Photo: autoevolution
We just reported yesterday that production of the 2014 SRT Viper had restarted after a six-week shutdown due to slow sales, but Autoblog is now reporting that the Viper’s Conner Avenue Assembly Plant once again sits idle after the holiday weekend. Although Viper production had resumed on June 23, excess inventory at dealers means that the production line will now come to a halt again.
The assembly line went idle back in mid-April due to lagging sales and growing inventory, which equated to just 91 Vipers being sold through February and 756 units sitting at dealers (representing a ghastly 412-day supply). All 91 of the plant’s workers were laid off while the plant went dark, but they were undoubtedly glad when production resumed on June 23 as originally planned. Unfortunately, inventory numbers must not have dropped as much as Chrysler would had expected after the break, so the line was shut down following the long three-day weekend. Only 354 Vipers have been sold through last month.
In the report, Chrysler corporate communications chief Shawn Morgan told Autoblog that Conner Avenue will be shut down for at least another two weeks resulting in 82 workers being laid off and meaning that Viper production won’t start again until July 21. As it turns out, this two-week run of Vipers marked the ceremonious end for the short-lived SRT Viper brand. When the plant comes back online, Chrysler’s high-power supercar will once again wear the Dodge Viper name.
Once the Dodge Viper does come back, it will definitely be interesting to see how the all-new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat plays into the car’s sales. While pricing has yet to be announced, the Hellcat should cost tens of thousands less than the $102,485 Viper. The Challenger SRT Hellcat is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 putting out 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, while the 2014 Viper is rated at 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. Of course, the Viper does have a massive weight advantage weighing in at 1,000 less than the Challenger SRT Hellcat.
In the report, Chrysler corporate communications chief Shawn Morgan told Autoblog that Conner Avenue will be shut down for at least another two weeks resulting in 82 workers being laid off and meaning that Viper production won’t start again until July 21. As it turns out, this two-week run of Vipers marked the ceremonious end for the short-lived SRT Viper brand. When the plant comes back online, Chrysler’s high-power supercar will once again wear the Dodge Viper name.
Once the Dodge Viper does come back, it will definitely be interesting to see how the all-new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat plays into the car’s sales. While pricing has yet to be announced, the Hellcat should cost tens of thousands less than the $102,485 Viper. The Challenger SRT Hellcat is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 putting out 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, while the 2014 Viper is rated at 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. Of course, the Viper does have a massive weight advantage weighing in at 1,000 less than the Challenger SRT Hellcat.
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