The 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR. Image: Chrysler Group LLC
Dodge has been remarkably tight-lipped about the debut of it’s eagerly anticipated next-generation Viper. Originally rumored to be debuting at January’s North American International Auto Show (aka the Detroit Auto Show), it seems that the new Viper isn’t quite ready for its closeup yet. Delaying the introduction until the New York Auto Show gives the automaker another three months of development time, which should be all that the Viper concept needs.
Autoblog and the Viper Club of America quote SRT head Ralph Gilles as confirming the New York introduction, but that’s all we know for sure about the new track-day terror. It’s likely the car will still use a V-10, and it’s rumored that displacement will be bumped up to 8.7 liters. It will also come with modern safety features like electronic stability control, something earlier Vipers lacked (hence their bite-the-hand-that-feeds-them reputation). Dodge knows how the Viper will be driven, so expect the stability control program to have modes for track-day use.
Beyond these points, anything else is speculation. It’s almost certain that the new Viper will be influenced by Chrysler’s Italian parent, Fiat, who also owns a controlling interest in Ferrari. Don’t expect to see Ferrari 458 Italia technology in the next Viper, since the cars are aimed at radically different price points; still, it’s reasonable to expect refinement in the next Viper that wasn’t there in the original.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
