Dodge Unleashes Most Powerful Challenger Ever

[FLATOUT]

I have Mopar blood thru and thru. I bought the Viper as the Halo car wanting to have the ultimate Mopar. I find these news bittersweet.

Bruce

As do I, I knew it would probably have a few more, 650 or so but never thought they would go that big when the Viper faithful really wanted 700 out of our new car.

This is the splash the Viper used to make.

[tiki240]

Biggest problems with an FI mopar gen V kit is reputable installers, and the price tag. At reasonable numbers... lets call stage 1 mopar kit $2000 (I/CAT BACK)~670HP stage 2 mopar $3800 (I/H/E) ~700 HP and mopar stage 3 (FI) $6700-8K ~750HP - 850HP (W/RED KEY)

ninja edit- I also agree the news is bittersweet. I really feel like the viper has been turned into the first child of the next-gen SRT brand. All the focus is on the newborn and even if there is a plan for the Viper, we're in the dark about it.

[Thawk97]

So, he said this was THE halo car from dodge.....

[Stealth]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fhnO...ature=youtu.be

I would call this 600hp ++++++++ = 707hp... .

[cashcorn]

The new Halo car.. Really? I guess it will be a lot cheaper..

[ViperSmith]

I mean, I see why some have a point that the "halo" car should I guess be the top dog HP wise - but in reality - the Viper will be faster at, I'd assume everything.

For Dodge, the benefit to putting out something like this car is, it attracts people to the less powerful Challengers and Chargers - models people can afford. It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out the angle here Dodge is going for.

I mean, it is timelines and all. Dodge can't reintroduce the Viper this year. So, not quite sure what people are expecting them to do.

If anything, I think the transmission is possibly the most interesting aspect of it all.

If Dodge can build an auto that can handle 650/ft# of torque and 707 HP, it means they can for the Viper as well - which means it opens the car up to more buyers. To me, that is good news for the Viper's future.

[Lawrenzo]

So, he said this was THE halo car from dodge.....

He also said it's the fastest- that would mean top speed of 206+ MPH. I seriously doubt it has the aero for that. Just another SRT top executive who doesn't know "fastest" from "quickest" or "most powerful"- nothing to see here, now run along.

[Solid Red 98]

He also said it's the fastest- that would mean top speed of 206+ MPH. I seriously doubt it has the aero for that. Just another SRT top executive who doesn't know "fastest" from "quickest" or "most powerful"- nothing to see here, now run along.

"Fastest muscle car." I don't want to read too much into it, but I think he was referring to the Mustang and Camaro. Some people do refer to the viper as a muscle car, but I don't think the CEO of Dodge would.

[ACRucrazy]

So, he said this was THE halo car from dodge.....

He said halo for that car. Referring to the Challenger. You have SRT and SRT Hellcat.

Not saying it's the halo performance car in Dodge.

[ACRucrazy]

"Fastest muscle car." I don't want to read too much into it, but I think he was referring to the Mustang and Camaro. Some people do refer to the viper as a muscle car, but I don't think the CEO of Dodge would.

Correct

[Chorps]

Judging by the response to 707hp here and everywhere else, this is exactly what the Viper needed when it came to adding power. Everyone that questioned the *need* for 'moar powwa' tells you exactly why there is a need: simply put, horsepower sells.

Without the eye-popping numbers, the Viper was just seen as an also ran, in the eyes of the press and the general public.

If the Viper can't be matching engine output numbers put out by the Aventador or F12, then something radical needs to be done.

[Coloviper]

Well 707 Hp and 650 lbs Tq are way awesome! Way to go Dodge and with room for 4, this is an attractive option for many on a Costco run. Sorry but this motor in a Viper variant is very attractive to me. I like my ole V-10 but see the pasture coming for it. A V-10 is not the direction of Dodge anymore. In the past the Rams had V-10s. Now not the focus so zero reason to highlight it anymore. Like some have said, it is happy and sad all at the same time. But it is impressive.

Hellcat may not end up in a a Jeep, but maybe a new a Hellcat SRT Ram. Wow, if they could make one AWD, I would be all over that and that would be a splash as well.

[TowDawg]

Like the others have mentioned, he said it was the "halo" of SRT. The Viper is no longer part the SRT brand, so obviously the Hellcat is the tops of SRT.

[Thawk97]

To all the comments on the engine and tranny in a Viper - it won't fit. The HEMI is too tall and the tranny is too wide for the Viper frame.

[rw99]

Felt I should post up and throw some Mea Culpa all over my assertion that Hellcat woul have 620.

Glad to be wrong.

[JohnHammer]

I got to play around with Ralph's personal Hellcat at Watkins Glen this past weekend; he road tripped it there from Detroit (through Canada!) and kept it in our display. We got to play with both keys and the active exhaust is downright SICK! The "cackle" is directly influenced by the Viper's as it pops and barks on overrun...simply thrilling.

But, it's still a Muscle Car...and there in person, at our SRT display that included two new Vipers, the crowd that looked at each car had very different perceptions. Viper is still the Supercar.

[swexlin]

At Carlisle next week, I'm sure there will a couple Hellcats on display, along with a Viper, and other offerings. I go every year, and it's always interesting to see the Mopar crowds reactions. The Viper always wins the wow factor, and this year should prove interesting!

[ViperSmith]

To all the comments on the engine and tranny in a Viper - it won't fit. The HEMI is too tall and the tranny is too wide for the Viper frame.

The original excuse was they couldn't build one to handle the power.

They can.

[swexlin]

The original excuse was they couldn't build one to handle the power.

They can.

Agree, you make anything fit in just about anything with some minor changes. As much as I would like the Viper to stay V10, the Hellcat in the Viper, with DCT transmission as an OPTION (and still have the 6 -speed for us old school folks)..look out world!

[XSnake]

DI and dry sump would put the V10 up over this. Will they do it is the question.

- - - Updated - - -

The original excuse was they couldn't build one to handle the power.

They can.

They can't find one to handle the power that fits in the car. They have tried the Tremec's out of the Aston's. Didn't go well.

[ViperTony]

In April Ralph hung out with our region and was inquiring about what the Viper forums were saying about the then-rumored Hellcat Challenger. He seemed more concerned than normal that day over Hellcat HP rumors and Viper owner reaction. Now I know why. Pretty much all of us told him it would be a terrible kick in the teeth of Viper owners, current and future, for the Viper to no longer be the king of HP at Dodge. The only comfort he offered was the new PCM that hasn't come out yet. He showed us pics of dyno charts of a GenV, the new PCM and with and without exhaust mods. He was excited about the numbers. I think this new PCM, if it ever sees the light of day, may be an interim-peace offering for GenV owners. Based on the charts I saw, the engine would be producing somewhere between 705 - 730hp to achieve the range of numbers we saw that day.

If the Viper evolves the next evolution must make people freak as they're doing over the Hellcat. Let's hope it's a freak out in a highly positive manner.

[Mamba52]

Nice job SRT I have always liked the challenger and like it more now. Time to get rid of the BMW and make room for this bad boy

[swexlin]

If I could afford one, and had the room, I'd be in one in a heartbeat. But, my 07 Superbee and the 03 Viper would have to go, and I don't want to get rid of the Superbee. The only reason I'd consider letting that go (other than financial distress) would be for a Gen 5, and I'm not ready to do that yet.

But for guys that can't fit in a Viper (big and/or fat?) the Hellcat is a very viable alternative.

[Suitejudyblueyes]

The real question is whether the test drive will be a Red Fob one to taste that palindromic '707' HP! Very limited numbers for sure, with a price to match. I love it.

[ACRucrazy]

If you haven't seen these videos when they announced the Hellcat a while back, check them out.