ZOMG! A supercharged 3800 lb brick has a magazine rating of 10 more flywheel hp! The GEN 5 is a total POS! I won't even buy one now because some Ford guy has a bigger advertised hp rating than my Viper.
What a bunch of pointless whining. Did anyone stop to think that maybe the 640 number is underrated....on purpose...at least for the time being? The Gen IV is rated at 600 hp, but they dyno around 545-550 rwhp bone stock. That 600 hp number was underrated. I have no reason to believe the 640 number isn't underrated as well. Add to that the fact that the car dropped 100 lbs, got better gearing, better tires, better brakes, and better suspension and you have to be kidding yourself if you think that a Mustang is going to be any competition...other than on paper.
Not to stereotype, but the guys who generally whine about "not enough" horsepower on paper are the guys who wreck their bone stock Gen 2's in a parking lot because they can't handle the torque. I heard the same ******** when the Z06 came out at 505 hp....from guys who were already scared to death of their stock Gen 3's. They just wanted paper bragging rights.
If the sole reason you don't buy a Gen 5 is because of its underrated flywheel hp numbers (setting aside the killer interior, suspension, design, etc, etc) then there is no hope for you.
The Gen 5 is going to be the best Viper ever built by all standards. EVERYTHING about that car is going to better than EVERYTHING about the past generations (other than some opinions on looks, but that's totally subjective). I think when you guys see actual road and track tests of this car up against the Mudstain and the Slomaro, you'll change your tune. Hopefully, a couple of well written magazine articles and ET's can make some of the bench racers feel better about the Viper again.
Signed,
I have 946 rwhp/909 tq on pump gas and I'd sell my car in a heartbeat for a lowly 640 hp Gen 5.