In an age when everyone is downsizing, we're equal parts skeptical and thrilled with the newest rumor spinning out of Allpar about the 2013 Dodge Viper. Specifically, the rumor that the next-gen Viper will be using a modified version of the old 8.4-liter V10 tweaked to displace 8.7-liters. That's about 531 cubic inches.
For reference, the little 8.4-liter V10 kicked out 600 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque. When used correctly with the ACR package, this was a motor good for a 7:14 run around the Nurburgring and a quarter-mile time of 11.6 @ 124.2. It was also 38 horsepower shy of the Corvette ZR1. According to the EPA, the 2010 Viper returned 13 mpg city, 22 mpg highway.
This might make up for cruise control and traction control...
throwback says:
12:58 PM, 10/27/11
I would be surprised, but Allpar seems to have an insideline to the Mopar goings on!
bodyblue says:
02:13 PM, 10/27/11
Allpar is the king of all things Mopar....I love that site.
But I truly wish that Chrysler would spend more on developing better small cars and not just fast ones. I am sure they are but they need something competitive in the compact area, NOW, not a year from now. They have done big fast cars pretty well in the past decade.....and it bit them in the ass......just a bit more balance is needed.
deanoflas says:
04:10 PM, 10/27/11
i shrieked like a little girl when i read the title
brn says:
04:27 PM, 10/27/11
It's looking less and less like a Viper.
stovt001 says:
08:00 PM, 10/27/11
Since old school, simple brute performance is one of the big draws of the Viper, I'd say adding cubes is acceptable to make up for the electronic nannies, especially since they were forced to add them.
v8vader says:
01:35 AM, 10/28/11
+1 deanoflas
lostboyz says:
03:38 AM, 10/28/11
@bodyblue, while I agree with the sentiment. The viper team is very small and specializes in things that don't translate into making a fuel efficient small car. No efforts are wasted on this, and the advertising from a halo car is important and will compliment the small car they will be showing at the detroit auto show.
bodyblue says:
10:45 AM, 10/28/11
I know the Viper team is small but any drain on tight budgets is just that...a drain. A halo car will not keep them in business but a well designed and built small car will.
threemopars says:
01:25 PM, 10/28/11
"but a well designed and built small car will"
Hence you'll see the Hornet very soon....very very soon.
bodyblue says:
04:11 PM, 10/28/11
It had better be nothing short of spectacular....they really need a sales hit in this class of car.
inlinesix says:
02:41 PM, 10/30/11
There are absolutely no cars in the Chrysler/Dodge lineup that I would want to buy. Thats including an 8L Viper.
damaje says:
04:44 PM, 10/31/11
Considering the italian influence and the fact that competitors can hit those performance numbers minus 2 to 4 cyclinders I am a bit dissappointed in the need for such a big heavy engine. Anyone can hit big power numbers with a v10, hell a kid in highschool auto shop class could probably do that too. I think 0-60 times from the GTR and various iterations of the 911 prove what can be done with only 6 cyl, and the vette shows what an american company can do with 8. Taking a mine's bigger than yours approach is ok for some things, but if a smaller engined car is faster, what is the point? If a Bugatti only made 500hp with its extra cylinder count I would say the same thing.