Future of the Viper overal....

[BACKNBLACK]

Since buying my car in 2000 I have met so many people with her. I am coming to a conclusion that DC will finally phase out the Viper in the next few years. It starts with Daimler buying Chrsyler motors. I don't see a future for he Viper since they have no plans to make the coupe streetable. With the economy so horrible, I feel DC will stop the car. What are your opinions on this?

 

[Newport Viper]

I hope not! Just make the SRT-10 in Yellow before you do DC!

 

[Viper Specialty]

I fear the same thing...

The fact is that Diamler has its own view of things... and truthfully, they dont need the Viper. They have their european sports cars that they can try to cram down everyones throat, and make a lot more money with them. The Viper hurts their sales, period. Plain and simple, nothing can touch the Viper anywhere even CLOSE to its price bracket... and half the reason its in that bracket, is because they dont make a whole lot on it. It -was- about image before...now its just a big dollar sign.

 

[DEVILDOG]

In addition to your observations I don't think the Germans understand the original VIPER concept or the American Performance/Muscle culture. I also don't think they want a VIPER overshadowing the top performance Mercedes which you'll note takes an entirely different motor direction going with Kompressors. Notice also that the German DC owners no longer support a factory backed VIPER Racing Team. You'll also notice that DC does not treat VIPER owners like they do Mercedes owners as evidenced by the 2nd class citizen handling of the SRT valve issue. The SRT IMO was the first step away from the original in your face styling, rude and crude demeanor, lumpy cam VIPER that I have and will keep forever. I could get an SRT, a CC or any Mercedes if I wanted to...I have no DESIRE for them. They do not stir my American red blood! Unfortunately, as far as I'm concerned, the true VIPER is already a thing of the past.

 

[Gerald Levin]

Devildog, I agree 100%. I think with the SRT problems and the owners screaming, demanding, etc, I think DC will start to think that they have accomplished everything they wanted to in the last 11-12 years and may proceed to shut this baby down. Hope that this does not happen, but sure seems likely to me.

 

[Casey]

I just hope they make another Coupe before they finish!

 

[Daffy Duck Viper]

In addition to your observations I don't think the Germans understand the original VIPER concept or the American Performance/Muscle culture. I also don't think they want a VIPER overshadowing the top performance Mercedes which you'll note takes an entirely different motor direction going with Kompressors. Notice also that the German DC owners no longer support a factory backed VIPER Racing Team. You'll also notice that DC does not treat VIPER owners like they do Mercedes owners as evidenced by the 2nd class citizen handling of the SRT valve issue. The SRT IMO was the first step away from the original in your face styling, rude and crude demeanor, lumpy cam VIPER that I have and will keep forever. I could get an SRT, a CC or any Mercedes if I wanted to...I have no DESIRE for them. They do not stir my American red blood! As far as I'm concerned the true VIPER is already a thing of the past.

Yes. Well put. Unfortunately.

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[Fiorano]

I agree that the "true" viper has passed. That's why I jumped on one of the last 2002s. As for the future, I think there will be a coupe version of the srt10. The body design is already set. It can't be too much of a stretch to legalize it for the street. If Ford can remake the GT40 (surely at a financial loss), then DC can continue the viper. It would be a shame not to.

 

[MR VENOM]

Just in case it does happen (discontinued Vipers) hang on to yours......will make you more money than having cash in the bank. Collector's items!

 

[Russ Oasis]

I believe that you guys are off base on this one. Wolfgang Bernhard is a ********* car guy. He "gets" the Viper and how it's an American thing. The Mercedes SL-55 appeals to a much different audience than does the Viper. As far as support of the Viper racing team goes, we won 2 or 3 years in a row at Lemans. There was nowhere to go except down from there. Dodge does support the Viper Racing League. The created the Comp Coupe just for those races. How much do you think they can make building 75 cars a year? Even if they made $20,000 each, that's less than $1,500,000. With their development costs and factory support, etc. They don't make anything on this. I don't get why so many people on this board always think that the factory has some conspiracy going on in the background...whether it's the valve issue, street coupe or ANYTHING....DC is our friend or at VERY LEAST...not our enemy.

 

[SRT10]

Russ is right on. Go read the interview with Wolfgang Bernard in tha last Viper issue. It mirrors his positive comments at VOI. The future of the Viper never looked better! We're in a horsepower war right now that will go thermo. Enjoy it!

 

[BACKNBLACK]

Hey Russ, ever hear of a "Wolf in Sheeps clothing" ? Well thats how I look at with Daimler. You say about a different audience that attracts the SL??I disagree with that. I think alot of guys in this room love the SL. What I am trying to say is that the Viper gives the SL competition as a sport car. Its like what GM did with the Buick GNX. Why did they discontinue that model when it was selling..It was giving the vett competition. Plus why would a foreign company want to continue something American. Look what they did with the SRT design, they had a japanes designer??*** was that all about I still have no clue..Why not have an American design it??There goes your answer.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

My opinion is that the SRT Coupe is coming. The fact that DC has no plans for it, is a ploy to promote current sales of the SRT.
Your Idea that the Viper will be fazed out, may not be a simple as suggested. Profit counts, but image counts too. What Viper has done for Dodge's image is well documented.
If you put a GT40 beside a Competition Coupe... I'm buying the Viper, not even close.
Viper is not American, it is America. Dodge knows it, VOI confirms it.
Have faith, be patient, cut them some slack. Take your car for a ride. And next time you have your car serviced smile (look them in the eye) and say Thank You!

 

[Bonkers]

I doubt they'll drop the SRT considering its making money, but if DC decides to I won't cry about it. I'm throughly under the impression, wolfgang or not, that the next leap for the snake is a 4-door model... I mean after all thats where the camaro is heading as well right?

The snake died, even seeing the SRT in person hasn't changed my opinion of it...

 

[C O D Y]

Russ is right. Viper is here to stay.

 

[NCVCA]

I wonder how many of you nay sayers went to VOI 7. DC is pro Viper and pro Viper Owners. They made a business decision to support NASCAR after the Le Mans wins and that decision seems to be paying off. No one has said they won't return to road racing sponsorships in the future OR that the merger affected the NASCAR decision.

I saw the new 2004 AMG E55 at Virginia International last Wednesday. Actually, they had about 10 of them there with their team F1 driver. The car is very impressive - fit and finish along with about 470HP - I would trade my BMW 740i Sport in a second.

We should be thrilled that the "powers that now be" have this engineering and product development experience to bring to the Viper table. The Comp Coupe is a HUGE show of support for the Viper community and owners and why would ANY manufacturer cancel a new platform when it's only been out less than one model year??

If you think the Viper as a marquee is going to be cancelled I think (as Barney Fife always said) YOU'RE A NUT!

 

[BigCarrot]

Let em discontinue it! Works for me! My car will be worth more and more and more........

 

[Lawrenzo]

Some things in life need to go away at the top of their game.

Even though Michael Jordan will always be remembered as one of the best players in NBA history, many people will lament the fact that he "retired" so many times to end his amazing career.

Same with the Viper- if it's not going to stay the balls out, wildly designed, neck snapper of today, than it's better left for the history books and our garages

 

[AviSarfaraz]

Just like the Delorean.....Well....Wait for me to get a Viper first! Then let them discontinue....we all will be super rich! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[V10 MOJO]

i really dont think about it since i already have the exact one i want

 

[Jay H]

So if they changed a couple of things on the Viper and started the price at hundred and nineteen thousand, would it still not be worth it in the performance range with Lambos and other high dollar cars that the Viper already blows away.

 

[GTS Bruce]

The Viper was a successful PR exercise.NASCAR is far more succesful as a PR exercise.However many of their new performance vehicles are badged as Viper(SRT) off shoots.Will they keep it or get rid of it and lose face(beaten back by chevy and the corvette).Time will tell. Bruce

 

[DodgeViper01]

Wow. The Viper does not seem to be here for much longer. I think that if sales do not stay up for them they will drop the car.

 

[MoparMan]

Given the money dumped into the redesign for the '03 MY I'm guessing that the Viper be around for awhile if for no other reason than to justify the investment in NRE

 

[LETHAL GTS]

I can tell you that the Benz (ex.SL55 AMG) and the Viper attract different buyers. My ol'man has the AMG, 57 yrs old and myself 2 Vipers, 37 yrs old. I'm not saying you have to be old to buy one or the other way around for the Viper. He loves the power his Benz makes and hates the work the Viper takes. 2 different cars, 2 different buyers.
Now as far as phasing out the Snake. I haven't seen HP wars between the manufactures this big since the 70's.
V16's, V12's, V10's, blowers, kompressors, you name it. I think it'll be like this for awhile. Hang on and enjoy the ride. I can't wait till the new coupe comes out. After all they already have the coupe. It just needs some interior and a tin plate.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Let's go back Daimler buying Chrysler and looking at the first program they approved ------you guessed it, the Viper. Wolgang and Dieter are not German
or American , they are just flat gearheads. You only need to talk or experience a rousing speech from Wolfgang to know he understands the American
game of the Automobile. We play our sports to win, and we carry the same over to our other passions, and the Automobile Industry is an extreme
passion in the US. One only needs to see Wolfgang motion , with both hands up in a come hither motion, for the other big companies to come after the
Snake to know, when he says, "We will kick your ass," he understands the American Automotive game, and he will make sure we have the
baddest toy on the block. The Viper is here to stay, and though it will give us years of pleasure arguing our favorite model/year, I firmly believe DC
understands the essence of the V10 moniker.

 

[BACKNBLACK]

Bill, I won't argue with you and I truly hope you are right. I still would like to see a coupe version in the SRT.
My opinion, which I hope i'm wrong. They are going to kill it off due to many facters and one being the state of the economy...

Tony

 

[Viper 8 R]

Once again I will have to agree with Bill Pemberton.
We were there at VOI-7, and 'der VIPER' is #1
and HERE to STAY - - in one modern Classic form or another.

IMHO, we should continue to back DaimlerChrysler until such time as they give us a reason not to.
They are Super Supporters of the VCA!!

Hey, they're still making replacement parts for my GenII, and covering a killer warrantee, so why should I *****?

 

[Motor City Mad Man]

Nothing lasts forever. How many car models have come and gone over the years? There aren't many that stay around for even 10 years or so it seems. I don't think the Germans at DCX really give a crap about the Viper either. Plus if the next generation Viper, if there even will be one, is as fugly as the SRT-10 I hope they don't continue making it. I think they will stop making the Viper before the year 2010. You heard it here first.

Then 20 years from now, when I am one of the lucky few who still owns one of the "real" Vipers that hasn't been in a wreck and isn't rotting away in some junk yard somewhere-I want to drive around and have the car look like some car out of the movie Mad Maxx and have some redneck with no teeth say "is that one of them there Vipers that has the V-10 engine?" Well golly, sure is nice to see one of them when all we have are 2 cylinder engines nowadays what with the energy crisis and all". Yup, I'll be paying $10/gallon to fuel up my beast by then.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Nothing lasts forever. How many car models have come and gone over the years?

"Nothing lasts forever" is what I said about the original body style four years ago. But I don't know if it applies to the Viper's overall future.

Vettes, Mustangs and F-bodys have been around for many years, which is the closest species to the Viper, not the Corvair, Edsel or Pinto.

I don't know how long the Viper will be around, but if it is I will probably keep buying them. Sure would like them to bring the styling and rawness back though.