Dodge builds its last Viper after 18-year run

[prof15]

Chrysler has just sent its last Dodge Viper down the assembly line after an 18-year run. A Viper in two-toned bronze and gold paint was the final "snake" to leave the pit, the automaker said.

This one was specially made for one very devoted Viper couple, D'Ann and Wayne Rauh, who own more than 40 Vipers. The Texas couple are believed to have the largest personal collection.

Since the Viper launched in 1992, it has stood for the raw power and dynamic energy that used to be the old Chrysler. The company is under new management now, controlled by Italy's Fiat, with a mandate to become both leaner and profitable.

The last Viper also had a custom leather interior and dark graphite, five-spoke forged aluminum wheels, Automotive News said. More than 400 Viper owners and Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles -- that's him in the black shirt at the far right side of the photo -- showed up Thursday at the Conner Avenue assembly plant, which had become known as the "Snake Pit."

 

[SwampAss]

So long to the sledgehammer of sports cars.

 

[Alejo_NIN]

ahh, finally, vipers are over!

one less car to worry about buying when i am rich!

 

[genericuser]

bleh.. they should have chosen a better color combo.

 

[nealric]

I can't fathom why someone would own 40 vipers. It's not like there was that much variation between models.

 

[8.5MS3]

**** fiat for killing this

 

[Kain]

If I had to have just one attention-***** car, this would be it.

 

[Alejo_NIN]

If I had to have just one attention-***** car, this would be it.

+1 buddy

 

[CTt3P5]

Sad, sad day. (sad2)

 

[JamesCH]

If I had to have just one attention-***** car, this would be it.

+2 (sadbanana)

 

[christiansMSP]

^ haah

 

[altspace]

"D'Ann and Wayne Rauh, who own more than 40 Vipers."

Did they break down or what? lol

 

[genericuser]

lol.. 1 good one and 39 parts cars.

 

[JCell]

it was time, the era of the viper has been over for a while.

 

[Mallard]

**** fiat for killing this

It's not Fiat that killed it. It's the new NHTSA ESC regulation. The Viper uses cable operated throttle bodies, the ECU cannot accept torque requests (from a traction control system), it has 3 channel ABS (ESC needs 4 channel), etc.

This means that in order to install ESC on the Viper (in order to comply with NHTSA regulations) it would need so much new hardware they would essentially have to develop a new vehicle.

 

[FrigginGLI]

I remember driving my friends old rt10 with no traction control and no ABS. The 335's in the back would just spin at 80 mph in 2nd gear, it was a frightening car and I loved it.

 

[Hughes412]

bleh.. they should have chosen a better color combo.

That was the first thing that I thought of when I saw it. (pukey)

 

[Hughes412]

It's not Fiat that killed it. It's the new NHTSA ESC regulation. The Viper uses cable operated throttle bodies, the ECU cannot accept torque requests (from a traction control system), it has 3 channel ABS (ESC needs 4 channel), etc.

This means that in order to install ESC on the Viper (in order to comply with NHTSA regulations) it would need so much new hardware they would essentially have to develop a new vehicle.

That and Chrysler killed it. They sunk this company in a bad way. I wouldn't be happy if I worked at this snake pit and the one of the guys that killed my job showed up. I'd be in his ass.(stooges)

 

[jred321]

so how long before fiat revives the viper? 5 years?

 

[jred321]

I'd be in his ass.

being in one's ass is a bad thing?