Dodge Vipers are famous for being fast; the most recent iteration of the American sports car featured an 8.4-liter V-10 engine that produced 640 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque and it was able to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 208 mph. But as fast as the Viper was before it was retired, nothing can prepare you for this Viper. This refers to a heavily modified 2006 Dodge Viper that recently set the record for the fastest recorded speed in a Viper when it clocked a mind-bending top speed run that maxed out at 252 mph. The record was set at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds in West Palm Beach, Florida. The 252-mph run was far and away the fastest a Dodge Viper has gone. Best of all, the Viper that did it is actually street legal.

The Star of the Show

This is the 2006 Dodge Viper that everyone’s talking about. Its origins are unknown but it made headlines during a Johnny Bohmer testing event at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds (JBPG) runway in Merritt Island, Florida. In the middle of testing multiple prototype manufacturer parts during a Johnny Bohmer-organized Straight Line Aerodynamic Testing Session on January 18, 2020, Not only did that run catch everyone by surprise, but, more importantly, it also set a new world record for the fastest recorded speed in a Dodge Viper. For a sports car that maxes out in excess of 200 mph, this particular Viper managed to hit hypercar-level speeds. That’s incredible.

It’s Modified, But It’s Unclear to What Extent

Obviously, a Dodge Viper that hits a top speed of 252 mph isn’t stock. That amount of power is usually achieved through aftermarket means, and if you listen intently to the video of the Viper during its record-setting top speed run, you can hear a couple of turbochargers roaring in delight at the speeds the Viper was able to hit on its way to peaking at 252 mph. Obviously, we know that the Viper’s 8.4-liter V-10 engine is naturally aspirated so if there are turbochargers underneath that hood, those came by way of the aftermarket tuning world.

The Record is Legitimate Because of Who’s Involved

If you’re wondering whether the Viper’s 252-mph top speed run is legit, you need not worry. It is, and it’s largely due to the involvement of the people over at Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds. Johnny Bohmer is known far and wide as a man you need to visit if you want to test a vehicle for whatever purpose you deem necessary. If you want to fact check a manufacturer’s performance claims for a specific model, Bohmer’s your guy. If you want to debunk myths about a specific model, he’s the first person you call.

The extent by which Johnny Bohmer and his team host these testing sessions have convinced a lot of people of its authenticity. The vehicles, for example, are timed and speed checked using Garmin and Racelogic interior monitoring systems. The timing and speed runs are then performed by the International Mile Racing Association (IMRA), a sanctioning body that’s recognized by a handful of auto groups and, more importantly for record-setting purposes, the Guinness Book of World Records.

So if this 1,400-horsepower Dodge Viper clocked a top speed of 252 mph under the careful eye of the organizations involved, you can take its authenticity to the bank.