It looks like the SRT brand is taking aim at the highly anticipated C7 Corvette as they have fired back with some new leaked images of a 2013 SRT Viper test mule. These images come just days after photos of the 2014 C7 corvette testing in Northern Canada hit the web. SRT seems to be setting some precedent here as last fall it took SRT and the Viper club of America a week and half to have a 2010 Dodge Viper ACR break the Corvette ZR1’s production car lap record time at the Nurburgring.
2013 SRT Viper - Spy Shot from the side
In case you weren’t aware that Chrysler has created the new SRT brand we will excuse you as the 2013 Viper will be the first car to wear the new high performance name plate. SRT is an acronym for Street Racing Technology and is being created to become the North American performance brand equivalent to that of Mercedes’ AMG, Audi’s Quatro and BMW’s M division.
The buzz surrounding the new Viper has been focused on the fact that the car has been co-developed by the entire Fiat/Chrysler family. Ferrari lent the Viper development team a few of their F1 race engineers to help with suspension and electronic driving aids, as well as improving the engines efficiency. The result was being able to increase amount of horsepower that the cars original 8.4-liter V10 engine can produce and extra 50 – 100 hp and is now topping out at 700 HP.
2013 SRT Viper - Spy Shot Front 3/4
This power increase is partly due to the incorporation of Fiat’s own Multi air technology into the large displacement V10. Multi Air was originally introduced to the North America market in the Fiat 500 and will be used in the 2013 Dodge Dart.
If you think that 700hp is a little too much for your needs, No Problem as SRT is also planning on building a more civilized and fuel friendly, Chrysler ME four 12 inspired grocery getter. This de-tuned Viper would use Chrysler’s own 6.4-liter V8 Hemi which is currently found under the hood of all SRT8 branded Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler products. The car is rumored to have a such advanced technologies included on it as cylinder deactivation and stop/start engine deactivation to help conserve ever last drop of fuel.
As strange as it sounds the Hemi would be a more fuel efficient variation because it uses cylinder deactivation when the driver does not need all 465 hp. This engine option could also be paired to an automatic gear box developed by ZF and would have a paddle shifter design where as the V10 is expected to maintain the use of a 6-speed manual transmission.
2013 SRT Viper - Spy Shot Head on
Check back in with us at Car Rolodex in 3 months time when we are at the New York Auto Show to cover the official introduction of the 2013 Viper and the launch of the SRT brand.
If you are interested in seeing the video of the Viper destroying the ZR1’s lap time at the Green Hell check out the article below. Trust you won’t want to miss it as the video is incredible and is shot from inside of the car for the entire 7:12.13 of race action.
Official Video of Viper ACR Reclaiming the Nürburgring Record
