'08 Viper: 8.4L, 600hp/560ft lbs

[Goodspeed]

SRT and Mopar Showcase Viper Possibilities at NAIAS
Tuesday January 9, 12:01 am ET

Custom Viper displays tweaks from Mopar Performance Parts ÔÇô and 675 horsepower!

Farmington Hills, Mich., January 9 /EXCLUSIVE from viperclub.org/ -- Much speculation has been made since the first details were released on the 2008 Dodge Viper scheduled to appear this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Of course today is the day you were supposed to be reading about it, however some magazine editions hit the newsstands ÔÇô and websites ÔÇô a little earlier. Viper buyers, already giddy over the addition of a whopping 90 horsepower (yes, 600 total ponies under that revised hood) still had one nagging worry in the back of their minds: What about this long-rumored ÔÇ£Blue DevilÔÇØ from the ÔÇ£otherÔÇØ American super car camp?

They neednÔÇÖt have worried. In a surprise addition to this weeks show, DaimlerChryslerÔÇÖs Mopar and SRT (Street & Racing Technology) Division have added a third Viper in concept form, joining the Venom Red SRT10 Roadster and Viper Red SRT10 Coupe with white racing stripes. Reminiscent of the SRT10 Carbon shown at SEMA in 2003, this latest Coupe variation showcases the many possibilities of this potent platform.

ÔÇ£We at SRT, along with our counterparts at Mopar Performance, wanted to build something for NAIAS that would show what can be done with the new '08 Viper,ÔÇØ said Steve Sharples, Viper Brand Manager at SRT. ÔÇ£This includes many of the new Mopar Performance parts which will be available for the car when it starts shipping to showrooms later this year.ÔÇØ

The Mopar Performance Parts featured are:

- Tubular Exhaust Header Package
- High-flowing, Cat-Back Exhaust System
- Low-restriction, functional Cold Air Intake System
- Fully adjustable Coilover Suspension Kit
- "Sidewinder" Lightweight Wheels (with anodized finish)

And donÔÇÖt forget the ÔÇ£RacingÔÇØ in SRT, as they added these race-inspired parts as well:

- Titanium Valves and Connecting Rods
- Cast Litex Pistons and Lightened Crankshaft
- High Flow Intake Manifold with Polished Upper
- Carbon Fiber Coil Covers and Crinkle Black Valve Covers
- Adapted Dodge Viper Competition Coupe Rear Wing and Front Splitter
- Michelin Racing Slicks, 18" in front and 19" in back
- 6 point racing restraints
- Viper "Driver's Stripe" paint scheme

The results? Well besides one of the most stunning Vipers ever to greet the public, it also satisfies the Viper faithful. With a few Mopar Performance parts and some additional internal engine tweaks the car makes an incredible 675 horsepower, with the torque climbing even more ÔÇô from the impressive stock 2008 number of 560 ft lbs to a mind-boggling 650 ft lbs. You would be hard-pressed to find another exotic from any continent making those kind of numbers.

Will these modifications ever make it to a production car? SRT will not comment on future product. But if what is shown here can be done by visiting your local Mopar parts counter, we already like what we see. Blue Devil shmevil!

[WRXtranceformed]

Pulease!!! The Blue Devil is going to walk all OVER that car! Are people just ignoring the numbers? The MOPAR fanbois are just never going to give it up.

Even heavily tuned, aftermarket forced induction Vipers are struggling to get to the 9s, and even most of those guys are swapping out the Viper motor with a Hemi!! Whereas a C6 Z06 with heads, intake, sticky tires, tune and a 100 dry shot ran consistent low 10s to high 9s all day long. That's not even touching the cam or internals, or using a blower!!

The SS Z06 and the new Viper will both be pinnacles of street legal road cars for both Dodge and Chevy, but I still firmly believe that the Viper won't come close to a supercharged LS7 with even MORE weight reduction than the current Z06 has now. Chevy has it right in the speed war: more carbon fiber and forced induction as opposed to more displacement.

[Goodspeed]

Yeah, I love Dodge's thinking....buy our 80k plus dollar sports car that goes head to head with the regular Z06 on track and is worse as a street car, then spend more money on parts to basically turn it into a track only car, to beat the Z06.

Any smart person, regardless of brand loyalty, would spend less money on a Z06 and have an equally potent track car that is much more livable on the street

[WRXtranceformed]

Yeah, I love Dodge's thinking....buy our 80k plus dollar sports car that goes head to head with the regular Z06 on track and is worse as a street car, then spend more money on parts to basically turn it into a track only car, to beat the Z06.

Any smart person, regardless of brand loyalty, would spend less money on a Z06 and have an equally potent track car that is much more livable on the street

Absolutely. The interiors of the new Corvettes, including the Z06, are actually really really nice too. Albeit there are a lot of plastic pieces still, but the seats are really dope and the fit and finish is worlds better than previous generations.

I know that's probably still a concept car, the one you showed pictures of, but man look at that interior! That is seriously ghetto. The stitching on the leather looks like the shit I did on my little stuffed dog I made in home economics class in 7th grade.

[Jeff]

I think it has a lot to do with status as to why people buy Vipers. Anyone can get a vette. They are VERY value packed and you get a lot for your money. But so has everyone else in the county. The point is...its a freakin $80,000 car. Many people equate owning a Viper (or any high priced car) with success. That may or may not be true, but I think that is the perception. For the people who love and would buy a Viper it really does not matter if its faster than a Z06. I would bet it is pretty far down the list for most Viper buyers that their car is more expensive but slower than a Corvette. I think it matters more to Vette buyers that their car can outrun the Viper. That having been said I think it looks SWEET. But I am a purest, I will always like the original Vipers best.

[white_2kgt]

Where the hell is chad or pete when you need them? I could've sworn chad's motor had a DOHC with variable valve timing on the intake side.

My engine IS a DOHC engine, it DOES NOT have variable valve timing. The only cobra engine that had variable anything was the 96-98, which had IMRC's. Basically that changed the intake runner length, my guess is that's what you are thinking about. If my engine had varable cams I'd fucking shoot myself in the head.