RIP Dodge Viper 1992-2011

[Silversmok3]

According to Jalpnik's sources, Cerebus Management has killed the next-gen Viper, so they're gonna sell the current car until 2011, then its curtains.

Its too bad.I feel bad for Chrysler/Dodge fans, seeing their company get mauled like this.....:(.

http://jalopnik.com/354292/the-dodge-viper-is-dead-in-lieu-of-flowers-please-send-rd-funds

[Deggy Fresh]

Its probably because Vipers sell for shit...no one wants them. They are ugly IMO.

[Nighthawk243]

The Viper SRT10 is out of many buyer's price range. Plus it probably is getting Chrystler its ass handed to them as the newer CAFE standards are coming into effect. With these new regulations, nearly every automaker is cutting back performance vehicles in order to not violate CAFE. GM is even having problems itself, as seen by the recent decision by GM to put a halt on its plan to put the entire Pontiac division on a RWD setup.

The SRT10 is a very fuel hungry vehicle. All that displacement = fuel use.

[RazorDX]

It's kinda like a Gibson guitar; you buy it because it's a Viper, not because you want a sports car.

You'd have to in order to pay $100k+ for a car that gets it's ass handed to it by a cheaper car (aka the Corvette).

[Deggy Fresh]

When I saw a Viper with the plate reading: "VET ETR", I laughed.

[gt00]

Its too bad.I feel bad for Chrysler/Dodge fans, seeing their company get mauled like this....It's not really the same company anyway , and there's always the Challenger .... :)

[Pontiac]

When I saw a Viper with the plate reading: "VET ETR", I laughed.

When I got my Camaro I was thinking of doing the same thing, 'cept it woulda been VETTEATR. Why are we picking on the Vetts? heh

[unruhjonny]

I've seen this comming for a while.

The viper used to spank vette's... for a while now it has been very overpriced, and not marketed at all.

GM did this to the F-body till they had the valid excuse of "not enough are selling"... then they killed them... only instead of the f-body being 10k+ overpriced, the Viper is more like 30k+ overpriced

[04REDGT1]

I always saw the Viper as a far fetched design like the Prowler. Surprised it held on for this long.

[Silversmok3]

GM did this to the F-body till they had the valid excuse of "not enough are selling"... then they killed them... only instead of the f-body being 10k+ overpriced, the Viper is more like 30k+ overpriced

The F-car was overpriced...just not where you think.One reason the F-body didn't sell because the insurance was sky-freakin' high. Back in the day ( when I was in High School ) I wanted a Z28, but the insurance was more than the damn car payment.

And of course , the Mustang is less powerful, so insurance companies charge lower rates for that car. Hence, cheaper to operate. It didn't help that GM directly can't control insurance rates.

In this case, the Viper's going away because Chryler( or Cerebus, ) can't afford to produce a handbuilt car when they're losing money on their regular cars.

This is similar to when GM almost killed the 'Vette when they were posting billion dollar losses in the early/mid 90's.

[GregFarz78]

lol Dodge is in big trouble

no more magnum, no more crossfire, no more viper, overpriced SRT cars

who going to pay 100k for a viper when you can pay that for a ZR1 and smoke anything on the road

[GAJ83]

The F-car was overpriced...just not where you think.One reason the F-body didn't sell because the insurance was sky-freakin' high. Back in the day ( when I was in High School ) I wanted a Z28, but the insurance was more than the damn car payment.

And of course , the Mustang is less powerful, so insurance companies charge lower rates for that car. Hence, cheaper to operate.

I've always heard Mustangs were more expensive because many "inexperienced drivers" were driving them, and wrecking 'em. Insurance is all statistics. Whatever car gets into a lot of bad wrecks costs more, even for 45 year olds. Z28's are almost equivalent to it in that regard.

Too bad for the Viper. I'm not surprised though. The Vette kills them as a domestic supercar and the import supercars kill it too.

The Viper engine sound just isn't as good as the Vette or GTO's V8's, IMO.

[Deggy Fresh]

who going to pay 100k for a viper when you can pay that for a ZR1 and smoke anything on the road

QFTMFT!

Who honestly would wanna pay out the ass for a V10 Viper that would get walked all over by a V8 Corvette.

And don't try playing the "ZR1 is supercharged" card on this one....The viper was also available with a Twin Turbo V10 IIRC.

[trogdorpontiac]

i think it's a shame, i liked it's looks though it was nowhere near top of my list. it mighta helped if the interior wasn't so crap-ugly looking.

as long as they still make the Challenger, that's all that matters (and that it still looks like the concept). it's going to be my first new car.

[TA^Guy]

OLd Viper was ugly, but made a huge impact when it first came out. However with exception of maybe the fist few years and then when the hard top came out they hardly sold any of them. It wasn't long until cars like the ZR1 and ZO6 would run against them for less money.

Dodge esses up all teh time. Look at the Prowler. Awesome concept, HUGE failure! Yeah, lets build a Hot Rod inspired vehicle and put a pathetic V6 in it. How about the Crossfire. Nice car, but not close to worth the MSRP.
When I saw a Viper with the plate reading: "VET ETR", I laughed.
A guy up this way used to own both a Vette and Viper.

Viper plate said "ZR WHO", Vette plate said "RT WHAT"


And don't try playing the "ZR1 is supercharged" card on this one....The viper was also available with a Twin Turbo V10 IIRC.Only Avalible is your brought it to Hennasey and had it upgraded.

A ZO6 will give a Viper a run for it's money, the ZR1 will just slaughter it. Sure ZR1 is Ball game looks even to me.supercharged but the Viper also has two more cylinders.

Playing field looks even to me, Game On!

[GregFarz78]

They arent going to sell a lot of the challenger srt-8 either its too much money only old dudes that want to relive their youth are going to pay 40k+ for one

[RazorDX]

I think if it wasn't for Jeep and the Sebring (or other fleet-esque vehicles), Chrysler would be gone.

Seriously, the only Chrysler product I see consumers buying would have to be the Jeeps. The Sebring and the Cirrus are common sales but I don't think they would hold their own if it wasn't for the rental agencies buying them up.

[TA^Guy]

After sitting in, riding in and test driving recent 2007/2008 Chysler products I am far from impressed. The Magnium (which is gone next year) has decent styling outside, but interior is bland and extremely cheep feeling. Same extact thing for the Avenger and Caliber. Not to mention complete lack of any standard options, no power unless you shell out big bucks for SRT models and even then half the competition has them beat. And their fuel ecconomy... not bad, but not great either. Life Time Warrenty is great for customers, but they might be hanging themselves with that one. Anyone who owns a Chrysler product knows that warrenty work is almost a standard feature. Might as well right "Free trips to our waiting area" on the window sticker.

As for Jeep, yeah they are hanging themselves with all these miniture SUV crossovers. How many do you actually see on the road, a couple at best? Nobody buys a Jeep to get a pint size tasting of a road only, non-trail rated, SUV fun. Waste of R&D, waste of production costs, because they won't sell enough units to cover their investment.

New Sebring, not sure if it's a rental fleet vehicle or not. I know there are alot of Nissans used as Fleet vehicles, along with many GM vehicles. I see few Sebrings on the road from time to time, notice them right off the bat with their mismatched tail lights. Might sell enough to stay in production, however won't be enough to keep the company afloat.

Now at stated above, lets top off Chrysler's line up and compair it to the soon incressing CAFE standards of a minimum rating of 35mpg by 2012. Chrysler will be shelling out alot of money in fines if they don't meet these standards, and with all the V8 RWD vehicles and very few ecco-friendly cars their days maybe numbered. EEspecially once CAFE ratings will include SUVs and trucks. Currently SUVs built on truck platforms are not included. However IIRC about 80% of Chryslers sale are in trucks, so they will end up hit alot harder than the other companies.