Returning to the Dodge brand name in 2015, the Viper looks to be on track to continue melting tires and faces. Refreshed, if not completely overhauled, for the new calendar year, the viper will receive a 5 horsepower bump, up to 645 bhp over last year’s 640, bringing the power to weight ratio up by 8 percent. Toque is sticking at 600 lb-ft, still nothing to sneeze at. With the snarling leviathan that is the 707 bhp, supercharged v8 Hellcat engine shoehorned into the Challenger, it seems odd that Dodge would chose not to give the Viper that much more bite. Remember, though, that the car currently housing the 6.2 liter brute weighs in at a hefty 800 pounds heavier than the viper. It’ll definitely be interesting to see the two go head to head. The Hellcat-equipped Challenger would appear to have the edge in the quarter mile, but the Viper is likely to best it in the curves.
What’s more, why mess with success? The Viper’s V10 has been a loyal workhorse since the nineties, with displacement rising from 8.0 to 8.4 liters, and horsepower increasing by an impressive 245. If the madmen over at Dodge and SRT can keep squeezing more ponies out of that engine, there’s no need for a potentially messy swap. The Hellcat is 180 pounds heavier than the Viper’s powerplant, and with the big old supercharger that kicks it up to such ridiculous numbers it wouldn’t fit under the Viper’s stock hood. Not much other information exists as to Viper updates for 2015, as the boosted power stat was gleaned from the same certification document that brought cackling enthusiasts everywhere the news of an impending Hellcat powered Charger sedan.
While we’re on the subject of absurdly powerful American vehicles, another comparison readily comes to mind. Corvette has announced official figures for their 2015 Z06, and they sit at an impressive 650 bhp and 650 lb-ft of torque. With its extra five horses, the Viper is perilously close to catching up. The current Viper weighs in at 3,354 pounds, and that number could be lower in the new calendar year. The current Stingray is a slightly more svelte 3,298 pounds, a number that is also likely to be reduced in the race-ready Z06 trim. It would seem the ‘Vette will continue reign supreme as the pinnacle of American muscle meets supercar speed. Only time-and the inevitable race between the two-will tell.
