doctorbob
Enthusiast
It is my understanding that SRT as of today is back to being part of Dodge and Ralph is now VP of Design.
SRT
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Ralph is both President and CEO of the SRT Brand and Senior Vice President of Design at Chrysler Group LLC. He is also head of Motorsports. Since the SRT brand is being eliminated and SRT is returning to its former role, Ralph will lose the President and CEO title but have a very full portfolio of design projects which has always been his main job and dominant skill set. The Gen V Viper is a magnificent design which, regardless of the change, is a testament to Ralph's love of the Viper. I would hope that all of us wish him the best going forward. I sure do. See the article below for additional data.
From ALLPAR:
The SRT name is being returned from being a standalone brand to being a model designation. Most SRT models will be Dodges, and two more are planned — hot versions of the Dart and the Journey — but not until calendar year 2016. The one vehicle “owned” by SRT was the Viper, which will once again be called Dodge Viper. It’s due for a refresh in 2015.
Some questioned the fate of the SRT versions of the Grand Cherokee and 300C, as brand leadership is being given to Dodge chief Tim Kuniskis; it was previously headed by Ralph Gilles, who will continue his dual role as head of design and motorsports. Mr. Gilles tweeted (in reply to a Twitter comment that SRT was dead) that SRT was “not dead at all” and would “get the resources it deserves.”
According to Detroit News, the popular and profitable SRT Jeep Grand Cherokee will continue in production, but the SRT 300C will be dropped.
From ALLPAR:
The SRT name is being returned from being a standalone brand to being a model designation. Most SRT models will be Dodges, and two more are planned — hot versions of the Dart and the Journey — but not until calendar year 2016. The one vehicle “owned” by SRT was the Viper, which will once again be called Dodge Viper. It’s due for a refresh in 2015.
Some questioned the fate of the SRT versions of the Grand Cherokee and 300C, as brand leadership is being given to Dodge chief Tim Kuniskis; it was previously headed by Ralph Gilles, who will continue his dual role as head of design and motorsports. Mr. Gilles tweeted (in reply to a Twitter comment that SRT was dead) that SRT was “not dead at all” and would “get the resources it deserves.”
According to Detroit News, the popular and profitable SRT Jeep Grand Cherokee will continue in production, but the SRT 300C will be dropped.
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VIPER GTSR 91
Enthusiast
Correct and assume all about cost cutting. Im sure Ralph is not happy but has to roll with the market.
kdaviper
Enthusiast
You assume this, but remember he has a wife and a teenage (or about) daughter... I'm sure he'll be glad to have a little more time to spend with his family, not just his work family. AND he gets to concentrate on what he does best and enjoys the most: design.
Nsane1
Enthusiast
I think Bob said it well. We will always have Ralph to thank for having the passion, drive, and forethought to bring the Viper back from the brink. Not only did he come up with an amazing car, but he even got us back on the track, after almost 10 years away from it.
We all owe him huge thanks, and I agree, I bet he's thankful to be rid of a lot of the "CEO" headache, and can focus his raw talent and passion on bringing some more awesome cars.
We know he'll be successful, he always has been...
We all owe him huge thanks, and I agree, I bet he's thankful to be rid of a lot of the "CEO" headache, and can focus his raw talent and passion on bringing some more awesome cars.
We know he'll be successful, he always has been...
I agree 100% We all owe Ralph Gilles a huge Thank You.
Agree 100%. Maybe now the marketing will get stronger too ... couldn't get weaker.
FLL-B/W-GTS
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I agree the former CEO of SRT did the best he could and is a good guy. But, the people that did the initial marketing of the Gen.5 and the ones who decided to give the greedy dealers all these loaded GTSs and the then they marked the up at least 10,000.00 before doing the ordered cars put the first big nail in he Vipers casket. As many of us know that own businesses or have subordinates ,the boss is responsible for them and in the end must pay the for the mistakes..
Spin it as you wish,this is a demotion, but I believe it will personally better for him....Much less stress is a very good thing...
Now lets see what this Dodge CEO can come up with the save the Viper......
Spin it as you wish,this is a demotion, but I believe it will personally better for him....Much less stress is a very good thing...
Now lets see what this Dodge CEO can come up with the save the Viper......
Turn the GTS into a base DODGE Viper, price it at old SRT base price, give it the full stripes instead of the base SRT stripes keep it under $100k. Get rid of both models, just have one and let the customer decide if they want to load up the options. I never did agree with having to buy a GTS to get normal Viper stripes. Bring out the vert give it a base price under $100K. Last but not least, being out a honkin rip snortin' ACR, price it at $110K. The DODGE Viper will be back in the game. If Dodge wants to talk to me about a marketing job, they can reach out.
kdaviper
Enthusiast
I'll have some of what he's smoking!
Better drink the kool aid instead or watch the Viper die on the vine. Does not seem like the current plan is working.
TrackAire
Enthusiast
In a big corporate system like Chrysler, you don't get a demotion because of epic sales and profitability......if anything, Ralph might be under more pressure because his performance will be watched even closer with much fewer chances if things don't go as planned. Not a good feeling.
kdaviper
Enthusiast
You know what, why don't they just GIVE the Vipers away, that will put the sales figures through the roof! You can sell a million cars, but with no profit margin, it's all for nothing. TANSTAAFL.
I think SRT should have capped GTS production to a fixed number of units per year. It's the only legal way you can keep dealers from loading up their showrooms with $140-160k cars swathed with bland interior colors and options nobody wants.
Lets hope this is a good thing. Currently, SRT Viper program doesn't have much money to spend on future product. If the Viper get put back with the Dodge division, maybe they will get a little more money to help out. Not to mention marketing alone. With the Viper being the only car under the SRT brand, they had no extra money for commercials/advertising. I believe they used what money they had for the racing program. One thing I always hear was "They still build the Viper?". Hopefully now they can add it in the commercials/advertisements with the other Dodge products. Will this help sales, hopefully.
VRYALT3R3D
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The Viper was advertised in magazines and commercials. Racer magazine had an entire issue dedicated to the Viper and SRT products. There are full page Viper ads in Motor Trend.
The best possible advertising the Viper can get is street racing videos with the Viper kicking ass. Stock or modified.
Ralph did a great job, marketing department should be unemployed. I'm just waiting in thw wings to see just how far these deals will go. They put me and many other Viper lovers out to dry with the prices, and now I'm getting closer and closer to my third Snake. It still may take another year, but I'm patient.
pathoguy
Enthusiast
This is what happened. In trying to appeal to a $120-150k market with maxed out GTSs, sales suffered. Too many other excellent choices in that range. I waited for slightly used base SRTs to surface and bought 20k below MSRP. There are even better deals out there now. Coming from a G3 to 5 and having put 2000 miles, the car is a wonderful automobile to drive and good value at low to mid $90s.
FLL-B/W-GTS
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Mopar 488...You are excetly correct what will save the Viper...
Who said anything about selling without a profit? The market has spoken. Are you a business man by any chance? Doesn't sound like it. I am and there definitely needs to be a change. Either make a business plan that can sustain a product profitably or shut it down. Sounds like you need Econ 101.
The past is the past and nothing is going to change it. Let's hope that the Dodge Brand President and CEO, and its COO, decide that the Viper program is worth keeping alive despite the past marketing issues. As Mopar 488 said, there has to be a business plan which demonstrates a reasonable possibility of a profit being made either directly or indirectly. The indirect profit has, in part, always been from the "halo" car effect and the use of the Viper as a test bed for new technologies and applications. But the halo car effect requires and required precise and effective market *********** and, too some extent, in the Gen V's case, a much harder task - market creation.
Dodge can do it. They just have to choose to do it. Want to help them make a "yes" decision? Buy one. Sales talk. BS walks.
Dodge can do it. They just have to choose to do it. Want to help them make a "yes" decision? Buy one. Sales talk. BS walks.
OP
OP
doctorbob
Enthusiast
Give me two weeks Bob. In negotiation for the viper we discussed.
^^^ Bingo! Sign him ^ up to fix the mess Dodge is in...
I'll be first in line for a new updated/refreshed 2015 G5, if Dodge can get their mojo back and do as described, above.
Cheers/B
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