Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2005 Dodge Viper VS 2005 Maserati Spyder Near Scottsdale, AZ

Using vehicle speed sensors, smart airbags in the Viper deploy with different levels of force to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Spyder’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Viper and the Spyder have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags and four wheel antilock brakes.

Dodge’s powertrain warranty covers the Viper 3 years and 20,000 miles longer than Maserati covers the Spyder. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 7 years and 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Spyder ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Viper’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and 50,000 miles longer than the Spyder’s (5/100,000 vs. 4/50,000).

There are almost 74 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Maserati dealers, which makes it much easier to get service under the Viper’s warranty.

The Spyder’s redline is at 7600 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Viper has a 6000 RPM redline.

The Viper’s 8.3 V10 produces 115 more horsepower (500 vs. 385) and 192 lbs.-ft. more torque (525 vs. 333) than the Spyder’s 4.2 DOHC V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Viper is faster than the Maserati Spyder (manual transmissions tested):

For more instantaneous acceleration and better engine flexibility in any gear, the Viper’s engine produces its peak horsepower at lower RPM’s than the Spyder (5600 vs. 7000).

The Viper gets better highway fuel mileage than the Spyder (20 vs. 17 MPG).

For better stopping power the Viper’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Spyder:

The Viper stops much shorter than the Spyder:

For better traction, the Viper has larger tires than the Spyder (F:275/35R18 & R:345/30R19 vs. F:235/40R18 & R:265/35R18).

The Viper’s 275/35R18 front and 345/30R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) which provides a stiffer sidewall than the Spyder’s standard 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Viper has standard 19 inch rear wheels. Only 18 inch wheels are available on the Spyder.

The Dodge Viper’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Maserati Spyder only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Viper has a standard tire pressure monitoring system, which will alert the driver to a drop in tire pressure before damage to the tire or an accident might occur. The Spyder doesn’t offer a low tire pressure warning system.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the Viper can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Spyder doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Viper’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the Spyder (98.8 vs. 96.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Viper is 1.6 inches wider in the front and .4 inches wider in the rear than on the Spyder.

The Viper’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49.4% to 50.6%) than the Spyder’s (53% to 47%). This gives the Viper more stable handling and braking.

The Viper goes through Motor Trend’s slalom 3.4 MPH faster than the Spyder (70.4 vs. 67 MPH).

The Dodge Viper may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 pounds less than the Maserati Spyder.

The Viper has a much larger trunk with its top up than the Spyder (7 vs. 5.4 cubic feet).

The Viper’s standard power mirror controls are mounted on the door for easy access. The Spyder’s power mirror controls are on the center console where they can’t be seen without the driver completely removing his eyes from the road.

Wireless connectivity is available on the Viper, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Maserati doesn’t offer a wireless connectivity on the Spyder.