Actually....

[black mamba1]

The more I think about it and the more information coming about about the Gen 5, the more I think this Viper will have the potential to be a HUGE success. As Viper owners we sometimes have on blinders when it comes to objective views of the Viper from the outside world and we cannot understand why anyone who drove a sports car would drive anything else besides a Viper. But lets face it, the main reason sports car enthusiasts stayed away from Vipers were:

1. The cheesy interior.
2. They were afraid of it (dont underestimate this one)
3. It was a Dodge

SRT has addressed all of these issues and has created a car whose interior rivals Ferrari, Porsche, and Lambo, and whose performance rivals or exceeds those brands as well. The interior of this car makes me PROUD to be part of the Viper world...SRT has taken the interior to the exotic level. And...I bought my first Viper when it had 1210 miles on it. The original owner was out with his wife on a Sunday drive, he stepped into it and the Viper's back end came around on him and he did a 180 in the road and stopped facing backwards. His wife made him trade the car in the very next day. There are several stories of people crashing their Vipers on their first drive or within the first two weeks of ownership...that stuff got around...and I dont know if you guys remember but there was a time when at least once a month we were reading about somebody killed in a SRT Viper. Well, these new creature comforts and Traction and Stability control along with cruise control will save lives and reduce the fear of the "weaker minded" sports car enthusiasts. Lastly, removing the Dodge lable will go a long with way with the snooty Europeans and the Porschephiles. Just like Lexus owners dont consider a Lexus to be a Toyota, many new to the Viper world will not consider the new Viper to be a Dodge.

Dont panic on the horsepower, I think this may be part strategy by SRT. Those at GM have the advantage of having the Gen 5 come out before their C7's, so they can one-up us in power by being able to target our existing Gen 5. However, once the C7 Z06 comes out, the Gen 5 ACR can come out afterwards and one-up that car, and once the C7 Zr1 comes out the Gen 5 can release an SRT Venom edition or the like with better breathing and a Mopar package to get the power up to around 700-730 hp or so...and maybe even more carbon fiber to reduce more weight. Expect new Vipers ro run 0-60 in around 3.2 seconds by the magazine drivers and a 1/4 mile time of 10.9 at best. Expect Jamie to get 1/4 mile times in the 10.7 range. Traction is gonna be a challenge for this torque monster.

The more I learn about this car the more beautiful it becomes and the more I think it will do well in Europe and in the States...and I can guarantee you if a heavier lower powered Gen 4 ACR broke records...this Gen 5 will annihilate them and our competition.

 

[BigDawg]

I think that's part of the (perceived) problem. We (most) don't want the Viper to be overproduced over a bunch of different trim levels. Total production for all models should never exceed 1000/year IMO. 1500 MAX.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

The Viper has over the years been more in the 1800 range per year, and that worked quite well. They are hoping to do that the first year and then hopefully up it to around 2500 per year thereafter. It will always be an exclusive car due to production numbers, but at 1000 -1500 per year it would likely have to cost even more as the super low numbers would necessitate a bigger MSRP to cover the production costs.

I think we will see a very reasonable price on the base SRT , with the GTS in a range that will drag business away from many competitive makes -- the looks and features are already doing it today!!!

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

Mamba, all good points ... they did address all those issues indeed.
Bill, great input with the production numbers vs health and pricing.
For the record ... I love my cheesy interior

My first love, the old 60's cobra with curves and side pipes (cheesy interior).
My second love, the '89 viper concept with curves and side pipes (cheesy interior)!
At this point with the new viper, it's a different animal all together. Apples to oranges.
I love 'em both.

 

[Vic]

Very thoughtful post!
(who are you, and what have you done with blackmamba?)
Just kidding....

Honestly, having had a taste of greatness with the Viper, my appetite for exotica was whetted for a Ferrari, Porsche, or just "something different", something special.

Now this Gen5 has advanced the Viper to dizzying heights of quality, fit and finish, classy interior, sophistication if you want it, (******** SRT coupe if you don't), well, now it's again become the "apple of my eye". As far as I'm concerned, we're back in "Camelot". No need to look for love outside the snake pit, cause we got it all.

This new itteration is a stunner, and will have widespread appeal.

 

[kdaviper]

Glad SRT decided to offer separate models instead of a supeposition of the 2. I'm gonna guess the ACR will have the ammenities of the base Viper, with options for even less inside.

 

[viper_itch]

Mamba, I'm coming around to your point of view. It seems to me like SRT the has attacked these perceptions head on.

I'd like to toss out another factor. A new generation of Viper buyers. You see, I know many people were attracted to the Viper because it reminded them of the 60's Muscle cars. I spoke to a member just this past weekend who bought a Viper because it reminded him of his 1967 Vette he had back in that day. Even the same paint scheme. That rawness is what people were looking for.

Problem is that a new generation of buyers had crappy 70's cars and 80s... They are not attracted to the rawness and will want a more refined product like you see in the Gen V. A refinement they probably had in the car's they've driven for the past 10 - 15 years. It is a changing demographic that SRT has to keep their eyes on.

The only miss toward this new demo in my opinion is the lack of an automatic or paddle shifter. So many people I know in their 30s and 40s have never driven a manual. The Viper is a hell of a car to jump in and learn on and will still be too intimidating. They have no interest in learning how to drive a manual at this point in their lives.

 

[Allan]

I don't think my interior *****. I actually like it. I'm glad the new car is all that and a bag of chips, that's great, but I ain't trading up for nice leather and cup holders. I'm sure the new car is awesome, improved all the way around, but I'm one of the guys that's keeping the one I've got now.........at least for the time being.

 

[Solid Red 98]

While SRT really listened to many in the Viper community when it comes to needed improvements to the breed, I hope that they can find the wallets of a few additional demographics. Truthfully, I haven't run into that many, like none, dissatisfied Viper owners. We are all pretty passionate about our current cars, and likely have little need or desire to replace them. I like the idea of a new and improved Gen 2, but I'm still plumbing the depths of this car, so I am not really in the market at this point. I love the new one, but I don't see a huge wave of trade-ins coming down the chute at the dealerships, but you never know. I really have to see it in person, find out what it can actually do, and finally get a feel for the price in order to make any actual decisions.

 

[PDCjonny]

Especially when you go to trade in a (lets say) Gen 2 worth 30K maybe....and you're going to need 75K more.....

 

[Solid Red 98]

Especially when you go to trade in a (lets say) Gen 2 worth 30K maybe....and you're going to need 75K more.....

Painfully stated, at least for those of us that have somewhat of a "car budget" to consider.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

It needs a smaller more affordable engine. Like a V6. They could put a V6 in it for half the price and make a larger profit and sell a lot more of them.

 

[Solid Red 98]

It needs a smaller more affordable engine. Like a V6. They could put a V6 in it for half the price and make a larger profit and sell a lot more of them.

Yeeeeah, now yur talkin....

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Come on Chuck , say what you were really thinking --- maybe they should do a 4 cylinder turbo hybrid , then we could just call it a purr.