Viper Tease

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RedRacer
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Viper Tease

Post by RedRacer »

I'm not a big fan of Chrysler and Dodge these days, but the Viper has always been a favorite as far as just raw power and basic go-transport. The car can be a real beast to drive and scary at times, and the early versions were just harsh cars, which is part of its appeal to me.

You can spend a lot of money and have a fancy sports car that wraps you in luxury, or you can spend the money and have a real sports machine that beats you, bangs you, and puts you through the wringer just in the first two blocks of driving it -- which is what the 1st gen Viper I drove once, did to me. The thing was brutal. No door handles, no roof, no windows, no AC. I stepped out and burned my leg on the exposed exhaust pipe running under the driver door! The thing was hot, loud and smelled like hot metal. Like I said, a BEAST.

Anyway, I'm curious where Dodge has taken this new model -- naming it now under their SRT division it will no longer be called a Dodge Viper. The car as of late had become soft. I hope they went back in time and improved on a good thing, rather than ruin an icon of what it used to be.

This is the article I read:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


And the striptease begins.

Chrysler has released the first image of the much-anticipated replacement for the Dodge Viper on Facebook.
viper.jpg
viper.jpg (10.31 KiB) Viewed 11857 times
The white on black line drawing of the front of the upcoming supercar is lacking in detail, but shows a few distinctive styling cues that carry over from the old car including tall front fenders, a double-bubble roof and a central air intake on the hood for what is surely a massive power-plant underneath it. But unlike the original, the new Viper will be sold under Chrysler’s newly-formed high-performance SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand, rather than Dodge.

Little is known about the all-new Viper, but company execs have said to expect a more sophisticated vehicle than the blunt instrument that preceded it. Traction and stability control are almost a sure thing, and last summer SRT President and CEO Ralph Gilles told Fox Car Report LIVE! that the addition of cruise control and – gulp – cup holders were under consideration.

Originally rumored to be powered by an engine from Chrysler’s Fiat-run cousin Ferrari, the latest word is that it will use a street-legal take on the recently introduced 800 hp 8.7-liter V10 crate engine, which is not only based on the motor from the old Viper, but still wears the car’s name on its read head covers.

Regardless, Gilles says the new Viper will "be hopefully something people collect, covet and are happy it exists.”

The 2013 Viper will be revealed in full at the New York Auto Show in April, and in showrooms by the end of the year. It will be built in Detroit at the Conner Avenue Assembly plant where the old one was produced, known to fans of the car as the "Snake Pit."

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elspectro29
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Re: Viper Tease

Post by elspectro29 »

I don't think it'll look significantly different than its predecessors. Always thought they were cool-looking cars growing up.

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spiffyguido
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Re: Viper Tease

Post by spiffyguido »

Appearance wise, it looks like they're going to keep it much the same, based on the teaser photo. I'm sure many people would say that's not a bad thing. It's never been one of my favourite cars to look at, but it's not hideous either, so I'm certainly excited to see what they come up with.

The bottom line is that I'm happy when any car company chooses to maintain their "halo" model and offer product to those of us who don't want do die driving a minivan filled with DVD players and leather furniture. I've always felt that the Viper was and is a VERY unrefined vehicle, but I recognize this to be the thing that is so appealing to many people. I'm not sure I'd ever buy one, but I do respect the Viper's honesty as a sports car. As RedRacer said, it delivered terror, provided bruises and even burned him as he stepped out. It has character, and is therefore loveable as a machine.

Lastly, let me just add that Ralph Gilles seems to be a very solid dude and I'm confident he'll effectively steer the model in the needed directions. Expect an outcome with big power, simplicity and a knack for going sideways. As long as they price it well, they'll sell lots.



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