Gen III Forum Now with the Coupe Does it seem...

Does this forum now seem more complete? I think so! Its a welcome addition to this forum that will have the Gen II guys coming over here much more often. I went to the Chicago Autoshow 2005 this afternoon and took pics of the GTS errr SRT Coupe and now truly believe that the car very Beautiful but it is NOT photogenic. The SRT Coupe in person is TRULY BREATHTAKING AND GORGEOUS!! But at every angle I tried to snap a pic, the camera couldn't properly interpret the beauty and appreciation of the shot I was taking. The curves were everywhere and yet I had great difficulty. I now know what everyone who went to the Autoshow and VOI8 saw! The car looks great! I hope to have photos from today's Autoshow up before the end of the weekend.

Jay K.

Agreed, I think it only takes a few bad apples, returning repeatedly, to spoil the site.

Much better lately. Can't wait for the new coupe!

Agreed, I think it only takes a few bad apples, returning repeatedly, to spoil the site.

Much better lately. Can't wait for the new coupe!

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I AGREE

Add me to the concurrence list. I would like to see comparisons of the coupe and convertible as the coupe becomes available. I would also like to see why some people are moving to the coupe (I suspect three reasons). I want to see a return to collegial discussions where SRT-10 owners talk about their mods, experiences, and problems. This has become a much better place, and those few that seek gratuitous discord and name calling as entertainment likely (hopefully?) will self-modify or may simply choose not to return.

Alice

Heaven forbid ANYONE disagree.

Heaven forbid ANYONE disagree.

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THATS RIGHT - PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT

LOL - JUST HAD TO DO THAT TO YA ALL IN FUN

I hope to have photos from today's Autoshow up before the end of the weekend.
Jay K.

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Looking forward to see those pics!

I hope to have photos from today's Autoshow up before the end of the weekend.
Jay K.

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Looking forward to see those pics!

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Me three!!

I too thought the Viper just looked wrong. That is until I saw it at the LA Auto Show. It looks great in person. Before I saw the Viper though, I was at the Corvette stand drooling over the new Z06. Then I found the Viper and it just jumps out at you that this is a baaaaaad machine. The Viper blue paint w/ white stripes was stunning. They got the color PERFECT. And the quality of the paint was show quality.
Ed

Concur, as the lengthened back window, and the increased size on the rear spoiler really changed the look of the concept. It looked dynamic at the Detroit Auto Show, and the car has a gorgeous flowing look.

Don't get me wrong, the Gen III coupe is a nice car but it's not "breathtaking and gorgeous".

If you actually think it is, you should look at a Diablo in person sometime.

Andy:

The Diablo is now priced in the mid 80s?

I think the common frame of reference: "Is the coupe the nicest looking car and best performing car in its price range....both factors..."

Andy:

The Diablo is now priced in the mid 80s?

I think the common frame of reference: "Is the coupe the nicest looking car and best performing car in its price range....both factors..."

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hemotox:
1) Where was price mentioned in the original post?

2) Even assuming it was, which it wasn't, a '91 Diablo can be had for around $90k. The Diablo is actually a faster car, and it probably seems odd, but it will have much more "bang for your buck" than the Viper coupe, if "bang for the buck" is what interests you.
'91 Diablo Road test:

Any more word on more HP? I saw the SRT/Coupe at the LA show, yes I like it A LOT, but the 500 hp just isn't enough, I would at least expect to see 550 hp to keep up with the Z06? The Viper is heavier, so more hp would make sense to me. At the same 500 hp as the SRT/10 (convertible) it's kind of a let down.
I have owned 4 Vipers, so I would be a buyer with a bit more hp!

Regards,

2Charmed

Andy:

You are saying that you would prefer a `91 Diablo to a 2005 SRT-10 coupe?

I wonder how many share that preference. We could ask.

Alice

Andy:

You are saying that you would prefer a `91 Diablo to a 2005 SRT-10 coupe?

I wonder how many share that preference. We could ask.

Alice

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Of course, I wouldn't even have to think about it.

Andy:

That's what you should do; a 14 year old Diablo for more than the price of a new Viper Coupe. If any of us felt that strongly about it, that's what we would do. I personally would not, but it sounds right for you.

Best,

Alice

The Diablo is definitely a wild, exotic car. And it's one of the few cars that draw stares as much as the Viper does.
And is even rarer to see on the streets.

But one of the greatest reasons why I bought a Viper was that beyond being a dream car that is truly fast, it's a car that I can happily drive for many years without worrying about extreme maintenance costs, or having to keep the car's mileage under 2500 per year for fear of huge depreciation.

The Viper is a great 2nd car, and the Diablo is a great 4th car, for someone who is really wealthy.

Diablos are extrememly cool cars, but I can't ever see myself owning one. Ever.

On topic, I'm enthusiastic to see the SRT-Coupe in person.
I really hope that for image-sake they quietly raise the power to 600HP, but otherwise the coupe is exactly what was needed to balance out the Viper line (even though I'd rather own the SRT-10 convertible).

Quietly raise the power to 600?

How about SCREAM it.

As I have said before, it would have been nice (and easy) to bump the HP to 550 for the coupe intro, then a Hemi version (600+hp) a year later. At the very least we would have caught up with the Ford GT (on paper) and not have had the Vette catch us. That would have kept millions of people from the saying stupid things....

I don't like DC's policy of "We can't tell you anything"
All the people 'in the know' keep telling us to be patient. The Z06 Vette motor can't get any hotter. There's already a warning about boring the cylinders (too close together for any more displacement) So DC should show its hand now.

Does this forum now seem more complete? I think so! Its a welcome addition to this forum that will have the Gen II guys coming over here much more often. I went to the Chicago Autoshow 2005 this afternoon and took pics of the GTS errr SRT Coupe and now truly believe that the car very Beautiful but it is NOT photogenic. The SRT Coupe in person is TRULY BREATHTAKING AND GORGEOUS!! But at every angle I tried to snap a pic, the camera couldn't properly interpret the beauty and appreciation of the shot I was taking. The curves were everywhere and yet I had great difficulty. I now know what everyone who went to the Autoshow and VOI8 saw! The car looks great! I hope to have photos from today's Autoshow up before the end of the weekend.

Jay K.

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Where's that asbestos suit?

Let's be real here. In person, your mind can selectively choose to ignore unappealing features, especially hours later when you come home and enter your comments here. In pictures, when you can really scutinize the image, reality sets in. That's why in court trials, eyewitness testimony is not considered very reliable.

No one ever dreams to be with that beatiful woman that isn't photogenic. No man in his right mind would ever tell his wife that she is beautiful but, "The camera just don't like you much." Why would I want to be with a car that looks nice in person but crap in pictures? So let's get this straight... the mag photos will look bad. The book photos will look bad. The posters will look bad. The dodge promo pics will look bad. But thats ok because it looks good in person?

The mania that WAS viper was largely generated by a barrage of beautiful PICTURES of vipers in every angle imaginable. What kind of enthusiasm can you generate for a vehicle if it looks bad in photos? Not everyone goes to these car shows. I've never been to one. Most people don't. But they'll pick up a car and driver and see a bad viper pic. They go to a dealership with bad pictures of vipers. Why would that person want to then buy one?

IMO, it's not a bad looking car, but it's nothing exceptional either. We won't even talk about it's advertised performance. (I know, I know... it'll REALLY be released with a gajillion HPs... shhhh). All this wishful-positive talk isn't going to make the car any better looking. Everyone has a different opinion. Some thinks it looks great. Some don't. But let's not get delusional by saying there's some magic in seeing it in person. A picture says a million words.

But let's not get delusional by saying there's some magic in seeing it in person. A picture says a million words.

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On the contrary, there's a very good reason they say the camera adds 15 pounds... a flat photograph can take away the cues that your brain interprets as depth. When I see an SRT in person it looks completely different than in pictures, and it has nothing to do with scrutiny. The mind is simply able to construct the 3 dimensional image that doesn't exist in photographs when the eyes are allowed to change focus across the planes and curves of the car. The reason the older cars look great in photographs is that as "curvier" vehicles the mind is able to follow the reflections and lines smoothly across the surface of the car and construct a more accurate mental model of what the vehicle looks like in person. Cars with edgier, more planar styling like the SRT don't reflect light in the same manner as a smoothly curved surface, and so when a photograph is taken the eye has no visual cues with which to tell depth. The result is a somewhat flat impression that doesn't exist in person.

In my opinion, this is why photos of clean, black SRTs on a partially cloudy day are so beautiful, and close to the in-person impression. Compare that with a pic of a silver or red SRT on an overcast day which looks flat and uninspired, completely different than in person.

In my opinion, this is why photos of clean, black SRTs on a partially cloudy day are so beautiful, and close to the in-person impression. Compare that with a pic of a silver or red SRT on an overcast day which looks flat and uninspired, completely different than in person.

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I never said the srt's were much of a looker either.

Heck, at some certain angles and colors under clouds and such, the new mustang is quite the looker too... like cheap makeup, control-top pantyhose and low lighting in a smoky lounge can make an ugly woman look purty after a couple shots of Makers Mark.

Long live GEN 1&2! Looks good at any angle!

Long live GEN 1&2! Looks good at any angle!

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I would have to concur on that point. With great cars, they aren't bland in picture, and have to be seen in person to look nice. Great cars are already **** in pictures, and unreal in person.

Too bad the SRT-coupe just couldn't get the job done there. It doesn't matter to me how much performance it has, I'd still rather have even a Gen 1, just for the reasons stated above.

To each, His own,Holmes.......All I know is that I have to turn up the stereo at intersections(when the top is down)to avoid the "fans" at every stop.......Warfang, Where in the East Bay are you?

Yeah seriously. To each his own on that one. The Gen I and II are great cars, loved mine, but not for second do I think that they look better than the SRT.

Or maybe it is my prior ownership that evokes those feelings? My buddies see a great car. I see a poorly designed hood, cheap interior and rattling dash and brakes that recall downtown trafficking in the U-Haul.

Being that there are 8x the number of Gen I/II cars that there are SRT's I am sure that I am about to be called a heretic.

To each, His own,Holmes.......All I know is that I have to turn up the stereo at intersections(when the top is down)to avoid the "fans" at every stop.......Warfang, Where in the East Bay are you?

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I totally agree. Everyone has their own opinions... and let's face it, ANY viper looks better than 99.44% of the cars out there. All I'm saying is that we need to stop using the "bad photogenic" excuse as to why many people don't like the looks of the srt coupe.

I'm in the Berzerkeley/Richmond area. Looking to instigate a get-together with a couple Viper owners in the next few weeks. Wanna come out and play?

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Does this forum now seem more complete? I think so! Its a welcome addition to this forum that will have the Gen II guys coming over here much more often
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It, worked....If you build it... they will come

I hope to have photos from today's Autoshow up before the end of the weekend.
Jay K.

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Looking forward to see those pics!

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Me three!!

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I'm sorry I'll get off my lazy A$$ (read: I can't find the USB Stick that I stored the show on!) and get those pics up tonite!

In talking with my father after the show about the photography, he did point out that I was right on top of the car trying to get good photos instead of standing back for the shot. I'm no expert but there was absolutely no way in Hell that anyone was going to stand back at the Worlds Busiest Autoshow to let me pop off a couple of shots of the new coupe!

Jay K.

Hemotox- Dont get me wrong, I am a ******** Viper guy (GTS to be exact); but to answer your question.. I am another Viper owner that prefers the Diablo over the new coupe.

IMO DCX let everyone down with the new coupe.. I was going to buy one, but after all the specs were out and I went and saw it at the autoshow, the decision was simple; Diablo. It seems like DCX's attention is elsewhere, maybe its on the AMG, who knows.

When DCX steps up to the plate and starts stomping the vette (I am still in shock over what the new Z06 is going to do to the Viper) again I will put the lambo up for sale and buy a new coupe.

Andrew:

The Viper is obviously not everyone's first choice. It is mine. If a Lambo and the Viper were the exact same price...and the servicing was not so pricey...would I prefer the Lambo...hmmm, likely. Would I prefer an older Lambo to a new Viper. Not I, personally. I personally never longed for a Lambo. There were several Ferraris I liked. There are several I still like.

Some Viper owners had very specific expectancies of the new Coupe based upon the Comp Coupe body and the one-off Carbon Fiber model. I did not feel that either could be tooled within Viper's current price range. So the outcome, at least for me, was anticipated. It is a nice car...it is not a spectacular car.

You mention that other car...the one made by GM...whatever it is called. Perhaps it will shine on the track...perhaps... and for that reason, many will forgive its pedestrian looks. Again, personally, I just do not care for it. It looks more like a Viper wannabe than what it once was.

But, people have different tastes, often drastically so. I noted some ratings over at the "other" website on recently played music. About 40% panned Pink Floyd. Now see? To me, that is unfathominable.