pole-position lap time on the road course tells you the rest-this is more race car than street car.

The Viper is easily forgiven its $73,030 asking price by virtue of its remarkable ability to bend time and space, while simultaneously stimulating enthusiast pleasure centers-almost to the threshold of pain.-Jeff Karr