It would be terribly unfortunate if D/C dropped the ball and didn't give the Viper more power for 2006.
They have given Mercedes power boosts across the board, and are now up to more than 600HP and 738TQ for the SL65.
The Viper won't slip badly
if the new coupe is rated at 550HP, but is really putting out close to 600HP.
The Ford GT is
rated at 550HP, but really puts out 625-650HP. And that's how it is successfully distancing itself from the Viper and Corvette.
And the Viper
needs to pull ahead of the performance car pack, or it will lose it's status of being a performance leader, in the same way that the NSX is no longer in the running with new performance cars.
The only real reason that D/C would
not give the SRT-10 Coupe a power boost (like the GTS got when it was released) would be if they want to discontinue the Viper.
And are setting the car up for failure.