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-   -   Chrysler News: Fiat keeping Viper Brand alive! (http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37129)

nthfinity 05-03-2006 05:23 PM

Chrysler News: Fiat keeping Viper Brand alive!
 
while this is entirely possible... orders are already being taken for the Mustang; and will be delivered in the coming months. the real question:

will the aftermarket be as strong for the new "hemi"? not much is written about it in these pages... still, i love the cars style, and design.

Quote:

Mopar faithful are speculating that Chrysler’s speed freaks are working on an SRT version of the upcoming Challenger. Since an official green light has not been given for the Challenger Concept that debuted earlier this year at the Detroit auto show, this may be a case of fans attempting to will their dream into reality, but a 510-hp, 6.4L Hemi V8 does sound better than sheep jumping a fence.

Word is that Chrysler’s SRT division was going to debut a Challenger SRT-8 at the New York Auto Show, an event that did not come to pass. SEMA is being pegged as the next most likely debut venue.

With the announcement by Ford that the Mustang Shelby GT500 will produce an SAE-certified 500 horsepower, many readers have questioned how both Dodge and Chevy will respond when their pony cars debut. Will the Challenger SRT-8 materialize as an answer, and will Chevy step up with a 500-hp Camaro SS? And how would that affect the Viper and Vette?

Though the Mustang Shelby GT500’s thunder was stolen by Dodge and Chevy at the Detroit show, it’s apparent the super Stang is raising some eyebrows around the industry.

[Source: SRTMopar]

666fast 05-03-2006 08:29 PM

Build it, Build it, Build it!!!!!!

With the impact the concept has had, I'm sure the aftermarket would be more than willing to do what they can. If the Challenger does go into production, they'll sell them faster than they can build them.

T-Bird 05-03-2006 09:12 PM

they have to do something because with the new GT500 Chevy and Dodge (talking old school here none of that DXC crap) have to step it up a notch and I am guessing that is a reason that this "Blue Devil" is around aswell.

nthfinity 05-03-2006 09:13 PM

^^^
i have word on high that future models in the DXC lineup are bleak :( i hope they pull the challenger off

rave426 08-01-2006 08:45 AM

I think the Challenger will be debued at ~500 hp (It is said DCX is working on a 6.6L Hemi), and I am trying to be optomistic that it will be lighter than the GT500.

Personally I would like the challenger to have 500hp and rev to about 7000 rpm. That would be incredible. A messaged Hemi engine sounds glorious. If not, then my pick may be that Camaro with the LS7 (7100 rpm). I just think its something magical about V8's that rev.

nthfinity 08-01-2006 10:26 AM

i am told that the 425 hp 6.2 liter is going in, but nobody knew of anything with 500 hp going in the challenger.

rave426 08-01-2006 11:20 AM

The 425hp engine is a 6.1L. The 6.6L is a rumor, but I will try to find the page. I would say it is more likley that a 6.4 or 6.6L engine is placed in it, because 425 hp for 40K+ is not going to do the job verses the the near price, 500hp camaro and GT500. The camaro is a rumor also, but i'm sure GM wont let the GT500 steal the light.

Edit

Here is the link

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/07/...008-challenger

nthfinity 10-09-2006 11:01 PM

amid poor sales this quarter (supposedly more?) the new Dodge Charger is going to be undergoing some MASSIVE changes to meet demand, and go away from the Euro sporty sedan concept.

Zee Germans have realized their folly finally, and will be chopping off 2 doors, and elongating the hood of the dodge charger.... hard to say what to expect on the overall shape of the grill.... but anything is bound to be better then the 300 C clone we have right now.

the big question... will Charger be officially competing vs. the Challenger? I'm curious as to the markets.... i think the Charger will be marketed as more the easy-going, and more luxurious (can i even say that with such a car lol) while the Challenger will be geared towared the enthusiast.

You heard it here first!

number77 10-28-2006 08:58 PM

http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/sema/ex...nal-210759.php

http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/sema/ex...emi-210783.php

http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/sema/ex...ils-210793.php


http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/sema/ex...ood-210820.php

acmarttin 10-29-2006 02:44 AM

@ number77: This is off-topic, but from a fellow Radiohead fan, I give you thumbs up for putting the "Minotaur" in your avatar :D

number77 11-03-2006 11:33 PM

Yea Radiohead is great!

This is a video of the superstock challenger car. I hope it hasn't been posted already.
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...t=CIMG1069.flv

number77 12-22-2006 02:51 PM

Magnum
http://www.speedsportlife.com/photop...numsrt8_02.jpg

nthfinity 12-24-2006 10:47 AM

I'm trying to se whats different, or special to the one's already out there for current year... not much really...

BTW, then can go 170ish ;)

nthfinity 08-13-2007 08:39 PM

We in Detroit are worried about the new CEO's who aren't car guys coming into our domain.... Thankfully GM still has one at the Helm... and of the three, they are doing the best.
I think Ford will eventually dump, or ask Mullallay to resign... (former Boeing fame)... I think Cerberus is pushing for a greener chrysler... and proof of this is by putting this new former CEO of General Electric... Times are looking bleak here in Detroit, and for all performance car lovers :(
Quote:


Chrysler's New 'Tough-as-Nails' CEO
By installing the controversial Bob Nardelli, Cerberus will shake up Chrysler—but that is just what the carmaker needs

by David Kiley


If Cerberus Capital Management, the new majority owner of Chrysler, wanted to make a bold statement Monday on its first day of running the automaker, the private equity firm succeeded when it named the well-known and controversial Robert Nardelli as its new chief executive.

Nardelli, a former top General Electric (GE) manager who lost out to Jeffrey Immelt in the contest to succeed the legendary Jack Welch back in 2000, tends to elicit strong opinions and reactions wherever he goes. At Home Depot (HD), where Nardelli went after GE, he alienated the retailer's founders, Wall Street, shareholders, and virtually all of the management he inherited. He would go on to become a symbol of excessive CEO pay—as well as CEO arrogance because he wanted nothing to do with shareholder meetings.

At the now privately held Chrysler, Nardelli's brand of management science and military leadership style may be just what Chrysler, long criticized for an undisciplined operating culture, needs to return to a profitable track. On the other hand, his lack of experience in the car business and his manage-through-fear track record could become so disruptive to Chrysler that Cerberus could end up getting its investment in the automaker back by selling off the Jeep brand instead of managing the whole company back to profitability.
"Not a Car Guy"

One of Nardelli's former colleagues says he is a fan of the new Chrysler CEO despite not recommending him for the CEO spot at General Electric. "Bob will tackle this with a vengeance," says GE former Chairman and CEO Jack Welch in an exclusive interview with BusinessWeek. "He will work seven days a week. He will have people on his team who are that committed." (To read more of Welch's comments about his former protégé, see BusinessWeek.com, 8/6/07, "Jack Welch: 'Cerberus Hit a Home Run'").

A longtime Chrysler watcher, professor Gerald Meyers of the University of Michigan, has a different take on Nardelli's chances for success in the auto industry. "Cerberus has the right idea, but the wrong guy," says Meyers. The onetime chairman of American Motors, Meyers says that Nardelli is "not a car guy…he could take 18 months to get his wheels out of the sand in terms of learning what he needs to know…and Chrysler doesn't have a lot of time."

Meyers predicts that one of the aspects of the car business Nardelli will find most frustrating is that, unlike Home Depot store managers, dealers do not work for Chrysler. "They can be an ornery bunch, especially when things aren't going well, and the state laws are written to protect them against the car companies trying to bully them," says Meyers.
Union Negotiations

The new CEO is also walking into Chrysler just as it is negotiating new contracts with the United Auto Workers and the Canadian Auto Workers. These talks for new contracts are said by analysts to be critical to the future of Chrysler, Ford Motor (F), and General Motors (GM). CAW President Buzz Hargrove told Reuters (RTRSY) Monday that he was "surprised and concerned" by Cerberus' decision to hire Nardelli. "We don't know the guy."

Just last week, Cerberus Chairman John Snow, the former Treasury Secretary under President George W. Bush, said there would be no management shakeup coming at Chrysler, although with outgoing CEO Thomas LaSorda being demoted to president and vice-chairman, that is clearly not the case.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger did not offer comment. Nardelli said Monday that he spoke with Gettelfinger, and that the union chief did query him about his "executive pay" at Home Depot. He told the new CEO: "I don't care about washing machines and snow blowers. I care about cars."
Strong Support

Cerberus founder Stephen Feinberg has not granted an interview but an executive who has spoken with Feinberg says the financier "worships" General Electric's management, and has been an admirer of Nardelli's. Feinberg, says the executive, believes that Nardelli's true "genius" will come out when he can manage out of the glare of "quarterly earnings reports, shareholder meetings, and daily share prices." The same executive says he expects that Nardelli and Feinberg will recruit more former GE executives "who think like they do" to Chrysler.

Another Nardelli fan is Kenneth Langone, the man who brought him in to head Home Depot in 2000. Langone also has taken a lot of heat for his support of Nardelli. "If right now I was a Chrysler investor, I'd be very happy," Langone said at the Academy of Management's annual conference in Philadelphia, where he took part in a panel discussion about private equity.

Langone credited Nardelli with bailing Home Depot out of its failed South American excursion, stabilizing the business, and raising profits, even if the stock price was lackluster. "He's probably the best operating executive I've ever known," Langone said. Nardelli's work ethic, detail-oriented philosophy, and his knack for deciphering costs and benefits are traits that will serve him well at the struggling automaker, Langone continued.

"If anyone can save Chysler, Nardelli can," Langone said.
"Not a Time to Play Nice"

So now Nardelli replaces the panoramic view of downtown Atlanta at his Home Depot office with one of the suburban strip malls of Detroit's northern suburbs. But the wounds inflicted in his battles with shareholders and employees at the home-improvement retailer still haven't healed for some. For the last year, as Nardelli's fate remained a mystery, there was much speculation around the Peach State about what his next job would be.

The news that he would run privately held Chrysler for a hedge fund such as Cerberus came as little surprise to some of his sharpest critics. "His only future was with the asset boys, the private equity firms," says A. Leigh Baier, an Atlanta attorney and Home Depot shareholder who challenged Nardelli's allegedly poor treatment of employees during his tenure. "I don't think any public company would have touched him. I'm glad there are no shareholders who are going to get hurt if these guys are wrong."

Nardelli has been the poster boy in the ongoing debate over whether CEOs are paid too much. Nardelli ran Home Depot for almost six years until he parted ways with the retailer's board last January. In addition to being one of the best-paid CEOs at the same time the company's share price was stagnating, Nardelli received $210 million as he was headed out the door. At Cerberus and Chrysler, Nardelli's compensation agreement is being kept confidential and out of the headlines.

But if Chrysler can turn itself around then Nardelli will have earned his payday, whatever it might be. And auto insiders such as Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation (AN), Chrysler's biggest dealer network, says he could be the right choice. "Chrysler has to reinvent the way it has been doing business for the last 100 years, from a push-production model to one that is a consumer-pull business," says Jackson. "And you are going to need a tough-as-nails executive who will move quickly and decisively, and Nardelli is that kind of guy," says Jackson. "This is not a time to play nice."

Kiley is a senior correspondent in BusinessWeek's Detroit bureau.

nthfinity 08-13-2007 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brembo
I love to hear how the americans are in absoulute worship of an high reving V8 as its not have been around for ages.... :twisted:

WTF are you talking about? Small block 302's from the 60's were turning 8000 revs on the street... not to mention the Cobra Jet 428's, the Hemi 426's making use of well over 70000 revs, and ZL1 spinning similar numbers above 7000 as well.

nthfinity 02-06-2008 02:59 PM

UPDATE:We've got all the pictures now added of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 live reveal in Chicago! Viva la revolution! After years of looking at spy photos, renderings and concept versions — the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is here, for real. Powered by the 6.1-liter HEMI V8, this HEMI orange muscle car puts out 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. for a total of 69.8 horsepower per liter. How fast is it? Good question. The performance "targets" were a 0-60 mph time in the low fives, a quarter-mile in less than 14 seconds, at least 0.88 g's on the skidpad and a 60-0 mph stopping time of about 110 feet. However, you -- like us -- are waiting to see the actual performance numbers to see how close they got to the targets. To make the SRT8 trackworthy, engineers employed a multilink short and long arm suspension up front. In the back, the Challenger sports a five-link independent suspension with multiple bushings, allowing it to be tuned for ride or comfort. It's your choice of tires on the forged aluminum 20-inch wheels that will be keeping the 4,140-lb monster on the track. Keeping the Challenger out of the ditch is the job of the red, four-piston Brembo calipers. Drivers of the first batch of SRT8's will be controlling that power with a five-speed AutoStick, which might make some a little unhappy. More details should emerge Wednesday morning. In the meantime, there is a full press release and tons of photos in the gallery below the jump.
~~~~~~~~`
Look at the bold... so its slower then a 300 hp Mustang GT both to 60, and to the 1/4 mile, and with IRS, it doesn't skidpad as well??? come on.... :(

rave426 02-06-2008 04:53 PM

Mopar has really upset me recently. The only thing that still makes me proud is the Viper. Everything else is marketing rubbish.

79TA 02-07-2008 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nthfinity (Post 816340)
UPDATE:We've got all the pictures now added of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 live reveal in Chicago ! Viva la revolution! After years of looking at spy photos , renderings and concept versions — the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is here, for real. Powered by the 6.1-liter HEMI V8, this HEMI orange muscle car puts out 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. for a total of 69.8 horsepower per liter. How fast is it? Good question. The performance "targets" were a 0-60 mph time in the low fives, a quarter-mile in less than 14 seconds, at least 0.88 g's on the skidpad and a 60-0 mph stopping time of about 110 feet. However, you -- like us -- are waiting to see the actual performance numbers to see how close they got to the targets. To make the SRT8 trackworthy, engineers employed a multilink short and long arm suspension up front. In the back, the Challenger sports a five-link independent suspension with multiple bushings, allowing it to be tuned for ride or comfort. It's your choice of tires on the forged aluminum 20-inch wheels that will be keeping the 4,140-lb monster on the track. Keeping the Challenger out of the ditch is the job of the red, four-piston Brembo calipers. Drivers of the first batch of SRT8's will be controlling that power with a five-speed AutoStick, which might make some a little unhappy. More details should emerge Wednesday morning. In the meantime, there is a full press release and tons of photos in the gallery below the jump.
~~~~~~~~`
Look at the bold... so its slower then a 300 hp Mustang GT both to 60, and to the 1/4 mile, and with IRS, it doesn't skidpad as well??? come on.... :(

I'll take this opportunity to once again point out that a good archaic 3 link can be set up better than IRS. :-P To be fair though, the Challenger is carrying a lot more weight.

RC45 02-09-2008 03:38 AM

The Viper is Dead...

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/08/h...led-the-viper/

With the Viper gone, and Gm cancelling the V8 rear drive platforms, might the Horse Power Wars be over again?

Is 2008 the 1971 of the new millenium?

graywolf624 02-09-2008 07:59 AM

If it is maybe you shouldnt have knocked my purchase so much ;)

GunnyD 02-09-2008 08:26 AM

A bit off topic but Daimler AG got rid of Chrysler to Cerberus Capitol Management at a loss of $650 million USD. The corporation is now just Chrysler LLC. I have never been a MOPAR fan but I would drive the Dodge Challenger, but not buy it. After owning 2 Ford T-birds (pre retro makeover) and currently a Chevy Monte Carlo, I can't waste my money on another American made car. All three required new automatic transmissions, and leaked oil everywhere. My problem is being 6'2" and the Asian automakers make cars for midgets.

nthfinity 02-09-2008 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC45 (Post 816737)
The Viper is Dead...

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/08/h...led-the-viper/

With the Viper gone, and Gm cancelling the V8 rear drive platforms, might the Horse Power Wars be over again?

Is 2008 the 1971 of the new millenium?

no, 2008 is 1968..... we have 3 good years left before we are all forced to only go shopping on the used market.

This time, is all in the name of the great global warming haox. :(

nthfinity 02-09-2008 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GunnyD (Post 816757)
A bit off topic but Daimler AG got rid of Chrysler to Cerberus Capitol Management at a loss of $650 million USD. The corporation is now just Chrysler LLC. I have never been a MOPAR fan but I would drive the Dodge Challenger, but not buy it. After owning 2 Ford T-birds (pre retro makeover) and currently a Chevy Monte Carlo, I can't waste my money on another American made car. All three required new automatic transmissions, and leaked oil everywhere. My problem is being 6'2" and the Asian automakers make cars for midgets.

yeah, old news.... likely posted here, but not in the right section.

But the problem with the previous American cars you owned/ and own.... it is that they are crap. Our cars today are on par, or better then the Japanese competitor... and there is a reason I prefer driving a manual ;) ;) I'd rather be responsible for destroying a clutch... and be in control of how the power hits the pavement... but thats just me ;)

The T bird old generation was so wollowy, under powered, bad differential, .... ugly... poorly assembled that many are falling apart... however, the Monte Carlo is the FWD Chevy competitor to it... i guess to each their own.

Until 2012, I will continue to support the domestic auto industry... and maybe even then to some degree...

nthfinity 03-13-2008 12:40 PM

STOP THE PRESS

Chrysler forces employees into mandatory 2 week vacation to save money..... this is BREAKING news

The beginning of the end of Chrysler is at hand.... and the nation doesn't care :( :( :(

Mark my words... as legislation continues to break the domestic auto industry, our "one state recession" is going to infect the other north eastern manufacturing states... its going to infect the whole financial stability of the nation, and perhaps the world...

Quote:

Nardelli's Memo to Chrysler Workers
March 13, 2008 12:36 p.m.


Chrysler LLC plans to shut down the company for two weeks this summer as a cost saving move to "accelerate Chrysler's recovery and transformation," Chief Executive Robert Nardelli told employees in a memo distributed Thursday. Here is a copy of the memo:
Dear Employee,
A willingness to try something new has proven to be an important catalyst as we transform into The New Chrysler and, in many corners of this company, new ways of doing business are firmly taking root. That's not just because of new leadership; it's also a product of an "Own It" mindset. As a private company, we all need to think like owners and do our part to accelerate Chrysler's recovery and transformation.
One idea that we have taken a fresh look at is the implementation of a two-week mandatory vacation shutdown. This year, in order to create better alignment and efficiency across organizational lines and boost productivity, Chrysler will use a corporate-wide vacation shutdown for the weeks of July 7 and July 14. While some operations will need to work during the shutdown to support business-critical activities and others may need to maintain minimal support staffs in place, most organizations should use this two-week time period to schedule employee vacations.
Employees who have already used their earned vacation days, have insufficient earned vacation for the year or are otherwise committed to noncancelable vacation plans during other time periods should work with their local management to make alternative arrangements.
We ask that you approach this idea with an open mind and a team spirit. It's going to take your cooperation and teamwork to achieve success.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and continued support.
Sincerely,
Bob

nthfinity 03-13-2008 12:51 PM

Chrysler to shut down all operations for 2 weeks in July
3/13/2008, 12:25 p.m. EDT
By DEE-ANN DURBIN
The Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler LLC is telling employees worldwide to take a mandatory two-week vacation in July.

Chrysler informed employees of the plan in an e-mail sent to employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. Chrysler spokeswoman Mary Beth Heilprin confirms the e-mail was sent.

Chrysler plans a corporate-wide shutdown the weeks of July 7 and July 14. Heilprin says some employees may be asked to stay on to work on special projects.

It's common for automakers to shut down plants in July, but this also would affect salaried workers.

Chrysler says the shutdown should help it boost productivity and efficiency. Heilprin didn't have any details about why the decision was made.

RC45 03-13-2008 12:53 PM

Chrysler is dead.

The raiders who bought it just want to sell the assets, dump the people and pocket the difference.

nthfinity 08-27-2008 12:03 PM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26422051/

DETROIT - Chrysler LLC is exploring strategic options for its Dodge Viper sports car business as the struggling U.S. automaker tries to raise cash to ride out a deepening U.S. auto downturn.

“We have been approached by third parties who are interested in exploring future possibilities for Viper,” Chief Executive Bob Nardelli said on Wednesday in a memo to employees.

“As the company evaluates strategic options to maximize core operations and leverage its assets, we have agreed to listen to these parties,” he added.
Story continues below ↓advertisement

The Dodge Viper is a low-volume V10-powered sports car, which was first produced in 1992.

Chrysler spokesman Todd Goyer said about 11 Viper cars are built daily at Chrysler’s Conner Avenue assembly plant in Detroit. Chrysler has sold 682 Vipers so far this year, up 111 percent from the previous year.

Like its larger competitors General Motors Corp and Ford Motor Co, Chrysler — majority-owned by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management — has faced scrutiny over its ability to ride out a downturn in U.S. auto sales that many analysts expect to stretch through 2009.

All three U.S. automakers have been hit hard by the sharp decline in sales of pickup trucks, SUVs and vans that followed the rise in gas prices this year.

Chrysler said the decision on Viper is “a stand-alone strategic review, unique to Viper” and it has not set a definitive timetable for completion of the review.

Chrysler, which has retained Lazard as its financial adviser on Viper, had said earlier that it has identified about $1 billion in non-earning assets for potential sale to raise cash.

The company, which has released limited financial data since Cerberus bought it from Daimler AG about a year ago, ended June with $11.7 billion in cash and had earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of $1.1 billion in the first half of the year.

RC45 08-27-2008 01:04 PM

So Cerberus is abotu to gut Chrysler.

Viper could never survive as its own niche brand. Without a dealer network, the economy of scale of the Chrysler brand for marketing and R&D it is as absurd an idea as expecting TVR to ever amount to anything again.

Besides which, they barely sell 600 cars a year at $90,000 - they would sell 10 maybe 20 at $250,000+ each... which is what a boutique Viper would have to sell for.

When this goes dow, expect lots of people to park their Vipers, as the remaining ones will become parts donors for the guys needing spares ;)

nthfinity 08-27-2008 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC45 (Post 850337)
So Cerberus is abotu to gut Chrysler.

which is what we've been saying since they bought them out...

RC45 08-27-2008 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nthfinity (Post 850345)
which is what we've been saying since they bought them out...

It was obvious - but there was little indication of the timeline though.

They have had some success stories though - Cerberus turned Ducati around from a washed up, zero-quality, minimal sales, zero-profit Eyetalian junk bike builder into what it is today.

Then again, it's a lot easier to sell hot looking bikes for $15,000 a piece as millions watch the red rockets zip around race tracks of the world.

dutchmasterflex 08-27-2008 05:43 PM

Viper is dead already.. Chrysler's just trying to make a badly needed buck. It's not a bad idea if they can get someone to buy it.. but it would be a lost cause, just like selling TVR to a wealthy Russian kid.

nthfinity 08-27-2008 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutchmasterflex (Post 850371)
Viper is dead already.. Chrysler's just trying to make a badly needed buck. It's not a bad idea if they can get someone to buy it.. but it would be a lost cause, just like selling TVR to a wealthy Russian kid.

selling 2x as many vipers as last year isn't "dead" ;)

Also, I've heard stories that Saleen want Viper...

HeilSvenska 08-27-2008 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nthfinity (Post 850375)
selling 2x as many vipers as last year isn't "dead" ;)

Also, I've heard stories that Saleen want Viper...

Saleen making Vipers eh? That might not be a bad idea, although I can't even begin to fathom how much Cerberus will ask for the Viper "brand".

RC45 08-27-2008 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nthfinity (Post 850375)
selling 2x as many vipers as last year isn't "dead" ;)

Also, I've heard stories that Saleen want Viper...

They may as well be though - the Viper "brand" is partly the Didge heritage, and as I say, with an established dealer network, parts inventory etc etc the idea o fjust offloading that in its entirety and then somehow having Viper continue as a product has slim to no chance of surving.

I mean Saleen barely got by selling thousands of bodykit Mustangs - and the big Saleen is a superniche limited edition car with a very small following.

Viper can't really survive without Dodge - and probably the reverse is also true.

When folks go down to the local Dodge dealer, the presence of SRT/8 vehicles makes a difference - the real price of selling to the Krauts is now being paid ;)

dutchmasterflex 08-29-2008 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nthfinity (Post 850375)
selling 2x as many vipers as last year isn't "dead" ;)

Also, I've heard stories that Saleen want Viper...

They killed it when they announced they would be no more new Vipers.

Now they are just selling the dead body to be revived. Ya hear me now?

nthfinity 12-18-2008 11:30 AM

Chrysler turns off engine for a month

Nick Bunkley, Detroit

December 19, 2008
CHRYSLER will close all 30 of its factories for at least one month, in response to plunging vehicle sales in the United States.
The company said the plants, which employ 46,000 union workers, would close this week and resume production no sooner than January 19.
Some will remain closed for several more weeks. Normally, the Detroit car makers close their plants for about two weeks at the end of the year. In addition, Ford said it would extend the holiday shutdown at most of its plants to a third week.
Meanwhile, worries that Chrysler could be forced to file for bankruptcy have spooked many car dealers into borrowing so much money from the car maker's lending arm that the company said it might need to suspend the loans.
Dealers have been requesting nearly $US60 million ($A86 million) a day from a fund used to finance vehicle inventories, and a total of $US1.5 billion since July. Chrysler Financial's chief executive, Thomas Gilman, told dealers in a letter last week that the requests were "troubling" and he urged them not to borrow more than "what's absolutely necessary for the operation of your business".
US car sales are at their lowest in 26 years. Chrysler's sales were down 47 per cent last month, compared with a 37 per cent decline for the industry overall.
Chrysler's chief executive, Robert Nardelli, told Congress this month that the company needed an immediate loan of $US7 billion to help it survive into the new year. Senate Republicans blocked aid to Chrysler and the other Detroit car makers last week, but the Bush Administration is expected to step in with some form of aid.
General Motors, which has said it needs $US4 billion this month to stay afloat and another $US14 billion after that, said last week it would shut 20 assembly plants in North America for at least part of the first quarter.
"People just don't want to buy cars," said Anthony Viviano, the chairman of Sterling Heights Dodge and Meadowbrook Dodge near Detroit. "Hopefully, by Friday, the President OK's this thing. We just have to calm everybody down."
Mr Gilman's letter showed dealers were feeling jittery along with their would-be customers.
"They don't know what to do. They're just running wild," Mr Viviano said.
Without access to financing, few Chrysler dealers would be able to order new vehicles. "Chrysler Financial finances 75 per cent of all vehicles shipped to US dealers, and we continue to support our dealer body with uninterrupted wholesale financing," said Chrysler Financial spokeswoman Amber Gowen.
Chrysler said its dealers, during a recent meeting at the company's Michigan headquarters, told executives that they had lost 20 to 25 per cent of their volume because consumers were unable to obtain loans.
"They have many willing buyers for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles but are unable to close the deals due to lack of financing," Chrysler said in a statement.
In addition to leaving their plants idle, car makers have been trying to save money by cutting their workforce.
Last month, Chrysler cut about 5000 salaried jobs through a buy-out and early retirement program. By the end of this month, it is expected to have eliminated more than 1800 hourly positions.
Workers at the plants will be laid off during the down time, but a supplemental unemployment program ensures they will continue to receive most of their pay.
NEW YORK TIMES

HeilSvenska 12-18-2008 02:08 PM

One month, if we're lucky.

HeilSvenska 04-28-2009 01:24 AM

UAW owning majority of Chrysler in the new deal?

10000rpmlover 04-28-2009 07:20 PM

and.... nothing of value was lost

I wouldn't even bat an eye at chrysler eating a bullet, seriously, would not miss them, not their idiotic Jeep brand, their nonsense cheap ass dodge caliber, the ugly as hell nitro

chrysler was only good for about 4 years during the 1990's and that was because they were selling cars powered by mitsubishi engines (avenger= eclipse, intrepid = diamante) but then they somehow missed on a good thing by not releasing a proper americanized version of the evo III (which could have been named the dodge colt)

HeilSvenska 07-11-2009 03:00 AM

Dodge Viper SRT10 Will Live On

Auburn Hills, Mich., Jul 10, 2009 - Chrysler Group LLC announced today that production will continue for the legendary Dodge Viper SRT10.

Originally slated to cease production in December 2009, the Chrysler Group Conner Avenue Assembly Plant - the exclusive home of Dodge Viper production since 1995 - will continue to build the V-10 powered sports car. Chrysler Group is no longer pursuing a sale of the Viper business assets.

"The Dodge Viper has successfully captured the hearts and imagination of performance enthusiasts around the globe," said Mike Accavitti, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dodge Brand. "We're extremely proud that the ultimate American-built sports car with its world-class performance will live on as the iconic image leader for the Dodge brand."

Introduced as a concept car in 1989 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Dodge Viper was designed and engineered to test public reaction to the concept of a back-to-basics, high-performance, limited production sports car.

The reaction was so overwhelming that customer orders began to flow in even before the auto show was over. Chrysler Corporation immediately decided to determine the production feasibility on transforming the crowd-pleasing Dodge Viper show car into a limited-production sports car in no more than three years.
In May 1990, after months of intensive study and testing, Chrysler Corporation announced that the Dodge Viper, powered by an aluminum V-10 was a "go."

Dodge Viper production began in May 1992 at the New Mack Assembly Plant and was moved to Conner Avenue in October 1995. Viper V-10 engine production transferred from Mound Road Engine to Conner Avenue Assembly in May 2001. In 2008, Dodge introduced the all-new, fourth generation Dodge Viper SRT10. With more horsepower, more torque and more than 30 exterior and interior color combinations, the latest Viper gives enthusiasts the performance they expect on the track and off, with more factory customization options than before.

For 2009, the Dodge Viper SRT10 offers outrageous power, with an 8.4-liter, 600-horsepower (450 kW) V-10 engine contributing to blistering acceleration (0-60 mph in less than four seconds, 0-100-0 mph in the low 12-second range), setting an American sports car benchmark.

To date, more than 25,000 Dodge Vipers have been built.

RC45 07-11-2009 12:36 PM

As long as the "next-gen" Viper isnt an Alfa Spyder Veloce with a 4 cylinder and 2 electric motors LOL ;)

enzoferrari 07-11-2009 12:45 PM

^^^^lol lol,good news.

fordgt84 07-11-2009 02:24 PM

oh happy day :-D

pagani 07-11-2009 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC45 (Post 868563)
As long as the "next-gen" Viper isnt an Alfa Spyder Veloce with a 4 cylinder and 2 electric motors LOL ;)

I will have itaaalian brake calipers

pagani 07-11-2009 06:40 PM

You what i would love to see a modern day version of a detomaso pantera whit a viper engine

nthfinity 07-12-2009 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagani (Post 868573)
You what i would love to see a modern day version of a detomaso pantera whit a viper engine

SACRILEGE !!!!

Only Ford powerplants can go into a DeTomasso (or one Chevy small block allowed... just like the lone OEM Mangusta with a Chevy small block )

nthfinity 07-12-2009 08:13 PM

Seems Fiat/Chrysler are planning for the 2011 and the FMVSS requirements going forward... it is probably one of the better possible outcomes.


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