Next Gen Dodge Viper to Be Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

The tie up between Italian manufacturer Fiat and the Americans from Chrysler may have even more consequences in the years to come in terms of the models to be released on the American market. One such consequence involves the recently deceased Dodge Viper, which might get another chance at stardom with the help of Italian good-looker Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.

The news of the Viper using 8C Competizione as a basis is still in the rumor stage, a rumor which surfaced after Sergio Marchionne gathered the Chrysler dealers at a conference last week. There, according to Autoweek, a new Viper was presented, one which looks oddly similar to the aforementioned Alfa, but wearing a Dodge front end.

Marchionne didn't call the car he presented Viper, nor did he call it Alfa. He only referred to it as the “17th car in the lineup,” one which will arrive in selected dealerships in 2012.

“We had been debating this particular nameplate for a long time, and every time I just could not get there,” Marchionne was quoted as saying at the meeting by cargurus.com.

“And then one morning the product committee went into the dome and saw it, and we all knew we were in front of something magic, unique. It took less than five minutes for the committee to fund the initiative. Not a negative comment, not a remark, not a single question. And so I leave you with this. The 17th car in the lineup, in select dealers in 2012.”

More on the subject is likely to come, as the details of Chrysler plans for the future are slowly revealed.