Most here are convinced there's something wrong with the car because it isn't selling well...missing power, missing this or that feature...and some think Porsche buyers not jumping ship proves the Gen V is missing something. I don't for a second believe that the buyer of the higher performance Porsche would seriously consider a Viper, or a Vette or GT-R for that matter, generally speaking...but not because of anything lacking in the car's performance. Porsche is in another world. Most 911 GT3 buyers take them straight to the track, PCA has unlimited track days and a serious driver education program, and the focus of the car is centered around the track and tracking, or enjoying and having pride in a very track capable car. I'm on track with them every single day out, and often with a dozen or more 911 variants.
Viper Nation doesn't seem to have an identity, just the lingering memory of the Viper stomping on everything, and certainly not one focused on motorsports and race track performance despite the best efforts of Ralph and his Viper team that designed and built the car to be world-class on track, and despite having factory race cars and team to support that goal. This thread is just the latest in a long line that encourages members to criticize the Gen V and SRT from their first moves till their last. These threads are usually started by someone you know will never buy the Gen V, and finding fault with the car must help them justify that decision. My favorite is "drop the price thousands and I might think about it". They're almost always an attempt to find fault and direct blame. The OP of this thread doesn't recognize the focus of the Viper design team to make this a worthy and world class track day car...right out of the showroom, no mods, even providing the 6 point harness mounts! I'm sure he's not alone.
Nope, I just don't see Porsche buyers being drawn to the Viper identity, or lack of one, and the lack of an organized community with a shared interest in track performance and use. Same applies to the BMW buyer. But I do see some of them being drawn to the Gen V's styling, reliability, features, performance, exclusivity, value...and its uncompromising commitment to be perhaps the finest analogue driver's car that you can buy. Many Porsche GT3 fans didn't want to loose the manual, or hydraulic steering, didn't want 4 wheel steering, audio system enhanced exhaust, and half the nannies. Gen V is a car for them. And I'm sure the Gen V would appeal to many more exotic high performance buyers if they had a chance to experience it, and if they didn't get hung up on it not being built by one of the exotic brands.
I chose the car for all the important things that it is, not for the unimportant things that it isn't which get discussed over and over in these threads. I see actual buyers of cars in this price range choosing the Gen V and being thrilled with it, and turned off by the forum, and I see non-buyers joining these constant *****-fests. I'd just like to see some of them buy something else to give their opinions some credibility as being given by someone actually in the market, but no such luck for the rest of us that are left to endure their presence. You'd expect this forum to have "Enthusiasts" and non-Gen V owners asking questions to learn more about the car and owners discussing their cars. Instead you have mostly previous Gen owners criticising everything from A-Z and Gen V owners increasingly tuning out in disgust.
Here's how I see it:
Porsche faithful celebrate the slow evolution of the classic 911 shape...Viper faithful want bold and new.
Porsche faithful love and expect a high level of refinement...Viper faithful don't care, and want price slashed.
Porsche faithful embrace the car's performance even though it isn't tops, even the 911 GT3/RS...Viper faithful aren't happy even when it is tops, make lists of things to change, or just bring out a Gen VI.
Porsche faithful embrace a fundamentally flawed engine layout, and any nannies that can help remedy that...Viper faithful want nannies because Porsche has them.
Porsche faithful exist in a culture grounded in road course track performance...Viper faithful don't have clue one about road course performance, just want to have, or have ability to make more power.
Porsche designs the 911 to win races and for its massive following of track enthusiasts...SRT/Dodge succeeds at the same goal and the Viper faithful could care less as they add to their lists of demands.
Porsche faithful understand what their 911 is ...Viper faithful are all over the map on what it is, and more often, what they think it should be.
Porsche faithful pay ever high prices, including very expensive options...Viper faithful are very price sensitive, most needing a price decrease.
When I use "Porsche faithful" I mean strong enthusiasts of the car, whether they own or not. Many owners do buy newer versions as the basic formula doesn't change...the results just keep getting better, and they see value in the small but steady upgrades. The "Viper faithful" seem quite fractured in their wants, but seem to want everything whether it's needed or not. They feel having it is the key to happiness, and if they are given it they would buy....although the chance of them getting what they want in a Viper at a price they're willing to pay may be very remote.
I met the owner of a one day old 2014 911 GT3 at a track day yesterday. He's done some of the same track events I have for at least 10 years. He said he loved the look of my TA and asked how I came to choose it. I said I liked the styling, missed having a manual in my recent XKR and wanted one again, and liked the refinements incorporated in the new Viper. He told me the GT3 was very refined and that the DCT was so great, ripping down the straight and then automatically gearing down with auto rev-matching into corners, and how it was good in bumper to bumper driving. I said I don't have to drive in city traffic where I live and enjoy the stick. What I didn't say is I also wanted something waaay more exotic and exclusive than a 911 anything, and that I had really enjoyed making him my ***** around the track all day! Knowing how awesome his DCT is just makes my achievement all the more rewarding, and does exactly that every time I track it against the latest high-end appliances.
I would like to acknowledge that there are several members that do not fall into the descriptions of members noted above, and I used the words "generally" and "usually" partly for that reason. I have the greatest respect for those of you who don't climb on the blame-game bandwagon and help to spread the word of what a great car the Gen V is, whether you own one or not.
So my point is that most existing Viper owners don't share a passion for the track performance that SRT very successfully focused on, and I'm not sure it's any surprise they want different things from the car. Those who are after world-class track performance are likely already connected to another brand like BMW and Porsche, and their owner's clubs likely offer a more appealing ownership/track experience. That leaves guys like me who weren't connected to a brand and simply bought an incredibly capable track car that appealed to me on many other levels as well.
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