The Dodge Viper brand has been the victim of many rumours since Chrysler’s emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June, but this latest piece of news, from US magazine Car and Driver, is by far the best yet.
According to the publication, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is currently working on a plan to use a V10 engine derivative of Ferrari's next generation V8 in the iconic Amercian sports machine.
It's a bold move, but one that could not only help Fiat to cut costs, but to also re-launch the Viper as Chrysler's hero car.
the initial plans indicate the new engine family would be based around a 90 degree, modular V8. The Ferrari version would use a flat-plane crank layout, with Maserati adopting a more conventional cross-plane crank. Staying true to its American roots, the Viper version would gain two-cylinders and employ a pushrod setup.
There is no word yet on when the final decision will be made but if it does come to fruition, we would expect a Fiat-powered Viper within a few years.
