Since the Viper was slated for an end to its production,
rumors have soared about what was to come of this iconic Mopar machine.Last week, Chrysler mentioned that there were
a few interested buyers lined up, but gave no indication as to who those people
might be.The recent announcement that
Dodge will be building the next Nissan Titan, combined with rumors from a while
back that Nissan might become involved with the Viper at some point would lead
some to believe that Nissan Motors (who has a long history of high performance
cars in Europe and Asia) might be as
possibility.
The idea of GM, Toyota,
or Nissan building (and maybe badging) the mighty Viper makes most Dodge
enthusiasts sick, but how about a Viper built by Roush or Saleen?A recent announcement made two interested
buyers known, and for Dodge lovers, the news isn’t SO bad.Both of these companies have made a great
reputation for themselves, predominantly by building ultra-high performance
Mustangs over the last 20 or so years and have deep American roots.Steve Saleen began by building road-race
ready Ford vehicles, and Jack Roush has a long history in NASCAR, but more
recently the company is known for their Roush Mustangs.
There is no indication as to whether Chrysler is leaning a
certain way with the sale of the Viper, but it sounds as though while the buyer
is still unknown, the sale sounds imminent. Chrysler has gone so far as to state that they expect to make 50-150
million dollars on the sale of the model, regardless of who buys the name.Making matters worse for those who don’t want
to see the Viper name leave the Dodge lineup, Chrysler has even turned the sale
over to a third party, and with Lazard Limited now handling the sale, this is far
more than Dodge just fishing around to see what they might get.
"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.
