1999 Chrysler Viper GTS-R C20: ORECA’s Race-Winning American Beast

Historic FIA GT Champion Heads To Monterey Auction

Robert S. Miller August 4, 2025

1999 Chrysler Viper GTS-R ORECA Works Race Car. (Broad Arrow Auctions).

If there’s a single race car that defines Chrysler’s dominance in international GT racing during the late 1990s, it’s the Viper GTS-R. And among the Vipers that helped write that story, chassis C20 stands tall. This 1999 Chrysler Viper GTS-R ORECA Works car is headed to Broad Arrow’s Monterey Jet Center auction on Thursday, August 14, 2025, with an estimated hammer price of $850,000 to $1,250,000.

Built and campaigned by Team ORECA, the factory-backed racing arm of Chrysler, this GTS-R wasn’t just a fast car—it was a championship-winning machine. Chassis C20 debuted in the 1999 FIA GT Championship season, a year that saw the series revitalized after the GT1 class was banned. It immediately made its mark, scoring major victories at the Hockenheim 500 km, Budapest 500 km, and the Watkins Glen 3 Hours. Driven by an elite roster that included Jean-Philippe Belloc, David Donohue, Justin Bell, and Dominique Dupuy, C20 consistently ran at the front of the field, taking multiple pole positions and fastest laps against the best Porsche 911 GT2 competition of the era.

Under the hood, this Viper GTS-R is powered by an aluminum 8.0-liter (488 cubic-inch) VIPER V10 producing roughly 600 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque, capable of propelling the car to around 200 mph (322 km/h). Its chassis featured a Roush-built spaceframe with integrated roll cage, wider track front and rear, and lightweight Reynard-designed carbon fiber bodywork. Combined with ORECA’s relentless testing program—sometimes 30-hour test sessions—this setup made the GTS-R nearly unbeatable.

After its FIA GT campaign, C20 went on to dominate the French FFSA GT Championship in 2000 and 2001 under Dominique Dupuy Organisation (DDO), winning back-to-back titles with multiple overall victories. In later years, the car also saw action with Autovitesse, continuing to rack up wins and podiums well into the mid-2000s.

Following a thorough restoration back to its 1999 Watkins Glen-winning livery, the Viper has become a regular at prestigious historic racing events like Le Mans Classic, Spa Classic, and the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona. Between its extensive racing pedigree, iconic livery, and meticulous €150,000-plus ($162,000 USD) restoration, this Viper GTS-R is essentially a ticket to the world’s most competitive historic GT grids.

Whether it’s admired as a piece of American racing history or unleashed on the track, chassis C20 represents the peak of Chrysler’s global motorsports success—and it’s ready to roar again.