Dodge Viper vs Challenger R/T Scat Pack Drag Race Proves Age Is Just a Number

Despite being down on horsepower and having a manual, this first-gen Dodge Viper uses its weight advantage to slay a newer Challenger.

There are many special machines that have existed throughout Mopar’s illustrious history, and we aren’t just talking about the glory days of the ’60s and early ’70s, either. Rather, the modern age has brought us things like the Dodge Viper and the now-discontinued Challenger, both of which were sold with big power straight from the factory in several guises. However, by newer standards, the Dodge Viper is a bit, shall we say, lacking in that department, making this drag race between one of those supercars and a Challenger R/T Scat Pack rather interesting.

In this video from CarWow, we get to see precisely that in a first-generation SR 1 version of the Dodge Viper GTS, which left the factory with a V10 making 456 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox moving a little over 3,500 pounds. In the other lane, we have a Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack equipped with the naturally-aspirated 6.4-liter V8 churning out 492 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque with an eight-speed automatic behind it and a total weight of 4,314 pounds.

On paper, the Viper has a clear and rather significant weight advantage and makes a bit more torque, though also a couple of disadvantages – its slower-shifting manual transmission and the fact that it’s down nearly 20 horsepower. Regardless, this is precisely why we drag race cars like these – paper doesn’t always tell the whole story, and that’s once again the case in this fascinating matchup.

In the first race, both of these cars get off the line at the same time and stay basically neck-and-neck, at least, until the Dodge Viper starts to pull away mid-track. The lead only grows as both cross the finish line, making for an easy win for the Viper. In the second race, the Viper driver misses a gear – one downside of a manual – so they decide to nix that result and run it back, which results in another easy win for the V10-powered machine. In terms of time slips, the Viper ran a best quarter-mile of 12.7 seconds, compared to the Challenger at 13.1 clicks.

The Dodge Viper handily beats the Challenger in a roll race as well, though it barely loses out on the braking test – to be expected given its lack of modern ABS – but it’s still an impressive showing for the older car. In this case, the Challenger’s hefty weight was simply too much to overcome, though of course, there are much more powerful versions of it out there that would easily handle the Viper in a straight line, too.

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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.