Dodge Viper To Get A Minor Power Bump For 2015

It's no secret that the Dodge Viper isn't exactly selling like gangbusters. Chrysler has even had to halt production on the car in order to keep existing stock moving along. Still, there's a new model year on the horizon, and it will see some changes in the Viper. No, the Viper won't be getting the 707-horsepower 6.2-liter V-8 from the new Dodge Challenger Hellcat. It will continue on with the familiar 8.4-liter V-10.

Well, said engine will be a little bit different. It's getting a horsepower bump!

Maybe we shouldn't have used an exclamation point on the end of that last sentence. To be more specific, the Viper is getting a horsepower bump of five, which means it's going from 640 up to 645 hp. Yes, from the same SAE filings that revealed plans for a 707-hp Dodge Charger Hellcat, it’s been revealed that for the 2015 model year the Viper will get a few extra horses under the hood.

That's a bit of a disappointment, seeing as the Hellcat will burst forth with a fairly insane 707 hp. Additionally, the forthcoming Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will have 650 hp. This means that we live in a world where a Viper will be down on power to the Challenger, and will probably be handily whupped by the next Z06. That last thought is purely a guess though, of course.

We do hope Dodge sees an uptick in Viper sales, and perhaps that horsepower push will be enough to catch a few dollars that are looking to find a home at a dealership. We're also looking forward to a refresh that works out how to fit the Hellcat powerplant between the Viper's chassis rails and under the hood, at least its supercharger.