When Dodge and its SRT division reintroduced the iconic Viper GTS for the 2013 and 2014 model years, finding eager buyers was surprisingly difficult. The hand-assembled, 8.4-liter V10 supercars famously sat unsold on dealer lots as consumers gravitated toward more sophisticated, automated competitors.
Fast forward a decade, and the market for the analog American sports car has drastically changed.
A 2014 SRT Viper GTS recently sold on Bring a Trailer for a staggering $183,000. According to the original window sticker included in the sale, the car was initially delivered to East Tennessee Dodge Chrysler Plymouth Jeep in Crossville, Tennessee, bearing a total retail price of $134,080.
Via: Bring a Trailer
Finished in Gunmetal Pearl with black racing stripes over a black leather and Alcantara interior, the Viper remained under the care of its original owner until the October 27 auction. Over the course of 12 years, the owner added just 799 miles to the digital odometer.
$61 of Gain for Every Mile Driven
The $183,000 hammer price represents a $48,920 premium over the car's original MSRP—a 36.5 percent appreciation bump.
Breaking that gross profit down mathematically, the original owner essentially earned a return of $61.22 for every single mile the Tremec six-speed manual transmission was shifted.
Via: Bring a Trailer
While the appreciation is impressive for a car that initially struggled to sell, the $61-per-mile figure is strictly a gross calculation. It completely ignores over a decade of ownership expenses, including insurance, storage costs, and regular maintenance.
As noted in the auction listing, the seller routinely performed annual oil changes and flushed the coolant, brake, and transmission fluids to keep the low-mileage V10 in perfect working order. The gross figure also does not factor in the standard auction fees associated with Bring a Trailer.
Via: Bring a Trailer
Still, the final hammer price is a testament to the Viper's permanent sleeper status in the collector market. The analog driving experience provided by the 640-horsepower, naturally aspirated engine is commanding massive premiums, with clean, low-mileage fifth-generation models now regularly trading hands well above their original sticker prices.