WE need some info on VIPER's answer to the Z06 ...can you contact MR MPH magazine (wink wink) to give us some information on what chrysler has up their sleeves. Or if they just plain dont have anything... even a hint. Also if MPH is seeing this post please give us some good news.

 

You work for MPH? I never knew that...

Mmmm....secret information: brought to you by insiders/friends of ViperGTS

"I've received a couple of key leaks from inside DCX regarding the upcoming generation IV Viper. The first bit of info revealed that the next generation Viper will be powered by an 8.4 liter multi-point injection V-10 producing around 700 HP. That's right, 700 HP. I've been told that an engineering prototype has dyno'ed at about 720 HP in the SRT labs within the last few months. You're probably wondering when we will see this beast. Well, word has it that Conner Avenue Assembly Plant (CAAP) will stop building generation III coupes and convertibles next summer. The final day of production for the '06 model year will be Thursday August 31, 2006. CAAP will be closed 123 days starting Friday September 1, 2006 and will reopen Tuesday January 2, 2007 for production of model year '08 cars. There will not be a model year '07 for the Viper. All this means that we should be getting a peek at the upcoming snake sometime during the '06 car show season.

The next platform code for the Viper is, predictably, ZC (the current code is ZB). I've also been told that future plans include a ZD as well. It sounds like the snake will live on for the next several years at least. Apparently, the ZC based Viper will be joined by a sister car, most likely a production variant of the Firepower show car (hopefully with a better name that doesn't include an exclamation point). A leaked memo shows that the Firepower will most likely start out with the 5.7L Hemi (featuring multi-displacement) and will have the 6.1L Hemi as an option. The Firepower is expected to be aimed squarely at the current Corvette buyer - it will feature an available automatic transmission, luxury interior and all the driving aids that those who lust for the Viper-starter-kit (the 'vette) have to have. As long as Chrysler doesn't overprice the Firepower (a la the Crossfire) it should be a great seller for them."

There's also the 635Hp engine info that I posted a while ago, that may be infact something Chrysler's been holding. Then again that was a boat engine, but it is possible and don't be suprised to see something as hardcore as that. I've heard rumors of a V16 engine as well, which are false.


-Matt-

 

well, obviously, they are also going to have a different frame right? well, It is possible that the new body design might resemble the current viper only by some bits or so but reading that they are going to kill the srt10 vipers, it makes me cry, but waoh, one more point liter! they seriously need mds but wouldn't they have mds for the 6.1l for the firepower

 

I'll see what I can find...

~Amanda

 

Matt... how much will this new viper cost? still under 100 grand? that's a lot more horsepower....anyways...thanks for the info!

 

It would have to be. That's one major concern over at the viper forums. Viper consumers don't want to pay over 100k period....that's includind extras.



-Matt-

 

but why does the viper cost so much for itself, it just like seing a civic like viper with all of it's parts that are nearly priced the same, like interior or bodyframe work or so, i'm wondering, it's just so wierd

 

Forget the Firepower, I'll take a challenger with the 6.1 for half the price(maybe less).

 

All about money. It is not a massed produced assembly line car therefore costs more to cover design, assembly, ect.

 

Hey, Matt. Thanks for the information about the updated Viper. Maybe this will stop Rome sky's complaining. Questions for you. Is this V10 the same LA/Magnum based V10 or is it based off of the HEMI? Is Chrysler doing the modifications to the engine or has this been outsourced (Allpar has mentioned this might be a possibility to a company like Cosworth)? Besides the increase in displacement, how did they get this significant increase? Does this have any technology like variable-valve timing that helped this? I thought the other tread mentioned the V10 having 625hp instead of 635hp.

The Firepower sounds like a good idea to me to compete against the Corvette. I just wish they wouldn't use the Chrysler division to do this. Chrysler vs. Chevrolet seems to me like a disgrace to Chrysler considering the fact that they were the luxury division and Chevrolet was always the economy division (no offense to Chevrolet fans). I don't see why Dodge can't have this since it is the performance division, or they can't just resurrect Plymouth to fight Chevrolet division like it was intended to as the economy division. If it has all of those luxury features, it will probably compete more with cars from Jaguar, Infinity, Cadillac (XLR), lower BMWs, and Mercedes-Benz than it will against the Corvette since the Corvette does not have very high luxury level interior and but is priced justly considering this fact.

Dubvipers, I don't know if you have been taught this yet but it's simple economics. I wasn't taught this until my senior year of high school. I'll explain it to you the best I can, if you haven't. Dodge knows that many people really want the Viper; however, many would not be able to afford it because of the insurance cost, the fuel mileage gas, the expensive type of rare tires it uses, oil changes that needs more oil (which I believe requires more expensive synthetic oil) and other special service maintenance, and other characteristics that makes the Viper expensive because it is not your everyday car like say an Intrepid.

The other problem is this car is not practical for the everyday user. Most have families and need more than just two seats for this purpose. In other words a small crowd can actually afford this cars extra costs besides the purchase price. To make it where the price could be lower, they would have to increase production. When a company increases production, the cost per car goes down. Along with this, the value each customer associates to the car goes down as well because there are more available to buy, meaning they do not have to compete amongst themselves as much to get a car. This means Dodge would not be able to charge as much. It might sound like a good idea but here is the problem. If they did this they would be in danger of "flooding the market," meaning making more than what people are willing to purchase for the reasons I listed earlier. They would end up taking losses just trying to get rid of these cars. So they make this a low production car, but they have to charge a high price to cover their costs of producing this car (employee wages, utilities, machines to build the car parts, the buildings that these cars are built in, etc.)

The Viper is a very attractive car and many people want one, just few can afford one. The ones that can are willing to pay the money for one because they value this car at this price. An everyday car like an Intrepid with no high content of luxury or performance would not sell at these prices because their are alternatives (Pontiac Bonneville) that cost a fraction of the amount. It wouldn't have been wanted bad enough for a person to pay $75,000-85,000 for an Intrepid. The reason why the Corvette is able to cost less and produce more is the fact that it is not quite as expensive to run as a Viper. It gets better fuel mileage, doesn't need quite as much oil in oil changes, doesn't have as rare tires, etc. So more people are willing to buy one. If this left you even more confused than before, don't worry. Many adults don't understand this either. It took me a long time to understand. I have had three college level economics classes so far that have helped me understand situations like this.