2013 SRT Viper production began on December 5th

While it occurred with far less fanfare than most new
models, the 2013 SRT Viper assembly line began producing the incredible new
Mopar supercar earlier this month.  On
December 5^th 2013, around 150 workers went to work building the
first copies of the 2013 Viper and Viper GTS but unlike a “normal car” that
would begin hitting dealerships almost immediately – the Chrysler Group is
putting these first 2013 Viper models through a rigorous quality control
process that will delay the delivery to dealerships and owners around the US.

Typically, when an important new model like the 2013 Viper
enters the first phases of production, an automaker will issue a statement
announcing the start of production which is usually accompanied by images of
the very first vehicle in question coming off of the assembly line and maybe an
anticipated date of delivery.  This has
been true of many Dodge and Ram products including the 2013 Dodge Dart and the
2013 Ram 1500 but the start of 2013 SRT Viper production began quietly at the
Detroit Connor Avenue Assembly Plant on Wednesday December 5^th.  There was no formal ribbon cutting ceremony,
no lengthy press release about the 2013 Viper packed full of things that we already
knew, no images of 2013 Viper #1 as it left the assembly line and no
proclamation of the beginning of production along with the expected date as to
when these vehicles would reach dealerships and happy new owners.

When the 2013 SRT Viper was introduced earlier this year,
the Chrysler Group expected production at the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant in
Detroit to begin in November and this led many to expect that the first copies
of the 2013 Viper would be in the hands (and driveways) of new owners before
the end of the year.  However, November
came and went with no mention of 2013 Viper production and as December drew to
a close – we still had not heard anything about the production of the new Mopar
supercar.  That caused me to begin
dropping notes into the inboxes of Chrysler Group communication specialists,
asking for some status on the 2013 SRT Viper. 
Much to my delight – those efforts paid off as I received my reply
yesterday afternoon from Chrysler’s Dan Reid.

Dan hit me with an official company statement explaining
that production of the 2013 SRT Viper had started on December 5^th.  He also told me that the “Chrysler Group is
taking extraordinary measures to ensure that every SRT Viper meets our
stringent quality standards before it leaves the plant.”  These extraordinary measures are time
consuming so unlike many new vehicles that leave the assembly line and quickly
hit dealership lots around the country, Chrysler is putting these first new
Mopar supercars through an extreme quality control process that will slow the
delivery to dealerships (and to new owners). 
The result of those extra processes is that the first 2013 Vipers to
reach consumers might not do so until February 2013

While some of the people who plan to buy a 2013 SRT Viper
will surely be disappointed that they might be waiting until February to go for
a ride in their new American supercar, this increased quality control process
will help the Chrysler supercar to be free of any of the “bugs” that can often
plague the first batch of new cars. 
Chrysler knows that they cannot afford to have any unexpected problems –
especially those stemming from production issues – so the company is going to
time their time and make damn sure that these cars are flawless before shipping
them out to dealers and owners around the US.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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