The future of SRT Viper

[Deleted]

It thickens nowhere. It's just business decision based on money.

[MoMedic9019]

Originally Posted by Beetle

And the plot thickens. Highly unlikely we'll see them back to Le Mans this year, mainly because the race is only a month away and we still thankfully haven't dropped below 56 cars.

Whaaaa?? What plot?

This is purely a financial move as it was when they pulled out of the 24. The BoP test was never put into play until well AFTER budgets had been set for the season. As I had said earlier in this thread, the money was far to great for them to continue with their plans for LM.

As for Dodge bringing them back into the group, well, that's just a branding change. SRT as a group didn't work.

[KA]

Originally Posted by pederb

Yes they were sold as Chrysler in Europe and Dodge in US.

Why, who knows but I'm sure they spent millions figure that out

IIRC, the Dodge name was only used on vans and trucks in Europe

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by KA

IIRC, the Dodge name was only used on vans and trucks in Europe

Except Ram is its own brand now. Supposedly my truck is not a Dodge, but a Ram product, however it says Dodge on the dash.

[TF110]

They left SRT to hang out and dry. They didnt have a business case being a separate brand. Fiat's reversal is a breath of fresh air for this Viper. Theres also a refresh for the 2015 model year, so I expect a slightly new look to appear on the street car later this year. Those two things will hopefully increase sales and keep the race program around for a while.

[ttdriver2009]

I think that the decision to not run LeMans resulted in decreased sales for the SRT brand. The upper management at Chrysler don't understand how running LeMans results in increased sales and global awareness. In the end, mismanagement of that company.

[TWRv12]

Viper is due a mid-cycle refresh in 2015 (slide 31)
http://www.fcagroup.com/investorday/...odge_Brand.pdf

[GT6]

The whole episode indicates to me that in fighting within the fiat group is making running the company almost impossible

[Mal]

The Viper is simply at a price point far too high for what it is, especially since the Corvette is as good if not better and massively cheaper. The next viper should be re-aligned to compete with the vette and then imo it would sell far better.

[GT6]

Not that i am ever likely to buy a Viper but at the current prices i can see why sales are down

[TF110]

Look at the tires. Vette has Michelin, Viper has Pirelli on their road cars. Thats a big factor. It could have near 700hp easy, but again, its held back.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by GT6

Not that i am ever likely to buy a Viper but at the current prices i can see why sales are down

Yep $100K + for the Viper or just over $50K for the Vette - thats a hell of a difference for cars with similar dynamics.

[jasonjessica09]

Perhaps the race cars can be re-branded as well by making them red with white stripes.

[JHamilton]

A base Viper will dust off a Z51 Corvette. It's real competition is the GTR, 911, and upcoming Z06. I don't think it is all down to pricing... the Viper's appeal has been lost to younger buyers and their fanbase is getting too old to care.

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

A base Viper will dust off a Z51 Corvette. It's real competition is the GTR, 911, and upcoming Z06. I don't think it is all down to pricing...

At this level, pricing has less of an impact, but it does have to be said that all of the Viper's competitors you mentioned are less expensive. On top of that, a 911 is probably gonna be dynamically superior, the new Z06 is a road racer with license plates and the GT-R is probably the fastest point-to-point-in-any-weather car ever made anywhere. All of which is a problem for the Viper. With a big V10 up front, its never gonna match the others' dynamics. You can only from my perspective beat them in appeal through horsepower. And with an 8.4-liter V10, getting more ponies shouldn't be hard.

Originally Posted by JHamilton

the Viper's appeal has been lost to younger buyers and their fanbase is getting too old to care.

Better fix that pronto then, otherwise the car itself is living on borrowed time.

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

Perhaps the race cars can be re-branded as well by making them red with white stripes.

Bah, I always liked the white, blue and red myself.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

At this level, pricing has less of an impact, but it does have to be said that all of the Viper's competitors you mentioned are less expensive. On top of that, a 911 is probably gonna be dynamically superior, the new Z06 is a road racer with license plates and the GT-R is probably the fastest point-to-point-in-any-weather car ever made anywhere. All of which is a problem for the Viper. With a big V10 up front, its never gonna match the others' dynamics. You can only from my perspective beat them in appeal through horsepower. And with an 8.4-liter V10, getting more ponies shouldn't be hard.



Better fix that pronto then, otherwise the car itself is living on borrowed time.

The cars mentioned are all around the $100k mark, except for the 911. Once you option it with extravagant things like doors it is well over 100 grand. We don't know what the Z06 will cost but the last Carbon edition was around the same price.

The area where these three cars thrash the Viper is technology... Chrysler do not have the money to compete. I agree though, they need to do something very quickly.

[FIRE]

Good decision to rename to Dodge.
Never understood why they created SRT.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Good decision to rename to Dodge.
Never understood why they created SRT.

By creating SRT they let someone develop the car and if it went slightly wrong then the Dodge name wasn't muddied by it.
If it goes well then you simply put your 'big' brand name back on it.

If it's done right it can work very well, if not...

Many companies do it for many different products and services, sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Personally I liked the idea.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

By creating SRT they let someone develop the car and if it went slightly wrong then the Dodge name wasn't muddied by it.
If it goes well then you simply put your 'big' brand name back on it.

If it's done right it can work very well, if not...

Many companies do it for many different products and services, sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Personally I liked the idea.

If you are afraid to fail get another job.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by FIRE

If you are afraid to fail get another job.

The fact that they tried something different shows that they weren't "afraid to fail".

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Good decision to rename to Dodge.
Never understood why they created SRT.

I alluded to it earlier, but they split the Ram and SRT products so they could axe Dodge. My understanding is that threat to Dodge has passed.

We are or were supposed to get a SRT Barracuda (or 'Cuda if your pedantic) and I'm not sure where that leaves this program. Maybe just the Challenger...

[TF110]

I think the Viper is great. Most the complaints Ive read or heard are the looks being too close to the old car. I think it looks great. If it was 700hp 215mph beast no one would say its not worth it... but then Fiat has a car like that called the F12 for $400k... At least the race car program is staying alive.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I alluded to it earlier, but they split the Ram and SRT products so they could axe Dodge. My understanding is that threat to Dodge has passed.

We are or were supposed to get a SRT Barracuda (or 'Cuda if your pedantic) and I'm not sure where that leaves this program. Maybe just the Challenger...

Dodge Hemi-Cuda




L.P.

[ttdriver2009]

I have only seen one of the new Vipers (it was in a dealer showroom). I have seen plenty of new C7 Corvettes and 911's out on the road. I think the real problem is that the Viper is priced really strange. $7500 for Green paint, $5000 for stripes. $4800 for a rear wing and splitter, $5100 for a exterior carbon accent package, $3400 for the interior yet a wheel upgrade is $1000.

The one I seen at the dealer had $138,000 on the window sticker. I just looked on the Porsche website and I can get a well equipped 911 GT3 for the same price. A no option 911 starts at $86,000

I figured out that the most expensive Corvette Coupe I can possibly build today (plus pick it up at the Factory) is about $86,000.

It seems that companies like Porsche and GM, offer many options to fit the need of just about anyone who is looking to buy one. As for Viper, you are stuck with things like, only a manual, no AWD and no convertible. It's great being pure and all but maybe Dodge needs to invest in some more variation of the car. It works for Porsche and GM. Since I read that Dodge shut down the plant for 2 months, I guess any custom Viper you want to buy will not be built until they turn the plant back on.