What one man's vision of what a purists sports car should have been 20 years ago may not hold up in today's market. In fact, it already hasn't. Like others have said, zip up canvas windows are out. How many of you consciously choose the GenI over a GenII, for example?
Supercars don't have nanny controls? Real race cars don't have nanny controls? True, but are we talking about selling cars in numbers like a few Jay Leno's could buy, or a reasonable number of specialty performance cars that might benefit the manufacturer's bottom line?
Speaking of numbers, yeah there are scores of wrecked Corvettes that had nanny controls. So what? There were many times more of them built than Vipers. We all know the production number comparo's. And the wreck figures, likewise, are a function of numbers. It's all proportions. The wrecks weren't caused by nanny controls, they were despite them. Any 1st year science major can tell you the difference between an association and a cause and effect relationship.
But the danger in nanny controls and the false sense of security they offer is true. I am not arguing with that. These are the times we live in. There are huge numbers of drivers out there, for example, who never drove a car without ABS, air bags, etc. The concept of a 40 MPH head on collision being a walk-away predominates. In fact, if someone's injured in a car wreck doing something moronic, more likely than not someone's getting sued. Welcome to America. And this is the tide you cannot turn. With more dependecny on electronics, less personal responsibility, more corporate liability for everything, and less cumulative driver skill on the road the Viper is the anachronism of our automotive times. While at one time it served as a personal vision of a pure sports car, it has already undergone vast changes. And if it is to continue to survive, it must adapt.
I've been proud to be a member of this club and, as I said in my first post, I chose this brand for a reason. Specifically, the lack of nanny controls and the skill driving this car has helped hone in me. Don't shoot the messenger, as they say. Those of you who say "over my dead body" or who feel the strong opinion of the VCA (mine included) should be the ongoing vision of the new Dodge couldn't be more wrong. The small numbers of potential car buyers the VCA and the "purists" represent are not enought to float this marquee. They may have been enough back in GenI-->GenII days, and the voice of the VCA was heard, but not now. In changing times, this don't-change-it philosophy will be the end of the Viper.
