ANOTHER LIMITED EDITION - LMAO - SO MUCH FOR THE WHITE MAMBA 200

[WANTED]

THIS IS REALLY GETTING TO BE A FRICKEN JOKE. WILL ALL VIPERS NOW BE A LIMITED EDITION.
AS I POSTED IN ANOTHER TREAD ABOUT THIS, ITS LIKE COLLECTING BASEBALL CARDS THAT
HAVE A LIMITED INSERT, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SELL MORE.

I FEEL REAL BAD FOR THE WHITE MAMBA BUYERS - I REALLY THOUGHT THAT AT LEAST ONE
COLOR WOULD REALLY BE LIMITED. NOT TO MENTION ALL THE ONES WHO BOUGHT THE VCA
SPECIAL LIMITED ADDITION. IS THERE NO END TO THIS.

NEXT LIMITED EDITION WILL BE THE EXTRA HP, MAKING ALL OF THE PREVIOUS LIMITED
ADDITIONS NOT WORTH A CENT MORE THEN, RED-BLACK-SILVER. IF IT KEEPS GOING THIS
WAY THE SOLID COLORS WILL BE THE REAL LIMITED EDITIONS.

ALL OF THIS JUST MHO -

 

[Dave T (BADVENM)]

I tend to agree, this is getting out of hand. It makes me want to keep my '01 even more since there were only 86 made (minus ones totalled?) since its truly a limited edition.

 

[Austin]

Heres the thing that I dont get. DC will come up with all of these goofy 'MAMBA' editions, but they WONT try new and exciting colors. Wow, Copperhead Orange. Why not use a REAL orange (similar to Lamborghini's)? Why not throw in a racing green? DC needs to step up the game. Quit making all of these goofy "collectable" combos and try something different.

 

[Lawrenzo]

Basically they are training us to discount anything they say. Great way to treat your top of the line customers

Maybe next year they'll be coming out with the wild red flame job from the raffle car as a standard color too

 

[S/CDaveNY]

Hey DC Way to Ruin the White Mamba Edition...

 

[SRTRICKY]

I want a steel grey srt10!!!!

 

[AG98RT10]

It's the Corvette-iZation of the once great Viper. In the last several years, Corvette afficionados had to endure several highly-touted "new" variants, including carbon fiber hood decals on the Z-016 option for the Z06, which pushed the MSRP up a few K and guaranteed big profits for GM. This is the most pathetic aspect of the downfall of this once great icon - following the path of the Vette to mediocrity...
At least Corvette rose from the ashes with the new 500 hp dry sump Z06 - is such a redemption still possible for DC?

 

[luc]

DC is also calling the new Coupe a "limited edition"

Limited by what?

Luc 00GTS

 

[SylvanSRT]

the number they make or sell depending, if body panels run out before model year changes.

 

[doctorbob]

Bad omen. I do not like the way DC is going about the marketing of the SRT. Since they do not seem to be selling stock colors....we are seeing these "editions". DC just has to look at the response to that damn April fools joke with the additional horsepower to see where the Viper Nation is at and wants. My confidence and respect for DC is on the wane. The bad thing is that I really like white and if that thing came out with the 2003 SEMA show intake and H.P., I would be had.

 

[Joseph Houss]

I was just discussing this with someone yesterday, here's my take:

Way back when, Viper interiors were available in any color you wanted, as long as it was BLACK, venzanno had tons of requests to build customer interiors..... Now some are "complaining" because Dodge offers it from the factory (at a competitive cost).

Dodge is trying to introduce a variety of colors based on requests that are quite visible on our website.

I think the only thing that should ALSO be done, is retire colors after a year or so, like they used to do. Want a black gen2? Only could get a '99 or '00. Want a steel gray? Only in '00. Etc. Made for lots of interest in trading "up" even if the HP and performance was the same for over 7 years.

We're only in year 3 of a new model, that is far superior to its' predecessor (I know, I know, in performance and braking). Only approx 4500 are on the road, and more than likely the total production of this entire generation will be under the gen2's number (or darn close to it). All in all, very difficult to understand why a few unique color combos are against historic ideology:

'96 roadster - white with blue, red with yellow wheels, black with silver '96 coupe - pace car decals available
'97 GTS - Red with gold wheels, Red with yellow wheels, Red Coupe with or without stripe avail. '97 roadster - blue with white stripe '98 GTS - commemorative edition white with blue (and a stiff premium for color, decals, interior!), Silver w/Blue stripes '99 - Cognac interior
'01 - Bright yellow
'02 - Red with white Final edition

Lots of different color stripes (white, silver, blue) were used to mix 'em up (although they didn't call it a "slither edition" when it had stripes and/or interior changes)

There was always at least 9 variations total (minimum) starting in '98 (3 colors RT/10, some with cognac interior, 3 colors coupes with stripes, 3 color coupes without stripes, 3 color coupes with cognac interior, etc)

So far for our Gen3's:

'03 - 3 colors - no stripes
'04 - 3 colors - plus new interior introduced (Mamba editions -2)
'05 - 4 colors - plus Mamba editions interior (1), Copperhead, Commemorative (not sure if this will be an '05)

Maybe the issue is, in the past, they rarely called it a "special edition".. and rarely numbered them... BUT, after the fact, we sure kept track of 'em ('97 Blue/white RT/10s, '99 Silver/Blue ACR's, etc)

So in theory, nothing different than what has happened in the past.. I think, if anything, they should retire some colors earlier (black should have been retired right after the Mamba).

 

[SylvanSRT]

Just like corvettes and miata's lots of badge and sticker specials. just a way to boost the slow sales, while increasing profits without increasing cost that much. It was only a matter of time till this happened once they upped the production of the SRT-10 to current numbers. I have also heard that there is currently at least a 6 month suppy of the cars on hand.

 

[TSR6]

At least the Viper _______ Edition's are true to their numbers when they say that only X number have been built.

Look at the Ram Rumble Bee ( Glad I bought it for the color, nut the limited Ed!!! ). They were only supposed to build 3700 of them. Ha! We later found out that it's "Limited Production" was only limited by demand.

The Daytona Ram is also said to be limited - although Dodge was VERY careful not to refference any numbers this time. I guess it's probably limited by demand too...

 

[viper GTS-R]

Joe nice write up and I couldn't agree more. The copperhead is a tough color because everyone thinks of a diffrent shade of it. Some have said that it almost color shifts from an orange to nearly a gold. With that said I find it unique. How many car companies do something as cool as that? Perhaps it's not power that Chrysler is thinking about, but the felxabilty with styling and design with the car.

 

[luc]

Joe:

To be a "Special Edition", a car need a lot more than a different paint/trim combination or a couple of badges.

SylvanSRT is right on, Limited/Special in this case is only a marketing tool used to boost "Limited" sales.

Luc 00GTS

 

[Joseph Houss]

Joe:

To be a "Special Edition", a car need a lot more than a different paint/trim combination or a couple of badges.

SylvanSRT is right on, Limited/Special in this case is only a marketing tool used to boost "Limited" sales.

Luc 00GTS

Agreed, but take a look at the Press release on the white/blue .... it specifically says "Commemorative Edition", which does, in fact, fit it's color combo. Our LeMans Victories started with White/Blue.

Also, remember that the '98 GT2 replicas really had no performance upgrades either. Just paint, some interior work, and ACR components. Yet, they are, to this day, the most sought after, and highest value, Snakes.

 

[Janni]

And yet they were TIMELY - introduced commemorating the GTS LeMans victory. Same body style and made sense to commemorate the factory sponsored Oreca efforts.

It's a little late to commemorate that win (again....) and it's pushing it a bit to tie that into 3R / Tommy's Speed GT win....

 

[luc]

Joe:

ARC components are performances upgrades, performances is not only related to drivetrain but also apply to handling,brakes,etc.

And if I remember corectly the GT2 did have also some performance upgrades to the body like winglets,etc.

Luc. 00GTS black/stripes "Super Extra Limited Edition" 1 of 94

 

[viper GTS-R]

Luc's correct, the GT2 had some stuff on it no other viper from the factory ever had. This is just a paint scheme. I like Janni's idea of a Tommy Archer edition! I'll get working on a chop.

 

[SylvanSRT]

The rear wing and cunards on the front facia, were only cosmetic changes. Wing was set to zero angle of incedence, so it was actually only extra weight and drag, with lttle or no downforce. My guess is that the cunards also more show than go. It had the smooth tubes and filters(10 hp), special shocks(better handling). factory 5 pt harnesses, AND THEN badge and paint, basically the precursor ACR with the body mods. Car owneres got a custom car cover, a camera that was used to take pictures of the car as it went down the CAAP line, and possibly a book(maybe wrong on the book). The GT2's may have been the only 100 cars built in consecutive chassis order(might be wrong on this one also). Except for a few one off cars are the most desirable Vipers still

 

[viper GTS-R]

And yet they were TIMELY - introduced commemorating the GTS LeMans victory. Same body style and made sense to commemorate the factory sponsored Oreca efforts.

It's a little late to commemorate that win (again....) and it's pushing it a bit to tie that into 3R / Tommy's Speed GT win....

ok this isn't a great chop but it's a start. I added a front spliter, side rocker panels and mopar rims. I think they would look better in black. I'm working on a coupe version. It's also lowered.

 

[Hisserman]

With the Viper community crying out in every way imaginable for some substantive improvements in the car, it seems like a slap in the face to waste time on yet another "special" paint job and superficial trinkets.

We understand the cars aren't selling. We've been telling DCX why they haven't been selling. Now the cheap marketing tricks are undermining our brothers who bought cars that they thought were "real" special editions. That's why there's this fatalistic talk about the future of the brand -- it looks like the real leaders have abandoned the ship and the only ones left to run it are the rats!

There are some great people on the Viper Team who know how to do the right thing. How can we get some management leadership to match them? Dang, you've got Tommy Archer winning almost in spite of factory support and no one sees an ad featuring him or his car. REAL customers want to drive and be associated with a dominant winner, not the new lime green special edition with a green shift boot and steering wheel! The goal is still reachable, but someone has to act soon or the dream will be gone.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

GT2 has the same suspension as the 98 GTS, no ACR shocks. It is a 98 GTS Le Mans look alike, with Momo("ORECA" on belt) 5 point seat belts. Only ACR like feature is the air filter K&N.