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Mid-Engine Dodge Viper Design Study Gives the C8 Corvette a Good Run For Its Money

It took Chevrolet more than six decades to switch the Corvette’s front-engine layout to a mid-engine design. Unfortunately for sports car lovers, Dodge never had the opportunity of doing that with the mighty Viper.
Mid-engine Dodge Viper design study by Siim Pärn 41 photos
Photo: spdesignsest on Instagram
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Imagined by pixel artist Siim Pärn, the gentleman behind the 7 Designs Aria aerodynamic kit for the Maserati MC20, the design study marries C8 styling cues with the striking character of the 2013 to 2017 model year Viper.

Dubbed VX I, the fifth and final generation of the V10-engined brute rolled out under the SRT brand. That only lasted for two years following abysmal sales figures. Switching back to Dodge didn’t help either. The best year was 2014 when merely 760 examples of the breed were delivered stateside.

Sales were so poor, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles decided to cut output by a third in October 2013, then halt production altogether for two months in April 2014. Come October 2015, the Italo-American manufacturer had had enough. But poor sales weren’t the only issue of the slithering serpent.

Somewhat curious for such a large automaker, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles didn’t design the Viper to accommodate side curtain airbags. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 226 mandates these life-saving airbags, and without them, Dodge didn’t have a choice but to discontinue the Viper.

Now known as Stellantis following the merger with French conglomerate Groupe PSA, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles isn’t interested in bringing the Viper back either. The cross-border merger is currently focused on electrification to the tune of $35.5 billion through 2025, which is a huge investment whichever way you look at it. Even the Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Hellcat engine will bite the dust as a result of this aggressive electrification plan.

Alas, a mid-engine sports car is out of the question although Dodge may capitalize on the Viper’s legacy for an all-electric sports car. The speculative newcomer would serve as the corner-carving halo model of the brand along with the yet-unnamed electric muscle car that will roll out in 2024.

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Editor's note: 2017 Dodge Viper ACR pictured in the gallery.

About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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