TV show "Viper" Defender prop car to be auctioned

"Knight Rider" is not the only TV show in which cars play a leading role. Viper" aired briefly in the 1990s, and one of the show's prop cars is currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer.

Set in the "near future" as envisioned in the early 1990s, "Viper" was about a federal task force based in fictional Metro City, California, that fought crime using armored vehicles called Defenders disguised as Dodge Vipers. The show aired on NBC in early 1994 and continued in syndication from 1996 to 1999.

The Defender was designed by Chrysler and built by Unique Movie Cars of Las Vegas on a stretched 1993 Dodge Viper RT/10 chassis. A Chrysler 360 cubic-inch V-8 replaces the Viper V-10 and drives the rear wheels through a Chrysler 727 3-speed automatic transmission. According to the auction listing, the suspension, steering, and brakes appear to have been carried over from the Viper's hardware.

The driver faces three round gauges, including a 180 km/h speedometer, a 7,000 rpm tachometer, and a false crosshair sight, flanked by three simulated screens displaying static images of imaginary vehicle diagnostics The two seats are upholstered in gray leather but have seatbelts and no air conditioning. A Velcro-mounted window can be removed to let fresh air in.

According to the listing, this car is one of 14 built for the Viper. It was used for filming and publicity rather than stunts, so there are no gadgets as seen on the show. The seller claims that the car, which is listed with 190 miles on the odometer, was parked after filming ended. Because it is a prop, the car has no VIN number or title and is being sold by bill of sale with the understanding that it cannot be registered for use on public roads.

The Defender may not have reached the same status in pop culture as the KITT car in "Knight Rider" or the van in "The A-Team," but those who remember "Viper" will be pleased to know that one of the cars from the show survived.