Jim Press ( formerly head of Toyota in the US ) also mentioned in a previous WSJ article that his former company sold appliances, whereas Chrysler is a compay that understood passion ignites buyers, like the Viper and the Challenger .
Who else better to make sure he gets the full impact of the intense feelings Viper owners have toward their cars and purchasing other Chrysler products , than through this medium with Viper Club.
If I remember correctly 80% of Viper owners own companies or control vehicle purchases of some kind. Additionally 60% of Viper owners also have Chrysler products in their garages, whereas most owners of exotics or semi exotics hold a tiny fraction of cars from the parent company's base.
I know after selling Vipers from our store since 1994, the number of customers that have assembled under the Chrysler banner is unprecedented. It is hard for me to even think of many buyers who do not have a corral full of Chrysler vehicles and it all started with the Snake.
It may be our job to continue to alert Dodge of the influence the owners of this marque car wield among their employees, friends, relatives, etc. in making personal decisions to buy from Chrysler.
My optimism is with the fact that many have witnessed the love of the Viper, at the many VOI functions, the VCA Zone Rendezvous's, Viper Days Events, etc. and Mr. Press and his associates want to keep the flame of loyalty and passion burning brightly. I contend that this Club , it's Officers, and members have the sworn duty to keep the powers that be at Chrysler intune with the wishes of a very influential few. I do know that when previous rumors have come up , and they have been numerous over the years, the key underlying comment that came forth is that if there was a discontinuation of the Viper , many current owners would begin a Lemming like mass exodus away from Chrysler. Never taken as an idle threat, the tie that binds for many is the Viper, and like so many companies who disregarded a small passionate group , sales became stagnant without their niche vehicle.
Mr. Press understands niche marketing , as the Scion line is a perfect example of finding an area that meets the needs that other companies may have not explored. To some extent , the SRT portion of Chrysler is that same niche buyer and some have even suggested it be broken into a seperate entity, since the buyers of these products are much more in tune with the specifics of the line, are a better educated and knowledgeable group, and tend to be an influence base for friends and acquaintances.
As a World presence is more in tune with future movement at Chrysler , the loss of the Viper is almost sancrosant, as it's impact in Marketing is phenomenal --- just ask our European and Japanese members how the Viper is perceived Worldwide. Going forward we have the Hemi name in America , worth billions in advertising cache alone, yet the Viper is a impact word/product everywhere on this Earth.
The logical view about the Plant, is even with the upgrades and revamping to bring the engine production under the same roof, it is a 1950s building and somewhat inefficient. This comment was echoed clear back in 2000 when I first visited Conner. Though there is no basis for a comment made by a fellow member, the light bulb went off like a 100 watts in my head ,when Saleen's name was dropped. How brilliant to take the 1500 cars or so built per year , have them done where the similar number of Ford GTs met their maker, and reduce the factory costs. Hopefully, they will retain many of the workers , as they are a true heart of the Snake also, and it is not unusual for many to continue with a cooperative effort between manufacturing partners.Heck, once the Plant is cranking Vipers out, it may be apparent that the inefficiencies have evaporated due to the upgrades and improvements -- that is a time constant factor which will only be analysed after the vehicles begin to move down the line.
Keep the Passion Alive, and make your comments known, but I for one tend to think this is just a glimpse of the entire Corportation and all areas need to be viewed. Somehow remembering that the first project the Germans approved when they took over Chrysler years back was the Viper , I would be stunned if fellow Americans would miss the impact the Snake has on the entire model line, as well as it's unprecedented marketing panache.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bill Pemberton