Why won't SRT tell us the status of the vert?

[DMan]

With VOI12 info sharing the submitted design shots with us, and "hearing that it was approved". Why won't Ralph give any info on the vert, at least in timing? What's the deal on why it needs to still, 2 yrs later, be a secret?

If it's imminent, then thanks, those who want one can be puttin their prev gens on teh market, if it's a ways off still, thanks, those that've been holding out can go ahead and grab a nicely priced coupe.

The holding, indecision, crap of not knowing seems like it can only hurt sales ... of either coupes while people wait, or verts as people won't plan til they know something.


PS- sorry to those on both boards, I've double posted, which I usually don't do, just shows my frustration ... in that I'm venting/asking twice. ;o)

 

[ViperJohn]

Asked that question to SRT less than two weeks ago in Daytona/Orlando......unfortunately, got the cookie cutter response....."We are not allowed to discuss future product."

 

[purenxs]

To me, Corvette vert owner & aspiring future Viper owner, this is one of the areas (promotion) where SRT can improve.

GM leaks little tidbits along with their "spy shots" to keep interest and deciminate information about the new model Corvettes (e.g. Z06) well in advance of production, without giving the competition specific details.

Even composite renderings or performance estimates maintain customer brand interest.

Complete stonewalling of future products stifles future product interest.

 

[johniew398]

I remember reading something a month or so back where an official said the Vert would be released/produced in about 19 months. The same official supposedly said there was no current discussion on an ACR.

Why would car manufacturers keep new models under wraps? A lot of that has to do with business reasons and not wanting to give the competition any information they don't already have.

I worked for Hughes Aircraft in Security right after I retired from the Air Force. GM bought us out and one of the things I remember being told was that GM and others practice "compartmented security" when it comes to new car models. That means they don't even brief all executives on their plans.

Just because information on a new Vette comes out doesn't mean they really wanted it leaked.

Remember the only thing that got out on the new Gen V was the model that surprised even SRT officials.

If I was interested in waiting around on the Vert, not hearing any information wouldn't deter me from waiting. I was waiting for news on a possible ACR and I finally pulled
the trigger on a TA.

I was trained in deception in a previous job. If I was a car manufacturer I would just screw with people. Take a current model, camouflage it and have a couple driven around where you would
normally see new cars being tested. And then see the car mags take off with their speculation.

Another thought: let's say they release a tidbit of information on the new Vert and some might say, oh, then I will wait. But if they don't say anything and some think, well they aren't going
to make a new Vert so I will just buy a coupe. Releasing information could cost them sells, either way you look at it.

 

[Bobpantax]

It appears to be a secret from the top down.

 

[Jay M]

I asked Ralph Gilles at Cars and Coffee in Irvine back in December about the Convertible and the ACR. He told me that the convertible is almost 2 years away.

He refused to give any details about the ACR.

My guess is that they needed to wait and see what the Z06 was going to be so they could make sure the ACR will be faster.

When I saw Ralph at a track event over a year ago (January 2013), I overheard him saying that the ACR will be extreme.

I guess we need to remember that the Viper isn't a factory mass produced car like a Corvette or Porsche, it's more like a Morgan, where waiting to own it is part of the joy of ownership.

The sad part for me is that I can't afford a new Viper, so I'll have to wait a REALLY long time for an affordable used Gen V convertible. Thankfully there is tons of joy in driving my Gen 3.

~Jay

 

[kdaviper]

Because future product knowledge decreases demand for CURRENT product. and you cant sell products in the future unless you've sold what you already have.

 

[Twister]

If they are sitting on the vert this long than its a good thing.eans its gonna be somthing special

 

[DMan]

I asked Ralph Gilles at Cars and Coffee in Irvine back in December about the Convertible and the ACR. He told me that the convertible is almost 2 years away.

He refused to give any details about the ACR.

My guess is that they needed to wait and see what the Z06 was going to be so they could make sure the ACR will be faster.

When I saw Ralph at a track event over a year ago (January 2013), I overheard him saying that the ACR will be extreme.

I guess we need to remember that the Viper isn't a factory mass produced car like a Corvette or Porsche, it's more like a Morgan, where waiting to own it is part of the joy of ownership.

The sad part for me is that I can't afford a new Viper, so I'll have to wait a REALLY long time for an affordable used Gen V convertible. Thankfully there is tons of joy in driving my Gen 3.

~Jay

Thanks, and if he would just officially say this then I'd be shopping. Anyone really ready to buy but holding for a possible vert would go ahead and buy before waiting 2+ yrs, that's a friggin lifetime. There are I'm sure guys out here like me who were waiting on news since he showed it to us at VOI, at that time it'd be 3-4yrs away. They're lsoign sales on guys waiting that would buy rather than wait if it's a long time, >1 yr for ex. To say publicly that 'we're targeting vert production for 2016' isn't exactly earth-shatteringly risky to put out. Other manufactures do like crazy, since viper sales are arguably a bit weak, since they cut back production, seems like any change in approach (like hiring new marketing peeps, just sayin) couldn't hurt.

Thanks for that info, I haven't bent Ralph's ear with face to face access in a over yr, it's great to get sidebar comments at least.

 

[DMan]

Because future product knowledge decreases demand for CURRENT product. and you cant sell products in the future unless you've sold what you already have.

I agree if the new on replaces the old one, but his isn't versioning, it's not a new product replacing an old one. There are guys who would buy if they knew the vert was 2 yrs or more away. So they're losing sales, anyone who's waiting is already waiting, it's not like they're going to lose sales at this point, that already happend and they scaled back. So I agree, but in this case I think we're past that now.

 

[Austin]

Theyre not saying anything because there wont be a vert.

 

[Nsane1]

Austin, what makes you say that? We've seen the spy shots of the car, they discussed it at VOI 12, when asked, the SRT engineers smiled as they said "We can't talk about that", and Ralph also told as Jay notes that the ACR will be "very special" (and quite a ways away).

I think there will be a vert, I think we understand why they won't discuss it, but I don't have any more details than anyone else, certainly nothing official.

 

[Austin]

Austin, what makes you say that? We've seen the spy shots of the car, they discussed it at VOI 12, when asked, the SRT engineers smiled as they said "We can't talk about that", and Ralph also told as Jay notes that the ACR will be "very special" (and quite a ways away).I think there will be a vert, I think we understand why they won't discuss it, but I don't have any more details than anyone else, certainly nothing official.

The only thing shown at VOI was a rendering (drawing), and it wasnt all that great. Smiles and talk can be translated into anything your imagination can conjure up. Companies change direction all the time. What could have been an idea for a vert around VOI time doesn't mean there is still one now. All I'm saying is, take those smiles with a grain of salt. I guess only time will tell.

 

[Paul Hawker]

If there is to be a Vert, you can expect, because of pent up demand, that it will sell for close to sticker prices.

Right now, there are some pretty sweet deals to be had on Gen V Coupes, so for the most part, the advice would be to scoop up something now while the scooping is good.

 

[purenxs]

I can only compare to the Corvette coupe and vert releases, and not a lot of secrecy there or time between the two being released. We knew a vert was coming and when production would begin.

A Viper faithful vert buyer would not necessarily buy a coupe imo because he doesn't know if there's going to be a vert or because of uncertainty of when it will be released. A track guy is not going to buy a vert generally unless it is a 2nd car, etc. You can not hurt coupe sales releasing information about an impending vert release imo because you're looking at different type buyers. If you really want a vert are you going to buy a '13 coupe because it's heavily discounted? Maybe, but spending a 100k (discounted GTS) for something you don't exactly want probably will not satisfy pent up demand and significantly help GTS sales, unless you're just trying to transition into a Viper, from a lesser expensive brand.

It would be interesting to know the percentage of Viper verts vs Viper coupes sales. I'm just expressing my thoughts here and not claiming to know the flow on Viper sales, releases, sales history, etc.

 

[BigDawg]

There's no confirmation because the future of the Viper is not secure.

 

[SnakeBitten]

There's no confirmation because the future of the Viper is not secure.

Sad thought but as much as Ralph has been hitting the mags saying all is well despite lackluster sales, Im sure a lot of us still have this very thought about the snakes future in the back of our minds. How could we not? I hope Sergio is onboard about the Viper being a halo car and as such is vital to the brands image thus it HAS to exist. Ralph certainly isn't acting and talking like a CEO thats under pressure because of the poor initial sales. I hope its not just for show. Id hate to see the snake go away before at the very least a swan song ACR is produced. A bit pessimistic I know.

 

[TrackAire]

Because future product knowledge decreases demand for CURRENT product. and you cant sell products in the future unless you've sold what you already have.

That makes sense.......what also makes sense is I'm not getting any younger. I'm done waiting on Viper rumors and failed timeline promises. I'm spending my money with manufacturers that actually have something to offer me now regarding all my new car purchases.

You either build a world class car to the best of your ability or just stick to minivans and Jeeps and get out of the Viper market. Lack of Mopar performance parts (and obscene price structures for things like aero parts, f'ing embarrassing), lack of aftermarket support for the computer, lack of communication regarding any new models, etc, etc. Chrysler can keep their secrets and their new cars.

If I buy another Viper, it won't be a new one since I want to know what I'm getting and what to expect.

Cheers,
George

 

[kdaviper]

That makes sense.......what also makes sense is I'm not getting any younger. I'm done waiting on Viper rumors and failed timeline promises. I'm spending my money with manufacturers that actually have something to offer me now regarding all my new car purchases.

You either build a world class car to the best of your ability or just stick to minivans and Jeeps and get out of the Viper market. Lack of Mopar performance parts (and obscene price structures for things like aero parts, f'ing embarrassing), lack of aftermarket support for the computer, lack of communication regarding any new models, etc, etc. Chrysler can keep their secrets and their new cars.

If I buy another Viper, it won't be a new one since I want to know what I'm getting and what to expect.

Cheers,
George

But that's their point: stop waiting for something to exist and get something today that makes you happy!

 

[TrackAire]

But that's their point: stop waiting for something to exist and get something today that makes you happy!

Oh trust me I have....but I assume "they" would want me to buy a Chrysler product which I did not. I'm not happy with the current Chrysler offering (Gen 5 Viper) so I've bought and spent $$$ with other manufacturers. I'm sure nobody else thinks like I do, lol.

Cheers,
George

 

[Paul Hawker]

In the past, it was not unusual for the VCA to get plenty of advanced information on new products. I remember when we were invited to the Detroit Auto Show and saw on display a concept high performance version of the Coupe. It ended up being almost exactly like the production ACR.

I remember at a VOI being shown an advanced prototype of a proposed Gen V in spectacular multi coat red paint. That car, with just a few tweaks showed up in dealerships a year or so later.

Would not be surprised if SRT would not put out the Vert concept, in advance of any final production tweaks, to get some up close and personal feedback at some upcoming VCA event.

The timing might be right for some details to be released at the upcoming VOI. SRT may want to gather any initial reactions at something like this, and in addition prime the pump for initial sales when production begins.

With the lack of any details being available right now, I would suspect that SRT is not in a position to raise any expectations of a future model. They will need to do work in house, and get buy-in and funding from Sergio long before releasing any production details to the marketplace.

 

[DMan]

Yea, while waiting I got a '14 GT500 to have something to tinker with, 712rwhp later its a fun toy. My 08 gen4 is a love but long in the tooth for having it, desire something new and for it to be a viper, if I knew what to plan for or not. Having been in the viper community since '99, it is frustrating these times now that SRT no longer treats us as semi-insiders. Good ole days of being in the know are gone & missed.

 

[steve e]

I hate to say it but I went with the GT 500 to, In 1995 had to have a yellow RT10, at any cost, I love my 1999 GTS, and in 1998 I had to order a 99 GTS silver blue stripe, I just had to have it, at any cost. The new Viper just does not push the right buttons for me, and its to expensive for me. So for 60K I have a 662hp with SVT package, with 1 hour of work, 2.60 pully and down load a new tune you have way over 700 HP, more in line of what I can afford.The new Viper is nice, but boy it is expensive, out of my reach, maybe thats why I am not overly excited. But if it had 750 HP out of the box, some how I would get the money.

 

[BigDawg]

Sad thought but as much as Ralph has been hitting the mags saying all is well despite lackluster sales, Im sure a lot of us still have this very thought about the snakes future in the back of our minds. How could we not? I hope Sergio is onboard about the Viper being a halo car and as such is vital to the brands image thus it HAS to exist. Ralph certainly isn't acting and talking like a CEO thats under pressure because of the poor initial sales. I hope its not just for show. Id hate to see the snake go away before at the very least a swan song ACR is produced. A bit pessimistic I know.

^This. A HALO car used effectively is justified even at a loss. The bean counters can't seem to understand that. The problem here highlights the shortcomings of academics with MBAs and PHDs. They are brilliant in school and structure but they lack the ability to see past that. It's hard for them to quantify the overall benefit to the brand with a kick ass break-even self-advertising HALO car. If it's not in tangible numbers they won't do it. That's where they've gone wrong IMHO. Ralph has done a good job of keeping moral up despite the obvious concerns. That's what he should be doing.

The same goes for economists. A highly educated economist lacking common sense is a major threat.

 

[DMan]

^This. A HALO car used effectively is justified even at a loss. The bean counters can't seem to understand that. The problem here highlights the shortcomings of academics with MBAs and PHDs. They are brilliant in school and structure but they lack the ability to see past that. It's hard for them to quantify the overall benefit to the brand with a kick ass break-even self-advertising HALO car. If it's not in tangible numbers they won't do it. That's where they've gone wrong IMHO. Ralph has done a good job of keeping moral up despite the obvious concerns. That's what he should be doing.

The same goes for economists. A highly educated economist lacking common sense is a major threat.

I think this makes sense when it was a Dodge Viper. It was Dodges entire brands Halo car. Now that it's an SRT and they've moved to this church and state mentality about it, it's not a Halo car, it's the ONLY car that is an SRT. All the other SRT's are models of Dodge vehicles, Jeep SRT, Dodge Challenger SRT, etc. Now Dodge uses the SRT models for marketing but I've seen several now with no Viper present. I assume since the Viper isn't a Dodge, as Ralph and Dodge put it. So... I think the game is different. Is the Viper a Halo car? Arguably for SRT, but if it's your only vehicle can it be considered a Halo?? This is where I think this whole SRT over-branding stuff hurts them, but their marketing talent is pathetic. Ralph and company can build a serious automobile, but they pick a marketing team for squat.

 

[Mamba52]

It's the same frame Gen 3/4 so it's easy to make the Vert. I moved on to a C7 Z51. Now has headers and soon a ProChager should put down 600+ RWHP. SRT really needs to wake up. I the bright side they make one hell of a truck (Ram) or (Dodge).

 

[kdaviper]

It's the same frame Gen 3/4 so it's easy to make the Vert. I moved on to a C7 Z51. Now has headers and soon a ProChager should put down 600+ RWHP. SRT really needs to wake up. I the bright side they make one hell of a truck (Ram) or (Dodge).

Aww isn't that cute?

 

[BigDawg]

I think this makes sense when it was a Dodge Viper. It was Dodges entire brands Halo car. Now that it's an SRT and they've moved to this church and state mentality about it, it's not a Halo car, it's the ONLY car that is an SRT. All the other SRT's are models of Dodge vehicles, Jeep SRT, Dodge Challenger SRT, etc. Now Dodge uses the SRT models for marketing but I've seen several now with no Viper present. I assume since the Viper isn't a Dodge, as Ralph and Dodge put it. So... I think the game is different. Is the Viper a Halo car? Arguably for SRT, but if it's your only vehicle can it be considered a Halo?? This is where I think this whole SRT over-branding stuff hurts them, but their marketing talent is pathetic. Ralph and company can build a serious automobile, but they pick a marketing team for squat.

Let's call it the "Chryjeedogsler Viper". Problem solved!

 

[DMan]

Let's call it the "Chryjeedogsler Viper". Problem solved!

I wouldn't be surprised if the SRT marketing team made that announcement on facebook, with a new contest for naming a new interior stitch color.

 

[1BADGTS]

Guys there was no money in the budget for this car to begin with.Its selling beyond terribly because its undepowered ,undertech and overpriced.The dealers are sitting on 150 k indiv floorplans when they could have 5 Jeeps at that price that THEY CAN SELL AND ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY ON.We all remember the last time this happened in 09 with the Gen 4 .(Poor sales resulted in the infamous 30k off coupon )Once enough dealers start ******** its bound to happen .LOL with the amount of GEN 5Coupes out there sitting what dealer would want to burn more floorplan on the Vert (which sell worse historically)