New Chrysler Says Dodge Viper Will Stick Around

For good reason, many thought that the Dodge Viper was a sure goner as Chrysler LLC emerged from bankruptcy and partnered up with Fiat to form the new Chrysler Group LLC. Against all odds, Chrysler confirmed that the powerful two-seater will live on despite the company’s focus on adding smaller, more fuel-efficient cars to its lineup and the fact that Fiat owns Ferrari which is one of the main competitors to the Viper. Chrysler had initially planned to close the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant, where the Viper has been hand built since 1995, this December, but the automaker now says that production of the Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe and roadster will continue either as a testament to Chrysler’s stubbornness or to its ingenious design capabilities.

Going into bankruptcy, Chrysler had considered selling the Viper and its business assets, but after just a single offer well below the $10 million asking price, Chrysler reevaluated its plans for its halo sports car. One good sign for the Viper was the fact that it was the first Chrysler assembly line to restart production following the company’s emergence from bankruptcy last month. According to Dodge president and CEO Mike Acavitti, Dodge has produced more than 25,000 Vipers since it went into production as a 1992 model. Acavitti said that Dodge is committed to building the Viper at the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant “for the year 2010 and beyond.” As an icon for both the Dodge brand and Chrysler as a whole, Chrysler Group LLC has announced that it is no longer pursuing the sale of the Viper.

Now in its fourth generation, the Dodge Viper started out as nothing more than a design exercise Now, the Dodge SRT10 is one of the most powerful vehicles on the road with its 8.4-liter, 600-horsepower V-10. Even compared to vehicles with similar horsepower such as the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the Viper SRT10’s starting price of $88,590 makes it a relative bargain. Dodge claims that the base Viper SRT10 can accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in four seconds flat and run from 0-100-0 in just 10 seconds. For those looking for more performance, Dodge also offers the Viper SRT10 ACR Coupe that eliminates many of the everyday safety and convenience features to provide one of the most monstrous performance cars on the road.