Skip to main content
HOME   |   ABOUT   |   NEWS   |   TECH ARTICLES   |   AT THE TRACK   |   REVIEWS   |   VIDEOS   |   CONTACT ME

1,000 hp Twin-Turbo Dodge Viper TA




Over 1,000 hp V10 engine, in a RWD car with a six speed manual. This car also happens to be a Viper, one of the most charismatic cars on the road. This is the work of RSI Racing Solutions through their RSI Twin Turbo Race Systems kit. Starting from $89,950 on top of the price of a Viper, the kit brings Precision 72 mm turbos (76 mm are optional) with custom associated plumbing, cooling, intake and exhaust. The kit also brings built forged block and internals with a 528 c.i. (8.7 litre) stroker kit. The heads and valvetrain, fuel system and clutch are also upgraded to handle the newfound horsepower. The transmission, clutch, differential and axles can also be built to handle the added grunt. If that's more than you'd like, you can forego the built block and heads and go with smaller, 62 mm turbos along with their plumbing and cooling and upgraded fuelling which starts at $44,950. This kit, called RSI Twin Turbo Systems is good for over 850 hp at the wheels. Awesome. Check out the video to see a Viper TA with the big, Race Systems kit, run on pump gas. 




Someone wasn't happy that Car and Driver posted this, though. He commented on the post and said:

"This is a commercial and NOT car news. And a 1000+ HP from a large turbocharged V10 is certainly not impressive when countless modified compact cars deliver similar power from small engines. This demonstration is embarrassing, with a car running like s**t."

The vast majority of car news come from press releases by manufacturers or aftermarket parts producers. I don't know what makes this less worthy. What makes it news is the fact that it is new information, not that it is produced for the purpose of generating interest in a product.

The running like crap part really gets me. Someone commented on the car shooting flames and sounded like it is misfiring so I'm guessing this is what this guy is going by as well. The first shot showing backfires is clearly revving while standing still, indoors, and most likely was temporarily tuned to shoot flames on purpose for the video. The other shot that sounds like backfires is while launching and bouncing off the limiter. Other than that, the car sounds good and at approximately 0:50 in the video, the car is pushed, you can hear it clearly from inside and it sounds great. Although we can't see a/f ratios, the dyno graph seems to be nice and smooth as well.

The worst part, though, is the argument about getting only 1,000 hp from a turbo 8.4 litre V10 and how it's unimpressive and unworthy of reporting. He then goes on and implies that a 1,200 hp Civic should be more worthy of reporting by saying this should be posted in a "Euro/Asian tuning magazine with the title:" American performance company gets 1000HP from a turbocharged 8.4 V10", next to an article about a few college students who got 1200HP from their modded Civic." I don't think I've ever seen or read about a Civic putting 1,200 hp to the wheels, and certainly not by a few college students. Not to mention, a Civic with anywhere near that much hp would be far less drivable, require much more maintenance and has a power delivery that's as linear as a light switch when compared to this. That's all beside the point, though. The guy completely misses the point of the video which was clearly made to excite not impress. 

Yes, a Civic with anywhere near 1,000 hp is impressive but that's not the point of the video. The same kit promoted in the video is capable of making over 1,500 hp to the wheels on E85 or race gas which is nearly 1,800 hp at the crank based on 15% drivetrain losses. They didn't post that dyno, though. They posted the one about the performance when running on 93 octane pump gas. The "accessible" performance. Not every one wants 1,800 hp. Not everyone wants to worry about E85 or have to find race gas. The video shows 1,043 hp to the wheels on the dyno, which is 1,227 hp at the crank, nearly twice the stock hp. Forget about being impressive or reaching the potential of the engine, that is certainly something to be excited about. I can certainly understand that the Viper is not everyone's taste but if you can't get excited about a 1,200+ hp twin-turbo Viper, with a V10, a six speed manual and RWD, you are not a gearhead in my book.


Comments







Does An Aftermarket Grille Really Increase Airflow?
I put a Saleen S281 grille to the test to answer that question.

Stock Suspension S197 Mustang With Square 305/30/19's
What you need to fit a proper size square tire setup.

How Limited Slip Diffs Make You Faster on Track
What you need to know about how they put power down and pros and cons.

Can Telemetry Explain Schumacher's Talent?
A comparison between Schumacher's and then team mate Herbert's data.






Cayman GT4 Track Review
The first Cayman with proper (911-challenging) power.

Is an EcoBoost Mustang any good on Track?
Two days at the track in a Mustang short 4 cylinders.

2016 BMW M4 DCT Track Review
It's quick (properly quick). But is it fun?

Can a stock Golf Diesel handle a Track Day?
Not your every day track beater.




🔥 Most Visited This Week

Falken Azenis RT615k+ Street and Track Review

Last year, I picked up a 2009 Lancer Ralliart to do a long term test with it as a dual duty track/daily. One of the first things I knew I was going to do was put a decent set of tires on it. The car came without OEM wheels which was actually good because I didn't have to hesitate about getting a good set of aftermarket wheels to support going wider. Thankfully, my friends at YST Auto Halifax  set me up with a great set of Superspeed RF03RR wheels. The Wheels I had never even heard of Superspeed but I trusted the good folk at YST Auto who mentioned some customer cars running on track with them. These wheels are rotary forged which is basically a prerequisite to be taken seriously in this market populated by companies like TSW and Fast Wheels. The wheels looked like a high quality, well finished wheel and each had a "QC" check sticker on. Just for appearances? Maybe, but I found no defects. The wheels seemed easy to balance (didn't need many weights) and at 18.1 lb. f...

All Mainstream AWD and 4WD Systems Compared and Explained

Mitsubishi Evo X GSR at Atlantic Motorsport Park - Kevin Doubleday  © If you live in Canada or the US, you'll find that plenty of people hold sacred the terms '4x4' and '4WD' to describe a 'true 4x4', where you have a butch transfer case with a low speed, perhaps a body on frame chassis, and ideally a solid axle or two. I'm not sure how that translates to the rest of the world. My extensive research into the motoring industry in Europe (which exclusively consists of watching Top Gear and The Grand Tour...) concluded that most people across the pond simply refer to any vehicle that is capable of sending any power to all four wheels as a 4WD vehicle, further muddying the waters. Where I grew up, 4x4 was more or less synonymous with 'Jeep' so that's not much help either. However, despite all various systems attempting to do the same sort of thing - distribute power between all four wheels instead of two - not all systems are created equal,...

2016 Mustang EcoBoost Track Review

Photography by: Graham MacNeil Ford really wants to sell you a Mustang with a turbo four cylinder. They started by derating the V6 engine in the 2015 S550 compared to the 2011-2014 S197 V6 to make the EcoBoost 2.3 litre more differentiated. Then, they offered a performance pack on the EcoBoost but not on the V6. Now, they killed the V6 all together for 2018 and will only sell you a V8 or this EcoBoost. I love a good V8, everyone who knows me knows that. This is a Mustang, which means it needs a V8. If those aren't enough reasons, I always prefer natural aspiration over forced induction. That's three strikes against the EcoBoost-powered Mustang. But I'd be lying if I said the idea never intrigued me. It's the lightest (if you account for features). It has the best weight distribution. It has the same great chassis as the GT. It's very affordable and it has a lot of potential to make more power. Aftermarket? Endless support. There's plenty of good about it....

The New Mustang Mach 1 Heads to Dealers. Here's why it matters.

No, it's not because it's called Mach 1 or the heritage that comes with the name, although that's pretty cool for Mustang fans. There are few cars out there that have the widespread track use of Mustangs. A combination of affordability, a decent RWD platform with endless aftermarket support and the potential to be competitive when properly set up makes them a staple in most track paddocks in North America. But being popular for track use comes with some headaches for manufacturers. It means that the car will be pushed hard by its customers and that will inevitably lead to discovering weak links .  The vast majority of factory main-stream performance cars have limitations on track when pushed to hot lapping pace. That's not to say they are all equal - some are, without a doubt, far more durable and dependable than others - but nearly all require modifications. Mustangs are no exception. And their popularity also means those weak links are discovered fast, and marketing d...