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Chrysler: Dodge Viper SRT10 to live on

07/10/2009, 4:54 PM

By Andrew Ganz

Chrysler released a statement just minutes ago confirming that it will no longer seek to sell the Dodge Viper SRT10 lineup. The automaker had been quietly shopping the iconic V10-powered sports car line but had not found a serious buyer.

“The Dodge Viper has successfully captured the hearts and imagination of performance enthusiasts around the globe,” said Mike Accavitti, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dodge Brand, in a prepared statement. “We’re extremely proud that the ultimate American-built sports car with its world-class performance will live on as the iconic image leader for the Dodge brand.”

Chrysler surprised the industry when it reopened the Conner Avenue Assembly last month. The factory, which largely hand builds each Viper, was the first Chrysler facility to reopen after the automaker emerged from a structured bankruptcy.

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07/10, 4:56 PM

posted by:

iluvamcars

Thats good.

07/10, 4:57 PM

posted by:

idrinorbarsaku

For a car company who is doing SOOOO bad, this care is useless!

07/10, 5:10 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

No, the car is an icon, your post is useless.

07/10, 5:18 PM

posted by:

Payton Byrd

There is a God.

Hopefully Fiat will get these into Europe.

07/10, 5:19 PM

posted by:

GRIFF

YAY! Ever since the first viper came out back in like ‘92, its been one of my favs. I would hate to see it die.

07/10, 5:30 PM

posted by:

reedfast

even though vipers aren’t my favorite, i still would hate to see them die.

07/10, 5:31 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

The Viper made Dodge a strong player in the sports car arena, something they had al but abandoned back in the late ’70s. Long live the Viper.

07/10, 5:32 PM

posted by:

idrinorbarsaku

I know it’s an icon, IT’S THE VIPER!!! But how will it help them when so few ever get sold, but takes so many people to build?

07/10, 5:39 PM

posted by:

F50

This is great news!

But does this mean that it will be getting the planned 2011 redesign, it really needs an update, especially the interior, the exterior needs to be changed but still should still look “Viper”

07/10, 5:42 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

idrin, I think it’s more important than ever to keep the Viper around. In a time when it’s hard to tell one make from another there needs to be individuality in order to preserve brand identity. As stupid as it may sound there are probably guys out there who look at the front end of their Avenger and see the connection to the top of the food chain.

07/10, 5:54 PM

posted by:

DB9

Way to go, Bob your baby lives. Inspired originally as a Halo car, a function it serves again. True to the reorg, brand differentiation is back at the house of Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep. Here’s to hoping that Chryco has the talent left, the time and more importantly the money to make it. Good Luck!

DB9;-)

PS. Make a Copperhead edition to pay tribute to Bob for making it a reality and to Carroll as he was its inspiration.

07/10, 5:58 PM

posted by:

Kid Icarus

The Viper will still die….it’s merely on life support.

07/10, 6:05 PM

posted by:

leftwingagenda

revitalizing the brand, with a 20 year old halo car, woo! hehe…i mean that more tongue-in-cheek than it probably comes across, but i was just thinking how old the viper line is…so gm has the vette, c has the viper, and ford killed off the gt a few year back…(it just occurred to me which company of the three didn’t go bankrupt, too…hehe)…

07/10, 6:08 PM

posted by:

JakeK66

Uh… It makes them a profit – idrinorbarsaku – that’s why they keep it around. It still sells in a relatively big volume for a near-exotic, and it’s cost certainly isn’t cheap. It will live on too, I don’t see it being cancelled anytime soon since it’s not a loser model by any stretch.

07/10, 6:09 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

Now that would really be something if Ford brought back the GT. Mustang/Camaro/Challenger and GT/Corvette/Viper. Mr. Mulally, the ball’s in your court.

07/10, 6:32 PM

posted by:

Rafa LL

It already needs something more than a face lift but I’m very glad it’s still running.

07/10, 6:36 PM

posted by:

idrinorbarsaku

JakeK66,
Really? What kind of profit is there when they have new vipers listed for more than 10k below invoice, and they are still stocked on 08 models even though the 09’s already came? I don’t think it has anything to do with profits, but everything to do with the image that viper brings. As johnnycanuck also stated, I think having the viper name together with dodge, somehow puts a little viper-ess into all of their cars.

07/10, 6:37 PM

posted by:

idrinorbarsaku

I would still prefer the original 1995 dodge viper over all the other ones that have since come out!

07/10, 6:42 PM

posted by:

DB9

lol:-)) No, No – No Lefty:-( If you’re going to do it do it right… It’s woo hoo-hoo [giggles] There’s a difference, not so subtle either… Seriously though, think symbolism;-) Btw the GT died because it could not meet new crash standards in the US and then Europe. Ford didn’t have the money to go forward… Blew the wad on the creation of PAG and… well you know the rest…

DB9;-)

07/10, 6:45 PM

posted by:

KarLoveBoy88

Ford knows that the GT was their bread and butter but it was intended to be a short lived production car and a limited edition. But I’m glad Chrysler saw the potential in the Viper. I just think it should be a very low production car with better, more quality parts though.

07/10, 7:37 PM

posted by:

worst 3

yes so happy!!! some day i can maby buy a viper now!

07/10, 7:55 PM

posted by:

The Tuga

never really liked this car
kick ass looks, but so unrefined..
still, very glad it keeps on going, it’s an icon.
one of the few american sports cars apart from classic muscle that doesn´t make me wanna make fun of american auto taste

07/10, 8:04 PM

posted by:

2WheeledSpeed

I’d rather see a GT on the road than a Viper, to me it was honestly a much better looking car. And I’m no Viper fan, but I’d rather see a Viper on a road than one of those lemming Corvettes.

I often wonder if the rich get issued Corvettes upon retirement, it seems to be standard geezer issue in this country.

Congrats Viper fans, I’m happy for y’all.

07/10, 8:07 PM

posted by:

DrFill

I guess they got the message when companies sent them food stamps as deposits, huh?
DrFill

07/10, 8:39 PM

posted by:

ninetysixvert

AWESOME.

07/10, 9:29 PM

posted by:

carstuff

Now we know who on this site are really not with it in the auto industry and how to build and sell cars.

This is great news. Every kid knows what a Viper or a Vette is and hopes to own one someday. You cannot buy that kind of advertising.

07/10, 9:40 PM

posted by:

SportsCarsForever

Fiat may have saved the Viper because it would be easy to drop some Ferrari tech into the next model without too much overhead.

07/10, 10:58 PM

posted by:

worst 3

@SportsCarsForever

I would like to see some but not to much, like an auto and electronic aids. 1/2 of the viper to me is that it a high performance car that mechanically all there but it need skill to drive and your actually driving it not a computer that your telling what you want to do but it is driving the car. hopefully if they give it anything it will be mechanical to make it lighter, more powerful, and handle even better with out electronic aids. (im not against things like direct inject)

07/11, 12:51 AM

posted by:

MechMatt

As long as they don’t make any more in that colour green. What a bad decision.
It’s a muscle car, not mint ice cream.

07/11, 12:53 AM

posted by:

sprockkets

Oh come on Dodge, bring back the Neon! That embodies everything of what it means to be Dodge, POS engineering and reliability!

07/11, 7:52 AM

posted by:

bimmer_mann_18

I hope they can still make a Ram SRT10

07/11, 10:07 AM

posted by:

Borat

If you go on tour of Rome (Italy not NY) the guide always points to Alfa’s in front of parliament and laments that he owns those cars but can’t drive them. He explains that cars for legislators are payed with his taxes. Well this is a great car and I’ll be proud to pay for it in the future, albeit not able to drive. It will make me feel infinitely better then owning Seibring.

07/11, 11:38 AM

posted by:

Dante_JoseCuervo

I’m not a fan of the Viper, but I’m glad to see they’re keeping it. It’s an icon for a reason after all.

07/11, 12:48 PM

posted by:

Bankruptcy2009

I agree Dante the Viper has owned the Corvette since its inception into the market place and the Viper ACR still has it. I want the legend of Dodge Vipers to continue to Hold Corvette ZR-1 owners in their rightful place a vipers “Rear View Mirror” ! LOL

07/11, 3:22 PM

posted by:

Ring-Taxi

Isn’t it funny how green looks perfectly ok with Lamborghini but looks out of place in a Viper?

07/12, 4:38 AM

posted by:

nestle_s

one of my favorite cars ever since it was introduced! i love the fact that they had a show based on this car like a modern Knightrider, minus the talking car, i think it was called Viper or something in that direction. i hope that chrysler gets to use some of fiat’s technology to improve on a product that needs a touch of refinement. and looks wise it has a unique look on its own.

07/12, 10:35 AM

posted by:

reedfast

if fiat does anything with the engine and/or transmision, it is going to completely ruin the car. Vipers are about being like a hammer, they’re burnout cars, with lots of torque. ferrari does not make that type of engine.

07/12, 11:54 AM

posted by:

1c3d0g

EGGcellent! This is very good news for true sports car enthusiasts. Go Dodge Go! :-)

07/12, 12:18 PM

posted by:

slider5634

Hail Dorothy, the Viper isn’t dead!!!!

“But does this mean that it will be getting the planned 2011 redesign, it really needs an update, especially the interior, the exterior needs to be changed but still should still look ‘Viper’”

Yes indeed it does and I’ve got some ideas about that I’ve been working on. This fantastic news warrants me sharing it with the rest of the world. Once I have my idea uploaded, I’ll post a link.

07/12, 6:23 PM

posted by:

Bankruptcy2009

I just wanna see Viper – the Puff Adder Edition lol

07/12, 11:36 PM

posted by:

Blakkarr

I want to see this car racing again. It was a force to behold when DODGE had their factory team giving everyone he!!.

I felt the VIPER was just a couple of seasons from being a monster. But then DODGE dropped their factory team and seemed to ignore private teams as well, dragging their feet to roll out the G2 Viper Racer. Later it was financial issues, but for the time before that, for some reason Chrysler just would not push one of their greatest achievements an do what PORSCHE could not, give the CORVETTE a real contest.

I hope FIAT puts a fire under DODGE to develop the third Viper soon and for $90K can we have at least a better interior. Nothing fancy, just not cheap.

07/13, 11:35 AM

posted by:

tastyorange

the Viper looks great in ANY color!… well maybe not plumbers putty beige. I actually saw a snakeskin green Viper on Long Island… unfortunately sitting on someone’s lawn with a smashed nose!

07/13, 12:53 PM

posted by:

zfenderguy

\m/ \m/

07/13, 2:17 PM

posted by:

QR25SpecV

No traction control, no active stability management, no forced induction. Just 600 horses of raw power, and the ACR is one of the best handling vehicles on the planet.

07/14, 2:36 PM

posted by:

Noah

Smart move by C and it is good news–even though I owned an 04 viper and would NOT buy another one. To difficult to get in and to hot inside. AC always on fun and somewhat marginal

 
 
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