Official HP Numbers for 2003?

[Gerald]

Have there been any posts or numbers that are official yet? I believe I once read here that 500HP was conservative and 530 or so was more realistic... Official weight also?
Has Dodge released it yet? I've probably been sleeping , so sorry if this is old news..


Gerald

 

[Steve Ferguson]

Official numbers should be out in the next 2-3 month's. You should be able to expect slightly higher numbers than what is "claimed" or "announced" in those "always correct" car magazines. To date I have not heard of many Viper's that did not out produce the claimed figures.

Let just say that the numbers will be MORE IMPRESSIVE than expected...........

 

[slaughterj]

I would love to see 550!! Keep the competition in check

 

[slaughterj]

I thought they had to go through some sort of expensive tests to demonstrate hp for a production model, therefore I'd assume they'd just go with what they have rather than hold it back - presumably they'll know what the c6 is producing, to know what they've got to do...

 

[OrecaGTS-R/T]

I wouldn't be suprised if they come with 550hp, the original concept came with 380hp if i'm correct before they upped it to 400 for production?

 

[Venom Lover]

slaughterj has it right. The competition will be perilously close (IMO) if the '03 Viper comes in at 500 bhp. Consider: I've been hearing rumors of 450 bhp for a 6.4 L C6 with a weight of 3000 lbs (from various posts over on the Vette forum -- maybe my info is not totally up-to-date). So, that's weight-to-power ratios of 6.6 lbs/hp for the Viper (3300 lbs, 500 hp) and 6.67 lbs/hp for the C6. Sounds too close for my comfort!

Also, consider this. If the C6 produces 450 bhp out of 6.4 liters and the Gen III Viper produces 500 bhp out of 8.4 liters, the specific output ratios are 60 hp/L for the Viper and 70 hp/L for the Vette. 550 bhp for the Viper would at least bring the ratio up to 65 hp/L. So, I'm all in favor of the '03 Viper coming out with noticeably more power than 500 bhp, otherwise it's going to be very close competition with a 6.4L C6 (if Chevy actually has the balls to produce a 6.4L motor for the C6!!!).

I agree it doesn't seem to be Dodge's style (thank goodness) to come out with performance claims one year and immediately up them the next year. They leave that tactic to GM, which ends up screwing anyone who wants to hold onto a Vette for more than one year as a result.

 

[Vreracing]

From reading this board and others I've seen that GM does tend to play tricks with their numbers.

Some of the F body magazines have been dynoing the Camaro and Firebirds and have been getting the same torque and horsepower as the standard (not Z06) Vette. Even though there is supposed to be about a 40hp difference. Also the '02 ZO6 was supposed to have more power than the '01 but that also has not been demonstrated. Finally from what I understand there is a marked discrepancy between each individual vette.

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Would the real '02 engine please stand up.

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Corvette vs Firebird. You make the call.</center>

 

[MES]

I do hope DC steps up to the plate and comes out with a 550HP Gen III but I don't think they are going to.

Also the C6 with 450HP is a pipe dream at the moment (crack pipe that is)

The C6 will not be out until late 2004 then the Z06 sometime later 2005? The base model C6 will NOT have 450HP maybe the Z06 will, but who knows. It will be several years until there is any real competition from GM.