Before the Dodge Challenger or Charger came back from the dead, Chrysler had just one true sports car in their lineup. And what a sports car the Viper was. With its 8.4 liter V10 and slippery, cool looks, it helped define the 90’s as a time when dreams could come true. Alas, every dream comes to an end, and 2010 saw the end of Viper production under Fiat’s watchful gaze.

Rendering by Road & Track

Road & Track reported some interesting facts, like how Viper production dropped from an annual production of around 2,000 cars to just over 650 cars in 2009. A sharp decline, helped in no small part by Chrysler’s bankruptcy. Road & Track asserts that while there will be no 2011 Viper, there will be a 2012 concept car based on the old Viper, and perhaps even using the same 8.4 liter V10 engine.

The problem as we see it is that Congress has enacted fuel economy regulations that stipulate a fleet-wide average fuel economy of around 35 mpg. The 8.4 liter V10 Viper gets a combined average of less than half that, just 16 mpg (13 city/22 highway). For a car with such limited production, that would mean many other cars in the Chrysler lineup would have to get over 40 mpg. While adding direct injection would both boost power and fuel economy, 8.4 liters is a huge engine and requires a lot of fuel, no matter how you cut it.

A new Viper would have to be fast yet agile if it wanted to stand out in the market. The last few special edition Vipers certainly placed a lot of focus on racing (ACR, ACR-X, etc. etc.), so perhaps that is a hint of what is to come.

But wait, there’s more!

At yesterday’s Chrysler dealer conference, Chrysler Group and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne pulled a fast one, and reportedly had a ’12 Dodge Viper roll on stage. According to sources, the design was all-new, complete with an aggressive greenhouse and fresh, angular sheetmetal. Maybe Road & Track’s design is closer than we initially thought.