Dodge Viper set to Return?
Slideshow:Here are some reasons Dodge can’t do without its pet snake.
Speculation Confirmation
Speculations in 2018 were made that the Viper might be coming back, which the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Sergio Marchionne was quick to correct. Here is why it’s plausible they are just keeping it quiet for now.
image courtesy of caranddriver.com
Numbers Game
Dodge has sold over 31,500 Vipers according to theviperstore.com. In recent years, the company has made serious waves with the ACR version of the famous V10-powered street car. At the end of the day you have to give the customers what they want and if you go by the numbers, it is pretty clear—we love our Vipers.
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Brand Identity
Getting rid of the V10 platform that was notorious for requiring an incredible driver to tame it would be a mistake for what this company represents as a brand. Dodge is all about staying true to the driver’s driver by offering a sports car that stays true to real sports car philosophy: no overbearing electronics, manual transmissions, and controls that are balanced while immersing the driver in the center of the experience.
image courtesy of topspeed.com
>>Join the conversation about whether the Viper is ever coming back right here in the Dodge Forum!
Last of a Dying Breed
Marketing aside, the Viper is one of the best drivers cars in the world. Nothing makes you feel like the 8.4L naturally aspirated engine that they chose to shoehorn into these rear wheel drive animals. In a world of hybrid, it would be wise of Dodge to keep a car that goes against the grain. Enthusiasts like things that are different, and that’s what these cars are. Never mind faster than almost anything on the road.
image courtesy of jalopnik.com
>>Join the conversation about whether the Viper is ever coming back right here in the Dodge Forum!
Finally Running
When the first Vipers came out, they had a bit of a reputation for being unruly machines. Often unpredictable, they were a bit of an off choice if you wanted something that was a proper handling vehicle. Over the years, the car was refined and honed to the point of dominating tracks like the Nurburgring. ACRs were kicking ass and taking names. Why stop now?
image courtesy of hotcars.com
>>Join the conversation about whether the Viper is ever coming back right here in the Dodge Forum!
Buzzword
Telling a bunch of people who love ice cream that ice cream is never going to be made again would be a great way to get people to buy a new flavor in a couple years, right? Maybe this is the strategy Dodge has employed to market whatever the next-gen replacement or substitute is. It’s a smart way to generate hype and make the Viper a buzzword.
>>Join the conversation about whether the Viper is ever coming back right here in the Dodge Forum!
Viper of the Future
With Corvette going mid-engine with the new C8, would it be possible to see an equivalent Viper in the future? Oddly enough, at some point, Dodge engineers looked at what it would take to build such a car behind closed doors. If there are secrets within the company itself, it’s anyone’s guess as to how serious Mr. Marchionne was with his original comments. We’ll believe it when we see it. What do you think?
>>Join the conversation about whether the Viper is ever coming back right here in the Dodge Forum!
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