Many of us have driven what you refer to as "the finer cars". The Lincoln Town Car, which was an incredible bargain when it was available, has a better highway ride than most, if not all of them and still does. ( Unfortunately, Ford stopped making it in 2011.) But, more importantly, many of us can't stand the sense environment provided by the "finer cars".
I have driven an SRT6 Crossfire on the street and for multiple laps at the Homestead road course. Sorry but there is no way it is built better than a 2014 Gen V Viper. Not a chance. Among other issues, the car had less than acceptable brakes for its mission niche.
The Gen V is not for everybody. It is for people who appreciate and require a particluar combination of sensory inputs. The Gen V is like the good friend that you would want next to you in a bar fight. You can trust it. You know it will not chicken out. It will get the job done.
If a person considers the Lincoln Town Car "a finer car", they haven't driven a finer car, and that was my point. I'm talking AMG, M's, 991, R8, F-Type, 12C, even GT-R etc. My reference to the Crossfire being better built doesn't refer to it's track abilities, nor do I consider it a finer car, and yes, the brakes are lacking on the track. I'm referring to the basics, no creaking, better visibility, body panel fit and finish, and reliability. After 110k miles, not one mechanical or electrical problem has popped up in that car, not one. The GEN-V already has problems with the doors not opening after it rains or popping open on their own, a problem that should not exist on a $100K+ car. The GEN-V is the bar fight buddy with the big guns, I agree. It's just you had to pay him a lot to be there, when for much less all you needed to buy was a 12 round pistol and scare them off or drop them dead. I get where the OP is coming from, it's a great car, but it's priced in the spectrum of cars of a different class of car. You can't expect to win over Porsche owners, like Ralph intended, with horrible forward visibility and Laguna quilted seats that look cheaper than the Nappa leather (at a $7k premium too). And Ralph kept saying guys up to 6'7" could fit. I'm 6'1" and I felt more cramped than in my GEN2 or the C7, I just don't see how tall people can drive this thing daily. The cabin is a beautiful cabin... for a $70k car. On the track, there is no doubt the TA is the champ. But the OP was looking for a great performing DD in the Viper's price range. Unfortunately, only a fully loaded C7, base 991, or F-Type will fit the bill. The Viper simply isn't a comfortable car to DD for most people. The GEN-V has a purpose, though not the purpose Ralph intended. You are using your TA for what Vipers were originally meant to be, not what the GEN-V GTS was intended to be, at least by Ralph's definition. It can't be compared to some of the cars it was built to compete with because it simply doesn't. The GEN-V is the most refined Viper to date, but it's not what SRT touted it to be. It's cool that we still have this car as an option in 2014, but that fact is, it's priced out of the reach of the limited clientele that want this car and the sales numbers show it.
It's like the GEN-V is stuck in the middle somewhere in the twilight zone. It's neither the blue-collar supercar, nor a gentleman's car. It's supposed to be this purpose built, street legal track monster, but they don't unlock the PCM. It's also supposed to have $7k luxury leather from Learjets and yachts, but they couldn't wrap the leather without it sagging. It's supposed to fit football players, but you can't see the stoplights out the front windshield. Those that have been spoiled by the best of both worlds that the P-cars and used F-cars provide are simply ignoring the GEN-V. Ever drove a 458? Now there is a car that was built by listening to the clientele requests. The roomiest and most comfortable two seater I have ever been in, though twice the price, but it does what it was built and marketed to do. I went to the meetings with Ralph and the engineers when the GEN-V was about to go into production. They made it sound like this car would be so comfortable and easy to drive that you could go cross-country with it or make it a DD. This came straight from the horse's mouth. So I expected those results when I went to go shopping for a GEN-V, but I just didn't see it (or feel it). Maybe Dodge will put the Viper back to it's roots and market it accordingly. But it seems the best way forward is to either throw in a DCT with 700HP and call it the sledgehammer, or kill the car off, otherwise it just doesn't fit in with the modern era of cars. It will never be the car SRT tried to market it as.
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