Thursday 26th November 2009

No Ferrari-Viper Collaboration Planned

Dodge says it wants advice, not technology, from Ferrari

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No Ferrari motor for the Viper

Dodge has quashed rumours that the union of Fiat and Chrysler might bring anything in the way of meaningful collaboration between Ferrari and Viper, but not before fanning the flames of speculation for a while.

In a statement issued on Tuesday after the 2010 Dodge Viper ACR set a new lap record at Laguna Seca, Dodge brand chief Ralph Gilles said: "When we have partners across the ocean who are known as the best sports-car makers in the world, the future opportunities are huge."

But before you start to get wound up about the fascinating prospect of a Ferrari V8 or V12 motor in a Viper, or the horrific prospect of a Viper V10 in a Ferrari, it seems that Dodge is after information, not platform sharing.

Gilles revealed as much when US magazine Auto Week got in touch with him. "They really know sports cars. We just want some advice," said Gilles. "Ferrari is Ferrari, Viper is Viper. Please don't go there."

So there you have it - Viper will remain a deep-pan meat feast, while Ferrari will continue to be a thin-crust quattro formaggio, but Viper's oh-so American products might just get a spot of secret Italian seasoning.

[CypherP]

I'm pleased to be honest. Really can't think of any reason why a Ferrari engine would be a good idea in an american muscle car. The Viper V10 makes the car. To be honest, any inspiration other than aesthetically (largely interior), would be a bad move for Viper.

We all know the US don't build cars that corner particularly well and we have gotten used to it. Keep the V10 muscle as it is, I say.

[Frimley111R]

Good news. As he says Viper is Viper Ferrari is Ferrari. The Viper could do with some improved quality and build but making an american classic more European would not be good.

[jayfish]

CypherP said:

I'm pleased to be honest. Really can't think of any reason why a Ferrari engine would be a good idea in an american muscle car. The Viper V10 makes the car. To be honest, any inspiration other than aesthetically (largely interior), would be a bad move for Viper.

We all know the US don't build cars that corner particularly well and we have gotten used to it. Keep the V10 muscle as it is, I say.

This is the same car that in the article above is mentioned as having set the new lap record around one of the twistiest most challenging motor racing circuits in the world...have a word with yourself!

[ukaskew]

They want advice? Does that mean we can expect Viper branded toilet seats, ashtrays, knickers and false teeth soon?

[LuS1fer]

Thank god for that. Am American muscle car needs to be just that without all the crap you get on one of those slow Ferraris. It also needs to be cheap to service and FUN, not some prima donna Italian sports car.

[Decky_Q]

Dont really see why a viper V10 would be a bad thing in a ferarri, its a damn good engine and certainly provided enough poke in anything else its ever been in V10 RAM, dodge tomahawk, viper etc so why not a fezza?

[Gizmo!]

Decky_Q said:

Dont really see why a viper V10 would be a bad thing in a ferarri, its a damn good engine and certainly provided enough poke in anything else its ever been in V10 RAM, dodge tomahawk, viper etc so why not a fezza?

That would be like putting a Honda S2000 engine in a TVR Chimaera, or vice versa. Totally changes the character of the car.


This is good news though: if they can work together on 'invisible' things like air-con, seat motors, that sort of thing, that saves money and makes no difference at all to the product.

[militantmandy]

LuS1fer said:

Thank god for that. Am American muscle car needs to be just that without all the crap you get on one of those slow Ferraris. It also needs to be cheap to service and FUN, not some prima donna Italian sports car.

agree with all of the above bar the slow bit! Fezza's aren't exactly lacking in poke!

[Escort Si-130]

I just new someone was going to mention it or about the Ferrari theme park in Dubai.

ukaskew said:

They want advice? Does that mean we can expect Viper branded toilet seats, ashtrays, knickers and false teeth soon?

[crbox]

Why even admit you need advice from Ferrari?

Surely he's not suggesting that his (Dodge) engineer's are totally mystified as to why Ferraris' models handle with more precision?

It's no mystery -it's all there - just measure one.

[IPAddis]

Decky_Q said:

Dont really see why a viper V10 would be a bad thing in a ferarri, its a damn good engine and certainly provided enough poke in anything else its ever been in V10 RAM, dodge tomahawk, viper etc so why not a fezza?

Saying things like that is liable to get you a horses head on your pillow!

"Interesting" and undoutably powerful as the Viper's truck-based V10 is, it would be totally unsuitable for a Ferrari. Likewise a 4.2 litre flat-plane Ferrari V8 would be laughed at by Americans who like the floor to shake when they fire up their bohemoth muscle.

Ian A.

[leelee89]

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

[AlexVTR]

leelee89 said:

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

+1

I think they're more intrested in fiats information and methods regarding fuel economy & emissions etc.

[fatboy18]

ukaskew said:

They want advice? Does that mean we can expect Viper branded toilet seats, ashtrays, knickers and false teeth soon?

Hope so And with a great big American Flag on it

[fatboy18]

Who says its about swapping engines from Ferrari Viper / Viper Ferrari. Look at the bigger picture, it could mean a return to a Factory Racing program, Interior refinements? Gearboxes? Better marketing in Europe? So far its all looking rather good

[CypherP]

jayfish said:

CypherP said:

I'm pleased to be honest. Really can't think of any reason why a Ferrari engine would be a good idea in an american muscle car. The Viper V10 makes the car. To be honest, any inspiration other than aesthetically (largely interior), would be a bad move for Viper.

We all know the US don't build cars that corner particularly well and we have gotten used to it. Keep the V10 muscle as it is, I say.

This is the same car that in the article above is mentioned as having set the new lap record around one of the twistiest most challenging motor racing circuits in the world...have a word with yourself!

I'm well aware of this, but being the ACR is was built to handle that way. Any normal Viper/GM/US muscle car isn't built on handling ability as we all know. I was mainly aiming at the fact that throwing a Ferrari engine into a Viper would completely ruin the big, grunting muscle-car appeal. The ACR is very impressive and illustrates what an american performance car is actually capable of.

[LuS1fer]

Yeah, how does that Viper ACR post that 'Ring time when the handling is plainly "inferior" to those "fast" Ferraris...

[Shinobi]

CypherP said:

I'm pleased to be honest. Really can't think of any reason why a Ferrari engine would be a good idea in an american muscle car. The Viper V10 makes the car. To be honest, any inspiration other than aesthetically (largely interior), would be a bad move for Viper.

We all know the US don't build cars that corner particularly well and we have gotten used to it. Keep the V10 muscle as it is, I say.

Also the ZR1 is the quickest car around the Nurburg and that has a few corners..... have another word with yourself and stop listening to Clarkson.

[evile]

I believe we're going to see a new chassis, restyled exterior and upgraded interior. There were rumors SRT (Chrysler's performance division) was developing an aluminum chassis. The Corvette Z06 had weight advantage over the Gen III Viper. Chevy had developed an aluminum chassis exclusively for the Z06 and later the ZR1. The Viper still has a steel chassis.

The Fiat group has extensive experience in developing aluminum chassis (ie Ferrari, Maserati etc). Removing weight from the Viper would help improve its performance. Especially if they can develop a chassis as stiff as the current steel chassis. Also, removing weight will help increase fuel mileage.

The current (Gen IV) Viper engine is a great powerplant. It's not the truck derived engine that was found in the first and second generation Vipers. That engine was shelved in '03. Also, it's not as heavy as many believe. The GEN IV engine produces over 600hp from the factory and is rated around 23 miles per gallon on the highway. Tuners are getting close to 650hp with exhaust and SRT's ECU.

Finally, the following is a link to the 2010 Viper breaking the production car record at Laguna Seca that was mentioned in the article. 2010 is the last year for the current Viper. They're only making 500. Here's the article from worldcarfans.com:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/109112523229/2010-dodg...

Edited by evile on Thursday 26th November 15:22

[leon9191]

AlexVTR said:

leelee89 said:

I cant see how sticking a big yank V10 in a small, light ferrari would be a good idea... it'd ruin the handling big time!!

+1

I think they're more intrested in fiats information and methods regarding fuel economy & emissions etc.

Pretty sure the Vipers V10 is made from aluminium so its not exactly 300kg of yanki pig iron.

Also it’s the way the engine develops its power that defines its character not its weight.