Pick of the Day: 12K-Mile 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10

The Pick of the Day is a 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10 listed by a St. Louis, Missouri dealership on ClassicCars.com.

It’s hard to think of the 1990s and not picture the fashion of the time. Growing up in that decade, I remember the popularity of Starter jackets and the bright colors used on windbreakers. Automakers offered cars in teal, yellow, purple, and other eye-popping finishes, but some of them also embraced the pristine look of white with white wheels. Ford went that route with the Vibrant White Feature edition 1993 Mustang. Pontiac celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Trans Am by giving the commemorative 1994 model a Bright White paint job with Bright Blue center striping, Bright White wheels, and White Prado leather seats. This 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10 comes in a similar color scheme of Stone White with blue stripes and white wheels, but there are 10 reasons why it’s much different from its contemporaries. Hint: They’re under the hood.

The Shelby Cobra-inspired Dodge Viper’s first model year only yielded 285 cars, all of them Viper Red RT/10s. As time went on, Dodge produced it in different colors, such as Emerald Green and Dandelion Yellow. The Viper looks good in all of those, but it’s also eye-catching in the Stone White shown here because it’s kind of unexpected. The neutral finish (and the white 17-inch wheels) helps the Viper do what every high-performance sports car should do: get your attention. The blue stripes on the hood and trunk lid contrast nicely and add a racy touch to the overall appearance.

A similar color combo is used in the cockpit. While most of the cabin, including the leather upholstery on the seats, is black, there are brighter elements that keep the interior from looking monotone. The dials for the speedometer, tachometer, and other gauges are white. Blue highlights the major touchpoints on the steering wheel, shifter for the six-speed manual gearbox, and emergency brake.

Like other Vipers of any color (and unlike the white-on-white Mustang and Trans Am mentioned earlier), this ‘96 model has an enormous V10 under its hood. In addition to the frame and suspension updates pointed out in the December 1995 issue of Car and Driver, the 1996 RT/10’s 8.0-liter engine received a bump in output to 415 horsepower and 488 lb-ft of torque. That breathed through a new exhaust setup that exited below the center of the rear bumper instead of under each door.

It’s a good thing this $61,900 Viper comes with a removable black soft top and detachable side curtains. It only has 12,775 miles on it, so those items will come in handy if the next owner decides to rack up serious numbers on the odometer and make lots of great memories in this car. We hope they do.