Viper production slowed by one third due to sluggish sales

FikseGTS

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To me, the Gen V drives, sounds and acts just like the Gen 4, but for a lot more $$.... instead of working on performance tech like a DCT option or AWD, time was spent on the interior and electronics, which are ok, not great... People will spend big money on an American Exotic, but it's got to be different that what's been done before... look at the Ford GT... for $150k it's got to be king of the hill and it's not...
 

FikseGTS

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"To help spark sales, SRT boss Ralph Gilles[FONT=arial, verdana, sans-serif] is taking his enthusiasm to dealers in the Southeast next month where customers will have the opportunity to test drive factory-owned Vipers."[/FONT]

[FONT=arial, verdana, sans-serif]This is promising, I've been to factory supported events (FREE) from Nissan a few times where they let us fully experience the Nissan GT-R around the track, drag strip and autocross, they give out prizes and all. One event, every participant was given a $300 helmet, another everyone got a GoPro to take home.

I just did one this past weekend at homestead and had about 30 laps in the GT-R, Nismo 370z and more...

Lamborghini had one at PBIR where we drove the LP570's, Performantes and 560's all day long...

There is a C7 Stingray event coming up at PBIR as well...




[/FONT]
 

PDCjonny

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There are far more fast Mustangs roaming around than Vipers. Probably even more Camaros than Mustangs. I honestly don't care if I lose a race to either of them, because they aren't driving home in a Viper. Here in town, if you aren't making 1,000 at the wheels - you aren't even in the top 100 cars around here.

So if a car is more expensive than you but slower...you're better because your faster.
But if a car is faster than you but less expensive..you're better because your's cost more.
 

Nine Ball

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So if a car is more expensive than you but slower...you're better because your faster.
But if a car is faster than you but less expensive..you're better because your's cost more.

I don't judge different cars based on how fast they are. I buy and drive what I like. I even like my slow vehicles, for different reasons. "Better" is a relative term, and each person uses it differently. To me, the slowest new Viper is better than the fastest new Mustang. It is okay if you disagree.
 

BigDawg

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I feel like this is a scene out of the fast and the furious...It's the car. It always has been the car.

You guys are looking through the lenses of Viper lovers. You aren't taking a step back and looking at the car with an unbiased view. For Viper guys the car is damn near a home run. Sure you can't tune it and it has nannies but overall SRT did a great job. But everything I and others have been saying from day one is what matters.

1. HP. You guys don't get it. HP DOES matter even if it doesn't. Hopefully that makes sense. The Viper was doomed when it came out and did not blow away the previous gen in performance. Marginally better is not ok in this market. The bar has been raised and then some. SRT set its' sights high and grossly underestimated what most cross shoppers are looking for. A rebodied and tweaked Gen IV simply won't make the cut
2. Volume. SRT over forecasted demand by a ton. Had they said 750 cars for the first year and treated the VIper loyal correctly I'm willing to bet they would have sold the allocation and dealers would have gotten their markup.
3. Look. Yes the Viper looks exotic, but put it next to a Gallardo, a 458, etc, and it fades away. Your trying to steal buyers away from brands that were built to be noticed. Yes the Viper is beautiful. Yes it attracts looks. But it doesn't have that "Oh My God" look that the GTS Gen II had in it's day. As I said, the bar has been raised. Then we have the interior. High quality and beautiful, but not distinctly Viper. For the VIper faithful it's a home run. For cross shoppers it's sterile and boring, it's Chryslerfied.

In a nutshell, SRT lost a lot of core Viper guys by making the car so difficult to mod. They lost the cross shoppers by not wowing them enough.

700HP, all new frame. 2-3 inches wider in the rear. Better looking engine. Distinct Viper interior. Easy to mod without needing offroad computer = Home Run for Viper core and homerun for cross shoppers

Right now the car is stuck in limbo. It doesn't know what it is.

PS. I know quite a few in the cross shopper category, two of which were the first to send me the article about Viper production being cut. A lot of my information about complaints is from their mouths.
 

slaughterj

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If they want to start selling cars, they can do it. Cut the price.

The price does seem to have increased significantly as of late. If it were half the price, I would buy one tomorrow, but the current price making for a $2k-$2.5k monthly car payment is extreme. I bought my 98 in 01 with 5k miles on it for $55k, my 05 at the end of 05 with 7k miles on it for $58k, but what will a 13 with 5-10k miles on it at the end of 14 go for, $90k+? That's a huge jump, so I might just get an 08 with some miles on it and get by for some years, though I had been hoping to skip Gen IV and go straight to Gen V (but given the unknowns on when a vert may come out, much less a year or two for slightly used, that's a long time from now).
 

Bruce H.

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Good discussion and suggestions otherwise. I'd like to hear more from people who have the means to comfortably purchase a $100K Gen V, but give us the reasons why they haven't done so. Some have already responded, but lets use this opportunity to hear more feedback from that target demographic that didn't pull the trigger.
Great suggestion!

Okay... the upgrading of the Gen 5 put it on my radar, members here helped me narrow it down to an SRT with Track Pack for my needs, and I could afford it. I listed for sale my newest track/pleasure car (510hp XKR vert), I already had a buyer for my modified Supra TT track/pleasure car, with both going to make garage space available and to please the wife. I have done lapping days for over 10 years, up to 20 days per year, driving up to 17 hours to experience historic tracks like Road Atlanta, Road America, Virginia Int'l, Watkin's Glen, Le Circuit Mont Tremblant, mostly hauling track wheels in the Supra. I've diced it up with Vipers and have always respected them.

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Road manners, and the pleasure side of street driving has always been important, and driving to distant tracks has provided that opportunity to drive when life got in the way of being able to do so regularly otherwise. Tired of hauling and swapping track wheels I bought the Jaguar XKR 2 years ago, and had it on track 24 hours later.
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. I just came back with it from a 3 day trip to Circuit Mont Tremblant where I shared the track with 26 Porsche 911 GT3/GT3 RS, a modified GT-R, and 2 other cars. An SRT Viper would have been almost the least expensive car there, and by half in a number of cases. A Viper wouldn't have been the quickest there, my XKR would never be at any event, but nobody had more fun than I did, and the car got a lot of attention and thumbs up. I took the owner of the fastest car there for a 25 minute session and he couldn't believe how well balanced the XKR was driven on the limits of grip (on street tires!), and that's how I set-up the Supra as well.

Point being, for me it has to be fast, handle well for an advanced skill level driver, but doesn't have to beat this or that in the rags, doesn't need a certain amount of horsepower, the last thing I would do is modify the engine for fear of screwing with reliability on the track, and it absolutely needs to have great long distance road manners, exclusivity and and provide pride of ownership.

As more has become known about the Gen V I have a number of concerns, some of which others have mentioned above, and I hope they get addressed. Most can over-look this or that for a car they otherwise love, but taken together it became too much.
-The dealer experience was a disappointment, and I should feel good when I hand over well over a hundred grand. There was no effort made to get me back into the showroom when they got one, or behind the wheel despite knowing I was seriously interested, the car would target my needs, and I could afford one.
-SRT completely flubbed the launch, and not getting the car's handling sorted before allowing testing was huge. Then they continued to embarrass the entire community with a rubbish tester for MT. If I told my track buddies I bought a Viper now they'd think I lost it...seriously. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and a failed subsequent failure to make a better one was just unforgivable.
-I already know I can't handle a droning exhaust, nor should I have to with an OEM, and I have a 3rd track car that I only drive at my local home track (Mosport) because of it. I've swapped exhausts when I added a lot of power, but not so I can handle driving a bone stock car at highway speeds in top gear.
-They don't offer the Track Pack anymore, and I can't order those brakes that I specifically wanted separately either.
-I've loved the 6 speed stick in the Supra, but boy does it feel like an antique on track compared to the excellent 6 speed auto ZF in the XKR with paddles. Tired of hearing SRT didn't have the budget. That's what I'd order without a second's hesitation, as would be the convertible...both will hopefully be available in the not too distant future.

I don't know if the windshield header visibility, seat padding, pedal placement or room would be an issue, and I suspect if you like the car you'd easily get used to those, but the other points have killed my interest for now. Some feel Ralph is a hero, but for someone new to the Viper scene he just seems to be the one at the wheel of a wreck. SRT problems seem so broad and deep that I would have thought a change at the top would be step 1 to resolving the issues. I genuinely hope they can do it, and since nothing else interests me enough I'll patiently, respectfully and quietly sit on the sidelines waiting for improvement.

Bruce
 
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ViperSmith

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I think the "needs more hp" would be a specious argument if they just opened up the ECU.

640 is a stupid amount as is. I'll never be able to fully utilize the power it has, personally.
 

SRTviper

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I feel like this is a scene out of the fast and the furious...It's the car. It always has been the car.

You guys are looking through the lenses of Viper lovers. You aren't taking a step back and looking at the car with an unbiased view. For Viper guys the car is damn near a home run. Sure you can't tune it and it has nannies but overall SRT did a great job. But everything I and others have been saying from day one is what matters.

1. HP. You guys don't get it. HP DOES matter even if it doesn't. Hopefully that makes sense. The Viper was doomed when it came out and did not blow away the previous gen in performance. Marginally better is not ok in this market. The bar has been raised and then some. SRT set its' sights high and grossly underestimated what most cross shoppers are looking for. A rebodied and tweaked Gen IV simply won't make the cut
2. Volume. SRT over forecasted demand by a ton. Had they said 750 cars for the first year and treated the VIper loyal correctly I'm willing to bet they would have sold the allocation and dealers would have gotten their markup.
3. Look. Yes the Viper looks exotic, but put it next to a Gallardo, a 458, etc, and it fades away. Your trying to steal buyers away from brands that were built to be noticed. Yes the Viper is beautiful. Yes it attracts looks. But it doesn't have that "Oh My God" look that the GTS Gen II had in it's day. As I said, the bar has been raised. Then we have the interior. High quality and beautiful, but not distinctly Viper. For the VIper faithful it's a home run. For cross shoppers it's sterile and boring, it's Chryslerfied.

In a nutshell, SRT lost a lot of core Viper guys by making the car so difficult to mod. They lost the cross shoppers by not wowing them enough.

700HP, all new frame. 2-3 inches wider in the rear. Better looking engine. Distinct Viper interior. Easy to mod without needing offroad computer = Home Run for Viper core and homerun for cross shoppers

Right now the car is stuck in limbo. It doesn't know what it is.

PS. I know quite a few in the cross shopper category, two of which were the first to send me the article about Viper production being cut. A lot of my information about complaints is from their mouths.

If they made it wider they would have to put those side lights or whatever they are that super wide trucks that carry heavy loads use. Ralph already stated this. So it can't be any wider. I mean it is already pretty wide and take up the whole half side of the road. You don't want it to be aventador wide which it may already be.

I don't think hp is an issue or volume or anything like that. The issue is 2 things.

PRICE PRICE PRICE PRICE PRICE. It is just too expensive unless you are buying the SRT in base base base trim.
And the service from SRT and most associated dealers ****.

Fix these 2 things and it will be successful even if they change nothing else on the car.
 

klamathpro

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I just sold my RT/10, keeping the 98' GTS. I'm in the market to spend up to $100k, so a base GEN-V is on my list, though at the bottom. The local dealer experience has been less than desirable. I can't get a test drive for the life of me. I got a test drive drive in a Nissan GT-R and loved it. Now I feel like I would sell my left nut to get one of those. The test drive left the most lasting impression on me of any car I've driven. I would consider a GEN-V but will never buy a car without a test drive, and a ride along won't cut it. Lotus let's you test drive their stuff without question. I pull up in a GTS and can't even start the car. I don't want to bother local club members because I know how I would feel if someone asked for a test drive. But I have a dozen HPDE track days behind my belt and have cash in hand and I get treated like a second class citizen whenever I want to test drive anything from Dodge. I got the same crap when I wanted to test an SRT8 Challenger, like that car is really so special. Happened at two different dealers and I even pulled up in the Viper. I don't know what it is but there are some real ********* dealers in my area. I feel like they think it's a privilege for me to buy from them.

On a side note, the same thing happened when I went to go look at a used 2002 Murcielago for $120k, except worse. I looked at that car on a used lot for 40 minutes while talking to the owner of the dealership. When I asked to have him ride along with me for a drive, he cursed at me and told me to get the F*** off his lot, like I was playing games. I was 95% convinced I was going to buy the car if he'd come down to $110k and give me a test drive. We never even talked numbers before I got cursed off his lot and he blew the sale. I honestly don't know how people like this even sell cars. One rule of thumb I've concluded is, if you are a dealership owner, don't do be the salesman; let your trained staff do it. Your emotions are too ******* in the whole thing and you stopped being an effective salesman the moment you took ownership of the lot. This has been the case at nearly every dealership I been to where the owner comes out to try and make a sale. It's happened at two Dodge dealers near me where they said I was wasting their time trying to work with the numbers. Both went out of business. I ended up driving 2 hours away to get the same car for an even better price than what I was negotiating with the other yahoo's.
 
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I Bin Therbefor

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Every customer should be treated with respect!!! Regardless of $s spent. A customer shouldn't have to buy respect. Respect doesn't cost $s, it does require empathy on the part of the dealer organization. I am tired of ignorance and arrogance on the part of the dealer organization. I am also tired of having a buying experience turn into a win-lose contest. :mad:
 

ACRucrazy

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-Price
-Production delays
-Motor Trend reviews specifically
-Dealer mark up on top of the price hike
-Dumb SRT - GTS "models" and dumb dealers ordering up GTS with a bunch of options
-No loyalty shown to previous Viper owners
-Lack of aftermarket support
-No Vert
-No ACR


I feel like a broken record here. Many of us have been saying it since day one. I love the Viper, I would love to have a Gen V, I would even consider giving up my Gen IV ACR for one. But damned if I would do that to have a car that costs my ACR and 30, 40, 50, 60 or even 70 grand to have a car that has marginally better performance numbers, "looks soft" compared to the ACR and has the same lack of aftermarket support that my current Gen IV has with no loyalty if I were to order one new. (To clarify, I think the Gen V looks great! It's **** and I applaud them on the job they have done. However for me, it needs some more intimidation factor.. I am sure that will come with the ACR)

I don't' have my magazine in front of me for 2010 I can check when I get home, but:

- 2008 there were 1579 Vipers made. 712 were roadsters, 179 were ACRs. So 56% were not the "coupe" which is all that is currently avail in the GEN V.
- 2009 251 of the 659 Vipers produced were ACRs. 167 of those were roadsters. Another words 63% were NOT a"base" coupe.
- From what I recall 2010, most of the very few 2010s made were ACRs.

So the Gen IV was trending each year to having more ACRs, more performance vehicles and less standard coupes, even roadster production was waning. I am glad SRT started with the coupe, and its still early, its only 1 model year, but they went the complete opposite way the Viper was trending for all of Gen IV. I get it. It takes time. SRT did a lot with what they had and I applaud that. Once the roadster hits, the ACR drops and the teething of a first year production finishes I am sure the tone and media will change. I await..

What do I want in a Viper? A mean looking kick you in the teeth no compromise bad ass. I honestly don't care if the guy down the street takes his Mustang, Corvette, Neon, Civic etc and tosses, 10, 20, 30 grand into it and is faster than me in a straight line. I was that guy! There will ALWAYS be someone faster. There will ALWAYS be those who have something else loaded with goodies that hauls the mail. I can respect that, I love seeing fast cars.

If I "could have it all" what would I do to the Gen V/ACR?

-GTS-R looks/body. A true built motor, meaning stout internals. Like Nine Ball mentioned Ti rods would be BA, forged pistons, dry sump oiling system with increased rev range, also inconel valves, maybe factory CNC ported heads? I mean.. With a whopping 6-9 made a day, would it be that hard? Make the engine stout! Let it rev, let it breath.

Working with what we got I have no doubt we would see the Viper on the cover of every automotive magazine with 7XX Horsepower plastered over the front. Coupled with more more weight reduction. CCB option. And most importantly AFTERMARKET SUPPORT Strike fear into people with the Viper and you will have a winner! THAT'S what the Viper is about. The Viper is NOT a Porsche, it never will be and it should never try to be. I would rather see it drug out to pasture and shot dead before that happens.

Finally.. please don't forget the loyal customers. Someone who shells out this kind of money or special order their car should NOT be left in limbo wondering when they will have their car, where it is in the build/delivery process. And once they have their car and if there is an issue, a special hotline the customer can call to speak with someone from SRT would do wonders... Treat you customers like royalty where it counts. Service. Service will keep the doors open and lights on, not with leather headliners check boxes and 14,000 paint colors.

I'm done. My thinking out loud is spent.
 

KB Viper

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I feel like this is a scene out of the fast and the furious...It's the car. It always has been the car.

You guys are looking through the lenses of Viper lovers. You aren't taking a step back and looking at the car with an unbiased view. For Viper guys the car is damn near a home run. Sure you can't tune it and it has nannies but overall SRT did a great job. But everything I and others have been saying from day one is what matters.

1. HP. You guys don't get it. HP DOES matter even if it doesn't. Hopefully that makes sense. The Viper was doomed when it came out and did not blow away the previous gen in performance. Marginally better is not ok in this market. The bar has been raised and then some. SRT set its' sights high and grossly underestimated what most cross shoppers are looking for. A rebodied and tweaked Gen IV simply won't make the cut
2. Volume. SRT over forecasted demand by a ton. Had they said 750 cars for the first year and treated the VIper loyal correctly I'm willing to bet they would have sold the allocation and dealers would have gotten their markup.
3. Look. Yes the Viper looks exotic, but put it next to a Gallardo, a 458, etc, and it fades away. Your trying to steal buyers away from brands that were built to be noticed. Yes the Viper is beautiful. Yes it attracts looks. But it doesn't have that "Oh My God" look that the GTS Gen II had in it's day. As I said, the bar has been raised. Then we have the interior. High quality and beautiful, but not distinctly Viper. For the VIper faithful it's a home run. For cross shoppers it's sterile and boring, it's Chryslerfied.

In a nutshell, SRT lost a lot of core Viper guys by making the car so difficult to mod. They lost the cross shoppers by not wowing them enough.

700HP, all new frame. 2-3 inches wider in the rear. Better looking engine. Distinct Viper interior. Easy to mod without needing offroad computer = Home Run for Viper core and homerun for cross shoppers

Right now the car is stuck in limbo. It doesn't know what it is.

PS. I know quite a few in the cross shopper category, two of which were the first to send me the article about Viper production being cut. A lot of my information about complaints is from their mouths.

You nailed it! If there was a heads, cam, header, and tune package available or a blower and tune option I would have bought a 2nd gen V Viper instead of a 2nd C6 ZR1.
 

ACRucrazy

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You nailed it! If there was a heads, cam, header, and tune package available or a blower and tune option I would have bought a 2nd gen V Viper instead of a 2nd C6 ZR1.

So you didn't research before you bought your first Gen V?
 

v10enomous

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There's a combination of factors not the least of which is Motor Trend's vendetta against the car. Okay so the car had a couple of issues during the best driver's car comparo but they gave it a last place finish after it was all too clear that Randy Pobst was having multiple cargasms putting the Viper through it's paces:dunno: I would love to know the story behind the story with that rag.
 

weeten

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"We really have to focus on putting butts in seats. A lot of people are unnecessarily intimidated by the car."

Lol, really? Intimidated?

The dealers selling these vehicles will barely let you sit in them. Let alone, test drive them. Grow up SRT. Get with the program. You're not holding gold. It's a car. If more people were allowed to experience the vehicle sales would be better.
 

Ev1E9

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There's a combination of factors not the least of which is Motor Trend's vendetta against the car. Okay so the car had a couple of issues during the best driver's car comparo but they gave it a last place finish after it was all too clear that Randy Pobst was having multiple cargasms putting the Viper through it's paces:dunno: I would love to know the story behind the story with that rag.

Tell me about it? Motortrend didn't hesitate to focus on the Viper's shortcomings and subsequent last place finish in its truly subjective Best Driver's Car competition. Despite the fact it had mismatched/bald rear tires, the SRT still out-ran Motortrend's pet, the 911 Carrera (991) at Laguna Seca.

The Viper has never been a media darling. Several of the reports concerning Viper production cut-backs claim the C7 Stingray Z51 smashed the snake. I'm assuming they're referencing Edmund's SRT vs Z51 comparo. Aside from slalom, braking and skid-pad numbers, the Viper trounced the Stingray in 0-60, trap-speed and lap times. Plus, had they tested an SRT with track-pack, the other numbers would have been in the Viper's favor as well.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. I believe the Motortrend Viper vs ZR1 comparo was the beginning of a difficult launch for the GEN V. I believe many in the press had already made up their minds about the GEN V. They harkened back to past experiences regarding their previous tests of the Viper. They lambasted the interior, although it has been greatly improved. They've complained about heat, but the problem isn't as pervasive as in the past. They've complained about the ride, but it has improved, and it's comparable to other cars in which they have raved. They've even mentioned melting paint. Anyone else seen this?

A sluggish economy, bad press, delays, over-production and other launch SNAFUs haven't helped sales. Plus, there is major competition at this particular price-point. Unfortunately, I don't have a clue what SRT will have to do to move Vipers.
 
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hou99gts

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Good discussion and suggestions otherwise. I'd like to hear more from people who have the means to comfortably purchase a $100K Gen V, but give us the reasons why they haven't done so. Some have already responded, but lets use this opportunity to hear more feedback from that target demographic that didn't pull the trigger.

You know the saying, once you go ACR, you never go back...... ;)

Seriously though, I did not purchase due to the following:
1.) Cost - I would have been trading my gen IV ACR plus adding 35-75k in cash.
2.) Styling - much less aggressive than gen IV ACR
3.) Resale / future value - I think the gen IV ACR will do better over time compared to a Gen V coupe

SRT will have to make significant upgrades to talk me into a gen V ACR if produced. Small improvements over the gen IV ACR will not be taken advantage of by the general public (like me), so the investment would not be worth it IMO.

If I owned a standard gen IV coupe, I might think differently.
 

Tiago

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I've toyed with the idea but I won't because for the price, it should have equipment that its competitors already come standard with, like dry sump and DCT.
 

v10enomous

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The other thing that's hurting is that people are waiting to see what the C7 Hi-Po car will be like and maybe even the new Mustang or the F-Type coupe. Not that any of those cars will be better by default but people don't want to lock themselves into a Viper until they at least have a pretty good idea on all of these pending new models.
 

fred

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This is Giles baby. He is responsible and should step down, IMO. They need some fresh thinking at the helm!
 

Ev1E9

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The other thing that's hurting is that people are waiting to see what the C7 Hi-Po car will be like and maybe even the new Mustang or the F-Type coupe. Not that any of those cars will be better by default but people don't want to lock themselves into a Viper until they at least have a pretty good idea on all of these pending new models.

You make a great point. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say, "The new Viper can't even beat the five year old ZR1. Imagine what the new one is going to do to it." There's no guarantee there will even be a C7 ZR1 equivalent, and we're at least a year from seeing the next Hi-Po Vette. Also, many discount GMs effort to continuously improve the performance of the ZR1. The last build of the ZR1 was fitted with the latest generation of Delphi's MR suspension, and Michelin Cup tires. Randy Pobst lap times in a later ZR1 were a marked improvement over Motortrend's initial C6 ZR1 test back in '09. The lap times improved by over two seconds.
 

ACRucrazy

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Obviously not enough. I new about the mopar PCM for the gen 4 but I believed engineer Graham Henckle when he said arrow and Arrington would have the codes to get into the PCM and tune the cars.

It's only been a few months man. How long have the Gen Vs been on the street? 4-5 months? I feel for you and what happened and how it was handled. But IMO you didn't even get a chance to give the Viper a shot. (And I am not saying it's your fault) Goodies will come, but I wouldn't expect a blower, tunes, headers, full exhausts, cams etc in the first 4-5 months of a new model low production car like the Viper. It's not a Corvette, Mustang, Civic, WRX, Evo etc.

It's to bad really, because rolling around in a Viper in itself is something truly special. No Corvette or Mustang can touch that. No matter how fast it may be. Oh well, maybe next time.
:drive:
 

v10enomous

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I'll bet SRT sells out the 2014 TA cars pretty quickly. While SRT had to fire back they shot themselves in the foot with 2013 sales by announcing the TA when they did. The color slection is another weak point for a car over $100k.

All that said I might be a buyer on an SRT with track pack and stripes if they could get me out the door for $95k including 7% NJ sales tax. I don't need the top feeder model.

You make a great point. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone say, "The new Viper can't even beat the five year old ZR1. Imagine what the new one is going to do to it." There's no guarantee there will even be a C7 ZR1 equivalent, and we're at least a year from seeing the next Hi-Po Vette. Also, many discount GMs effort to continuously improve the performance of the ZR1. The last build of the ZR1 was fitted with the latest generation of Delphi's MR suspension, and Michelin Cup tires. Randy Pobst lap times in a later ZR1 were a marked improvement over Motortrend's initial C6 ZR1 test back in '09. The lap times improved by over two seconds.
 

06blueviper

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I sold my Viper a couple years ago thinking that I would bank the money and save my pennies to buy a 2013.

When the price was announced at $100K+ Dodge lost me as a potential customer. To me, the Gen IV ACR was (and still is) a better value, not to mention the C7.

I'd still love to own a Gen V and I'd be tempted to stretch my budget a bit to get one if they were priced around $85K, but if I was able to spend $100K+, I'd probably opt for a used Gallardo or F430 instead.
 

Malu59RT

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This is Giles baby. He is responsible and should step down, IMO. They need some fresh thinking at the helm!

No way, I don't think anyone would want to see Ralph step down. He's the biggest advocate for the Viper, and Viper owners.
 

SSGViper

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Yes it does. The worst would be rolling up on a fast Stang or Vette in your special viper and getting spanked. Especially when the special viper is 140k. Not trying to start a fight, just my opinion.

I agree, rolling up in a Viper is no longer that "special" anymore. It is no longer a car at the top and the Gen V has only tarnished that even more! I have a Gen IV and I can't imagine rolling up in a Gen V...what a disgrace and embarrassment for the Viper heritage. It's sad to see the demise of something that WAS so good! Overpriced mediocrity will not sell cars. I thought SRT was onto something when they set all the records with the gen IV ACR. Something needs to change quick or else...
 
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Malu59RT

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I sold my Viper a couple years ago thinking that I would bank the money and save my pennies to buy a 2013.

When the price was announced at $100K+ Dodge lost me as a potential customer. To me, the Gen IV ACR was (and still is) a better value, not to mention the C7.

I'd still love to own a Gen V and I'd be tempted to stretch my budget a bit to get one if they were priced around $85K, but if I was able to spend $100K+, I'd probably opt for a used Gallardo or F430 instead.

I remember watching the 2013 Viper unveil, and posting on my local forums that I would be selling my Gallardo to make room for a 2013 Viper (previously had a 2008). I saw the Viper as a car I could drive every day (and having put close to 50k miles on my 08, I'm serious). Then they released the pricing and I thought to myself, how it's just wrong to spend so much more money on the Dodge than my Lamborghini. I very much want a 2013 for the peace of mind on having a full factory warranty, all the electronic bells and whistles (steering wheel controls, bluetooth audio, nav, etc.), but I will have to wait for a Launch edition to be priced in the teens, before I can do that. Hopefully we see some deep discounts/rebates by the end of the year to clear out the 2013's, I'm waiting semi-patiently :D
 
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