Killing time visiting Dodge/Chrysler website, looks as if a chapter has closed.

There is no Dodge Viper SRT/10 listed. That means after near 19 years America's other top sports coupe and roadster is nolonger.

The top runner for MOPAR fans is now the 392 Challenger. That said it's a beaut and in reality a more practical car than the Viper but not the same niche.

they stopped production and tried to sell the car (brand) last year, now that they are doing better I have heard they are most likely going to bring it back.

Dodge wrote:they stopped production and tried to sell the car (brand) last year, now that they are doing better I have heard they are most likely going to bring it back.

I hope so. Dodge/Chrysler could use an iconic marker car like the Viper. Chevrolet has had the Corvette going since 1953. I'd like to think Dodge will have such a legacy car in the Viper. Fingers crossed.

Dodge wrote:http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/01/next-dodge-viper-confirmed-for-2012-rollout-wont-be-al/

Wow it will be interesting at how much the 2012 Viper will look as compared to the outgoing 2010 model. As a Mopar fan all my adult life I'm looking forward to this new Viper but hope it is not cheapened down to fill a more wide spread niche. It needs to represent what near 20 years of previous Vipers did IMO.

Thanks for the link.

Les_Vipers_rule wrote:

Dodge wrote:they stopped production and tried to sell the car (brand) last year, now that they are doing better I have heard they are most likely going to bring it back.

I hope so. Dodge/Chrysler could use an iconic marker car like the Viper. Chevrolet has had the Corvette going since 1953.

While I agree with that, it's more important that they get the rest of their lineup together. Dodge and Chrysler have been woefully uncompetitive for the last five years. Aside from said Viper, which is a wee bit out of my price range, it's been years since they built a car I have any desire to own. This is coming from a guy who hasn't exactly gravitated toward the best Chrysler Corp has to offer (e.g. owns a Stratus and would love to have an 80's Daytona, Shelby CSX, or a Shelby Lancer ).

JaysonAych wrote:

Les_Vipers_rule wrote:

Dodge wrote:they stopped production and tried to sell the car (brand) last year, now that they are doing better I have heard they are most likely going to bring it back.

I hope so. Dodge/Chrysler could use an iconic marker car like the Viper. Chevrolet has had the Corvette going since 1953.

While I agree with that, it's more important that they get the rest of their lineup together. Dodge and Chrysler have been woefully uncompetitive for the last five years. Aside from said Viper, which is a wee bit out of my price range, it's been years since they built a car I have any desire to own. This is coming from a guy who hasn't exactly gravitated toward the best Chrysler Corp has to offer (e.g. owns a Stratus and would love to have an 80's Daytona, Shelby CSX, or a Shelby Lancer ).

Their lineup for 2011 looks pretty darn good and is getting good reviews buy automotive journalists. I think Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep and Ram trucks are on the move big time and in big ways as compared to Chryco stuff in recent years.

from what i've seen, the Journey is improved but still behind the competition. The Chrysler 200 appears to be a joke of a facelift, the 300 is meh.

i still don't see any car in their lineup having a large actual retail volume.

1300ZUK wrote:from what i've seen, the Journey is improved but still behind the competition. The Chrysler 200 appears to be a joke of a facelift, the 300 is meh.

i still don't see any car in their lineup having a large actual retail volume.

Despite all the revisions and improvements, most of their cars are pretty much out-classed by everyone. With the possible exception of the revised 300, which I like but am not in the market for at all, pretty much every Dodge and Chrysler vehicle has several competitors that are far better choices.

It's materials. The Chrysler products of the 2000s severally suffered from poor interior quality and fit and finish. By the sounds of the automags it sound like they have taken that issue and fixed it. Apparently the 200 is a major step up with just the subtle changes they've made. The interior quality is better and it drives like a car, not a oversized go-cart.

The problem is that Dodge needs a car to compete with the Fusion and Malibu. The Avenger is not that car. IMO, Dodge needs the line up upgrades and changes more than Chrysler. Also, Dodge really needs to dump the Caliber and get back into the small car market. They killed with the Neon in the 90's and lost their way into the 2000s.

I really hope this merge with Fiat does some awesome stuff for Chrysler, because their product line is starting to look prosperous.

I like the mild redesign of the Charger. The rear lights look great and very retro. The interior looks good too. I just wish it gave one a 6 speed manual option.

Yes journalists are all stating the solid improvement in interior materials throughout the line.

The upgraded Pentastar V-6 is the nice new improvement for Chryco.

I also agree a new small car entry to compete with a host of new small cars by others is the next thing Chryco needs to do. The importation of the Fiat 500 is not going to cover that segment. It's too quirky looking for North America IMO.

The 500 is as quirky as the Mini and that's its direct competitor at this moment. When they are available on the market, I am going to go test drive one. I am really interested in an Abarth, but they won't be out in the US for a while.

All I'm worried about is how fast they are on the highway.

from all accounts, they're saying either 2013 to 2014 for the new Viper. They just didn't have the time or money to start developing a new one. But hopefully with Fiat backing them up, it should be back on track. it's only a "Hold on, let's get our shit together" hiatus.

The 500 is a size down from the Mini and Neon.

SBF wrote:The 500 is as quirky as the Mini and that's its direct competitor at this moment. When they are available on the market, I am going to go test drive one. I am really interested in an Abarth, but they won't be out in the US for a while.

All I'm worried about is how fast they are on the highway.

they go fast enough, but are a genuinly shit and uncomfortable thing to drive.

and more than a size smaller than a VW golf.

I will wait until they have a showroom here, then test drive one because I don't take others opinions on how a car feels to drive. No two people are alike.

I find it funny that the old Hummer dealer in town, that changed to a used car dealer when Hummer went out, is being turned into a FIAT dealer now, and right next door is the Smart dealer.

SBF wrote:I will wait until they have a showroom here, then test drive one because I don't take others opinions on how a car feels to drive. No two people are alike.

well, that's the saddest thing. it drove quite good, for a midsize sedan. but for a supermini it just had too much weight going with it, and you could tell, just in a corner, and shit...

add to that that the hazard lights flash every time you touch the brakes


and then there's the seating position. i couldn't get myself comfortable, as i'm rather tall-ish (~190cm), but i could've lived with that, if it weren't for the fact that the seating position was stupid high. i thought i was sitting on the roof of a car....


and i'm affraid you lot can't actually grasp how tiny they are. and not "small outside, spacious inside", but just plane claustrophobic.


that said, go test drive one, and be impressed. you *do* get chicks with it, especially the first 3-4 months the car is available on the market. srsly. i got a phone number during a test drive (the first day they were at dealers, but not for sale yet, i drove the first belgian diesel from 60km till 110km :) )


but decided i'd hate it after the novelty wore off...

but don't take my word, test drive one, you *will* be impressed. but you won't want to own one.

Well that was my point. I want to try one myself. I went to test drive an HHR SS and it's seating position pushed my head into the headliner. I then knew I couldn't drive it.

The Fiat 500 however, i am interested in it for many factors, styling is one of them. If I don't like it, so be it, but I'm not in it for the chick magnet effect. If anything, I would think that it would be more of a girl car in the US kind of how the Mini has become.

a 500 is a chick car here, too. but that's why chicks were interested in it the first couple of months, before they know what it was, and befor ethey knew they could buy one themselves...


styling is ok, it actually caught a lot of the old 500 in it.

just don't ever see a brown one, cause it'll remind you of a cow turd.

I'm not a fan of Eminem. I'm even less of a fan of the Chrysler 200. But the ad featuring both of them that Chrysler showed during the Super Bowl was fantastic.

JaysonAych wrote:I'm not a fan of Eminem. I'm even less of a fan of the Chrysler 200. But the ad featuring both of them that Chrysler showed during the Super Bowl was fantastic.

Pretty good commercial.

But I am not an Eminem fan , the 200 looks alright to me. I think the Dodge Avenger version looks cooler to my eyes though.

I liked the commercial until Eminem got out of the car. I mean, that's a great example of how great Detroit is
I get the connection, but couldn't they have gotten somebody else, like less trashy??

What ever to happened Bob Seger? Oh Gen Y doesn't know who that is, nevermind.

SBF wrote:What ever to happened Bob Seger? Oh Gen Y doesn't know who that is, nevermind.

He's been runnin against the wind for some time now.

Kid rock costs too much (About the same trashiness level as M&M)
Bob Seger $$$$$
George Clinton - Not broad enough appeal
Glenn Fry - Too Boring
Alice Cooper, he really is an arizona person just born and successful in Detroit.
Iggy Pop - Already does commercials and from the other side of the state.
Ted Nugent - Too many people hate him

1300ZUK wrote:Kid rock costs too much (About the same trashiness level as M&M)
Bob Seger $$$$$
George Clinton - Not broad enough appeal
Glenn Fry - Too Boring
Alice Cooper, he really is an arizona person just born and successful in Detroit.
Iggy Pop - Already does commercials and from the other side of the state.
Ted Nugent - Too many people hate him

kid rock is worse.

http://www.allpar.com/cars/viper/2012-dodge-viper.html
These guys know their stuff when it comes to inside info. There's several dealer people and spy fotogs that hang around there.
although pay no attention to the grotesque renderings on that page. unless you're on shrooms; that might make them look better..

yeah, they pretty much always stray way far away on renderings, but are good on info

Turbojett wrote:although pay no attention to the grotesque renderings on that page. unless you're on shrooms; that might make them look better..

Jesus titty-fucking Christ that 2nd one is abysmal. Mitsuoka wouldn't pen something that ghastly.