Next-Gen Viper Powered by Ferrari V10?

Uncertainty is still the main word when talking about Dodge's Viper, even if Fiat recently stepped at the helm of the parent company Chrysler. Questions are now heading towards the next generation Dodge Viper, as new rumors are hinting that Sergio Marchionne could put his very own touch on the upcoming model. A report by caranddriver.com indicates that the Italian, who's now serving as CEO for both Fiat and Chrysler, plans to make the Viper the flagship product for Dodge.

And how else to do that if not by bringing a Ferrari engine on the Viper? According to the aforementioned source, Fiat might fit the Viper with a V10 powertrain sourced from Ferrari that would obviously bring a lot of benefits to the popular but unsuccessful Dodge model.

What's interesting is that Dodge Viper was initially sentenced to death as the American manufacturer underwent a heavy restructuring for every single brand. But in July, probably at Marchionne's request, Chrysler announced that it will continue building the Viper.

“The Dodge Viper has successfully captured the hearts and imagination of performance enthusiasts around the globe. We’re extremely proud that the ultimate American-built sports car with its world-class performance will live on as the iconic image leader for the Dodge brand," Mike Accavitti, Dodge CEO, said in the release.

Details are still sketchy on the next generation Viper but for model year 2009, Dodge is offering a 8.4l, 600 horsepower (450 kW) V10 engine mated to a manual six-speed overdrive transmission.