If you'd like to compare its on-board video of the record lap to the ZR1's video, check it out over at Motor Trend. Looks like Jim Mero may have to head back to Germany and set that faster lap he was talking about after all. [Motor Trend]

"As the Company evaluates strategic options to maximize core operations and leverage its assets, we have agreed to listen to these parties. We will do so keeping in mind the best interests of those who have shown tremendous support for the vehicle- including employees, suppliers, dealers and a worldwide group of loyal Viper owners and enthusiasts,” Nardelli continued, “Viper is an integral part of this Company's heritage. While this is a strategic review, our intent would be to offer strong operational and financial support during any potential transaction, in order to ensure a future for the Viper business and perpetuate the legacy of this great vehicle."

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: Why purchase Viper? Surely the current 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 — a refresh of the 2003 model — is nearing the end of its useful life. Vehicles like the 2009 Nissan GT-R and 2009 Corvette ZR1 now offer considerably greater track performance combined with user friendliness and good road manners. All any potential buyer would receive would be a soon-to-be-outdated car, a brand with an image problem and the need to jump-start development on a replacement. If we were going to get into the supercar game, we’d start a fresh brand with a fresh product, free of the sins of the 1992 Dodge Viper RT/10 convertible its fathers. [Source: Automotive News, Sub. Req.]

The first thing you notice upon arrival to the shop along Interstate 10 is that there's really not much to notice. The new headquarters is operational but not completely finished. Therefore they've elected not to create much in the way of attention-grabbing signage other than a small sign proclaiming "Lonestar Motorsports Park." But when you're driving all manner of supercars around, you're going to get attention.

Attention, of course, is a good thing. Known for outrageously tuned vehicles, especially Vipers, the Hennessey operation does almost no major advertising outside of the DuPont Registry. When you're able to post a YouTube video of your Twin Turbo Viper racing to 220 mph, the news sort of spreads by itself.

Though their showroom isn't complete, an Audi R8 and a pair of Vipers make the only necessary statement sitting alone on the shiny red floor. If that doesn't work, there's always John Hennessey. It's hard to say whether he excels more at tuning or selling, but he's managed to keep doing both for a while in a state known for shops that fly too close to the sun. While it's true some question Hennessey's service record, it's hard to argue with people continuing to come back.

Besides, the real fun isn't in the showroom, it's on the shop floor, which looks as though it was built as an answer to the question: "Why mess with perfection?" On the day of my visit there are half a dozen Vipers, the first Hennessey Challenger SRT600 in prep, an SRT600 Cherokee, a GT40, a Porsche 911 peppered about a room already littered with vehicles.

My expectation was the Hennessey people would be power-mad tinkerers. While certainly dedicated to the extremes, no one tried to assault me with a Hemi-powered golf cart. However, it is a shop with mechanics who ritually test their tuned cars on the quarter-mile dragstrip behind the shop on the way home. And on the day I visited, John was on his way back from autocrossing in Siberia. They may not be power-mad, but power's most definitely on their minds.

After performing the perfunctory gawk-and-shoot with my camera, it was time to get down to business. My first question is also the most obvious, what do you do when the Viper dies? Dave Golder, long-time LeMons racer and Hennessey General Manager, points out the car is going to be around for a short time and the cars already built aren't going to suddenly disappear. The company is also expanding into new models like the Challenger, opening up a Tuner School and expanding their strip into a full race course.

There are those who would scoff at the audacity of the company's mission, which is to take already powerful cars to their extreme. There are those who turn their noses up to the company's owner — calling him audacious. But dropping the hammer on my normally-aspirated car as I charged down the track towards I-10, I couldn't help thinking what the car might sound like with a pair of turbochargers. Audacity, apparently is contagious... though affluence, unfortunately, is not.

(also see Future Hennessey Plans , Hennessey Challegner SRT600 Exclusive First Look and Weird Hennessey Vehicles)

There weren't even any signs to indicate that this was a limited edition, $180K beast. Shiny black paint and 700 horsepower may get you into the Neiman Marcus catalog, but at the NY Auto Show it also gets you relegated to the Team Polizei corner.

The first clue are those wheels, they stick out like an oh so sore thumb. Actually, half the problem is they don't stick out at all, they're practically lost in those wheel wells. Second and perhaps most impressive is the virtually intact digital dashboard so missed in modern vehicles. We almost thought that interior was certifiable there for a moment. We could go on and on about the specatacularness of the conversion, but we think we'll let the car speak for itself in the letter to the viewer that's posted in the gallery. Ah downstairs, the perfect mouthwash for the Ridler nominees.

With the power of 600 horses this Special is capable of over 200 mph, and with less heft than the Viper, will throw down 0-60 MPH times under 4 seconds. Not bad for a 76 year old chassis. Of course it's got all the goodies to back that up like a one off belly pan, rear splitter, Tremec 6 speed, roll hoops, a Willwood braking system and some swank satin polished vintage style kidney wheels. This is a baaaaad ride my friends.

NEIMAN MARCUS DIRECT TO LAUNCH THE 2008 NEIMAN MARCUS SPECIAL EDITION HENNESSEY VENOM 700NM

DALLAS, TEXAS (March 9, 2008) - Neiman Marcus Direct announced today that it is partnering with Hennessey Performance Engineering to introduce the 2008 Neiman Marcus Special Edition Hennessey Venom 700NM. The 2008 Special Edition Hennessey Venom will be featured in the spring Neiman Marcus Men's Catalog and will retail for $179.500.

The 2008 Special Edition Hennessey Venom 700NM features jet black paint with a 200-mph tested rear wing and Venom 700NM badges. Inside, custom details include black and red leather appointments, a numbered limited-edition dash plaque, embroidered floor mats and matching luggage. Underhood, there's a custom engine featuring 700 horsepower with 645 lb-ft torque, that can attain 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds.

"The Venom 700NM offers world-class power, performance and looks in typical Hennessey style. We are very excited about our new partnership with Neiman Marcus." said John Hennessey, President, Hennessey Performance Engineering. Only seven Venom 700NM Vipers will be made and the price includes one day of high-performance driving school at Lonestar Motorsports Park. For your chance to own this car, call 1 -877-885-7077 promptly at 9:00 a.m. PST on Monday, April 10, 2008.

[Source: Hennessey Performance]

The next generation Viper roadster, referred to internally as ZC-D27 — and ZC-D29 in the case of the coupe — are no longer part of Chrysler LLC's future plans. They've been shuttled to the side — we're assuming as part of "Project Genesis," the new game plan "intended to align the needs and wants of the customer with its [Chrysler's] product portfolio and the dealer network." Or perhaps it was part of "Project Alpha" the game plan prior to "Genesis" and before Cerberus really got a good look at the books. All we know is the decision was made during the period Cerberus has been running the show in Auburn Hills.

In other words: Shit.

Originally, the new version of Dodge's halo car was set to start rolling down the assembly line in January of 2009 alongside two Chrysler badged platform mates. These two new Chrysler branded performance vehicles were to be modeled after the Firepower concept car. The first one, a roadster, was given the internal name ZC-C27, and a coupe version was given the internal name ZC-C29. However we know the decision to kill the Chrysler-brand versions was made sometime in the middle of last year.

This certainly would've hurt the business case for the entire "ZC" program. The Viper is hand built at the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant. A plant that, without the Firepower, would do nothing but build Vipers and the big V10 engines that go in them. Its a plant that we're fairly certain Chrysler's new Six Sigma-loving management would probably like to close.

The general unrest and financial struggles of Chrysler played a huge role as well. When this embattled company chooses how to spend their R&D money, they have to choose very carefully. Sadly there are many other vehicles in the Chrysler lineup that need attention before they can start to think about a low volume, hardcore sports car again — halo status be damned.

What now?

Chrysler recently launched the freshened, more powerful, fourth generation Viper for the 2008 model year. Original plans had this car being built for only two model years. It was meant to be a stop-gap model until the next generation "ZC" car could be brought online. Now that an all new Viper won't happen, sources tell us that the fourth generation Viper will instead be built until around the 2011 model year. We'd also venture a guess that so long as the fourth gen is being built, a few of the track prepped ACR models will continue to trickle out of the factory.

What happens after 2011? That's a question we don't yet have an answer for.

It's hard to imagine Chrysler leaving the halo car market for good — but we're thinking the future will call for a more affordable halo. Not just more affordable for the buyer but more affordable for Chrysler build. We know they'll want something that can still put up a fight with the Corvette — at least the base model — but at the same time, be much closer to the Corvette's base MSRP.

In the next one or two years, we can only a hope a concept car pops up on the auto show circuit that can give some hope for an all new, SRT hot rod. For now though, we mourn the loss of a legend.

RIP
Dodge Viper
1992-2011

Even More Viper Venom! Dodge introduces street-legal 2008 Viper SRT10® ACR

• Dodge delivers ultimate purpose-built, street-legal track car
• 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10® ACR offers reduced weight, race-ready hardware and competition tuning for optimal on-track performance
• Aerodynamic improvements, racing suspension and weight savings equal unmatched performance for under $100,000

Auburn Hills, Mich. - Dodge announced today that the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10® ACR - short for American Club Racer - will make its public debut at next week's Los Angeles Auto Show.

The latest addition to Chrysler LLC's Street and Racing Technology (SRT) family of performance vehicles, the all-new, 600-horsepower 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is a street-legal Viper engineered to dominate on the race track. Because it is street legal, diehard Viper and track enthusiasts can drive their car to the race track, run it at speed on the track, and then drive it home.

"With the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, SRT has taken the ultimate American sports car and injected it with an extra dose of racing DNA," said Mike Accavitti, Director - Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing and Communications, Chrysler LLC. "With the Viper SRT10 as the starting point, SRT engineered a combination of reduced weight, race-tuned suspension and aerodynamic improvements to create the ultimate Viper for the street and track."

Derived from the all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10, the heart and soul of the all-new 2008 Viper SRT10 ACR is SRT's new 8.4-liter aluminum V-10 engine that produces 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR stays true to the five key aspects of SRT: standout powertrain, bold exterior styling, race-inspired interior, benchmark braking, and world-class ride and handling characteristics across a dynamic range.

Bold Exterior Styling
The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR exterior styling cues offer not only bold aesthetics but functional benefits on the track. These include a variable geometry "fanged" front splitter, an adjustable rear wing sculpted by CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), and optimized front dive planes. These new aerodynamic devices are formed in high-performance autoclaved carbonfiber. By using both unidirectional and woven laminates, the aero equipment is optimized for the minimum possible weight.

The splitter and dive planes feature a clear coated carbonfiber weave on all Viper SRT10 ACR models.

The front splitter includes three removable rub strips that provide protection and wear resistance. Supported by stainless steel tension cables, the splitter is designed to absorb the energy from minor upward deflections.

The Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR aerodynamics are tuned and balanced to maximize downforce and provide increased levels of lateral grip. Each Viper SRT10 ACR also includes a track extension that replaces the center splitter rub strip and fills out the fanged splitter scallop for closed-circuit events. The aerodynamic effect of the track extension is a reduction in overall drag and an increase in front downforce of nearly one third.

The front fog lamps have been deleted and replaced with lightweight filler panels.

The 2008 Viper SRT10 ACR features a signature two-tone paint scheme with a black center section. An optional driver's stripe is available on a two-tone Viper Red or a Viper Black ACR. The driver's stripe also features a sewn leather accent on the steering wheel. A clearcoated exposed weave is featured on the rear carbonfiber wing of all two-tone and driver's stripe Viper SRT10 ACR models.

A standard Viper SRT10 monotone paint scheme is also available featuring a body color rear wing and dual painted Viper stripes.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is available in five colors: Viper Red, Viper Black, Viper Violet, Viper Bright Blue Metallic, and Viper Very Orange.

Lightweight forged aluminum Sidewinder wheels are painted gloss black to complete the one-of-a-kind exterior styling.

Race-inspired Interior
Based on the 2008 Viper SRT10 interior, the Viper SRT10 ACR goes a step further to satisfy what racers want: the least weight possible. An optional "Hard Core" package offers maximum weight savings by deleting the audio system, underhood silencer pad, trunk carpet and tire inflator. The radio is replaced by a lightweight cover that can be configured to mount the included lap timer. The door speakers are replaced by lightweight carbonfiber panels. The Hard Core package offers a 40 lb. weight savings and provides ultimate street legal race-ready performance.

World-class Ride and Handling
The all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is specifically modified and tuned for track performance. The ACR suspension includes coil-over racing dampers from KW Suspensions that are adjustable for damping and ride height. The shocks are two-way adjustable without removing the wheels - a timesaver on the track - and they include a large range for compression and rebound. The KW dampers and forks are machined from solid aluminum billet, feature spherical bearing mounts, and are optimized to minimize weight and maximize performance.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR features a new front stabilizer bar for increased roll-stiffness.

Lightweight forged aluminum Sidewinder wheels are optimized by using Finite Element Analysis to achieve a lower rotating unsprung mass. Finished in gloss black paint, they wear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup DOT-approved (street legal) race tires, providing enhanced grip on the track.

Track performance is maximized in the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR via several weight-savings initiatives. The savings were achieved with the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tires, Sidewinder lightweight wheels, and StopTech brake rotors. With the aerodynamic and suspension elements, the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is 40 pounds lighter than the Viper SRT10 coupe. The optional Hard Core package further reduces the weight by another 40 pounds, for a total weight savings of 80 pounds.

Benchmark Braking
The Viper SRT10 benchmark brakes are taken to the next level in the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR. StopTech two-piece, slotted, lightweight rotors combine with the Viper SRT10's Brembo calipers to reduce rotating inertia and unsprung mass, improve brake cooling, and significantly reduce fade even under extreme conditions. The StopTech rotors feature a patented curved-fin design, a key element in improving brake cooling. The StopTech brake rotors combined with the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tires and Sidewinder lightweight wheels combine to reduce 60 pounds of unsprung, rotating mass. The 2008 Dodge SRT10 Viper ACR stops from 60 mph in less than 100 feet.

Standout Powertrain
The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR utilizes the Viper SRT10's new 8.4-liter aluminum V-10 engine that produces a ground-shaking 600 horsepower and tire-smoking 560 lb.-ft. of torque. It features a deep-skirted V10 aluminum engine block, cylinder heads equipped with Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC)-shaped combustion chambers, large valves and Variable Valve Timing (VVT). VVT Electronically adjusts when the exhaust valves are open and closed according to engine speed and load, allowing the engine to "breathe" cleaner and more efficiently.

The two-piece intake manifold combines cast aluminum lower with smooth runners for better air flow, bolted to a die-cast aluminum upper plenum. A revised air-cleaner box with a low-restriction filter sends air through a dual electronic throttle control into the intake module.

The air-fuel mixture in the cylinders is ignited by platinum-tip spark plugs fired by individual plug coils mounted on the cylinder-head covers.

Within the cylinders, pistons are equipped with large-diameter floating pins with bronze bushings for high-load capability. Forged powder-metal connecting rods are secured with aircraft-quality fasteners for increased fatigue strength.

Engine lubrication is managed by the large oil pump and a swinging oil pickup adapted from Viper competition engines, to ensure proper oil pressure in high-rpm and hard cornering conditions.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR sports the latest evolution of the Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission known as the TR6060. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a GKN ViscoLok speed-sensing limited-slip differential.

Manufacturing
The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR will be hand built at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit.

The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR will arrive in showrooms in the second quarter of 2008 at a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of less than $100,000. Complete pricing information will be released at a later date.

Street and Racing Technology
SRT creates some of Chrysler LLC's boldest, most distinctive products by single-mindedly following its core vision: Deliver benchmark performance at the lowest price, and deliver it with absolute integrity and credibility.

Every SRT vehicle showcases five key aspects: Exterior styling that resonates with the brand image; race-inspired interiors; world-class ride and handling characteristics across a dynamic range; benchmark braking and standout powertrain.