Auto Trends

Can it be true. Jalopnik has announced that through its sources they have been privy to the information that Chrysler is going to put an ax to its prized Dodge Viper. Their 16 year old golden haired boy with whom they have raise since it was just a little a little 8-liter V-8 with 400 horsepower and 450 lbs torque.

Big horsepower has a veracious appetite, and with Chrysler’s financial burdens upon its shoulders, they have to let go of one of its most bratty, arrogant, and needy vehicles. The Viper is completely hand built at the Connor Avenue assembly plant in Detroit Michigan. The plant consists of 392,000 square feet and 27 acres of Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupes and Roadsters as far as their 115 employees can see.

It is certainly one of their most costly vehicles to design and piece together and with its current price tag of $86,000, it is not their “bread and butter” model by any means. It is assumed that Chrysler is planning to take the money they would have put towards a new Viper design and spend it on one of their more “practical” models.

But worry not, as you will have some time to say your goodbyes. Chrysler is planning to keep the Viper on for another 2½ years. You won’t get to see the new design we had heard rumors about, it will just be the same 8.4 liter, 600 horsepower, 560 lb torque V10 with six speeds and the ability to rack up a speeding ticket in less than 4 seconds.

There is probably a good chance that the Viper could be back again however. This time probably in a much leaner and greener form. Not too sure about meaner, as by that time it will be getting close to the government 35 mpg mandate. Could even be a hybrid by then for all we know.

Well, at least we still have the 400 horsepower Chevrolet Camaro to fall back on… or do we???

Between 1967 to 1971 the De Tomaso Mangusta was an Italian sports car with American flare. Italian designed, yes… but underneath its sleek European exterior beat the heart of a 289 cubic inch V-8 from Ford (which was exchanged to a 302 V8 for the North American Market).

American’s and our gas guzzlers… but who could blame them back in 1967 with gas set at $0.33 a gallon.

The Mangusta was designed and built by Alejandro de Tomaso (an Argentine race car driver) . What made this design so special back in 1967 was its mid-engine layout. Conceivably, this design should have helped to balance out the large chassis, but unfortunately due to its overly flexible platform, the Mangusta proved quite a handful to drive.

He added wide rear wheels to try to bring back control over this beast, but the Mangusta had a mind of its own… especially during high speed maneuvering. Disappointing as he was, the car was still a beautiful design. Its curves were sexy, its engine note was ferocious, and its features were quite unique for 1967. Some would even say that the car was ahead of its time with its futuristic appearance.

As for the American buyer, who’s muscle cars have most always been designed more for the straight away than the twisty countryside… the Mangusta was well received. A total of 250 out of 401 were sold in America for around $10,000. The Mangusta slowly became a success over its 4 years in existence and paved a bright future for what became the Pantera (which reined from 1971 to 1982).

The successful mid engine design of the Mangusta has even been said to have scratched the chins of a few GM designers who tossed around the notion of a mid-engine Corvette for awhile before dismissing it.

The 289 used in the Mangusta was as American as Apple Pie… well of course, its 289 was the same from the Ford Mustang! The 289 was actually tuned the same as for the infamous Shelby Mustang GT-350. Rumor has it that De Tomaso had actually been promised engines from Ford that ended up being used for the “Cobra”.

So, to let out a little of his frustrations to the Ford plant, Alejandro named his car after the Mangusta, or “Mongoose”… in reference to the Mongoose’s documented Cobra killing skills. True or not, it sure makes a great story!

Now could the De Tomaso Mangusta really eat a Ford Cobra for breakfast? Probably not, but it would give it a run for its money!

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Okay, okay… so maybe the sound of them will never be the same. But hybrid electrics are nothing to pass off as wimps. Electric in actuality has the potential to be quite a performance car in many aspects, such as with its instant horsepower and torque. There is no need to run up the rpm’s with electric, full power comes on the minute the petal is pressed to the metal (err, or carbon fiber composite).

Roland Gumpert, the ex-head of Audi Sport, is in the process of developing a high performance electric hybrid that will compete in the 24 hours of Nurburgring endurance race in 2009. What makes him think that he will stand a change against the likes of its gas powered competition from Porsche, Audi, and BMW?

That would be a 3.3 liter twin turbo V-8 that when combined with a 100 kilowatt electric engine, produce no less than 800 horsepower off the line. The electric engine itself can run for about 31 miles on a full charge, and it will be using a regenerative braking system.

Regenerative braking uses the energy of the vehicles momentum during moments of slowing down to turn the electric motors into generators that will replenish the battery cells of their charge. With this nifty addition, the racer should last the extent of the entire 24 hours of the race without needing to stop off for a quick plug-in at the nearest outlet.

Also in the news of Hybrid performance is Toyota and its Supra HV-R Hybrid. They are considering entering in the 2009 LeMans race with a similar version of the HV-R. It will feature one large 200 horsepower electric motor cranking the rear axle and two smaller motors rated at 13 horsepower, on each of the front wheels.

When combined with the 4.5 liter V-8 gas engine, this car is expected to have around 700 horsepower, and thanks to regenerative braking once again, the electric motors will not need to rely on an external energy source as the car will generate its own electricity during tight corner maneuvers.

These vehicles are just a glimmer at the future of a ‘new’ muscle car. While some of us motorheads will have a hard time letting go of the loud rumble and stench of unspent gas pouring out the exhaust of a 67 Camaro on a cold morning… truth be told, the tree, bees, and flowers will not miss them at all!

Us gearheads surrender to the “green”… bring the high powered hybrids on!