New Dodge Viper Will Uncoil in 2012
Going for a ride on the Dodge Viper rumor train is like piloting the American supercar at top speed through a mountain pass: full of twists and turns followed by drastic ups and downs.
We reported on a rumor back in September that the next Viper might be a reskinned Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (which would’ve been awesome), and heard rumors that the Viper might come with a Ferrari engine stuffed under its super-long sculpted hood (which would have been even more awesome).
Sadly, according to The Detroit News, neither rumor is true. So what can Mopar fans expect of the Viper? Keep reading for the latest twist…
Viper production ended last summer after an incredible 18-year lifespan, and ever since rampant speculation has fueled rumors about the next one. Dodge head Ralph Gilles has finally confirmed that there will, indeed, be a next Viper, debuting in 2012 as a 2013 model. He denied, though, that the car would ride on a modified Alfa Romeo or Ferrari platform, stressing it “won’t be based on anything else” and will make use of entirely unique underpinnings.
That sounds like an expensive undertaking, but one Viper Nation will surely appreciate. That’s not to say that it won’t carry at least some similarities to the 8C, though. The snake’s trademark long hood could give way to a more balanced design, but still carry significantly different proportions compared to the Alfa Romeo. You can almost certainly bet on a little Italian sexiness being injected into the muscular king of all Dodges.
Since the Mopar supercar won’t utilize a Ferrari engine for its power, can we expect the Viper’s old 640-horsepower V10 to survive the vehicle’s rebirth? Probably not, though Gilles is still mum on exactly what will power the new version. All we know for sure is, “There won’t be a part of the car that’s untouched.”