Chrysler Viper Sale Going Ahead

Chrysler/ Dodge / Smaller, hybrid Vipers possible after 2011?

Saleen and Roush among potential buyers

By Thami Masemola
September 15, 2008 3:00 PM
Filed Under: American, Chrysler, Dodge, General, Industry

Chrysler claims that interested parties in its Dodge Viper pet project are lining up like F1 teams circling around Sebastian Vettel. President of Chrysler Jim Press reckons there are plenty of opportunities for a potential Viper buyer to expand the range. No ideas were provided for these opportunities, but we can certainly offer one or two ideas of our own, like a smaller, BMW Z4/Audi TT-sized Viper for example which they can call Vibe (we can talk about royalties later), or a sedan version running alongside Cadillac CTS-Vs. Hell, even a hybrid Viper is possible these days. The obvious question to Press and his team would be “if these or any other opportunities exist to expand the Viper range and make it profitable, why sell it? Why not make it work yourselves?” Anyway, according to reports potential buyers include icons Roush and Saleen, names already known for their tuning and small-scale manufacturing expertise. Saleen is already part of the Viper-production process; they paint the vehicles off the assembly line. We wouldn’t be surprised if buyers from other countries like the UK, Saudi Arabia and India showed interest too. Chrysler could make anything between USD50 million and USD150 million by the time it sells Viper in 2011. Again we ask, if hypothetically Viper disappeared off the face of the earth, would you as a world car fan, shed a tear?
Source: Car and Driver via Autoblog

Comments

mKv
September 15, 2008 3:30 PM
WTF? remember in 1989 the Detroit Auto Show? I was 7 back then, but that snake shape car wow'ed me. How can't you as a car-fan NOT be sorry if this...Lucifer car doesn't continue the production ? And it still kick'n a** on Nurburgring in it's Hard Core version

Drag
September 16, 2008 1:43 AM
i personally would love to see a fan buy it and turn viper into it's own line.. i'm sure an average joe could run it better than chrysler has been run in the past couple years lol

M.V.P.
September 15, 2008 3:32 PM
No , Viper will never disappeare , it a legend , an icon,and legends never dies.

Xanavi23
September 15, 2008 4:16 PM
AWESOME. I love the Viper and i was very depressed when i heard Dodge/Chrysler/Cerberus were going to have to pull the Plug. Using the Viper as a halo car, many smaller models could be made like that Roadster Dodge was going to make in the S2000 class. Very good news, i trust Roush and Saleen.

isaacu
September 15, 2008 4:26 PM
I am still "scratching" my head over this story... Are Chrysler flirting with the idea of selling the Viper production line/tooling?

The "Dodge Viper" is a very evocative name. If Chrysler sells, who retains the trademark/copyrights to the name and logo? Have Chrysler given serious thought to a need to use this name later on or in the near future?

"Dodge Viper" is a name that Chrysler should put into hibernation/cryocegenic stasis until such a time that Chrysler has a brainwave or two.

We all know about the famous wranglings concerning the famous "Cobra" name and trademark originating from 1960s. Ahem...

Selling now could prove to be very short-sighted....a decision Chrysler are almost sure to regret in the future.

isaacu

Motoring
September 15, 2008 4:33 PM
Thami Masemola! Obviously it will be sad to see Viper go! Come on, it is one of few really 'good' American sport cars! I will consider a Viper way above a Corvette or any of the other V8 cars. Long live the Viper!

Joe_Limon
September 15, 2008 4:49 PM
Everyone knows Chrysler owns dodge... but why would you name the article calling it the Chrysler Viper? Thats just like saying The Volkswagon Veyron. Technically true in both cases but it disrespects the car in both cases as well.

1972europa
September 15, 2008 5:50 PM
in the uk it's badged as a chrysler.

Bristol411S3
September 15, 2008 6:32 PM
Not any more. It is now a Dodge. But it isn't called a Viper!

This car is outclassed these days. I would like to see it continue, but there in't big money to be made from doing so. They'll never get what they are asking because it odesn't make economic sense for anyone to pay that.

Xanavi23
September 15, 2008 6:59 PM
Out classed ? Wrong. It rips apart cars that cost 3 times as much in ALL ways and gets better gas mileage. Don't be ignorant, please. PLEASE.

radmeister
September 15, 2008 11:16 PM
Better gas mileage??? It gets 4mpg on the track what are you talking about?, Yeah sure on the hwy its pretty good cuz it doesnt work the engine a lot, but on the track when you're full open throttle your gas gauge goes down faster than your speedometer goes up.

gmfan09
September 15, 2008 11:50 PM
I'm pretty sure that Xanavi was referring to the actual real life gas mileage radmeister not the track mileage.

evile
September 16, 2008 12:10 AM
Of course the mileage is going to drop on the track. However, the '08 Viper is rated at 22 to 23 mpg highway. That puts the Viper's highway mileage in the same neighborhood as the Z06 and Porsche Caynam. However, stock GEN IV Vipers are being dynoed at over 600hp at the crank.

Xanavi23
September 16, 2008 3:03 AM
Thank You, Evile, thank you GMFAN...when you compare the Vipers real world track mileage specifically highway mileage, it kind of blows cars that are as fast as it out of the water. The Viper in reality is a very balanced package.

Lekz
September 15, 2008 11:17 PM
I would a shed many tears.

Andres2007
September 16, 2008 1:00 AM
I would be really upset if they sold it to a non-American company. It's not that I have anything against European or Japanese brands (much to the contrary, my favorite carmakers are German, for example), but the Dodge Viper IS American, and it would be sad to know it would be no more. It's like Volkswagen selling the Lamborghini brand to General Motors or Ford. Wouldn't that be like the most upsetting thing in the world?

Peace.

machida
September 16, 2008 7:53 AM
Um, wait... you're saying it's like the Germans selling an Italian icon to the Americans? Isn't it already upsetting, then, that the Germans own so many of the Italian and British icons of motoring? And that a Lambo has the soul of an Audi, and therefore of a VW? Nothing against Germany's carmakers whatsoever...they make my some of my favorite cars.

My point is that all this corporate buy-and-sell has pretty much taken away the soul of almost every great brand, from Jaguar to Dodge. The Viper was the symbol of an independent Chrysler's brilliant resurgence back in the 1990s... right about the time they sold off Lamborghini!

Andres2007
September 18, 2008 12:56 AM
But you well know that American and European brands function differently. You have a very valid point, but it's not the same when, for example, VW buys Dodge, or GM buys Ferrari, than when Volkswagen buys Land Rover or BMW buys Seat. And, even in that case, you know it's not the most desirable thing. Wouldn't you be happier if Rolls Royce were 100% British, for example?

Saleen
September 16, 2008 1:15 AM
There is NO WAY Saleen can buy Viper. I base this on one reason, their product line. Saleen can’t have mustangs selling for the same price as a Viper and then have the Viper outperform the mustangs. It wouldn’t work in their product range. P.S. I am a Saleen owner and my favorite car is the Viper, so no conflict of interest here within my statements.

Drag
September 16, 2008 1:48 AM
most likely if saleen/roushe bought viper we probably wouldn't see any tuned mustangs for a while which is a plus in my book. would u rather see a tuned viper

joshg_5
September 16, 2008 2:00 AM
Not a tear would be shed nor would a moment be lost laying awake in bed. Only a grin knowing that the Viper couldn't compete with the Corvette. The only sad part was that the mustang didn't go first...

Xanavi23
September 16, 2008 4:31 AM
If you're happy that a great sports car is dying, you're not a car guy, Simple.

joshg_5
September 16, 2008 5:31 AM
No, I just choose not to bend over for a car that is the same as every other American brick (with the exception of the corvette [virtually designed on the "Ring"]) just having a big-block...

Xanavi23
September 16, 2008 6:01 AM
How is it the same as every other American car ? From the outset the Viper was ALWAYS a great track car, just as fast around corners as it was in the straight line. The Original ACR package only made it even better around a track all the while offering the benefits only Large Displacement can give. You only hate on the Viper because of its large engine as of your own admission, ignoring its other GREAT factors.

joshg_5
September 16, 2008 8:41 AM
How can you compare the Viper to any German ,Italian, or other European car of similar intent or capability? It's just not. Find a European or Asian that would choose to buy a Viper over one of their cars? And how many Americans buy those proven Euro vehicles? Yeah, a lot.

And further more, you can not truly include the ACR as it is barely a "production" car. Sorry Detroit, but you're done. And as for large displacement being the only option, tell that to Porsche, or Nissan. I do admit that the car has some "GREAT" factors, but not quite applicable because those acquisitions aren't at all 'Viper'. At the end of the day, the only point in a Viper is for show downtown or on the 1/4 mile track.

gmfan09
September 16, 2008 3:34 PM
Don't waste your time with joshg_5 Xanavi23. The ignorance of some of the people that post on this site is too embedded to change. I just hope people that don't know any better aren't influenced by these views.

evile
September 16, 2008 4:04 AM
Unfortunately, GM just announced it was going to cutting Corvette production and laying-off at Bowling Green. I believe its short-sighted to revel in the possible demise of the Viper. Without the Viper today's Vette may have been a four banger. Perhaps the Z06 and ZR1 would not exist. Just think about that!

Xanavi23
September 16, 2008 5:11 PM
Yea, GM, obviously Josh is obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer. As i was also refering to the original ACR that only had 15more hp, no aerodynamics and fully adjustable suspension as well as the stock first gen Viper that could rip apart European sports cars on a track that cost 3 times as much or more.

Find a European or Japanese that would choose a Viper, get your head out of your ass, Josh, just because Japanese and Europeans may be ignorant doesn't make the Viper a bad car. Lastly, all parts on the ACR can be purchased at a Dodge dealership and driven on the street, so this idea of it being a race car is VERY unintelligent.

joshg_5
September 16, 2008 9:37 PM
You're getting racist now too! That says something about how very "unintelligent" you are. And intelligence is something that many would say influences judgment.

You're just a little sour because there's one more American icon fading in this world that won't be able strut around for you as an extension of your cock.

And "obviously" I'm "obviously" not the sharpest knife in the drawer as I can't read minds! You should really define what you're trying to express so the rest of us compare.

Which would you rather have: GT-R vs. ACR...? anyone answer that question for me?

Xanavi23
September 16, 2008 11:29 PM
Whats racist ? Calling Europeans and Japanese possibly ignorant doesn't imply any sort of racial slur. I admit i was out of line calling you stupid, i do apologize, that wasn't cool. This american isn't fading man, its just that parent company is in HORRIBLE shape and can't support the car any more. By sales the Viper has always done well, specifically in the most important market(for it) America...but when chrysler is almost bankrupt, is owned by a new company called Cerberus and also has to deal with new CAFE regulations, Elite sports cars are going to risk being sliced, not just the Viper.

You can't ask me which i would rather have, I love the Viper but im also a Nissan man as my name implies, so ideally i would have both. However if i had to choose one i would probably get the GT-R but not because its faster(it isn't) or a better car.

Lastly you shouldn't talk about cock size, i have about 5-6inches, its not huge but its enough for any woman who isn't a size queen ;).

joshg_5
September 17, 2008 12:29 AM
HAHAHA, nah, not calling you racist.

In conclusion, I do feel for the company, it's a shame. It's not Viper's fault, it's Daimlers... And this epidemic in the world economy will effect all vehicles, big and small, fast and slow, beautiful and 'performance oriented'. And in turn, effecting us, loyal car fans. I fear what is to come in the near future.

5-6 is plenty. And who wants a "size queen" anyway?

Xanavi23
September 17, 2008 1:37 AM
Hahaha, exactly. Im kind of afraid myself, the "green" technology is coming and can be used for performance cars, but seeing the gas cars die is gonna majorly blow...even if there are "green" cars that are just as fast.

joshg_5
September 17, 2008 9:01 PM
You know what, all I can say in response to that is: I hate the hippies... They will(are) ruining our world, economy worse than any V-8 could.

Xanavi23
September 18, 2008 2:59 AM
I respect what they're trying to do, but the problem is 2 things. Why should green cars be ugly and slow, the Tesla Roadster gives me hope there. My 2nd problem is idiots who beleive in Hybrid cars, they're very expensive so it takes years to get back the money you spent on the car by saving on gas...so no point there either.

wjaprep
September 20, 2008 9:31 AM
I never have liked the Viper, but as a car fan I respect the idea/status/icon behind it. If they stop making them I can't like and say I'd be sad, but its one of the things the world needs.

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