Viper-powered 300 SRT10 was one man's garage job (and Chrysler should be ashamed they didn't do it first)

It looks like the Viper-powered Chrysler 300 teased on the group's Dodge Youtube channel is nothing more than the dream of one man: David Ekins. The 300 SRT10, it turns out, started as an unsuspecting 2006 Chrysler 300 Touring (which initially came with a V6); now it's got four more cylinders and puts down a claimed 525-550 horsepower.

Mr. Ekins is said to have built the project himself (except for some specialty work), having sourced the 10-cylinder 8.3-liter engine and T-56 Tremec transmission from a wrecked donor car. Other than the power train, a slew of other systems obviously had to be upgraded in order for the car to become a 300 SRT10 and not just a 300 Touring with a massive engine.

This homemade project now rides on Eibach coilovers and gets a new sway bar kit, as well as a little bit of extra cooling up front in the form of a 3-inch thick radiator and "custom" oil filter. Other additions include a new fuel tank mounted in the trunk and the little styling tweaks found throughout.

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Vipervette is the latest project to kill two performance nameplates in one go

The 1986 Vipervette is exactly what you think it is: part Dodge Viper, part Corvette, all painful. Riding on a 1986 Corvette chassis, the Vipervette is said to have inherited its body (and not much else, apparently) from a 2000 Dodge Viper. Because of this hodge-podge mix of machinery, we have a car with some very awkward proportions.

The car is motivated by the '86 Vette's power train - a 5.7-liter V8 and a 4-speed stick - so don't expect to be going anywhere in too much of a hurry. Inside is more of the 1980's, with the Corvette interior color-coded to line up with the Viper exterior (meaning it's the mighty played-out red and black).

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Hell Yeah; Dodge Teases Viper V10-Powered Chrysler 300 SRT10 on Video

Dodge has published a video of a current generation Chrysler 300 badged as the SRT10 and fitted with a Viper-sourced 8.4-liter V10 powerhouse on its official Youtube channel. The company did not provide any intel on the car, but it did ask the question, "What happens when you put a Viper engine into a Chrysler 300?". Feel free to post your answers in the comments section below.

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Dodge debuts V10 Viper-powered Challenger for the strip

Dodge is ready to keep fighting the Mustang Cobra Jet a quarter mile at a time. With its latest Drag Pack, available on the 2011 Challenger, Dodge has decided to ditch the 6.1-liter V8 and drop in the Viper's 8.4-liter V10 backed by a two-speed automatic racing transmission.

The new Dodge will make its debut at the Viper Owner's Invitational taking place in Salt Lake City, followed by a stop at SEMA in November on its way to Orlando.

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Australia: The Pricey World of Right-Hand Drive Conversions

Car buyers in Australia and other RHD countries have long got the short end of the stick in terms of American muscle cars. The reason is quite simple: they drive on the "wrong" side of the road.

Most manufacturers are unwilling to do right-hand-drive conversions on what are essentially specialist models: cars like the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Viper, Ford Mustang and the like. There just aren't enough buyers to rationalize the cost.

Fortunately, a cottage industry (or rather a man-in-a-shed industry) has popped up offering RHD conversions of American muscle cars for eager buyers in countries like Australia, the UK and Japan.

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Chrysler / Fiat US Plans Laid Out, New Dodge Viper on the way in 2012

It turns out Sergio Marchionne brought a gift when he spoke with Chrysler dealers down in Florida earlier this week. Can we guess what it was? No, the rumored Jeep truck was a bonus (and a no-brainer). High fives all around if you said 2012 Dodge Viper. The company showed dealers an early prototype of the next Viper finished in a candy-apple red color. According to one dealer present at the meeting, the Viper concept "resembled the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione with a Viper face." We shall see.

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McLaren MP4-12C Cop Car? Only in Need For Speed Hot Pursuit

While everyone's waiting for the new Gran Turismo, Need for Speed hopes to satiate your digital racing needs with a new Hot Pursuit game. Check out the screen shots below for some copped-out speed machines. Dare you view the Viper and forever live in fear of what could one day be lurking on an interstate? Hey, cops impound craziness all the time.

Seeing as how everyone from Techart and Brabus to Ford and the holy Lamborghini have created awesome police concepts or actual cars, how about McLaren spends a little of its hard-earned cash and builds an MP4-12C patrol car. Can we say crowd-pleaser?

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Last Dodge Viper Rolls Off the Production Line [with Video]

It's the end of the line [at least for now] for one of the most recognizable and iconic American sports cars of the past two decades as the last of the current-generation Dodge Vipers "slithered" its way out of the firm's Conner Avenue plant in Detroit.

The final example of the 2010 Dodge Viper is a customized coupe model for D'Ann Rauh (second from right in the picture), who along with her husband Wayne from Arp, Texas, own more than 40 Dodge Vipers. The Texas couple own the largest personal collection of Vipers in the world.

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Dodge Creates 50 Special Edition Vipers for VIP Dealers

As if we haven't seen enough special painted edition versions of the Dodge Viper this year, which will be the last for the current generation model, the Detroit automaker is now giving the opportunity to dealers that sold the 8.4-liter V10 sports car in high volumes to create their own special-edition variants.

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Dodge to end Viper Production with 50 Final Editions

Dodge's Viper SRT10 will be going out with a bang, or in this case, a limited run of 50 "Final Edition" models starting production this summer.

The Final Edition package will be available on all three variations of the Viper (Coupe, Roadster, ACR) and will consist of the body painted in a Graphite Clear Coat with a center-mounted black racing stripe highlighted in red.

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VIDEO: 2010 Dodge Viper ACR-X Racer Driving and Development Footage

Dodge is determined to let the Viper go out with a bang as the company is planning to introduced several limited edition versions of the sports car before production comes to an end in 2010. The third special Viper SRT10 is the ACR-X, a track ready racer boasting a modified V10 with 640 ponies, suspension and aerodynamic improvements as well as all a bevy of safety equipment. Hit the break to watch the video and don't forget to turn up the volume of your speakers to get a taste of the wonderful sounds of Dodge's new limited run 2010 Viper ACR-X.

Dodge Targets Enthusiasts with Race-Ready 2010 Viper SRT10 ACR-X Special

Today, Dodge unveiled the third limited, special-edition version of the soon-to-be-discontinued Viper SRT10 sports car, dubbed ACR-X. Based largely upon the Viper SRT10 ACR, the new model is a turn-key, non-street legal, racer that's powered by a tweaked version of the standard Viper's 8.4-liter V10 that gains new headers and a low-restriction exhaust system, increasing output by 40HP to 640 horsepower.

The Viper SRT10 ACR-X's suspension has been upgraded and tuned specifically for track usage, while the sport car's weight is lightened by 160 pounds (73 kg) over the standard production model.

Dodge said that the car also features additional aerodynamic upgrades to improve downforce as well as to enhance stability and grip in high-speed cornering.

As a track racer, the Viper ACR-X comes with all the usual factory-installed safety equipment such as a factory-designed roll cage, fuel cell and race seat.

Dodge said that during a testing session of the ACR-X at Laguna Seca raceway last month, professional driver Kuno Wittmer from the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship series, was able to run consistent 1:31.00 lap times around the 2.238-mile, 11-turn course.

This means that Wittmer's lap times were more than 3 seconds faster than the street-legal Viper SRT10 ACR which holds the production car track record at Laguna Seca raceway.

"The Dodge Viper ACR-X is incredible," said Wittmer. "After a short warm up, I was running lap times as quick as exotic GT race cars. I was blown away by the power and acceleration, and even more surprised at how the ACR-X navigated the challenging Laguna Seca corners and how friendly it was to drive at the limit."

The limited production 2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR-X will go on sale in the States in Spring 2010 with prices starting from around $110,000.

LA Show: Dodge Celebrates Viper SRT10's Final Year with Special Editions and Minor Tweaks

Towards the end of 2010, Dodge will cease production of its Viper sports car that was first introduced in 1992. To celebrate the final production of the current generation Viper SRT10, Dodge is adding new colors, improving performance and introducing a series of special edition models. All in all, the Detroit automaker plans to build around 500 Vipers for the last model year.

Changes for the 'base' 2010 Viper SRT10 Roadster and Coupe models are limited to the introduction of two new exterior colors –Toxic Orange Pearl Coat and Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, and a shorter fifth gear ratio (changing from 0.74 to 0.80) for improved high-speed acceleration and higher straightaway speeds.

Power continues to come from a 8.4-liter V10 engine with 600HP and 560 lb.-ft. (760 Nm) of torque, with Dodge claiming a 0-60 mph (96 km/h)in under 4 seconds, quarter-mile time in the mid 11-second range and 0-100-0 mph in 11 seconds flat, and a top speed of 202 mph or 325 km/h.

Body style offerings remain unchanged with the availability of Roadster and Coupe models along with the ACR (American Club Racer) package

The hardcore Viper SRT10 ACR which recently set a new lap record at the Laguna Seca raceway, gets a new short-throw shifter and a redesigned rear wing profile and end plates in 2010. Dodge said that these changes combined with the new fifth gear ratio result in an increased top speed of 4 mph, to 184 mph (296km/h) for the ACR model.

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Dodge introduced the first two of a series of special edition models of the Viper that are to come in 2010.

First up is the Viper ACR 1:33 Edition, which pays tribute to the new production car lap record set on Nov. 24 at Laguna Seca raceway. It features a unique two-tone Black Clear Coat / Red Clear Coat exterior color scheme which is the exact opposite of the original ACR model. Interior highlights include piano black console bezels with red gauge highlights complemented with red accent stitching in the seats. Production will be limited to 33 cars.

The second special model is the Vooodoo-edition Viper ACR that gets an all Black Clear Coat exterior with a Graphite Driver's Stripe outlined in red. Only 10 examples of this model will be built.

More details and pricing on all 2010 Dodge Vipers will be announced at a later date.

2010 Dodge Viper SRT10

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2010 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR

2010 Dodge Viper ACR to Debut at LA Show, Breaks Lap Record at Laguna Seca [with VIDEO]

The subtly revised 2010 Dodge Viper ACR, which is set to make its world premiere at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show, has set a new lap record at the Laguna Seca with a time of 1:33.915 as recorded by Motech in-vehicle data recorder (1:33.944'' as unofficially recorded by trackside clock) breaking the previous lap record of 1.35.117 set by a Devon GTX this past August. The 2010 Dodge Viper ACR was piloted by SRT vehicle dynamics engineer, Chris Winkler.

"It was definitely exciting but a somewhat uneventful lap overall from behind the steering wheel," said Winkler. "The Dodge Viper ACR has amazing power and handles like a dream, so following my first practice here last month, I came away pretty confident that we'd be able to set a new record."

In the final year of the Viper's production, the hardcore ACR, (first introduced in 2008), receives a series of upgrades including a shorter fifth gear ratio that changes from 0.74 to 0.80 for improved high-speed acceleration and higher straightaway speed, a new short-throw shifter and a redesigned rear wing to further optimize aerodynamics and improve rear yaw downforce.

Dodge says that these improvements result in an increase in top speed of 4 mph, to 184 mph (296 km/h) for the 2010 model.

There are no other changes for the Viper ACR that is powered by an 8.4-liter V10 engine with 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque, for a 0-60 mph (96km/h) acceleration in under 4 seconds, quarter-mile time in the mid 11-second range and 0-100-0 mph in 11 seconds flat.

Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand and Senior Vice President, Product Design Office, Chrysler Group LLC, said that the company plans to release several special edition models during the last year of the Viper including a Laguna Seca edition to commemorate the record lap. All in all, around 500 Vipers will be produced in 2010.

VIDEO: D'oh! Edgy Driver in Dodge Viper GTS Slams Into Van

Now here's a nice educational video for all those annoyingly edgy drivers that weave in-and-out of traffic as if the road is an obstacle course. For whatever reasons, a Subaru driver in Chile was tailing / filming a bright-red Dodge Viper GTS on the freeway. The driver of the American sports car was swooping right and left to avoid the traffic when all of a sudden he exited a tunnel only to see that cars in front of him had come to a halt... Watch the video after the jump.

Via: Worldcarfans