The only silver lining to this might be
that the Connor Avenue Factory under new ownership
might start selling other low volume specialty vehicles,
like a new version of the SRT10 Ram,
or perhaps a 6.1L SRT8 Dakota,
and so forth

From Automotive News today. Nardelli may be starting the parting-out
process.

KC Jackson
2005 Ram 3500 DRW Quad 4x4 SLT Cummins
--------------------------------------
Chrysler considers selling the Dodge Viper

Brad Wernle
Automotive News | August 27, 2008 - 10:13 am EST

DETROIT -- Chrysler LLC has put its hand-built Dodge Viper sports car
business on the block.

The automaker announced today that it was undertaking a "strategic
review" of the Viper business and stressed in a statement that it has
not decided whether to sell the Viper.

Chrysler has retained Lazard Ltd., a New York financial advisory firm,
to assist in the strategic review. Chrysler has set no timetable.

"We have been approached by third parties who are interested in
exploring future possibilities for Viper," Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli
said in a release.

Todd Goyer, a Chrysler spokesman, declined to identify any potential buyers.

Dodge introduced the Viper at the 1989 Detroit auto show and started
building it in 1992. Chrysler has made about 25,000 Vipers since.

Sales of the sports car peaked in 2003 at 2,103.

2009 production started

The 600-hp supercar is made at the Conner Avenue plant in Detroit, which
employs 110 workers. The plant has just begun production of 2009 models.
Goyer said the Viper business would continue as usual for dealers.

"Our intent would be to offer strong operational and financial support
during any potential transaction in order to ensure a future for the
Viper business and perpetuate the legacy of this great vehicle,"
Nardelli said.

With Cerberus Capital Management as its majority owner, Chrysler has
been selling a number of assets. The automaker has sold its Tritec
Motors engine plant in Brazil to Fiat Powertrain Technologies and its
Pacifica Advance Design Center in Carlsbad, Calif., to Chrysler's former
owner, Daimler AG.

Chrysler also has put two Detroit area office complexes on the market.

Dave Cole, director of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor,
Mich., said he was not surprised to hear Chrysler had put the Viper
business on the block.

'Retreating to the core'

"It's not core, and I think everybody is retreating to the core business
right now," Cole said. "There is a very high level of urgency to deal
with this stuff."

Goyer said Chrysler's core concerns include "fuel efficiency, quality,
small cars, minivans, trucks, crossovers and sedans."

Cole said the Viper business distracts resources from other, more
essential jobs. Chrysler's Viper decision is similar to Ford's decision
to sell Jaguar and Land Rover and General Motors' to put Hummer on the
block.

"The Viper is very low-volume compared to the Corvette," Cole said. "It
is a muscle car without much finesse. It's an engine with wheels. It's
just not a sophisticated execution."

And Dodge dealers now have the Challenger muscle car, with a price less
than half the Viper's $86,000-plus sticker. The 2009 Viper carries an
MSRP of $86,685 for the convertible and $87,435 for the coupe. Those
prices include the $880 destination charge but not a $1,700 gas guzzler tax.

Cole said the Viper could be attractive to an investor who wants some
muscle-car cachet: "A lot of people can afford it -- Chinese companies,
Indian companies, Middle Eastern companies -- somebody who has a lot of
money that wants to create a halo for themselves. It's not a
billion-dollar-type of asset."

 

1. 94 was the biggest year for production, so not sure how it peaked in 03 (I can not tell you how many 08s were made though).

2. This quote is not very intelligent "And Dodge dealers now have the Challenger muscle car, with a price less
than half the Viper's $86,000-plus sticker. The 2009 Viper carries an
MSRP of $86,685 for the convertible and $87,435 for the coupe. Those
prices include the $880 destination charge but not a $1,700 gas guzzler tax." So they are saying with the Challenger they have a replacement for 1/2 the price of a Viper? Funny, I do not see Challenger running 10s out of the wrapper. If it did and had the other thrills of a Viper it would cost 70-80K


With all that said I do not care if they stop production, said that all along. I would however have an issue with an Isuzu Viper!!!

 

Bastards... that's all I have to say.

 

Times are a changing.....

Dusty

 

More: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/r...-than-kill-it/

 

I find it somewhat amazing that Dodge wouldn't want to dearly hold onto it as their Flagship, or exotic, or whatever you want to classify it as. Maybe they think the Challenger will replace the Viper in price... who knows. I don't like the idea that Chrysler got rid of the Neon because they weren't making enough profit on the car... and I don't like the idea that they don't want to hold onto a "motor with wheels" just because the Viper is sold in low volumes... IMO, that's one more reason why it is special.

 

I'd rather it go away and maybe come back, then be sold and never come back to Dodge, ya know?

 

True... but it saddens me either way. When that car first came out, a teacher at my school bought one, and drove it to school a couple times. I drooled over that thing, and it will always be on the short-list of cars I would want for myself, someday if/when I can afford it.

 

well.. they are gunna kill the viper off, i want a 08 or 03 convertible viper someday, even if everyone else has a 2015 car that can beat it.who knows, Viper will always be unique, unless future of Chrysler ****s up everything

 

I'm not the biggest fan of the Viper, but I too think its stupid for Chrysler to even consider selling the Viper. Mothball it, retire it, but dont sell it.

What they really should do is mimic the Corvette here....and throw in the 5.7L or 6.1L V8's, and sell it as a low end Viper.

Now, before anyone starts whining, its a much better alternative then watching it be sold to someone like Ford or GM or even Toyota/Nissan....and it would MAKE money for Chrysler. Plus, with the V8 instead of the V10, they wouldnt have the gas guzzler tax as the car would be able to get better mileage.

You can still continue to have the elite Viper RT/10, and that will continue to be a limited production run.....