Silver Mamba's

[Viper Wizard]

Silver Mamba\'s

Hot off the press:

On November 8th Dealers will be able to order the Limited Edition Viper SRT-10 Silver Mamba. There will only be 200 of these units produced and after they are built....Silver will no longer be available as a color option on Vipers.

"Mamba Edition: Package--MSRP $2500
200 Vehicles with Viper Silver Exterior
Two Tone black/red interior
Seat logo embroidery-bright red
Seat stitching-bright red
Red/black leather steering wheel w/red stitching
Red leather shifter knob and parking brake handle
Red lower instrument panel and door trim panels
Red upper center console
Body Side Badge-Satin Silver/Red
Front Hood Medallion-Red
Serialized Mamba Edition Instrument Panel Badge [*** of 200]
Car cover


As of October 26th, Viper Race Yellow [sales code PYR] is available for ordering. This color will only be around for the remainder of the 2005 model year.


DEEP VCA discounts on these models!
I'm a phone call away. Thanks

 

[InjectTheVenom]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Aww man, silver is one of the coolest colors So sad that it will go.

 

[ViperInBlack]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Well, if there are black, white and silver mambas, VCAs, and Copperheads.

Then they can add Red Asps, and a host of others at 200 each.

Can we reasonably assume that soon the rare Vipers will be those that are not limited production?

"I just bought me a red Viper"
"You mean the red Mamba?"
"No, a red Viper...that's not a Mamba."
"No kidding...how did you locate it...?"

 

[AG98RT10]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Alice has a great point. Is Viper going the way of the Vette, with multi-kilobuck stickers and trim options??

How about a great new coupe? (No, not THAT one!)

 

[ViperInBlack]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

AG98RT10:

A coupe is a major undertaking, that is not difficult to understand, but unquestionably a coupe is needed. The one described in the other thread would be extremely nice even if untenable due to tooling and DOT considerations.

But what you and I are talking about is that if there are endless special editions, then nothing truly becomes special.

To me, the ACR was very cool.

When the White Mamba was released, I thought that was very cool.

I like black cars so the Black Mamba met my personal needs.

But...there is the VCA, Silver Mamba (left over interior pieces from the white and black?) and next the Copperhead does not (at this point) seem all that inspired (does not an orange car warrant a coordinated color top...er...it is not the color black except for Halloween).

You are correct, this is an approach that Corvette has recurrently used.

If everything is special, then nothing is any longer special.

Alice (HEMOTOX)

 

[NOMERCY]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

I am sure a Red Mamba is coming soon as well. I did not buy my Black Mamba because of it's "Limited" status, it is a bonus though. I liked the contrast with the Red and Black interior. Dodge should just quit playing around and diluting the brand. Offer the red and black as an option to the standard package and make any future "limited" Vipers something really special.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Seriously... Its about time they ditched ONE of the 3 main colors. On the other hand, too little too late- TONS of Silver Vipers. Bad news for the VCA guys too...more yellow Vipers is not a good thing for them.

Looks like White is going to remain the only TRULY limited color! WOHOO!

 

[ViperInBlack]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Nomercy:

That is a rational concept. I agree.

Dilution of a concept is not a good thing.

And I agree with what Daniel just said...Yellow does not help the VCA Edition people.

I suppose they will make a red Mamba. I do not know if that even "works". Red is very...er...red. With red appointments...it is then VERY red.

Alice (HEMOTOX)

 

[quickysrt]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

oh darn time to trade and get the silver mamba

 

[Viper Specialty]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

QUICKYSRT- Um, there was no Black Mamba's in 03? Change your sig...

 

[SylvanSRT]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

my '02 Graphite RT/10 was one of only 149 and was not limited production, or was it?

 

[quickysrt]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

QUICKYSRT- Um, there was no Black Mamba's in 03? Change your sig...

whAt it means is that i had a 2003 blk srt10 viper and a 2004 blk srt10 viper which was a mamba i think it was #139 dont qoute me on the # though the sig says mamba not mamba's

 

[quickysrt]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

oh yeah almost forgot DUH!

 

[VIPER D]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Seriously... Its about time they ditched ONE of the 3 main colors. On the other hand, too little too late- TONS of Silver Vipers. Bad news for the VCA guys too...more yellow Vipers is not a good thing for them.

Looks like White is going to remain the only TRULY limited color! WOHOO!

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Bad news for the VCA guys too...more yellow Vipers is not a good thing for them.

Not necessarily good, but not terrible either. Are the guys with Final Editions worried about the multitude of other red coupes? Nope. Their cars will always carry a premium for that badge and those stripes. The VCA Edition has the badge and the paint, PLUS a very unique interior (not even a Yellow Mamba would be similar) and those 50-of-a-kind (or 200 if you count four on each car) wheels. It will also be interesting to see what "Viper Race Yellow" turns out to be: As MGW will testify, the yellow on the VCA cars is actually Prowler Yellow and does not match the Viper Race Yellow of the 2001/2002 model year. Perhaps the VCA Edition cars will turn out to be a different shade than the just-announced color. Works for me!

Oh yeah, and I DEFINITELY agree with the "limited edition" saturation and that there was - and should be - a better approach than this...

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Though I understand the feelings, I for one, am glad SRT listened and is making the Snake more interesting with different colors, interiors ,etc. We asked for it and we got our request. The nature of a limited Edition will, in many folks eyes , give it more value, though that amount will remain to be seen. When we could order a connelly interior, this made certain colors more valuable to the folks that wanted said vehicle, and it will probably be the same with the Mamba models. Three years down the road, if you want a Silver Viper ( you will have to buy used , as there will not be any new ones ), the color will probably keep the resale up a bit better, as there are fewer of them than red or black. If you want the Mamba interior, we already know there will only be so many on the used market. I personally think these simple changes will help keep up the resale, due to reasonable scarcity, yet I am not as fearful that the numerous ones of late will dilute the desirability. The numbers of cars are still tiny in comparison the 36,000 Vettes, 20,000 Porsches, etc. so maybe we need to check out the mirror and realize again, what a terrific car we have, and how few are out there of any variation. Chris has 1 of the 50 VCA Editions, and I find it hard to imagine that 5-10 years down the road ( especially with only 46 in the US ) that individuals won't sweat to have this rare beast. And though, by Viper standards , 360 Final Editions , seems alot, it is still only 360 examples, not 3600. We , as owners, can be our own best ambassadors or our own worst enemies. When you say you have a Viper, and your friends say they have never seen one like it, maybe it will connect at home that there are only 360, or 200, or 50 , like your Snake, and the reality is they are all rare. When the last Silver Mamba leaves it's Dealership, it will be interesting to wonder what the gentleman in 2009 will pay for a car he has lusted after for years - he will only have a few to choose from, as many of the 200 will stay in garages , as a passionate part of many's automotive pysche. We can realize what a unique car we have or we can complain about minor issues that make this handbuilt car different in some measure. One wonders if the general public understands why we can't see what they do --- we have a rare, rare, car regardless of the color,interior, and limited editions.

 

[ViperInBlack]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

George Gruhn of the famous Gruhn Guitar emporium in Nashville, TN said several years ago that one should buy a guitar which they love to play. If it happens for various reasons to be collectible (as in $350k 1959 Gibson Les Paul) someday, that is a wonderful outcome, but it is not predictable and a market cannot be artificially created.

He noted that Fender, whose American Strat can be bought for $750 most places, routinely releases 1 of 50, 1 of 20, 1 of 10, and one-off, Master Built and many approached $10k list price over the years. Some are wonderful instruments, and many are quite beautiful.

Although Fender has tried to create a collector market, it does not occur. (Corvette tries the same thing). The only Fender that appears to have made it into the collectibility range is the Fender Harley Davidson Strat. It began life at $5k and went to almost $30 before it settled back to about $22k...where it remains.

Martin (acoustic) has attempted the same approach, and one can purchase the Model 50 right now in the 50k plus range. The probability of appreciation is very low.

The analogy is not perfect, however, because guitars are made of tone woods. Tone woods can, and often will, improve with age. They are often made with unavailable (Brazilian Rosewood, Wenge, Lacewood) woods which likely will never again be widely available.

Additionally, electric guitar pickups are wound differently (Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac's Les Paul had the neck pickup installed out of phase...by accident...and from this the famous tone of Albatross arose). Stevie Ray Vaughann went to his grave believing his "Number 1" Strat was a `59. It, in fact, was a hybrid of several years and sold that way to the pawn shop where he found it. Stevie never knew.

When someone buys a `54 Strat, `59 Les Paul, `38 Martin, they are buying tonal differences.

When someone buys an L88, 427 Side oiler, Hemi cuda, or COPO Camaro, they are buying a type of performance that was primitive and ultimately ended by economic and political activities.

A Viper made today is more likely to be improved upon tomorrow. Perhaps a Final Edition ACR of the Cartoon Car (that's how reviewers referred to it) will someday become highly collectible.

Unlike a guitar, a car's performance does not improve with age. It is neither wine nor Microsoft at $16 per share (where I initially bought it; sold at $14 two years laater).

Perhaps some day, an IBM PC/XT will be a collector's item.

More likely, technology simply moves on, and wanting the newest and most advanced is increasingly characteristic of American shoppers.

IMHO: Buy the color you like, drive it, race it, customize it, keep it, trade it, sell it...enjoy it.

Alice

 

[Joseph Houss]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Bill.....


If I wasn't married......


Brought a tear to my eye!

 

[Steve-Indy]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Agree!!...VERY WELL said, Bill.

To me, it's NOT about "will this car appreciate because it's a limited edition?"...but more about building a special character into a car (that obviously already has a small market niche) in such a way that small groups of owners identify PERFECTLY with that individual Viper...I call this HAPPINESS !!! And, YES, Dodge is VERY RESPONSIVE to our opinions, at least in MY opinion. NOW, where's MY Gen III Coupe ???

 

[Bob K]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

So, Alice...
How many guitars do you own and are you buddies with George?

Bob K
(vintage guitar collector, among other things)

 

[ViperInBlack]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Bob:

Not certain, perhaps 36 guitars, chiefly Paul Reed Smith and Fender with a couple of Gibsons, Marshall stacks including the Zakk Wylde short stack, that sort of thing.

No, I do not know George Gruhn, but I shall use him for appraisals of the instruments before liquidating and for insurance purposes.

Rock n Roll.

Alice (HEMOTOX)

 

[VIPR GTS]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Sapphire with silver stripes, only 86 built, I guess they are limited editions too, I love it.

 

[Vipermann]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

If dealers can order these on 11/8, about how long would it take to actually take delivery of one?

 

[Craig 201 MPH]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

gee who saw this coming?

Have I not been saying all along yellow for 05 with a coupe in 06? Gotta sell em off, finally a decent color.

 

[Vipermann]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

What I'm asking is: Is it likely that someone would get delivery of a Silver Mamba by December '04, or is mid-'05 more likely ... in which case, I would probably just wait to see what upgrades (hp?) come on the 2006 SRTs.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Vetteman,

I would imagine we will see a few in late December,though January is more likely.This is due to the Holidays more than anything else ( Thanksgiving and Christmas ). The plant will slow down over Thanksgiving, and then DC shuts down the plants for a couple of weeks at the end of the year. Hope that answers your question a bit better.

 

[Viper Wizard]

Re: Silver Mamba\'s

Tomorrow is the day [8th] to put orders in.
Silver Mamba's will go fast.