Photo: Dodge
Besides a short standstill between 2010 and 2012, Dodge has been manufacturing its halo sports car since 1991. But as fate would have it, this is the end of the road for the almighty Viper.
When you think about it, the V10-engined berserker transcends time and space, all the more reason I’ll be sad to see the Viper get consigned to the history books. With no direct replacement in sight for the time being, I’m afraid Dodge will be missing out.
FCA design chief (and Viper owner) Ralph Gilles confirmed to Automotive News’ Richard Truett that the 2017 model year is sold out. The last day of production at the Conner Avenue plant in Detroit, however, is still subject to debate. The most generally accepted date is August 31, 2017. And the 392,000-sq.ft. plant? That’s expected to shutdown after the last Viper rolls off the line.
On the upside, “sold out” doesn’t mean that you can’t get a 2017 Dodge Viper to call your own. There are plenty Vipers sitting idly on U.S. dealer lots, albeit the thing is, you won’t be able to spec your car through the “1 of 1” program. And even if you can’t find a new one, specialized companies such as Viper Exchange will soothe your fevered brow with a flurry of low-mileage examples.
From the SRT Viper to the trackable ACR, you could say there’s plenty of fish in the sea. Indeed, ladies and gentlemen, this is tear-jerking news and, for what it’s worth, nothing can replace the sheer exuberance of the Viper. Not even the Challenger SRT Demon, chiefly because they’re worlds apart in nature.
And the reason for the Viper’s death? Forget CAFE standards and the EPA. The final nail in the Viper’s coffin is the American supercar’s reticence to adopt curtain airbags. Failing to comply with federal safety standards is not how I imagined the Viper to go, but then again, never forget that life is full of surprises.
FCA design chief (and Viper owner) Ralph Gilles confirmed to Automotive News’ Richard Truett that the 2017 model year is sold out. The last day of production at the Conner Avenue plant in Detroit, however, is still subject to debate. The most generally accepted date is August 31, 2017. And the 392,000-sq.ft. plant? That’s expected to shutdown after the last Viper rolls off the line.
On the upside, “sold out” doesn’t mean that you can’t get a 2017 Dodge Viper to call your own. There are plenty Vipers sitting idly on U.S. dealer lots, albeit the thing is, you won’t be able to spec your car through the “1 of 1” program. And even if you can’t find a new one, specialized companies such as Viper Exchange will soothe your fevered brow with a flurry of low-mileage examples.
From the SRT Viper to the trackable ACR, you could say there’s plenty of fish in the sea. Indeed, ladies and gentlemen, this is tear-jerking news and, for what it’s worth, nothing can replace the sheer exuberance of the Viper. Not even the Challenger SRT Demon, chiefly because they’re worlds apart in nature.
And the reason for the Viper’s death? Forget CAFE standards and the EPA. The final nail in the Viper’s coffin is the American supercar’s reticence to adopt curtain airbags. Failing to comply with federal safety standards is not how I imagined the Viper to go, but then again, never forget that life is full of surprises.
Final year Dodge Viper production is sold out, says FCA design chief Ralph Gilles.
— Richard Truett (@RichSTruett) February 9, 2017
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