Vipers survival?

[ferraritoviper]

GM's announced shut down of Hummer, with only 9000 sold in 2009, doesn't bode well for other low production vehicles IMO.

What with the continued economic malaise, and Chrysler's deepening troubles, I would think the best bet for Viper's survival is a spin off.

Not to be a naysayer, but I'm not optimistic about Chrysler's survival as a whole, never mind just a question of allocating assets and resourses to a 700 production car...and a potentially re-tooled one at that.

The previous scare of 'if one of the big three falls, they all fall' no longer holds credence, the too 'big to fail' is off the table, the dislodged union employees who have already been downsized dramatically, will be absorbed for the most part by remaining auto makers, the taxpayers will not continue bailing out two auto makers (especially with Ford showing so strong)...and with ongoing troubles for the auto industry as a whole...face it, something gotta give. Who needs a low volume redundant product, in the cost consciousness of todays industry.

 

[slysnake]

So be it. If it dies, it dies. Please, No spin off that would just be a lame ghost of our great car. Let it die in peace if that's it's destiny.

 

[BlknBlu]

Vipers numbers are low be design where Hummer was hoping to make lots more than the numbers listed.

Bruce

 

[Yellow32]

I completely disagree,

FIAT is going like gangbusters and they want control of Chrsyler/Dodge:

Look at the latest news

fiat chrysler - Google News

Chrysler: Viper may return
The Detroit News - Alisa Priddle - ‎Feb 11, 2010‎
The real priority now is designing a family of midsize sedans, hatches and crossovers for use by Chrysler and Fiat SpA brands in a couple years, ...
Chrysler Design Chief Ralph Gilles Hints At 2012 Return For Dodge Viper Motor Authority (blog)

Gilles Mentions 2012 Dodge Viper MotorCrave.com

Chrysler design chief: Dodge Viper could return in 2012 eGMCarTech (blog)

 

[Martin]

I think Hummer was kind of an oddity and I don't think a direct comparison can be made between a low production sports car and a vehicle that was originally designed for the military, then sold in small numbers to a few people who were willing to deal with it's totally impractical design on the street, then re-designed to try and get around those impracticalities, then re-designed again to try and make it mainstream... In short, we started out with a kick-ass no-hold-barred off-road machine, and it then became a Suburban street poser with styling cues of the original beast, but hardly any of the off-road abilities of the original. I thought the H2 and H3's were totally stupid - and I'm glad they're dead.

The Viper was originally designed to be an impractical race car for the street, and it's still pretty much true to it's original intent. It competes with other impractical "race cars for the street" and does it at a fraction of their cost. There will always be a following for it, and it could always be a halo car for Dodge. The image alone is worth the low production.

That said, anything can happen. If they kill it, they kill it - and I'm sure a lot of us would mourn the loss. But life goes on...