Viper dies on August 31, 2017

[1978 NYB]

Production of the Viper ends August 31, 2017

The end is here: The Dodge Viper dies on August 31

August 31

By Sean SzymkowskiPublished July 12, 2017

The end has come for the Dodge Viper (iStock)

The end is nigh for an American sports car icon: The Dodge Viper will officially exit production on August 31, 2017, and the Connor assembly plant where all Vipers have been built will be closed for good. Previously, designer Ralph Gilles let the date slip during a speech at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show earlier this year, but this is the first time Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles has made the date official, according to ClickOnDetroit.

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(iStock)

The Dodge Viper and its 8.4-liter V-10 engine have been hand-assembled at the facility since the car was launched in 1992, with the current team composed of 87 remaining employees. Fun fact: The short-lived Plymouth Prowler was also built in the assembly plant during its production span from 1999 to 2002. FCA says it anticipates every employee will be offered work at another assembly plant.

The Connor assembly plant's Detroit zip code has also made the Viper the only American sports car actually built in "Motor City." The Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro are built elsewhere in Michigan, while Chevy Corvette production now emerges from Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Challenger isn't as American as you'd believe, either — it's assembled in Canada. So is the Ford GT.

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(iStock)

The Viper has left an outsize imprint on the automotive industry for the past 25 years. Long known for its untamed nature, the coupe and convertible have always represented a raw piece of American performance, and they've taken on the world in the process.

The Connor assembly will finish building Viper orders specced through the One-of-One program until the plant's closure. Those seeking one last chance to own a piece of history will then have to locate their Dodge Viper through a dealership.

Thanks for the memories, Viper.

 

[detmatt]

They still make those???

 

[commando1]

I'm surprised Obama never banned them.

 

[detmatt]

I actually do love the styling on these and it's a shame that it's ranks in the performance car marketplace have been going down. Dodge has neglected this car and given its less striking litter mates all the attention.

 

[Carmine]

I'm surprised Obama never banned them.

In a couple of different ways you could say he (through over-reach of un-elected bureaucrats) did.

1) Revised NHTSA regs for side impact going into effect on Sept. 1 (which is why Aug 31st is the magic date) would require a redesigned side airbag system. Personally, I'm willing to accept the fact that a low-slung sports car will not take a hit from an F-150 as well as a minivan, family sedan, etc. It's not rocket science to write an exclusion and disclosure for such low-height specialty cars. But Auntie Nanny State will not.

2) Viper's EPA CAFE numbers impact all FCA offerings because FCA sells more than 2.2 million vehicles per year, despite the fact that only 700 were (2016) Vipers. Meanwhile, if you're a "boutique brand", selling less than 400,000 units per year (but likely far more than 700 units) CAFE isn't even an issue.

Now I'll grant you that these are not the only reasons for the car's demise. If they wanted to, Chrysler could spend the money to bring Viper into compliance and re-design the car. But they certainly do not help that business case.

 

[amazinblue82]

i am where detmatt is. It seemed "neglected".

FCA coulda kept this car for a "nominal" overall investment in it, in the grand scheme of things (CAFE hit to the fleet is negligible), at FCA as carmine said.

but yeah, maybe there is more to the "business case" for this car than is publicly known. could be, in product planning decisions made a couple years ago, they saw they were losing their a**es on it -- and the "halo" argument (e.g., given Hellcats and Demons, and whatever else WAS coming/TO come off higher volume platforms) had no economic legs anymore.

its demise coulda been foreseen as well I guess since Conner Ave. had no product designated for it per the 2015 labor agreement FCA signed.

It was an "untamed brute" living in modern times as the piece 1978 NYB started us with .. I'll miss it.

 

[Carmine]

One thing you have to realize is that this car has always been done "on the cheap". That doesn't mean I consider the car cheap in any way, but rather variations (which expand the need for tooling, required factory space, etc.) are not easy to do. When the car was conceived almost 30 years ago (Yes, it was the late 80s) it was "retro". The car's biggest impediment is truly the lack of an auto trans. Manuals are niches now even among supercars and exotics.

The mistake made during the hiatus of 2010-2013 was investing in "refinements" rather than addressing the auto trans issue. But it may have also been that the auto trans redesigns were much more expensive than could have been justified given the coming regulations, so the car came back for as long as it could.And don't forget that the Corvette came back MUCH better than it was on the track, even with an auto. But that speaks to GMs ability to pour more cash into a car.

When the car re-launched in (MY) '13, most were spec'd out with high level trim that pushed the MSRPs up to $140k. The problem was those refined buyers (corvette) who want Nappa leather trim and mile-deep-candy-paint, also want automatics. The luxury trims that dealers ordered sat on lots until the dealers started giving them away cheap on eBay, crashing their values. Meanwhile the company thought ACR (track racer) versions would be 10% of production. It turns out that $120k (the price of a maxed out ACR) was a bargain for a track-ready car and production of ACRs ended up MUCH higher than 10%, (I'd say over 50%) while orders for "luxury" trims were rare. Then you have the whole branding screw up... Dodge, then SRT, then back to Dodge. Then you have all the money squandered on the Alfa revival, which might as well be a funeral pyre.

I could write a book. Maybe someday I will, lol.

 

[Carmine]

FCA coulda kept this car for a "nominal" overall investment in it, in the grand scheme of things (CAFE hit to the fleet is negligible), at FCA as carmine said.

Actually that's the opposite point. What I'm saying is that the hit to CAFE is oversized given the car's low volume. Meanwhile cars that sell in higher relative and actual numbers aren't hit because the higher CAFE standards don't kick in until the parent company achieves sales over 400k units.

This is outdated, because the actual number was expanded even higher to include Mercedes and BMW, but it shows the general idea.

 

[amazinblue82]

Actually that's the opposite point. What I'm saying is that the hit to CAFE is oversized given the car's low volume. Meanwhile cars that sell in higher relative and actual numbers aren't hit because the higher CAFE standards don't kick in until the parent company achieves sales over 400k units.

This is outdated, because the actual number was expanded even higher to include Mercedes and BMW, but it shows the general idea.

I understand (and performed) the CAFE calc (a sales weighted MPG average across a manufacturer's fleet) a bit differently ... but its cool.

 

[amazinblue82]

One thing you have to realize is that this car has always been done "on the cheap". That doesn't mean I consider the car cheap in any way, but rather variations (which expand the need for tooling, required factory space, etc.) are not easy to do. When the car was conceived almost 30 years ago (Yes, it was the late 80s) it was "retro". The car's biggest impediment is truly the lack of an auto trans. Manuals are niches now even among supercars and exotics.

The mistake made during the hiatus of 2010-2013 was investing in "refinements" rather than addressing the auto trans issue. But it may have also been that the auto trans redesigns were much more expensive than could have been justified given the coming regulations, so the car came back for as long as it could.And don't forget that the Corvette came back MUCH better than it was on the track, even with an auto. But that speaks to GMs ability to pour more cash into a car.

When the car re-launched in (MY) '13, most were spec'd out with high level trim that pushed the MSRPs up to $140k. The problem was those refined buyers (corvette) who want Nappa leather trim and mile-deep-candy-paint, also want automatics. The luxury trims that dealers ordered sat on lots until the dealers started giving them away cheap on eBay, crashing their values. Meanwhile the company thought ACR (track racer) versions would be 10% of production. It turns out that $120k (the price of a maxed out ACR) was a bargain for a track-ready car and production of ACRs ended up MUCH higher than 10%, (I'd say over 50%) while orders for "luxury" trims were rare. Then you have the whole branding screw up... Dodge, then SRT, then back to Dodge. Then you have all the money squandered on the Alfa revival, which might as well be a funeral pyre.

I could write a book. Maybe someday I will, lol.

yeah, i agree on the trans thing. guess i'd never buy a SUPERCAR with an auto trans. but thats just me.

FYI in case anyone is interested. The "White Mule".

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2015/...-prototype-to-make-first-concours-appearance/

oh, couple more.

Couple of "C" bodies in a new Viper commercial

 

[MarPar]

sad day

 

[Stormer]

Now I really want one.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Meanwhile the company thought ACR (track racer) versions would be 10% of production. It turns out that $120k (the price of a maxed out ACR) was a bargain for a track-ready car and production of ACRs ended up MUCH higher than 10%, (I'd say over 50%) while orders for "luxury" trims were rare

Maybe proves that there are some people out there that still understand that actually driving a car is more fun than riding behind the steering wheel pushing buttons.

 

[1978 NYB]

The Viper had a good run.....25 years.

 

[Fratzog]

I wonder if this will cause the market for them to spike.

 

[commando1]

I wonder if this will cause the market for them to spike.

The very last ones will be put up for sale at an insane, overbloated price.
They'll still be for sale in 35 years with 7,500 mi. on them.

 

[Carmine]

Maybe proves that there are some people out there that still understand that actually driving a car is more fun than riding behind the steering wheel pushing buttons.

A good number are just using them as dedicated track cars. They're a bargain because they'll outperform cars that cost 2x & 3x more (with a good driver).

But that's a damn small niche for an OEM!

 

[Fratzog]

When they first came out I was hopeful that finally Chrysler was going to complete with Corvette. Sadly didn't happen. A missed opportunity IMHO.

 

[commando1]

When they first came out I was hopeful that finally Chrysler was going to complete with Corvette. Sadly didn't happen. A missed opportunity IMHO.

This is what I once heard said:
At 175 mph, the Viper driver will be having a heart attack.
At 175 mph, the Corvette Driver will be having an erection.