Dodge Viper

Larger than life and full of attitude--including the smirking snake it used for its logo--the Dodge Viper went on sale in 1992 and helped define the swaggering Chrysler led by guys like Bob Lutz and Tom Gale. That’s three Chryslers ago though, and the Viper was one of the few remnants of the “Old Chrysler” that made it through the DaimlerChrysler years and into the private-equity era pretty much intact.

Now, the company is trying to sell the Viper brand. Driving a Viper is an experience unto itself, full of sights and sounds you’ll encounter in few, if any, sports cars, and any Viper demands respect and commands awe. The interior is cramped and gets hot, the ride can be brutal on Chicago-area pavement, and the Viper makes little sense as a “normal” car, but looking at one, would you expect any different? Would I want to own a Viper, you ask? Not really, but I’ll still miss it.