Chrysler looking to sell off the Viper line

MkIII_Jeff

squirelly wrath!
Mar 2, 2008
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First off, here is the vid of the 2009 Viper ACR running a 7:22 at the 'ring. The cool thing about this run is the driver only had 5 laps to learn the car and get the time compared to the couple weeks Nissan and GM used to get their times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sczC1GK30xc

This is all over the internet, I'm grabbing the article from the USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-08-27-viper_N.htm

DETROIT — Chrysler is looking at selling its Dodge Viper business after some third parties approached the company looking to take on the low-volume, high-performance sports car brand.

A sale of the Viper would allow Chrysler to focus more on its key products and less on what the auto industry calls "halo" cars — models that are stylish and fast and show enthusiasts that the carmaker has what it takes to make a high-powered vehicle.

The Viper, driven by celebrities such as Hulk Hogan and NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, has had total sales of about 25,000 from its introduction in 1992 though March this year. In 2007, Dodge sold just 435 of the $88,000-plus two-seaters that are powered by a 600-horsepower V-10 engine.

Chrysler says it would offer financial and operational support during an ownership handoff, "in order to ensure a future for the Viper business and perpetuate the legacy of this great vehicle," said Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli.

"Viper is an integral part of this company's heritage," he said.

In the past few years, the Big Three automakers have shed non-core businesses to focus on their basic, high-volume brands. General Motors sold off controlling interest in financial arm GMAC, divested stakes in Isuzu and Fiat and has said it is looking for a buyer for its Hummer brand.

When GM hit a rough financial patch in 2004, rumors swirled that it was looking to sell off Corvette, but the sports car remains in the GM portfolio.

Ford sold its Jaguar and Land Rover operations this spring to Indian conglomerate Tata Sons for a net price of about $1.5 billion and earlier sold Aston Martin for just shy of $1 billion.

Viper won't bring in nearly as much as Aston Martin, says Kevin Tynan, an analyst at Argus Research. He estimates it could go for $140 million to $150 million.

Selling Viper could be a sign that Chrysler is in trouble, he says. "It's a shame to see it go, and it probably could be interpreted as a sign of desperation, only because it's not a whole lot … coming from that kind of sale."

The Viper brand is valuable to Chrysler because it gives people a reason to go into the showroom. Tynan says he remembers going with his father in 1992 to see the car when the first model hit showrooms. People were lined up outside the store to see it. And it's become a rival to the Chevrolet Corvette in horsepower and in image power.

"It's usually been better than Corvette in the horsepower wars," Tynan said. "If nothing else, it's given them that halo product that competes with GM's halo product head-to-head.
 

92nsx

Supramania Contributor
Sep 30, 2005
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Is he bouncing of the rev limiter, or smashing into the track? It looks like the shifter is going to pop out, and it sounded like front end was ripped off 10 times. lol.

I think every one now tunes at the ring. shit even my caddy was tuned there ;)
 

MkIII_Jeff

squirelly wrath!
Mar 2, 2008
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Roseville, CA
Yes, the dude was bouncing off the rev limiter. This was a professional driver hired by Chrysler and was given 5 laps or so to learn the car and make his best time. The driver had NEVER been in the car before. He broke the track record that fast.

He was bouncing off the limiter for a reason. Watch when the corners come up vs when he hits the limiter. It would have unbalanced the car would he have upshifted, then had to brake harder and downshift in order to make the corner.

Given more time at the track I am sure the car can do a 7:1X. The ACR is pure race car and is a total beast.

More importantly is whether or not the car will even be around in a few yrs.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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That last section he could have probably shifted to get more speed, and the rest of the time it looks like he's fighting with the gearbox (missed shifts, wrong gear, ect)

But yes, it's a full race car while the competition is not...
 

MkIII_Jeff

squirelly wrath!
Mar 2, 2008
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Roseville, CA
Poodles;1119673 said:
That last section he could have probably shifted to get more speed, and the rest of the time it looks like he's fighting with the gearbox (missed shifts, wrong gear, ect)

But yes, it's a full race car while the competition is not...

In the couple previous laps the driver did try higher gears on the last section. Apparently found out that with all the down force the car just could not pull hard enough in the taller gear.

What this guy did was just amazing IMO.
 

Keros

Canadian Bacon
Mar 16, 2007
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Calgary
Wow, that's ALOT of car.

Many manufacturers tune at the ring because of the high speeds, rough road, and mindnumbing abuse that the car has to endure to attain good times. If there's a weak point in a vehicle, racing it on the Ring will find it.