Yes, that is not a clickbait title. This Dodge Viper recently hit a maximum velocity of 253 miles per hour or 405 kilometers per hour. That is as fast the cruising speed of a commercial, 42-72 seater ATR plane. The run has been captured in the video below and showcases how quickly this 2-door Supercar attains such a speed.
This is a 2006 Viper model with all that power going to the rear wheels. The 8.5-liter petrol motor, with all the mods, is putting out as much as 1400 horses and 1600 Nm of torque. Just to put things into perspective, the upcoming Lamborghini Huracan RWD makes 602 bhp and 560 Nm of torque. And this Viper doesn't make use of any fancy gearbox but has a normal stick-shift, 6-speed 'box.
The run makes this the fastest Viper on the planet. The drive was done at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds on a 4.3 km long stretch that was eaten up in less than a minute. While there are no proper reports on the modifications done, this modified Viper makes use of twin turbos and was at the proving grounds to test prototype engine parts and tyres. As seen in the video, the car was fitted with a rear parachute that is a common sight in such powerful cars. This helps a lot when you want to brake from crazy speeds without having to worry about burning the disc pads.
Understandably, the car is slow to launch but once it gains speeds, acceleration is brutal. For example, the 100 to 200 mph run (160 to 320 km/h) takes just about 10 seconds. The on-board speed app finally registers 253 mph before the driver decides to lift off as he nears the end of the air strip. It is confirmed that the top speed was checked via Garmin and Racelogic monitoring systems. Enjoy the video!
