15 Manliest Cars On The Road

2. Dodge Viper

Some cars have had their lean years when they weren’t very manly at all. In other cases, it takes a special option package to beef up the works.

That comes standard on the Dodge Viper, wholly a man’s car since it was launched as a 1992 model. It has always had a V10, and that’s always been tied to a manual transmission – no paddle shifters here.

What’s more, there isn’t much to save your bacon if you get too crazy – no coddling electronic aids are going to make it all better. You either get it right or face the consequences – truly the sign of a manly car.

The two-seat convertible’s styling, brutal power, superlative handling and no-nonsense interior make it perhaps the world’s best performance value. But Dodge pulled a fast one by making the Viper a sports car that almost anyone can drive. You don’t have be a Schwarzenegger to work the clutch, move the shifter or turn the steering wheel.

A twist of the key sparks to life the 8.0-liter aluminum engine. Dual staccato rumbles erupt from the exhaust pipes beneath the doors. At 130 mph in sixth gear, the Viper’s fuel-injected 400-horsepower engine spins at an incredibly low 2,300 rpm.

The Viper is blessed with loads of torque – the force created by the engine that actually moves a car.