Dodge Venom

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Dodge Venom
Overview
TypeConcept Sports car
Body and chassis
Body style2 door coupe
LayoutFront engine, Rear-Wheel Drive
Powertrain
Engine3.5L EGE SOHC V6
Power output245 HP
Transmission6-speed manual

The Dodge Venom was a concept car that was produced in 1994 by the American automaker Dodge.[1] The car was built on a modified version of the Chrysler PL platform that was used in the Dodge Neon.[2] The car was designed to showcase Dodge's Cab-Forward design in a two-seat sports car package.[3] Although based on the Neon, the upgraded V6 engine and rear wheel drive set gave this car a sports appeal. The car featured a 3.5-liter, overhead-cam, 24-valve V6 engine that was able to put out 245 horsepower[4] and 221 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm.[5] It was debuted along with two other concept cars on January 3, 1994.[6] The car was projected to cost $8,975, $13,000 "fully loaded".[7]

Design[edit]

Rear view

Built from all steel, with an aluminum structure,[8] and a cantilever roofline.[3] The aforementioned Cab-Forward design allowed the car to be more aerodynamic, and roomy.[9] The engine block was made of cast iron, and featured carbon fiber and Kevlar aramid fiber components.[10][11] The design was based on another Dodge performance SRT car, The Dodge Viper.[3] The car was optimized for performance on race courses, and could go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds.[3] The front and rear utilized a double A-arm suspension setup, featured up-to-date four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, and 245-millimeter tires.[9] The front tires were 19 inches and the rear tires were 20 inches[9] The wheels were moved towards the corners in the model, which increased both the wheel base and the track. This allowed for more agile handling.[9] The car was only released with a neon yellow green pearl exterior with a black hood.[2] The car also featured a quad exhaust set up, which makes the car louder.[12] The car also featured parts from other cars such as the old Coronet handle-bar grille, the Viper side scoop, and the Challenger and Barracuda rear end.[9] The car weighs about 2,700 pounds, which is lighter compared to older versions of muscle cars, which weighed around 3,700 pounds.[11] The length of the car was 13.4 inches longer, 3.5 inches lower, and 7.5 inches higher than other subcompact cars of the time.[13]

Popularity[edit]

The car was highly popular with car enthusiasts, being featured in the international auto circuit for years.[3] Usually a concept car's popularity does not last for years, but only weeks.[3] Unfortunately for car enthusiasts the car never made it into production. This concept was one of the first attempts at making a modern muscle car, however, because it never made it into production, the first modern muscle car to be produced by Dodge was the Dodge Challenger in 2008.

Specification[edit]

1994[edit]

  • Suspension: Front and Rear Independent, Double A Arms
  • Brakes: Four-Wheel Disc with ABS
  • Wheelbase: 106 inches
  • Overall Length: 182.6 inches
  • Overall Width: 74.9 inches
  • Overall Height: 51.5 inches
  • Front Track: 63.7 inches
  • Rear Track: 65.3 inches
  • Front Tires: P245/45R19
  • Rear Tires: P245/45R20

External links[edit]

Reference List[edit]

  1. ^ "1994 Dodge Venom History, Pictures, Value, Auction Sales, Research and News". conceptcarz.com. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  2. ^ a b "1994 Dodge Venom: Concept We Forgot". Motor1.com. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "1994 Dodge Venom Concept - The Official Blog of Dodge". The Official Blog of Dodge. 2013-04-04. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  4. ^ "Dodge Venom Concept". Motor1.com. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  5. ^ "Gale - Product Login". go.galegroup.com. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  6. ^ "DODGE VENOM INTRODUCES A NEW PROPORTION OF THE MUSCLE CAR". signin.lexisnexis.com (Press release). PR Newswire. 3 January 1994. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  7. ^ "Chrysler to build hardtop Viper coupe New version to be even faster than current model". Toronto Star. 4 January 1994. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  8. ^ "» 1995 Dodge Venom Concept". testdrivejunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  9. ^ a b c d e "DODGE VENOM INTRODUCES A NEW PROPORTION OF THE MUSCLE CAR". signin.lexisnexis.com (Press release). PR Newswire. 3 January 1994. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  10. ^ "Chrysler/Dodge 3.5 liter V6 engines". www.allpar.com. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  11. ^ a b "CHRYSLER PUMPS UP MUSCLE CARS FOR COMEBACK". Plastic News. 28 February 1994. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  12. ^ "Dual Exhausts - Do They Serve a Purpose or Pointless?". Meineke. 2015-08-03. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  13. ^ "LIGHT AND LETHAL; Venom looks like an angry insect, but this Neon-based concept carries Viper parts and 1960s Mopar genes that may make it the muscle car of the future". Auto Week. 24 January 1994. Retrieved 2018-12-05.