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The redesigned cockpit sublimely blends brushed aluminum accents with straightforward analog instruments. Secondary gauges, including coolant temperature, oil pressure and volts, have been repositioned in a vertical row just to the right of the main instrument binnacle. The only nit to pick with the interior is the Chrysler parts-bin sourcing of the radio and climate controls.

Twist the key ... and nothing happens. There's a large red start button on the console. Punch it and the 8.3-liter V-10 rumbles to life. One of the complaints associated with the side exhausts on the first Vipers was that you heard only the five cylinders on whatever side of the car you happened to be sitting in or standing near, a noise that some uncharitably characterized as sounding like a UPS truck.

Initially, an electronic noise canceling/augmenting system was proposed and abandoned. Instead, a rear crossover pipe connecting the back ends of the exhaust system was employed, allowing right and left bank decibels to commingle. The result is a much more satisfying rumble at idle and more urgent bark when the accelerator is mashed. Thus, we get an exhaust note that is more refined but no less potent.

The Tremec T-56 6-speed manual is gifted with short, sure throws. With such prodigious power on tap, clutch take-up is remarkably civil. At low throttle openings, the car is tractable, the rack-and-pinion steering easy to handle. Jump on the throttle and the familiar head-tossing acceleration is there. The Viper's ability to explode out of the blocks hasn't changed. What has changed is its handling ability.

The longer wheelbase and a drivetrain mounted more than an inch lower in the chassis give the Viper a much more settled feel when charging through corners. Transitions are more progressive, especially the shift from understeer to oversteer. In the previous Viper, it would happen in a split second; with the new car, there's better communication as you begin to reach the car's limit, making it easier to correct once the rear end steps out. The old car felt ham-fisted; the new Viper is more like harnessed fury waiting to be released.

In addition to the car's lower center of gravity and chassis changes, the new tires, Michelin Pilots developed specifically for the car, provide better grip and an improved ride. On the front, P275/35ZRs are mounted on 18 x 10-in. wheels, while on the rear, P345/30ZR tires are fitted to 19 x 13-in. alloy rims.

Braking is also upgraded, thanks to the use of Brembo 4-piston calipers at all four corners, along with advanced ABS.

Although my driving was limited to a slalom course and short blasts around a mile-long oval, the time in the new Viper was well spent. Even with the windows down and traveling at about 90 mph, I found that the cabin, with its rather high beltline, is well protected from buffeting. The manual top, which has a hard shell from the header to the top of the backlight, much like the Porsche Boxster's, is easy to raise and lower, although the center-mounted latch makes a hellacious metallic thwang when it's released.

The side windows are shaped so that the rear corner of the top is out of your peripheral vision, thereby avoiding a claustrophobic feel when the top is in place. And the top itself is well insulated, which will allow Viper owners to enjoy their cars virtually year-round no matter the climate.

Production is already ramping up at the Detroit assembly plant and the first models are expected in showrooms later this summer. Having discovered that the Viper feels as athletic as it looks, I enjoyed watching my qualms about this reborn icon disappear in a cloud of tire smoke.

This Is A Developing Story

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