. The show—which ran from 1994 to 1999, first on NBC and then in syndication—focused on a federal task force that used a red Viper RT/10 to fight crime. While a sports car wouldn’t normally be much help in combating criminals, the Viper in the show could transform into an armored assault vehicle called the Defender at the touch of a button.
The Defender may not be as fondly remembered as the car it’s based on, but it’s still a very striking vehicle. The armored speed machine, which was designed by Chrysler and not the show’s production team, was supposedly built on a stretched 1993 Viper RT/10 chassis and features an even more serpentine front fascia, fastback-style roofline and a giant rear wing. It’s finished in silver and rides on a pair of color-matching three-spoke wheels wrapped in Michelin XGT 2 tires.
And while the Defender may look more intimidating than the Viper, it’s nowhere near as powerful. The prop car is powered by a Chrysler small-block V-8, instead of the 8.0-liter V-10 found in the production sports car. Other features include a four-wheel independent suspension with coilover shock absorbers, disc brakes with Viper-branded calipers and power-assisted steering.The car is one of 14 that were used during the filming of the series, according to the listing.
The Defender prop car will be up for auction until Tuesday afternoon for those looking for something unusual for their collection. Bidding sat just shy of $80,000 as of press time, but don’t be surprised if that climbs during the auction’s final 24 hours.