The 640-horsepower Dodge Viper ACR-X. Image: Chrysler Group LLC

Dodge, it appears, is a firm believer in the saying, “there’s no replacement for displacement.” While the last Viper’s V-10 displaced 8.4-liters and made as much as 640 horsepower in Viper ACR-X trim, the 2013 Viper is rumored to be starting with an 8.7-liter V-10. There’s no word yet on projected horsepower levels, but it’s safe to assume that even the base car will make more than the 2010 Viper’s 600 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque.

Dodge isn’t sharing many details on the 2013 Viper, but it’s safe to assume the car will weigh less than the previous Viper’s 3,460 pounds. Thanks to federal regulations, the car will also have the traction control and electronic stability control that previous generation Viper’s lacked; however, we’re confident that Dodge will allow customers who track their Vipers to defeat the electro-nannies.

Allpar says that the next Viper is on track to begin production in the fall of 2012, debuting around year end as a 2013 model. We’re fans of the last Viper, so we’re counting down the days until we get a chance to drive the new version.