Return Of The King: The Dodge Viper Is Back

We always knew when Dodge said the Viper was going away for good that it would eventually return, but we weren’t sure exactly when. But recent leaks confirm it’s coming back soon and it won’t be some weird electric car or a hybrid. Instead, the Viper will be packing a V10 with a special V12 version supposedly in the works.

Watch a heavily modified Dodge Viper intimidate a Shelby GT500 at a red light.

That’s right, Christmas has come early and we’re here for it. Of course, there’s no official confirmation of anything from Dodge or Stellantis, so the details are all coming through rumors and claims of executives speaking anonymously.

Plus, we all know automakers change a lot of things in the development process of a new model, so these details might not survive for the final product. But at least the Viper is returning to the Dodge lineup!

One thing that isn’t clear is when exactly the Viper will return. If it were coming for the 2026 model year we likely would’ve already seen something, so it’s going to be until at least 2027, possibly longer. Considering the last generation, the VX, bowed out in 2017, that’s a long hiatus from the market.

TK’s Garage, a popular YouTube channel that focuses on Mopars, claims to have insider info from Dodge executives. According to him, the Viper will be a mass-produced V10-powered sports car, possibly with the engine mid-ship like the C8 Corvette.

In other words, the Viper won’t be some super expensive, limited-run vehicle only the affluent can buy, only to sit in a some fancy garage alongside Ferraris and McLarens while the rest of us wish we could experience it.

But he says there will be a limited-edition Mamba version of the Viper which will come with a fire-breathing V12 engine.

YouTuber Butter Da Insider pointed out what many others have noticed in the Dodge Charger Daytona configurator. In the background, there’s what appears to be a Viper on a lift. That could mean anything, but people are hoping it’s just another clue about the snake’s return.

Butter has his own theories about what could come to pass with the new Viper. He believes there’s a chance it will be built on the Maserati MC20 platform, which would make sense since developing an all-new platform would be costly for Stellantis. That would support the mid-ship layout, which we have mixed feelings about.

The YouTuber also believes there’s a chance Dodge will use the thumping Hellephant supercharged V8 in the new Viper. We suppose that’s a possibility.

There are some who claim Stellantis will make the Viper a hybrid with a V6, inline-six, or V8 engine. We guess that could happen, but others claim the Mopar sports car would be more akin to the original Viper instead of being a creature of modernity.

We’re hopeful whatever Dodge is cooking up will be relatively affordable, fun, and will honor the Viper’s legacy.

Images via Stellantis