Roy Sjoberg, the man who lit the fuse on the Dodge Viper and never looked back, has passed away. But legends like him don’t just fade – they leave burnouts on history. Known as the Father of the Viper, Sjoberg was the spark behind one of the most unhinged American performance cars ever built. At a time when safety systems were softening cars and regulations were clipping wings, he did the unthinkable – he built a bare-knuckled, V10-powered street brawler that spit in the face of convention.
As Chief Engineer, Sjoberg didn’t follow rules – he rewrote them. He handpicked a renegade crew of engineers known as Team Viper, gave them 36 months and told them to build a car that scared Ferraris. The result? The 1992 Dodge Viper RT/10: no roof, no airbags, no traction control – just horsepower and heart. It wasn’t just a car; it was a statement. And it was pure Roy.
Sjoberg’s legacy isn’t just in the Viper’s aluminum block or its thunderous exhaust note – it’s in the way it made drivers feel: alive, wide-eyed and just a little bit unhinged. He didn’t build a car. He built a movement. And now, the man who gave the Viper its venom takes his place among the greats.
Rest in power, Roy.
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