10. Dodge Viper RT/10
The original Viper in the early ’90s showed what happens when talented individuals with clear goals want to make the perfect car. And those individuals were then president of Chrysler, Bob Lutz; chief engineer, Francois Castaing; chief designer, Tom Gale, and Shelby. Chrysler was enjoying strong sales, so they wanted a model to celebrate their success.
They also wanted a car to connect them with their muscle car roots from the ’60s and ’70s. Castaing, Lutz, and Gale were fans of Shelby’s original Cobra which is one of the most exciting American sports/muscle cars they ever built. The team wanted to build a modern-day Cobra.
But they wanted a car with more power, refinement, and performance to show that a light but powerful roadster was still attractive. Thanks to their influence, the team soon gathered over 80 engineers and designers, officially starting Project Viper. In 1989, they revealed the Dodge Viper concept at the Detroit Motor Show.
They went crazy over the aggressive but elegant lines and prototype V10 engine. The reaction of the public was so overwhelming that Iacocca, Chrysler chairman, rushed the car into production. They wanted it to be ready for its 1992 release, as well as for pace car duty at the legendary Indianapolis 500. Under the hood was an 8.0-liter fully aluminum V10 with 400 HP and 465 lb-ft of torque. The performance secured the Viper’s place as one of the most powerful new models on the market. With a price of just over $50,000 and 0 to 60 mph times of 4.6 seconds, the Viper beat those European exotic machines.
And it established itself as one of the best looking, fastest cars of the early â90s.