Dodge Viper GTS vs Challenger R/T Scat Pack: Mopar Drag Race Battle

It may be a bit long in the tooth at this point, but the Dodge Viper is still more than capable of beating some modern machinery.

Mopar fans are certainly living in a very different world than they were mere years ago, when one could mosey on down to their local dealership and find all kinds of V8-powered machines. Those days are gone, though thankfully, only temporarily at this point, as Stellantis is in the midst of reviving the V8 in many of its vehicles. Sadly, that revival doesn’t include the old V10-powered Dodge Viper, which is still more than capable of holding its own in a straight line.

In this recent video from Carwow, we’re treated to a good old fashioned drag strip throw down between a Dodge Viper GTS and a Challenger R/T Scat Pack, and it’s a rather intriguing matchup, for certain. In one lane, we have the beloved Viper and its glorious naturally-aspirated 8.0-liter V10, which churns out a reasonable 456 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque, mated to an old fashioned manual gearbox and tasked with moving a car that weighs 3,516 pounds.

In this case, the Dodge Viper GTS is doing battle with the last-generation Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack, one that packs a naturally-aspirated 6.4-liter V8 making 429 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque, flowing to the rear wheels via an automatic gearbox. That, coupled with the fact that this Challenger tips the scales at 4,314 pounds might seem to make this a pretty even matchup, given the quicker-shifting transmission in this case.

On the tarmac, the Viper uses its svelte advantage to jump out to an early lead, and it holds on to the very end in what is a fairly close quarter-mile kickoff. It repeated that feat the second go-round, recording a 12.7-second pass versus the Challenger’s 13.1-second time. A 30 mph roll race resulted in yet another victory for the Dodge Viper, and when the starting speed bumps up to 50 mph, it’s just more of the same – albeit, a bit closer.

In the braking test, the Dodge Viper winds up proving to be a bit more of a handful thanks to its lack of ABS, but at the end of the day, it’s pretty clear that the old school sports car is still a competent performer. It may not be able to hang with the fastest machinery on sale today, but it’s still pretty darn quick, regardless.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.