Dodge Viper gets modest power bump for 2015

The Dodge Viper, formerly known as the SRT Viper, is getting a power bump for 2015, but the supercar will still play second fiddle to the 2015 Challenger Hellcat.

Road & Track managed to get the lowdown on the updated Viper the same way we found out about the impending Charger Hellcat – through an official SAE J1349 document. Chrysler is one of three automakers – the other two being General Motors and Ford – that take advantage of SAE’s power certification program.

According to the document, the stated output of the Viper’s 8.4L V10 will grow from 640 horsepower to 645 for the new model year. Torque remains unchanged at 600 lb-ft.

Although any increase in power is a welcome sight, the Viper is still down on power compared to its stablemate, the 707 horsepower, 650 lb-ft of torque Challenger Hellcat. Perhaps more importantly, the Viper is also at a deficit compared to the latest Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which makes 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.

Dodge has already stated that the Hellcat engine simply won’t fit beneath the Viper’s hood, so the supercar will have to soldier on with its comparatively underpowered V10 for the foreseeable future.