2008 Viper

[fred]

FWIW: After owning 3 Vipers I was looking forward to this "new" car. Now I must admit I am dissapointed. For some reason I thought the body style would be differant. Basicly the same car outside and in with more HP? Maybe I am missing something here. If I am please tell me. Is there another restyled car planned for the future?

[Vic]

I think this Gen3.5 is a transition vehicle, before a fresh design comes out in a few years. Just a guess.

[Y2K5SRT]

No particular reason to restyle the body after only four years of production (and only one for the coupe). I can't think of any other car that gets a restyle that quickly. Realize that even with overproduction, they still sold more of this model than most previous years of the Gen I/II. Not only that, but the car was already a "world beater" in all but straight line acceleration, a title which both the Ford GT and Z06 narrowly took away. This "refresh" addresses that only shortcoming - and then some. Many of our local members are already talking about the 2008 - not if they will buy it, but when.

As for future product, the information on the '08 was just released. To my knowledge there has never been any public comment from DC or press releases regarding anything beyond 2008. I suspect the 2008 will need to sell well for there to even be a "next" Viper. These days I don't think it is safe to assume anything. The 2008 is without a doubt THE best performing Viper ever made and very likely THE best performing domestic auto ever built by a major manufacturer (niche cars like the Saleen S7 and SSC Ultimate Aero are not in that category). This is the ultimate time to be buying a Viper, not unlike the days of the Hemi Cuda. And not too many folks had advanced warning when Hemi production ceased after 1971.

Opportunity seems to be knocking for many of us, and rather loudly at that.

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

What Chris said X 1000.

And hopefully Dodge will continue with the CC program.

[FinalEd357]

I agree. The current musclecar/HP wars will end at some point. We've been lulled into this false sense of security that HP/Performance will continue increasing/improving every year, but as everything else (late nineties stock market and last 10 year real estate value run-up), most good things come to an end and we just must be getting near the end of this cycle. I can tell you with certainty that B.K.s and foreclosure are at/near all time highs, and soon the buyers will dry up. I realize that most Viper owners aren't financing cars and can still afford, but those buying our used Vipers and the people buying the Vettes thier upgrading from (and so on) will decrease sooner or later. This '08 will likely be the fastest, most powerful and dominating domestic automobile ever made...Let's celebrate this victory and enjoy it! Happy New Year everyone - way to go DC!

[Frank 03SRT]

I think (only my simple opinion) that some of the major reasons that this may be the end of the current muscle war is the emergence of other countries and their use of energy, a hot earth, dead polar bears, etc. DCX must have their hand on the pulse here somewhere, and there may be a rush to much more efficient vehicles in the future.

I think what Chris and a few others are saying is pretty reasonable, and it may be "now or never" concerning this latest Viper, which could be a real keeper.

[Fast Freddy]

No particular reason to restyle the body after only four years of production (and only one for the coupe). I can't think of any other car that gets a restyle that quickly. Realize that even with overproduction, they still sold more of this model than most previous years of the Gen I/II. Not only that, but the car was already a "world beater" in all but straight line acceleration, a title which both the Ford GT and Z06 narrowly took away. This "refresh" addresses that only shortcoming - and then some. Many of our local members are already talking about the 2008 - not if they will buy it, but when.

As for future product, the information on the '08 was just released. To my knowledge there has never been any public comment from DC or press releases regarding anything beyond 2008. I suspect the 2008 will need to sell well for there to even be a "next" Viper. These days I don't think it is safe to assume anything. The 2008 is without a doubt THE best performing Viper ever made and very likely THE best performing domestic auto ever built by a major manufacturer (niche cars like the Saleen S7 and SSC Ultimate Aero are not in that category). This is the ultimate time to be buying a Viper, not unlike the days of the Hemi Cuda. And not too many folks had advanced warning when Hemi production ceased after 1971.

Opportunity seems to be knocking for many of us, and rather loudly at that.

well said

[Mopar488]

If I got confirmation that Viper production was stopping, you can bet I would get one of the last productions and store it in a time capsule for the future.

[prosthogod]

how does this stack up to loosong the Hp war again to chev. when they release the 700hp (blue devil)?

[BlueGTS]

how does this stack up to loosong the Hp war again to chev. when they release the 700hp (blue devil)?

No one has a crystal ball so who knows what will happen in 2 years. We do know that in 2007 the Viper is king.

[29OUTLAW]

... but those buying our used Vipers and the people buying the Vettes thier upgrading from (and so on) will decrease sooner or later.

Unless people stop having kids, they'll always be people buying used Vipers.

[Torquemonster]

I think (only my simple opinion) that some of the major reasons that this may be the end of the current muscle war is the emergence of other countries and their use of energy, a hot earth, dead polar bears, etc. DCX must have their hand on the pulse here somewhere, and there may be a rush to much more efficient vehicles in the future.

I think what Chris and a few others are saying is pretty reasonable, and it may be "now or never" concerning this latest Viper, which could be a real keeper.

While I understand this reasoning I do not agree this is inevitable. In fact I believe we could be at the dawn of a new golden age of automotive technology and that the best is yet to come.

It is already technically possible to build a Viper that makes over 1000rwhp (twin turbos) that can meet tough emissions standards, gets great mileage on the highway, and not make excessive noise. There are a lot of technologies that have been shelved/lost/being reborn etc on top of new advances made that will reshape what people have thought was currently possible. I know some of what I am saying from personal experience - the rest from putting 1 and 1 together and coming up with 2.

If we do see the end of the new muscle car era and a regression to whimpy vehicles the environment will only be an excuse. It is quite feasible to make a big engine clean. VERY clean. Forget the old paramters - if OEM's grow some balls - the paradigms will change. 14.7:1 will no longer be considered ideal, nor O2 sensors the best guide. When O2 sensors are done away with (or at least given a back seat) we will see some real progress.

I'd love to demonstrate and am very keen to do so - but lack the budget right now to do it myself. And that is just from a few crumbs of knowledge - I can only imagine what some could do given a free hand and some money.

Understanding this - an OEM is capable of far more once the politcial will reaches the R&D suppliers then travels its way back up the pyramid of command. The only advantage of privateers is that they are not encumbered with politics and conflicts of intererst nor beaurocracy - they can do whatever they want and get it done. Remember - an elephant is a horse designed by a committee... strong and well engineered but no thoroughbred

I have faith that the emerging green economy will force changes but that opens the door to a paradigm shift to awesome advances that have simply not seen public limelight yet. Green does not need to mean whimpy and gutless.

An 8.4L V10 could easily be made to achieve almost zero Co, Co2, and Low hydrocarbons with low nitrous emissions plus well over 30mpg at cruise using some SIMPLE technologies with no loss in reliability.

[Gary Lashinsky]

What we are looking at is an interim Gen.III Viper to give the horsepower and torque we have asked for to those who want more. There will be a Gen.IV Viper, but not now! the Viper is an Icon car for Chyrsler and the Halo affect by buyers of Vipers will continue to other DCX cars. Just be patient and what you want will be fullfilled in a few years. If HP is what you want, put your order in now for the new 600HP Viper.