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VLF Force 1 V10 is a rebodied Viper priced like a Lamborghini

It would appear that Henrik Fisker is done with hybrids. His latest project, called the Force 1, packs an oversized V10 engine with no electric assist in sight and all the environmental credentials of a herd of flatulent cattle. Alongside the Karma-based, Corvette-powered Destino, the Force 1 is the second product from VLF Automotive. Fisker has taken partnership in the new firm as chief designer alongside chairman Bob Lutz and CEO Gilbert Villarreal. The company isn't saying explicitly what the Force 1 is based on, but it doesn't take a CSI team to trace its roots back to the Dodge Viper. Never mind that it's being built in Auburn Hills – the same Detroit suburb where Chrysler is headquartered – or that it was jointly developed by Fisker and professional Viper racer and dealer Ben Keating. It also happens to be powered by an 8.4-liter V10, and there aren't many of those kicking around the industry. Instead of the Viper's 645 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, the Force 1's ten-cylinder engine is optimized to deliver 745 hp and 638 lb-ft. That, according to VLF, is enough to send the coupe rocketing to 60 in 3.0 seconds flat, covering the quarter-mile in under 11 seconds on its way to a top speed of 218 miles per hour. The power is transmitted to the Pirelli PZero rubber through a six-speed manual, but VLF says it will fit it with an automatic at the customer's request. Around that massive engine and two-seat cockpit, Fisker designed a new shape that, for better or for worse, looks way more aggressive than the Viper's. The Force 1's proportions are tellingly super-snake, but the curves are replaced by some very angry-looking angles and vents. Its head- and taillights are ultra thin, and the deep-dish, split-four-spoke wheels seem to visually split the difference between the three-spoke wheels on the original Viper and the five-spoke alloys it wears today. If you doubted the Force 1's origins before, the interior ought to give it away, with its wide tunnel and familiar surfaces. Only VLF has refinished it in leather, suede, and Alcantara, all diamond stitched with contrasting thread to help position this as a more luxurious prospect than the Dodge. It even fit between the seatbacks place for two champagne bottles that we hope nobody would consider consuming before trying to handle that much power. Of course, none of this will come cheap.

Highway To Hellcat: Dallas to Vegas with 2,000 HP

Fort Davis, TX. Early November. Late Sunday afternoon. The 1,200 residents of this small town are using their day of rest to quietly enjoy the breeze rolling off the hills. There's an older couple walking down the street, holding hands. A young lady working at a general store, where milkshakes and antacids are purchased at the same counter. It's a peaceful, quaint scene, right down to the tumbleweed rolling across the street and the rickety wooden porches outside the old storefronts. I hit the throttle of the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat while turning left onto the road leading toward the town square, sending the sedan's rear end swinging to the right with a few puffs of rubbery smoke. I coast down to the 25-mile-per-hour speed limit and spot the line of Challengers, Chargers, and Vipers in my rear-view mirror, the drivers all mimicking my quick jolt of enthusiasm before pulling up the reigns on their V8s and V10s and idling into Fort Davis. Our posse would roll some 5,000 horsepower of pure American muscle into that small Texas town that day. It was only the first stop on an epic journey that would take us from Dallas to Las Vegas, on a winding route down toward El Paso, up through New Mexico, Arizona, and finally north into Nevada, ending at the ritzy Palazzo casino and hotel on the Vegas strip. It was an opportunity to see parts of America I never knew existed, and a chance to bond with some American cars that until recently, I sort of failed to understand. And most importantly it was an opportunity to drive really, really hard. Charging Through Texas Unless you've driven across it, it's hard to understand the massive space that is Texas. In places, scanning 360 degrees of horizon reveals absolutely nothing. Nothing. On its own, driving from Dallas to El Paso covers some 630 miles. Veer south to Fort Davis and you'll add another 70 onto that, not including the 75-mile Davis Mountain Scenic Loop where I found bliss behind the wheel of this insanely powerful sedan. I always expected to like the Charger Hellcat – comfortable seating for four (five in a pinch), equipped with the latest tech, wrapped in a stylish yet muscular body, like a quarterback in a tux. And it moves. The supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 pumps out 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, which makes for one quick sedan, especially considering its heft.

2016 Dodge Viper ACR is ready to take a bite out of the Corvette Z06 [w/video]

The Dodge Viper ACR is back, and as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles tells it, it's the most venomous breed ever born. Before you get too excited, the 8.4-liter V10 produces 645 horsepower; five more than the standard Viper and five less than the supercharged Chevrolet Corvette Z06. It's unclear why Dodge didn't extract more from the huge engine, although we somehow imagine that certain people in Maranello, Italy had a say in the matter. Instead of blessing the ACR variant with bunches of extra output, Dodge instead turned to an aggressive aerodynamics package that it claims delivers nearly a ton of downforce at the Viper's maximum speed of 177 miles per hour. The total aero package includes an adjustable, twin-element, carbon-fiber rear wing, carbon-fiber diffuser, an extendable front splitter, and dive planes. Those big louvers on the hood? Yeah, they're removable, too. The "race-tuned" suspension uses coil-over Bilstein shocks that offer ten different settings and up to three inches of height adjustment. Kumho Ecsta V720 tires were built specifically for the Viper ACR, and come in 355/30 in back and 295/25 in front, with 19-inch wheels at all four corners. Along with the aero improvements, Dodge is claiming the Viper can pull a race-car-like 1.5Gs in higher-speed turns. Carbon-ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers add the stopping power that's greater or equal to the ACR's cornering performance. Dodge was also keen to reduce weight, taking some rather dramatic measures in the effort. The stereo has just three speakers, while the electric function was removed from the seats. Even the carpet has been replaced with a "lightweight" alternative. Finally, Dodge is offering up the innovative 1 of 1 customization it pioneered with the Viper GT earlier this year. That means that not only can you get the fastest Viper ever built, but it'll be entirely your own when you take delivery.