[King T]

Originally Posted by Camaro_Corvette

I think the C7 may have a little to do with it, but this viper isn't exactly as good looking as I think it should be. There is something off about it.

It looks good, but others have said the same thing you said about "something is off about it".

[Q'smuscle]

Corvette stolen all the light! In the 90's vipers was my favorite car" ! Not even close now. I'll take even take its lower Dodge member a Challenger over the new vipers. 90's viper still looks better than the new one, to me.

[King T]

Seems like above all, the price is what is betraying the Viper the most



2014 SRT Viper MSRP

SRT Viper $102,485
SRT Viper with the TA Special Edition package $118,485
SRT Viper GTS $124,985

Options

Colors Offered at an extra cost:
GTS-R Blue Pearl-$1,000 (SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS)
Gunmetal Pearl-$1,000 (SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS)
Race Yellow-$1,000 (SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS)
Stryker Green-$5,700 SRT Viper (available only with additional purchase of Grand Touring Package)
$5,700 SRT Viper GTS

Stripes offered at an extra cost:

SRT Racing Stripes – SRT Viper, N/A SRT Viper GTS
$4,500 Adrenaline Red
$4,500 Billet Silver
$4,500 Venom Black
$4,500 Viper White
$4,500 Gunmetal

GTS Stripes – SRT Viper GTS, N/A SRT Viper
$5,000 Adrenaline Red
$5,000 Billet Silver
$5,000 Venom Black
$5,000 Viper White
$5,000 Gunmetal

Wheels offered at an extra cost:

Five-spoke Rattler
Polished
$500 – SRT Viper GTS
Hyper Black
$1,100 – SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS
Matte Black
$1,100 – SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS

Multi-spoke Sidewinder II
Hyper Black
$1,700 – SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS
Matte Black
$1,700 – SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS

Six-spoke Venom – N/A SRT Viper
Hyper Black
$1,100 – SRT Viper GTS
Matte Black
$1,100 – SRT Viper GTS
$3,400 – SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS

Advanced Aerodynamics Package*-$4,800 (SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS)

Exterior Carbon Fiber Package-$5,100 (SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS)

Carbon Fiber Interior Accents Group-$3,400 (SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS)

Interior Trim offered at an extra cost:
SRT Interior with Sabelt seats in Nappa leather and black stitching-$3,000 (SRT Viper)
GTS Laguna Interior Package-$7,500 (SRT Viper GTS)
Header Red seat belts-$350 (SRT Viper/SRT Viper GTS)

SRT High-Performance Harman/Kardon® Audio System-$1,000 (SRT Viper/ SRT Viper GTS)

[AZCamaroFan]

the problem with the Viper is that when it came out in the early 90's it had brutal performance that hadn't been seen since the 1960s. These days all sports cars have 400-500 horsepower , but they have a lot more comfort and practicality. The fact that a new Corvette came out at the same time as the new Viper, but with the best interior ever and lots of sophistication hurt it even more.

[mikeyg36]

The biggest issue is the price. You're paying a premium for something that simply isn't a premium product. At that price people are looking at Porches, Audis, and AMGs. The Corvette isn't helping either since the Z06 is going to SMACK this thing for thousands less. The car simply doesn't make sense to people in that market. It's sad because it's such a cool car, but it desperately needs a price cut.

[mikeyg36]

And to make matters worse http://wot.motortrend.com/1403_srt_v...f_le_mans.html

[nester7929]

The problem is the C7. Car aficionados noticed the potential the upcoming Z06 had, and I think they were just waiting on that. If a $75k Z06 can hang with a $140k Viper, there's very little reason to go with the Viper.

We haven't even seen the ZR-1 yet.

[nester7929]

Originally Posted by mikeyg36

The biggest issue is the price. You're paying a premium for something that simply isn't a premium product. At that price people are looking at Porches, Audis, and AMGs. The Corvette isn't helping either since the Z06 is going to SMACK this thing for thousands less. The car simply doesn't make sense to people in that market. It's sad because it's such a cool car, but it desperately needs a price cut.

I agree, but a car with a V10 that is hand-built in America ain't getting cheap anytime soon.

Sucks too, because the car is incredible in person. Maybe they could save it by automating the build and going down to a V8, but I think that would piss off a lot of purists.

[SS 376]

Dodge/SRT should position the next generation Viper much closer to the Challenger the same way the Vette is not that much more expensive than the Camaro. They would have many more sales if the Viper was at a $60-70K price point rather than $120K. And it wouldn't really eat into Challenger sales because they are such different cars. And then maybe have a super-high-end version akin to the Z06.

[mikeyg36]

Originally Posted by nester7929

I agree, but a car with a V10 that is hand-built in America ain't getting cheap anytime soon.

Sucks too, because the car is incredible in person. Maybe they could save it by automating the build and going down to a V8, but I think that would piss off a lot of purists.

But GM can do it with the Corvette, so why can't Chrysler? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Tadge said the Z06 will be less than 100k when fully optioned. The LT4 will most likely be hand built at the new performance build center at Bowling Green that replaced Wixom. So I don't see how an engine can cost 20k more simply because it has 2 more cylinders, especially when the LT4 has VVT, DI, AFM, and Eaton's next gen SC.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by mikeyg36

But GM can do it with the Corvette, so why can't Chrysler? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Tadge said the Z06 will be less than 100k when fully optioned. The LT4 will most likely be hand built at the new performance build center at Bowling Green that replaced Wixom. So I don't see how an engine can cost 20k more simply because it has 2 more cylinders, especially when the LT4 has VVT, DI, AFM, and Eaton's next gen SC.

Its not just the engine that makes the car expensive. The Z06 (and all Corvette derivitives) have a base car that sells tens of thousands of units per year. That makes the per unit cost of R&D as well as tooling for parts much lower than when you sell only a few hundred units.

[motorhead]

Viper is priced out of the market for it's target buyer. There is a ton of things on this car that is completely unnecessary that cost a ton to provide the same performance. The C7 has obsoleted the new Viper in a matter of months.

[mikeyg36]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Its not just the engine that makes the car expensive. The Z06 (and all Corvette derivitives) have a base car that sells tens of thousands of units per year. That makes the per unit cost of R&D as well as tooling for parts much lower than when you sell only a few hundred units.

While I understand that, it's still 30k more than a car that performs better. Chrysler needs to understand this, because the consumer does not care how much money was spent on R&D, they care about performance.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by mikeyg36

While I understand that, it's still 30k more than a car that performs better. Chrysler needs to understand this, because the consumer does not care how much money was spent on R&D, they care about performance.

Performance costs money, be it in parts or R&D. If you've got a limited budget for both, there isn't much you can do.

So they could charge more for the car, and therefore sell less (which would necessitate a higher price & so on) or spend less on bringing a new car to market (use carry-over parts, share components with other cars, skimp on R&D, etc). But that isn't really going to draw customers in either, because it results in a lesser car than what could be if it weren't on a shoestring budget. Other cars that sell a handful of units fall back on quarter million dollar pricetags. But you can't charge supercar prices for a Viper either. Its kinda a no-win situation for them.

What Chrysler needs to do is see what they can borrow from/share with Maserati & Ferrari on the next-gen Viper. And make sure it goes on sale at least a year away from the C8.