9 mighty Dodge Viper supercars up for auction

This one’s a veritable snakepit of a sale

Wine. Gold. Art. When you’re angling for an investment opportunity, picking your niche is even trickier than pretending you know the difference between bear, bull and bust.

Mercifully for those with readies to spare, Mecum has the perfect proposition: a collection of nine decade-spanning Dodge Vipers, heading to auction in Houston between April 5 and 7.

Admittedly, you might be looking at a hefty initial outlay (not least on garage expansion), but with Chrysler’s all-American racer only becoming more sought after, this one looks like a sound bid.

Here’s a look at the nine Vipers going under the hammer.

1992 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster

Dodge’s now iconic Viper roared into life as a production model in 1992, following three years of development and a pre-production outing as the pace car for the 1991 Indy 500.

Equipped with the 400bhp aluminium V10 engine (developed with the help of Lamborghini) that was to become a linchpin of the Viper brand, this RT/10 was one of just 285 to leave the factory in the model’s first year – and, fittingly, comes clad in that ubiquitous Viper Red.

1993 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster

Channelling 400bhp through the rear wheels of a 1.5-tonne machine without traction control, it naturally didn’t take long for the Viper to establish itself as an unforgiving performance vehicle – not least because it didn’t have door handles.

That reputation continued into 1993, a year in which some 1,043 of Dodge’s snakey roadster left the production line – including this second example up for auction, complete with instantly recognisable 17-inch Viper wheels.

1994 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster

By 1994, Viper production had accelerated, with more than 3,000 rolling out of the factory by the end of the year – including this third Viper Red, erm, Viper.

Still packing that same V10 block and distinctive side-exit exhaust setup, this particular Roadster is notable for its very low mileage: just 1030 miles have been put on its clock since new, making it about as close to a factory-fresh first-generation Viper as you can get.

1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster

Red might be its spiritual shade, but there’s nothing wrong with a splash of variety in your new investment package – which makes this 1995 Viper Yellow Roadster a real boon.

Built in the final year of the first-generation Viper, it’s one of only 298 finished in the rare mustard shade and goes on sale with its original delivery documents, less than 10,000 miles on the clock and, perhaps more importantly, optioned air-conditioning.

1996 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster

Come 1996, it was time for an upgrade: gone was the side exhaust, in favour of a twin tailpipe at the rear – a change that delivered a boost of 15bhp.

Also new for 1996 was the option of a removable hardtop and sliding glass windows – much like those on the Viper up for auction. One of just 231 finished in black in 1996 (complete with Viper stripes), its power steering and air conditioning make it a slightly friendlier reptile.

1996 Dodge Viper RT/10 Roadster

Another 1996 model, this one’s all about the colour combo: one of only 166 Roadsters finished in red in 1996, those 5-spoke Mustard wheels make it far rarer – with just 25 Vipers estimated to have been given the yellow treatment.

With body crests coloured to match and a red/black contrast interior, as Vipers go it’s a pretty stunning example – even if subtlety isn’t its strong point.

1997 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe

If the 1996 Viper was more upgrade than overhaul, the GTS represented a true next-generation model: despite shared appearances, the GTS was safer (thanks to airbags), friendlier (thanks to air conditioning, power steering and door locks), and more powerful – with the same 8.0-litre V10 refined to deliver 450bhp.

Carrying the double-bubble roof (designed to allow room for race helmets) and a white-stripes-on-blue paint job straight out of Gran Turismo, this one’s a stirring example of a key Viper evolution.

1998 Dodge Viper GTS-R

What difference does a letter make? A lot, if that letter is ‘R’. In full race trim, the track-going GTS-R squeezed some 700bhp from that 8-litre Viper V10, and stormed to a host of endurance racing wins in the process – including a 1998 victory at Le Mans.

In roadgoing guise, it carried a GT2-inspired aero package (including hefty rear wing) and delivered a suitably scary 460bhp, despite also wearing a shell lightened through use of composites. Just 100 were built in celebration of the Viper’s racing prowess, of which this low-mileage example is one.

2005 Dodge SRT-10 VCA Edition

The last and youngest of Mecum’s Viper lots shows just how much (and how little) Dodge’s pared-back performance machine changed in a decade. This 2005 drop-top – one of just 50 Viper Club of America special editions – comes fitted with a clutch of mod-cons, from air conditioning to keyless entry tech.

But it also bears a 505bhp 8.3-litre V10 under the hood, wears side-exit exhausts with pride and manages its power through a 6-speed manual transmission – making it every bit the unforgiving Viper.