Surely you all realized that the VIPER continuing on in this new world, would come with a heafty price. I am willing to bet that VIPER to all these Auto Execs at FIAT is locked in at the "styling", NOT the V-10 motor. The COBRA styling was the inspiration for the VIPER NOT the big ole 427 Side Oiler V8 motor. Sorry but while a part of the history of the VIPER, the V-10 does not Define a Viper at heart. V-10s are in Dodge 3/4 ton Trucks and Ford Excursions as well, but there is hardly anything VIPER about those.
If there is a next GEN V car and the styling, weight, etc. is all there as a great evolution to the VIPER brand with a nod to the past, but no V-10 motor, well that is just the way it is going to be. There are a lot of VIPER owners that love everything about the VIPER, but don't sport a ***** over the V-10 motor nor V-10 sound to start with.
Guess we will see where this all goes. I could see Ferarri engineers lending some hands to get the Viper through some very tough times on the EPA certification side, but a Ferarri-derived anything in the Viper, with the exception of their F1 tranny technology, I just don't see it happening. Both are a niche and they are small enough numbers that you just don't mess with the Zohan on that.
Fiat runs the ultimate show so ultimately everyone answers to them. Next GEN V VIPER, if there is such a snake, will be what it will be, but to say just because it doesn't have a V-10 it is not a VIPER would be foolish. The insipration for the car came from many others and it was the styling that created the car. Having a V-10 was just a part of the overall effect, not the main driving factor. But that is just my opinion. I KNOW others will disagree.