Playing devil's advocate (remember I do drive a Viper, in fact just bought my second one, and there's a reason for that):
What is the goal of a car company in producing a car for sale to the public?
Is it to appeal to a small but vocal crowd of purists who want to maintain the rawness, driver input, need for driver skill, and other factors mentioned above? Skills that--let's face it--are gradually diminishing in the general public?
Or is the goal to sell as many cars for as much of a profit margin as possible? Remember, we are not talking about what YOU want, but what is the goal of the automotive company?
I have to say that Dodge has done an incredible job of keeping the car a purist's car despite every economic incentive not to. Just like the great bands sell out over time, manufacturers draw a following with an appealing first entry, only to transition to a watered-down version eventually. This is the nature of business. Sure, Dodge has done a lot of things to make the car more marketable to the masses--many you don't even think of. But believe me, those changes have been made and generally accepted. Beyond this, Dodge has kept true to the basic principles that the Viper line was founded upon.
Can this purity continue in the face of the current economic hardships? I doubt it. This is why many thought the current year would be the last produced. Maybe when gas was a mere $2 :0 and the economy was flush, Dodge could produce this car for a small, die-hard band of automotive purists. But as this population of potential buyers shrinks, the market turns, the need for purely profitable lines grows, the demand for efficient production lines maximizing the resources of the company grows, and the "purists" car becomes more of an economic anachronism, something will have to give.
But this is nothing new. Changes like the current styling of the GenIII and IV were made to sell cars to the masses. You think they could not have changed the body style in 6 years despite all the purists complaining the old Gen looked better?? What do you think of the little airbag sensor for your passenger, run-flats for you GenIII guys, ABS whether mandated or not, the drive-by-wire that prevents you from getting throttle closure if you lift, and all the other nanny's you have now? Hell, even roadside assistance is a nanny for whimps...a REAL driver will be prepared with quarters for a phone booth.
What I am saying is it is a gradual process and one you are already involved with, so don't complain when somebody points to the end of the line in this progression and asks the obvious. Besides, ultimately the reason this car is built is not singularly for you and me and what we want. It is built for the cumulative you and me and that includes a lot of people with different visions of what is a reasonable car to own. While we buy the cars, they are built under the direction of Dodge, DM, Cerebrus, Fiat, or whoever. And they have built it and will build it for sales. Not for "purity". It was nice while it lasted, and what is left is nice, and we can hope the next Gen maintains some purity. But it will be lost eventually.
