Viper fans might have been jilted by the popularity of the 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcats. But they can now breathe a sigh of relief, thanks to the new Viper ACR: the fastest street-legal Viper track car ever produced. Designated as a 2016 model, the Viper American Club Racer comes with a hand-built 8.4-liter V-10 engine rated at 645-horsepower and delivering 600 foot-pounds of peak torque. Top speed is 177 miles per hour. All cars come with a Tremec six-speed manual transmission. An extreme aero package including a spoiler that dwarfs the ’72 Plymouth Superbird delivers close to a ton of down-force at top speeds to make sure that power reaches the track. Other modifications include double-adjustable coil-over Bilstein racing shocks, Kumho V720 racing tires, 15-inch double rotors with six-piston Brembo calipers and carbon ceramic matrix brakes. 
The suspension design enables owners to adjust ride height by up to three inches for better performance. Simply add racing fuel and hang on for the ride of your life. The original Viper ACR was a 1999 model based off the second-generation Viper coupe. Air-intake modifications added 10 horsepower over the stock model. Other modifications included 20-inch BBS wheels and a 50-pound weight reduction achieved by removing the audio system and other non-essential items from the interior. A 2008-09 model based off the fourth-generation car shared its powerplant with the production car, but added aerodynamic, suspension and brake upgrades. In 2010, Dodge introduced the Viper ACR-X that added an 8.4-liter V-10 engine with factory headers rated at 640-horsepower, factory designed roll cage and racing seat. Engineers stripped 160 pounds off the production car chassis to enhance the car’s power-to-weight ratio. In addition to its performance upgrades, the 2016 car enables buyers to customize with a choice of 8,000 color exterior options; 24,000 custom stripes; 11 types of wheels; 16 interior choices; seven aero kits; three brake packages; and four suspension options. 
Production for the newest member of the Viper family begins in the third quarter of 2015. Pricing starts at $117,895 excluding destination and gas-guzzler tax. For readers wondering why Dodge didn’t stuff the supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 in the Hellcats under the hood of a Viper, the answer’s simple: the engine doesn’t fit. But with the introduction of the newest ACR, grumbling in the supercar community should quiet down, at least for a little while.
See Dodge Viper Cars for sale on eBay.
