The Chrysler Viper GTS-R was a successful racing variant of the Dodge Viper developed in conjunction with Chrysler of North America, Oreca of France, and Reynard Motorsport of the United Kingdom. Officially unveiled at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours, it has won numerous championships and famous events in its history. Some chassis are still in use today.
Although the production cars have mostly been known as Dodge Vipers, the Dodge brand did not sell the Viper in Europe. Because the new cars, named GTS-R, were built in Europe, they were mostly known as Chrysler Viper GTS-R. However cars racing in North America usually ran under the Dodge banner, making them Dodge Viper GTS-Rs. This naming difference therefore depends on location and region. The cars themselves actually carried no badging for either Chrysler or Dodge, with only the Viper GTS-R name appearing on the side of the bonnet.
In order to meet requirements laid out in the rules of certain racing series that the Viper GTS-Rs planned to run, road cars similar to the race cars would have to be sold to the public. Although the GTS-R was already similar to the GTS, a closer replica was needed to meet homologation requirements. Chrysler commissioned the construction of 100 road cars in 1998 that would use elements of the race car.
Named the Viper GT2 for the GT2 class which the Viper would participate in across Europe, they borrowed the rear wing and front splitter from the GTS-R, as well as dive planes and a deeper fascia. Replicas of the BBS racing wheels would also be used. Power on the production engine would be increased to 460 hp. All 100 cars would feature white paint schemes with dual blue stripes, identical to the scheme used by Oreca.
Debuting in 1996, Oreca would run a limited schedule, concentrating on the GT1 class of the European and Asian BPR Global GT Series as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans; Canaska Southwind would also run a short schedule, but instead the GTS-1 class in the North American IMSA GT Championship. The Viper GTS-R made its first competition debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in the hands of the Canaska Southwind crew, with one entry finishing in 29th place. The team would improve at the 12 Hours of Sebring with a 12th place finish before Oreca would make their competition debut in BPR in April, ending in a failure to finish.
Both teams would appear at Le Mans with two entries each. Three of those four cars managing to finish as Canaska Southwind would earn the highest finishing spot with tenth place. The two teams returned to their respective series afterwards, with Canaska Southwind making a final appearance at Mosport and earning a sixth place finish and second in their class. Oreca appeared next at the 1000 km Suzuka and took an eleventh place finish, before finishing out the season with an eighth place finish at Brands Hatch, ninth at Spa, and sixth at Nogaro.
In 2003, the dominance of the Prodrive-built Ferraris began. Vipers were unable to win any races in FIA GT, leaving Larbre as the best finishing Viper in the championship, a distant seventh. Some victories were still scored by Vipers however, as Larbre took six wins in French GT and Force One Racing a further two. The Team Taisan Viper in JGTC would also manage its first class victory in an event at Fuji Speedway. Vipers would compete for the first time in Italian GT, winning all but three races during the season. However at the same time, Vipers would make their final appearance at Le Mans, with Larbre finishing fourth in their class.
In 2007 a Viper GTS-R was first raced during a historic event at Magny-Cours by Florent Moulin. The new GT90s serial accepts former FIA GT racers from 1990 to 2000. The car was chassis C23, the FIA GT Championship-winning car from 1999 driven as by Karl Wendlinger and Olivier Beretta, completely restored into original 1999 Oreca specifications. The same car was invited at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2008 and driven by its period driver Justin Bell in its Le Mans 1999 livery when Justin drove this very car to 2nd place in GTS. In November 2008 Florent Moulin entered it again in GT90's Revival race at Le Castellet, co-driven by another of its period driver from Le Mans 1999 Marc Duez. In 2010, chassis 27 participated in the Goodwood Festival of Speed to celebrate the 10th Anniversary 24 Hours of Daytona victory.
Since its racing debut in 1996, the Viper GTS-R has achieved many victories or class wins in competition, as well as many series championships. This is a list of some of the more notable victories by the Viper GTS-Rs.
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