What if Dodge introduced the Coupe instead of the Vert in 2003

[Andrew/USPWR]

If DC would of come out with the SRT/Coupe first in 2003 instead of the SRT/Vert, do you think there would have been less animosity against GEN III styling, from the GEN I/II critics?






2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)

 

[BDZ1984]

still looks the same... would DC still not paint the stripes through the entire roof????

 

[96GTS]

Good question. I think if they had made it to look like the Concept Coupe there wouldn't still be '04 Vipers waiting to be sold.

The Gen 3 is a great car, and I bet if the people that bash the car drove it they would change their minds. It handles, stops and accelerates better, but some expected more in the looks department. I wasn't too crazy about it when it can out, and I still don't get the same spine tingling sensation as when I see a Gen I or II.

Is there anybody that prefers the new body style to the old?

 

[Bonkers]

I still would have hated it, but there wouldn't have been as many things to trash with the coupe like there was with the vert. I mean, last I checked honda didn't make a hardtop so there's a whole line of jokes that wouldn't have been able to be used.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I think the convertible guys would catch MORE flack. A lot of Gen 1/2 guys dont like the convertible, but do like the coupe. So if the convertible came out second, it would be seen as a big step backwards. Personally, I just dont think the SRT photograph well, but look awesome in real life. The Gen 1, 2's and SRT-C photograph better IMO

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

To see the Coupe and GTS side by side there's no mistaking there both Vipers.
I get people coming up to me to see the SRT/10, and don't realize the body style is not the same as the Gen I/II. They just think Dodge made a true Viper convertible. Of course it's probable the first Viper they've seen in person.





2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)

 

[Wayne Finch]

You are probably right

 

[AMong]

S2000 BIIIIOOOOTCH !!!! j/k - I personally like the look of both the SRT10 and SRT-C

 

[Warfang]

Would have never happened... the only reason the srt-c looks the way it does is because the srt's looks were panned since the beginning, and the lazy people at DC grafted on some curves from the GTS to backpedal from the srt design.

If DC came out with the coupe first, it would have been the GTSR... the one we all want, and the vert following that would have been just as awesome. No point looking back... let's hope DC gets the next one right.

 

[GTS02]

Are there any concept pic's of the 2008?

 

[Bonkers]

Are there any concept pic's of the 2008?

 

[PatentLaw]

Now this is an interesting question. My take on it is that they ultimately would have sold more cars. The coupe would have sold well when introduced. When the Z06 entered the market, the vert offered an alternative that Z06 did/does not have. Would have been more successful. As far was the Gen II people loving it, who knows. Most likely they would have.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I think there would not have been as much bashing if the coupe came first. The coupe looks pretty badazz and it wouldn't take much to improve it's looks even more.

 

[Ulysses]

If they would have come out with the coupe first, (and it looked more like the GTSR) I probably would have bought it instead of **** the whole house remodel I am doing now.

 

[pattymelt3605]

They should of released them at the same time in 2003.

Patrick

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

I agree the coupe looks badass but, I like the Vert is all that and more.

It's like in the past when MB or Aston Martin would come out with the next higher performance car. That would be the bomb till they introduced that model in a convertible. Then that would be the car to own. The badest play car on the road, sorta speak.

To me the Gen II look "outrageously lethal" and the Gen III just looks plain "lethal". IMO



2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)

 

[pocketAA]

When they introduced the GEN III, there was no reaction from me. I was just like "wow that is a nice car". When I first saw the GEN I viper when I was 14-15 years old I was blown away by the looks, then the 99 RT/10 came about and I think that is the best looking car on the road...no matter what price range. I thought the styling was perfect! Long story short, the GEN III cars regardless if it is a coupe or vert just do not do it for me, but I have seen a few with aftermarket rims that look very bad ass.

 

[Bonkers]

Are there any concept pic's of the 2008?

How rude... That was an intelligent, well thought out joke that few people outside the viper circles could have possibly understood. I should be free to bash the looks of the Gen3 to my heart's content in the RT/GTS forum.

 

[Camfab]

I for one, and I'm probably the only one, hated the concept coupe when I saw it. The first thing I thought of was a Toyota Supra, then I read on and realized I was dead on. That car was penned by the same designer from Toyota. I still don't like it, and hope they don't go for that look. From the doors back, it's all Toyota. Now to answer your original question. If the coupe looked like it does today, then yes, it would have been an easier visual transition. By the way, no flame to the Supra or it's designer, I just don't like it as a Viper.

 

[Warfang]

I for one, and I'm probably the only one, hated the concept coupe when I saw it. The first thing I thought of was a Toyota Supra, then I read on and realized I was dead on. That car was penned by the same designer from Toyota. I still don't like, and hope they don't go for that look. From the doors back, it's all Toyota. Now to answer your original question. If the coupe looked like it does today, then yes, it would have been an easier visual transition. By the way, no flame to the Supra or it's designer, I just don't like it as a Viper.

The current srt was done by the same ex-toyota guy I believe.

 

[KHitman]

I personally like the stance of the Gen II cars way more than the Gen III, either vert or coupe. I just thought the Gen III didn't have quite the Badazz stance of the earlier cars.

However, I had a chance to ride along with Jon from Partsrack in his coupe at a driver school here in Portland and I have to say that the ride feels much more refined than in my Gen II. It really got my adrenaline pumping!

All in all, I consider the Gen III's to be awesome cars. If I could own two of them, i'd have a Gen II RT/10 and a Gen III coupe.

 

[Camfab]

I was a kid in the late sixties, and was surrounded by muscle cars. My uncles had Vettes, GTO's, Trans Am's and my cousins had Cuda's and Shelby Mustangs. I was raised during the muscle car wars, that time and those memories with my family members are etched in stone in my mind.
Flash to 1992 and here comes out of bowls of h#$$ the most politically incorrect monster from Detroit, the Dodge Viper. Chevrolet makes an atempt with the executive ride...the ZR-1. The Viper is so off base, it immediately draws in ********* fans. Now flash to 1996 and Chevy drops the ZR-1 for lack of sales. Dodge drops a more wicked version of the Viper, the GTS. Now it's not like you guys don't already know this, but when that Gen II coupe came out, I just about hemorraged. That car looked like it was striaght out of LeMans. What may now seem like average performance, was crazy power in 1996. Oh and by the way, the car even has a lope at idle. Ok, so what's my point. Here's the deal, the original design was so good that it created a viscious loyal following. The best way to descibe this, would be to compare to the Porsche 911 fans. The car to Porsches credit has remained true to it's original roots. An evolution.

This evolution was carried out with the GenII cars, as it should of. The Gen III cars as beautiful as they are, do not follow a natural evolution of the former cars. In fact when the Gen III car came out, I felt I would never own a Viper. The reason being, I wanted a new car. In the end I bought my dream car which was an ACR, second hand. I think most of us realize that the Gen III car is a far better car than it's siblings, it's just that the Gen II was soooo.....good looking. We all know American car companies, even if they German owned can't take a design and evolve it. DC are you reading?

 

[safireviper]

I've said it before ( until the Greg Louganis softball team members here set me straight ) and I'll say it again. We need the deigner of the GTS coupe and '99 Charger concept to design the next model. Now, I understand the coupe will not be offered in '07 and newly designed model will be in '08. Gee, I wonder why?

 

[Gerald Levin]

What's with Dodge making great concept cars and then flushing 'em down the toilet and then produces mediocrity? Was DC high when they made all Chargers 4 doors (family cars)? I've never seen a sports car with 4 doors and they struck out with the Charger family sedan. I'm venturing a guess that at the next VOI the next generation Viper will have 800HP .............and a backseat!

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

Very thought provoking what if question. Knowing the Coupe is a throwback to the styling of the GTS (even sharing Gen II tailights) I think the Coupe would have been better received by current owners and sales would be up.

All Gen III Vipers are better performing than the previous years but the styling is still better on the Gen I and II. Gen III is an A+ while Gen I and II are A+++ with a WOW. The problem always has been that there was not enough incentive to trade up to a new Gen III from a previous generation that looked more outrageous.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

When I first saw the SRT/10 Viper, before I owned or new much about them. I assumed Dodges design was to attract some of the 50k per yr. vette owners to Dodge. But I liked it over the vette and still do.




2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

Andrew, After having owned a Gen III for a while now, If you could go back when you had your steel grey GTS would you trade it in for a Gen III?

 

[ROCKET62]

Great question - but the SRT coupe and convertible are completely and totally different than the Gen 1 or 2. I have to confess that I just saw the new coupe for the first time and am sorry to say that I was underimpressed. I actually think that the convertible looked better than the Coupe. I'm a Viper fan through and through and respect each and every generation of Viper. I fell in love with the original Viper in 1989 and dreamed of owning one for 15 years before buying my 93.

For me the difference between the Gen 1/2 and the Gen 3 is the ATTITUDE they present. Hard to describe - but in my opinion the Gen 1/2 epitomize RAW, Brute, power. The Gen 3 seems to be a more refined Viper, handles better, stops better, and it portrays that balance - but seems to be lacking the raw ATTITUDE of the original Viper.

Just my 2 cents. Again - they're all good - but my preference is the Gen 1 and 2. If dodge wants to sell me a new Viper they'll need to add more ATTITUDE to the Gen 4.

 

[klamathpro]

What's with Dodge making great concept cars and then flushing 'em down the toilet and then produces mediocrity? Was DC high when they made all Chargers 4 doors (family cars)? I've never seen a sports car with 4 doors and they struck out with the Charger family sedan. I'm venturing a guess that at the next VOI the next generation Viper will have 800HP .............and a backseat!

Here's an insider from a DC guy I talked to... Dodge originally made the new Charger intending it to be an Intrepid! When the polls came in as to the badging, Dodge realized that the name 'Charger' had a better background/recognition and could be used to sell the new Intrepid better. So the front grill and other styling queues were quickly changed before the auto show and it was renamed 'Charger'. True story.

Yes the 99' charger looked way better, it looked like a Viper sedan in a way. I have a matchbox car of the concept charger and it looks cool even in 1:64 scale.

 

[JonB]

I personally like the stance of the Gen II cars way more than the Gen III, either vert or coupe. I just thought the Gen III didn't have quite the Badazz stance of the earlier cars.

However, I had a chance to ride along with Jon from Partsrack in his coupe at a driver school here in Portland and I have to say that the ride feels much more refined than in my Gen II. It really got my adrenaline pumping!

HEY Kevin: I rode WAY more laps with YOU !

Having owned MYs from 92 - present, the only one I was NOT bonkers about was my 2003 SRT10 (#61) Parked beside my GTS or ACR, it did NOT pump my adreneline by LOOKS.....just by performance.

This thread topic is 'motive' related: A primary reason that D-C decided to launch a convertible series FIRST, was because THAT'S WHAT WORKED PERFECTLY IN 92-95! They could not build enough, and they all sold before being built.

The pent-up demand for 96 GTS killed 96 RT sales, and 96 RT was a half-year build. [History now repeats] The 96 GTS was called "the most anticipated sports car since the 1984 Corvette" [there was NO '83 vette....insert the 2007 Viper in this niche]

The pent-up demand for 2003 SRT10 KILLED 2002 sales, esp RT/10. The Finel Ed 360 were needed to sell leftovers!

The pent-up demand for the SRT10 COUPE was highest after the Concept Coupe, but the timing was bad. It should have come out in 2005. And NOW, [insert 2001 Space Oddessey line] ""Something WONDERRRRFULLLL IS COMING...." and 05-06 sales have fallen simply because would-be-buyers are WAITING for the Promised Land. Just like they waited in '96...