Gen 5 Dodge Viper

[melanieW]

talking about cars in here, Muscle cars and super automobiles aside, there is another class of sports vehicle that has its own committed following, the “hot hatch.” Hot hatches, the little hatchbacks tuned to be both equally fast and cost-effective, have a global group of followers. Fiat's 500 Abarth, the sporty version of Fiat's super-popular subcompact, will be debuting in America very shortly. Source for this article: Hot hatch lovers look forward to Fiat 500 Abarth debut

 

[SuperShouden]

I love the Viper, simply because it's a big "🤬 you" to current trends.

At least it was. The Viper never had fancy gizmos like traction control or ABS. It was truly a beast; a snake that would bite you if you weren't careful. It was notoriously, unforgiven. However, the era of the man-eating Viper is over. The 2013 Viper will debut with traction control and ABS as those are now required by the USDOT. It will essentially be an American Ferrari. Let's just hope it's more 458 and less California. (Not saying that the California is a bad car, it's just not Viper material).

But, debuting the new Viper will be a nice touch for the Viper's 20th birthday.

 

[Tornado]

Even now the viper is STILL be one of the most pollutant cars in the world. the engine already has 8.4L of displacement. what is going to change from adding the .3L of displacement. Not much really as side from a little more power. in the end.... This is a DODGE VIPER an excessively ridiculous big ass engine in a sports car with 2 seats that pollutes and blow holes in the ozone layer and try to compensate for whatever inadequate situation you have in your pants.

Congratulations. You just described every sports car ever.

👍

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Congratulations. You just described every sports car ever.

👍

When did the Miata stop being a sports car?

Anyway regarding the displacement thing... I think people are missing the fact that it's very possible to increase displacement without increasing the physical size of the engine (as well as the reverse). Using the LSx as an example. The external size difference between an LS1 (5.7L) and LS7 (7.0L) is exactly nothing.

The Viper V10, is, as far as V10s go, relatively small because it's a pushrod motor. Punching it out to an 8.7 is cheaper and easier than going any other route to more power so where's the problem? It won't make it weigh more, it won't mean making concessions to fit a larger-still engine, etc.

 

[Exorcet]

“hot hatch.”

I hate them with great zeal. Give me a Miata over those. Also, this isn't a general car thread.

However, the era of the man-eating Viper is over. The 2013 Viper will debut with traction control and ABS as those are now required by the USDOT.

The Viper will have an off switch. Those things are basically just there to make it road legal and then be forgotten about by the driver. I really hope magazines don't use them though. Launch control and other assists already ruin a whole bunch of performance tests as is. If you use those on the Viper you might as well not even test the car.

Side note, if I were to buy a next gen Viper, I'd have a strong urge to weld the TC switch to off. Then cut it out of the car to save weight.

About "man eating", to be honest even though I'm a diehard Viper fan I've never been focused on the "wildness". I see the Viper as a top class track car that gets performance in all the right ways (ie the driver). The car should continue being a road course monster as it has always been. This shouldn't effect its personality though since it should also still be an overpowered FR sports car that leaves the driving to the driver, and no one/nothing else.

 

[JCE]

Even now the viper is STILL be one of the most pollutant cars in the world. the engine already has 8.4L of displacement. what is going to change from adding the .3L of displacement. Not much really as side from a little more power. in the end.... This is a DODGE VIPER an excessively ridiculous big ass engine in a sports car with 2 seats that pollutes and blow holes in the ozone layer and try to compensate for whatever inadequate situation you have in your pants.

Wow, how did you even make it on an auto enthusiast forum with an attitude like that?

And you are not one of these Gee Wiz kind of people are you that cars are killing the Earth? Read this and be educated. Cars and even lorries (18-wheelers) are not anywhere NEAR as harmful as all these tree hugging hippies would like you to believe when compared to the world's shipping and airline emissions. If you used the worst car on earth with the worst emissions for a human's lifetime wouldn't even touch a tenth of a percent of what one container ship uses in a week, or maybe even a month. THAT is the real threat to planet Earth, not cars.

Yeah, compared to the millions and millions of big rig trucks out there the spew thick black smoke? Against relatively few Vipers? Seriously, think about it. One truck hauling a big load is far worse than a Viper, and think about how many of either you see in an average day. I see at least 5-10 trucks daily and I don't even drive around much, compared to one Viper monthly?

Even worse are the container ships being piloted around the oceans. See above for link.

 

[SuperShouden]

I hate them with great zeal. Give me a Miata over those. Also, this isn't a general car thread.



The Viper will have an off switch. Those things are basically just there to make it road legal and then be forgotten about by the driver. I really hope magazines don't use them though. Launch control and other assists already ruin a whole bunch of performance tests as is. If you use those on the Viper you might as well not even test the car.

Side note, if I were to buy a next gen Viper, I'd have a strong urge to weld the TC switch to off. Then cut it out of the car to save weight.

About "man eating", to be honest even though I'm a diehard Viper fan I've never been focused on the "wildness". I see the Viper as a top class track car that gets performance in all the right ways (ie the driver). The car should continue being a road course monster as it has always been. This shouldn't effect its personality though since it should also still be an overpowered FR sports car that leaves the driving to the driver, and no one/nothing else.

That's true. The Viper does have a lot (fittingly) in common with the Shelby Cobra. Mainly, both were relatively small cars with massive engines stuffed in them, whether it was Shelby's 4.7L V8 or Lamborghini's redesigned Ram V10, (which, BTW, makes the SRT10 Ram an ironic truck, 'cause the Viper's V10 originally came from a Ram and then it was put back into one), both had too much power for their size and both were very unforgiving.

And, you're right, I'm sure the Viper's TC will have an off switch AKA: bolt cutters. It will be interesting to read the reviews of it without the TC turned on. I still want Top Gear to run the ACR and the new Viper. You know they'd turn of the TC.

 

[S13DRIFTSPEC]

Wow, how did you even make it on an auto enthusiast forum with an attitude like that?

And you are not one of these Gee Wiz kind of people are you that cars are killing the Earth? Read this and be educated. Cars and even lorries (18-wheelers) are not anywhere NEAR as harmful as all these tree hugging hippies would like you to believe when compared to the world's shipping and airline emissions. If you used the worst car on earth with the worst emissions for a human's lifetime wouldn't even touch a tenth of a percent of what one container ship uses in a week, or maybe even a month. THAT is the real threat to planet Earth, not cars.

Even worse are the container ships being piloted around the oceans. See above for link.

WOW, I thought it was easily seen being sarcastic. I wouldn't be posting something like that and mean it with a screen name like mine. geeeeee whhhiiiiizzzzzzz

 

[Adamgp]

That's true. The Viper does have a lot (fittingly) in common with the Shelby Cobra. Mainly, both were relatively small cars with massive engines stuffed in them, whether it was Shelby's 4.7L V8 or Lamborghini's redesigned Ram V10, (which, BTW, makes the SRT10 Ram an ironic truck, 'cause the Viper's V10 originally came from a Ram and then it was put back into one), both had too much power for their size and both were very unforgiving.

The Viper V10 was not a Lambo engine. Lambo had very little to do with it other than casting the block in aluminum.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

The Viper V10 was not a Lambo engine. Lambo had very little to do with it other than casting the block in aluminum.

They did redesign the heads as well, no?

Edit: @Exorcet: There is a "TCS-off module" for the 1st gen Mazda6 that remembers whether you had TCS on or off last time you had the car on. This is a Viper, the same will happen.

 

[Adamgp]

They did redesign the heads as well, no?

The engine was pretty much all Chrysler parts. They just went to Lambo for their expertise with high performance tuning and extracting more power.

 

[Blackbird.]

I read rumors of a possible entry level V8? Although this wouldn't be Viper-like i've always been disappointed by the sound of a Viper taking off. I don't know, that V-10 certainly is distinctive but I would take the sound of my Mustang's take off over that. Or more so a Z06.

 

[Worst_Driver]

I read rumors of a possible entry level V8? Although this wouldn't be Viper-like i've always been disappointed by the sound of a Viper taking off. I don't know, that V-10 certainly is distinctive but I would take the sound of my Mustang's take off over that. Or more so a Z06.

IMO, that V10 sound is part of the viper too, because with a V8 it would be too similar to the corvette. Being a V10 lover (They sound AMAZING) I think it's right up there with the LF-A's V10 just with a deeper more muscular sound.

 

[JCE]

I actually agree with Blackbird that the noise the Viper makes is rather tame and non-sports car like. I want more meat and more rumble.

 

[sumbrownkid]

I actually agree with Blackbird that the noise the Viper makes is rather tame and non-sports car like. I want more meat and more rumble.

Then the Viper would lose one of it's characteristics and just becomes another stereotypical muscle car grumbler.

 

[JCE]

Then the Viper would lose one of it's characteristics and just becomes another stereotypical muscle car grumbler.

That's not true. The noise the stock Viper makes is forgettable at best. Adding an exhaust that is memorable and speaks to petrol heads will do nothing to its image but enhance it. It also does nothing to how it drives and will do nothing to the overall cost of the vehicle beyond a few hundred $$. Its a win-win-win situation really.

 

[AMCNUT]

I'd settle for a continuation of the current one - the ACR especially is just... magnificent! I've always admired the Viper for being completely its own thing. I think the nose works great - it fits in with the rest of the styling quite nicely. It gives it that nasty glare. 👍

 

[RocZX]

Here is a rendering of what the new Viper may look like

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Why can't they make it more like the Copperhead concept?

 

[xNEVER-ONEx]

Here is a rendering of what the new Viper may look like

Looks like a Jaguar XK, Merc SLS mash up.

 

[Joey D]

And it'll probably not look even close to that, magazine renderings are always off by a mile or two.

I have pretty low expectations of the new Viper, Fiat seems to be slowly running Chrysler further into the ground so I have to imagine they will go ahead and mess up the Viper while they are at it. Plus I doubt Fiat would let the Viper top anything with a prancing horse on the front of it.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Here is a rendering of what the new Viper may look like

That's about as useful as me saying the new viper may look like this:

The truth is, Dodge is absolutely not going to let the cat out of the bag until they want to. I despise 'artistic' interpretations of what cars *may* look like.

 

[SuperShouden]

Hey, didn't FIAT say that the new Viper has "influences" from the Alfa 8c? Well...isn't that the same thing as saying it's a rebadged 8C? I mean, it's kinda like the '06 300C and '06 Charger. They're essentially the same car, with minor styling changes. And the Dart is just a rebadged Giulietta. A rebadged car usually has "influences" from the original car...lots of them.

I mean, sure the new Viper will have a Ferrari "influenced" V10 (just like the Viper's first V10 was a "influenced" Lamborghini V10 and the previous V10 was "influenced" by McLaren). But, still...when you think "redesign" you're thinking something original. And it's not like FIAT is short on vehicle design artists. Just look at the new 500, 458, 8C and Granturismo. All beautiful cars. It kinda feels like FIAT came in and just fired Chrysler's design staff and just said "You can use our designs. You Americans won't no the difference anyway."

But...the Viper was created by Carroll Shelby. Simply rebadging the 8C just feels like an insult...it would be taking a dumb on Enzo Ferrari's grave, if you ask me. The honorable thing to do would be to hand the designing of the Viper over to Ferrari. Let Ferrari chisel out another work of art, something that Carroll Shelby AND Enzo Ferrari would both be proud of.

 

[Adamgp]

I mean, sure the new Viper will have a Ferrari "influenced" V10 (just like the Viper's first V10 was a "influenced" Lamborghini V10 and the previous V10 was "influenced" by McLaren).

The Viper V10 was more Dodge Ram influenced than Lambo influenced.

 

[Jim Prower]

I think mr. Shouden means that it would be worked over just a little bit by Ferrari. Final tuning and such.

 

[SuperShouden]

The Viper V10 was more Dodge Ram influenced than Lambo influenced.

I think mr. Shouden means that it would be worked over just a little bit by Ferrari. Final tuning and such.

Well, the original Viper engine did come out of the Ram (which, the point of using a truck engine instead of a Lamborghini engine is probably to keep the engine in-brand and to say the car has a 8.0L V10), but it was handed to Lamborghini to lighten it and make it fit into the Viper. In the end, I would say it was more of a Ram-sourced Lamborghini V10 than anything. The McLaren V10 in the SRT10 was probably more of taking the old Ram/Lambo engine and tweaking it.

As for Ferrari's involvement in the new V10. Well...Considering their racing pedigree and experience with powerful engines. The hope would be turning the SRT10 V10 into a beast. And, if Ferrari helps out with the design and build, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Viper return to racing in 2013/2014.

(Also, I wouldn't mind seeing Ferrari help Dodge with getting the Challenger and Charger geared up for road racing, as well.)

 

[Zenith]

I'm guessing Italian pride might prevent any of that.

 

[Adamgp]

Well, the original Viper engine did come out of the Ram (which, the point of using a truck engine instead of a Lamborghini engine is probably to keep the engine in-brand and to say the car has a 8.0L V10), but it was handed to Lamborghini to lighten it and make it fit into the Viper. In the end, I would say it was more of a Ram-sourced Lamborghini V10 than anything. The McLaren V10 in the SRT10 was probably more of taking the old Ram/Lambo engine and tweaking it.

As for Ferrari's involvement in the new V10. Well...Considering their racing pedigree and experience with powerful engines. The hope would be turning the SRT10 V10 into a beast. And, if Ferrari helps out with the design and build, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Viper return to racing in 2013/2014.

(Also, I wouldn't mind seeing Ferrari help Dodge with getting the Challenger and Charger geared up for road racing, as well.)

It was a Chrysler engine using Chrysler parts. Lambo did little more than cast some blocks in aluminum until Chrysler had the capability.

McLaren did tune the 2nd gen Viper but that was different than the regular (still Chrysler-engined) production Viper. Google "Viper ASC Diamondback".

And while Ferrari may provide a little insight, I can't see them building a competitor's car.

 

[sems4arsenal]

It won't be called the 'Dodge' Viper any more http://jalopnik.com/5867703/2013-srt-viper-slithers-free-of-dodge-name

One Question Why << ??

 

[Northstar]

So how long before each model becomes its own brand and Dodge ceases to exist?

This move seems even stupider than making Ram it's own brand.