Gen3 cost $10K less to make than Gen2 ?

FE 065

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Herb Helbig is quoted in Automotive International Online saying,

"Despite the myriad improvements to the new Viper, it costs DaimlerChrysler $10,000 less to build than the old model, according to Helbig. Ensuring that the car could be built profitably was an absolute requirement under the company's current austerity program."

..but didn't the price go up?
 

Y2K5SRT

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Herb Helbig is quoted in Automotive International Online saying,

"Despite the myriad improvements to the new Viper, it costs DaimlerChrysler $10,000 less to build than the old model, according to Helbig. Ensuring that the car could be built profitably was an absolute requirement under the company's current austerity program."

..but didn't the price go up?
It did indeed - by roughly $7,000 at the time. Of course the standing rumor has always been that the Viper was produced at a loss for Chrysler and subsequently DC. That last sentence quoted from Helbig would add some credibility to that rumor, in that the car (SRT) had to be built profitably. Sounds like it wasn't before. Simple logic dictated it was less expensive to build based on the hood alone. My guess is $800 vs. $5,000 manufacturing cost. While there are certainly improvements in almost every category (looks not necessarily being one of them), the cost of those improvements was minimal at best. And don't forget that the engine is now being "mass produced", at least for an additional line (SRT Ram). Volume will also cut costs.

The day I ordered my 2003 SRT-10 I figured that DC was making a lot more money on it than they did on my 2000 GTS. And by exotic car standards it is still a great deal for the money.
 

Viperfreak2

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And the seat frames are used in the Neon SRT-4..... and the radio is from a Jeep (A/C knobs too?) etc.

Very easy to believe since the early cars were never intended for 'high' volumes or profit

From the June 2002 article.....
The 2003 Viper is available only as a convertible, though the open-top model is as rigid as the discontinued coupe. A limited-production coupe will be available for racing, but so far there are no announced plans for general consumption. But that could change, according to Helbig. "It won't be a great leap to get from a convertible to a coupe," he said.

Coupe still sounds good to me.
 

Joseph Houss

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Clamshell Hood = MUCHO DINERO! AND plenty of body alignment time.
 

Cris

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Clamshell hood = mucho Dinero AND Signature Appearance. The current hood could be mistaken for a Stratus'.

NOw $10k less to make and $7k higher price gives owners $17k less value. Assuming cost and value are associated. Hmmm.
 

Tom F&L GoR

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I was at the VCA-PVO autocross and asked ol' Herb about the high performance rear brakes on the Gen 1 and non-ABS Gen 2 cars. The reply (not an answer) was that it met the DOT requirements. Soooo.... what it tells me is that as good as the car was meant to be, there was still a lot of cost concerns at the time. I think early cars were a Dodge kit car, and like all kit cars, sold for more than the price of the parts, but not enough to cover labor.
 

SRT10

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Herb Helbig is quoted in Automotive International Online saying,

"Despite the myriad improvements to the new Viper, it costs DaimlerChrysler $10,000 less to build than the old model, according to Helbig. Ensuring that the car could be built profitably was an absolute requirement under the company's current austerity program."

..but didn't the price go up?

I think you guys have this backwards.Didn't the Viper GTS ACR list for over $90K? Doesn't that make a GEN 2 MORE expensive than a Gen 3?
 

Skip White

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I don't see any possible way DC makes money on the car directly. The SRT tooling must have cost a fortune, not to be reclamed with such low production numbers.

Most all exotic car companies that have tried to make it on low run cars have somewhat failed. The SRT seems to me a very much advanced car from the GTS. Yes the radio is Chrysler all the way, but little else on the car is mass produced. I'm sure there is a degree of eficiancy in making several thousand of the same part. It's the tooling, enginering and man hours that make me think there is little if any to be made on this car.

I will say this car has been very good for DC in the way of marketing there name/product. The dealers and vendors of supplies are to proffit, no doubt. Can't say this car would be a direct money maker for them, and 3 years bumper to bumper, followed by 7/70. Not to mention numerous recalls over the years. Make money, you gotta be kidding. Have you seen the paychecks of the blue coller guys building them? The plant cost is a small fortune, what to make a few cars a day. Na it don't add up.

As I've said before, I could be very wrong.

Good advertising/marketing move, seems to me.

Maybe DC doe's not want to say, yes we loose money on the car, just to promote our name. I would like to know they are being rewarded for there creation in the direct form of proffit. But they are, just not so directly. We now must finish the project and go tell the world what a great product DC is cable of creating. You might say this is one job in our life, we love. Who said the Ram-Charger team was gone, WERE IT!

ps, this Herb guy, wonder if he really believes DC is making money car for car, when it may have cost more to design and tool up for the Viper than 50 or so mass prod. cars that are nothing more than inovations of the last model. Then let us tear em up, for them to fix for free.

Skip White
 
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FE 065

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"I will say this car has been very good for DC in the way of marketing there name/product.."


I wonder? There are no advertisements for Vipers, not even in the magazine, and you don't see many on the road.


They're out there, but it's hardly a daily name toting workhorse. Or so it would seem .

:)
 

Y2K5SRT

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I wonder? There are no advertisements for Vipers, not even in the magazine, and you don't see many on the road. They're out there, but it's hardly a daily name toting workhorse. Or so it would seem.

I would beg to differ in one very major way: While there is very, very little "advertising" of the Viper itself, how many times have you seen the Viper grace the cover of a magazine or two? A LOT of times. Even though the SRT is now almost two years old, it still gets magazine covers like last month's Automobile magazine. I would guess that the Viper gets more magazine covers and references than all other Dodge products combined. Advertising? No. Icon status? You betcha.
 

Cris

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Yeh, but some of those covers have eggs cooking on the sills!
 

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