Lucas Bell 
The Dodge Viper may be called a lot of things, but slow is surely never one of them. Dodge’s former halo car was always serious speed machine, in no small part to the naturally-aspirated 10 cylinder engines that have lived under every generation of the Viper’s front clamshell. While most owners would likely be happy with 500+ horsepower in their rear-wheel drive sports car, one owner needed a little bit more. Now, this 1,400 wheel-horsepower Viper is the fastest example in the world.
Thanks to the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds YouTube channel, we now have video evidence of just how fast this suped-up snake really is. While we can’t comment on the exact modifications that this 2006 Dodge Viper wears, we can tell you without a doubt it now features a few large turbochargers strapped to its modified 8.5L V10. When this third-gen Viper was new in 2006 it made 510 horsepower, or nearly 900 hp less than it does currently. The factory top speed was rated at 190 mph, which seems downright sluggish compared to this car’s newly verified top speed of 252.588 mph.
It is not everyday that we see a Dodge travel as fast as the Bugatti Veyron, but then again this Viper has enough power to rival the French Hypercar’s quad-turbo W16 engine. Perhaps the most impressive part of this top speed run is how the Viper puts the power down. The driver hangs back through the first couple gears, likely in an attempt to control the 1,177 lb.-ft. of torque flowing through just the rear axle. However, once the driver crosses the 100 mph threshold, within 10 seconds the car is doing 200 mph. Sure the acceleration tapers off above 240 mph, but we can forgive that.
In a press release following the record-breaking run, Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds stated that it uses Garmin and Racelogic monitoring systems when completing interior timing and speed checks, while the International Mile Racing Association (IMRA) is responsible for handling external timing. Regardless, this 2006 Dodge Viper is the fastest example out there right now, a claim to fame the owner is likely interested in preserving. How does 260 mph sound?
