The Dodge Viper went out of production last summer
and chances of a return seemed slim as the Viper’s home – the Conner Avenue
Assembly Plant – is being transformed into an internal meeting and display
space for showcasing concepts and historic vehicles.
Fans never gave up hope that the Viper could be
reborn and rumors have occasionally hinted at the possibility. Car and Driver
is the latest to say the Viper is making a comeback and they suggest the car
could be launched in late 2020.
Little is known about the next-generation Viper but
the publication says the car will ride on a spaceframe platform and make
extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber. The report also says the Viper will
retain its classic shape and initially be launched as a roadster. A coupe will
then join the lineup a few years later.
While the Viper will look the part, it will be
missing one of its defining characteristics. A V10 engine has powered the snake
since the beginning but the new car will reportedly have a naturally aspirated
V8 engine. Nothing is official but the publication speculates the base model
will produce around 550 hp. Additional engines are expected
in the future and one of them will reportedly be a second-generation Hellcat V8
developing more than 700 hp.
The car is expected to be offered with a manual
transmission and there will likely be a “hard-core road racer” sometime in the
future. If everything pans out, the next-generation Viper could debut at 2019
North American International Auto Show to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the
original Viper concept. The car would go on sale about a year and a half later
and speculation suggests it could cost around US$ 90,000.
