Is the Viper dead?

[SVT666]

Less than a day after we reported SRT had resumed production of the Viper at Chrysler's Conner Avenue factory in Detroit, Michigan, the automaker has announced the assembly line has been shut down once again for about two weeks.

Chrysler did not go into details about why it closed the factory but a spokesperson said Viper production is scheduled to resume on July 21st.

Last April, the automaker was forced to temporarily stop Viper production and lay off 91 employees because dealers in the United States and in Canada reportedly had a total of 756 unsold Vipers in their inventory. At the time, company executives downplayed the situation and explained buyers were waiting until the end of a particularly harsh winter to go car shopping.

Yesterday, SRT reported it had sold a total of 354 Vipers in the United States and 70 additional examples in Canada over the first six months of the year. The arrival of limited-edition models like the Time Attack (pictured) and the Anodized Carbon Editions has helped move cars off of dealer lots.

What's Next?
Last May, Chrysler confirmed it will axe the SRT sub-brand and return the bulk of its models to the Dodge lineup in time for the 2015 model year. In addition to a new name, the 2015 Dodge Viper is expected to get a mild facelift that will also bring a more powerful variant of the 8.4-liter V10 engine and an optional eight-speed automatic transmission.

The 2015 Dodge Viper will likely debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show that will open its doors next November.

[SVT666]

I think Chrysler made a huge mistake trying to make the Viper look nearly exactly the same as the original.  It's also gotten to be very expensive.  The Corvette handily beats it in nearly every performance category for half the cost and it still sounds like ass.

[Payman]

I think Chrysler made a huge mistake trying to make the Viper look nearly exactly the same as the original.  It's also gotten to be very expensive.  The Corvette handily beats it in nearly every performance category for half the cost and it still sounds like ass.

No, and yes. I think the Viper looks fantastic, but yes, it's priced way too high. Like I said in another thread, the V10 truck engine needs to go, and replace it with variations of the Hemi V8. Start with a 460 hp version priced to compete with the Corvette Stingray, up to the 707 hp version to compete with the Zo6.

[SVT666]

No, and yes. I think the Viper looks fantastic, but yes, it's priced way too high. Like I said in another thread, the V10 truck engine needs to go, and replace it with variations of the Hemi V8. Start with a 460 hp version priced to compete with the Corvette Stingray, up to the 707 hp version to compete with the Zo6.

The V10 isn't a truck engine.  It' not even close to having anything in common other than cylinder count.

[68_427]

I feel like alot of Viper owners mod their cars fairly extensively, and probably don't wanna start all over after they've got their car just how they want it.

[Payman]

The V10 isn't a truck engine.  It' not even close to having anything in common other than cylinder count.

The architecture was developed for the upcoming '94 Ram pickup. But yes, it shares nothing but the block with the actual truck engine. It's needlessly heavy, inefficient, and doesn't sound like a performance engine should.

[12,000 RPM]

It has the same problem as the GT-R but doesn't benefit from its bench racing fanboyism. It would be a screaming deal at ~60-70K, but it doesnt make sense beyond the 911 price point

[Lebowski]

Looks cool on a poster but the Corvette is such a vastly better car anyone who actually buys a Viper needs to have their head examined.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

In the past the viper atleast LOOKED much more the performance car when compared to the vette. With the current C7 and more agressive looking C7 Z06, the viper lost it's last leg to stand on IMO. Unless paying an extra 50K for a rarer car really floats your boat. Personally I've never been a fan of the "rare because nobody would buy them" group. I preferred the "rare because they only made a few" a la GT40 scenario. Not all rarity is the same.

Looks like the viper is going down the first path to rarity. Reminds me of the Chevy SSR, a very rare item because nobody wanted to pay 60K for a hacked up tahoe with a crummy V8 in it.

[12,000 RPM]

Only guy I ever knew with a Viper was like 40 and living at home with his mom. That forever colored my view of them.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Only guy I ever knew with a Viper was like 40 and living at home with his mom. That forever colored my view of them.

Did he have a pony tail with a heavily receding hairline.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Or my guess wore a lot of white undershirts with a some gold to highlight his athletic build.

[Payman]

Only guy I ever knew with a Viper was like 40 and living at home with his mom. That forever colored my view of them.

My brother has a 2008 GTS. He's a self-made man though.

[12,000 RPM]

Did he have a pony tail with a heavily receding hairline.

No ponytail (he is black) but his hairline was receding.

I think he lived in the basement with his own entrance though.

[GoCougs]

Meh, the Viper has always cost 911 money - $52k MSRP in its first year ('92) at a very modest 3% inflation is $100k today, and that was the stripped roadster. The '96 GTS coupe had a base MSRP of $66k which is $112k today.

Times have changed - unlike the '90s today there are lots of loud, brash, powerful American cars to choose from - GT500, ZL1, SRT-8 cars, plus the Z06 and ZR1, and they're all MUCH easier to live with and save for the ZR1 cost a lot less.

There's not much that could've been done to save the marque. Without the V10 it would have died long ago. If it weren't purposefully a POS to live with it might've lived on a bit longer (no one wants a car that is purposefully a PITA).

[Soup DeVille]

Ummm, pretty much all auto plants shut down for two weeks sometime in the summer, usually right about now.

[SVT666]

Ummm, pretty much all auto plants shut down for two weeks sometime in the summer, usually right about now.

Read the article.  The Viper plant has been down since April because there are twice as many unsold Vipers on dealer lots as have been sold.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I see some dealerships have low apr incentives on these. Still overpriced but hoping to help push them.

[TBR]

I think it looks incredible. Too bad it's such a bad car.

[Payman]

I think it looks incredible. Too bad it's such a bad car.

It isn't though. Without the existence of the Corvette, and if it were 40k cheaper, it would be lauded proudly as America's kick-ass and take names sports car.

[hotrodalex]

Well yeah if you get rid of all the cars that are better than it, it's obviously going to be the best!

[280Z Turbo]

Priced at $25,000, it's a real BRZ beater!

[hotrodalex]

Depending on the price, that could be a great deal.

[Payman]

Okay okay... jeez.   

[12,000 RPM]

LOL!!!!

[thewizard16]

Okay okay... jeez.   

[sparkplug]

If they give it about 800 to 900 hp it'll probably sell better.

[Soup DeVille]

Read the article.  The Viper plant has been down since April because there are twice as many unsold Vipers on dealer lots as have been sold.

Then they started it up again. 

That shutdown was for sales, this one is more likely to have been scheduled for a long time. I'm not saying the article is wrong, but that mid summer shutdowns are pretty much industry standard practice.

[MrH]

July shutdowns are common (but are becoming increasingly less so.  I've got a bunch of plants that aren't shutting down this year).  Usually it's only one week though.  Viper has been struggling in the sales department, so they extended it.

[12,000 RPM]

If they give it about 800 to 900 hp it'll probably sell better.

Its barely drivable as is lol. They need to go the other way and cut its price in half. Make the V10 a top of the line limited edition. That 6.4L V8 deserves better than 2 and a quarter ton cop cars and 3 ton SUVs. A hearty torquey 500HP is plenty, especially in a lightish car.