Viper Brand For Sale, who should buy it?

How about Hennessy or Saleen? Betcha there could be some trouble getting financing for this though - with the current crisis going down.

 

Although Lamborghini had a big role in its original development, I don't think the Viper is quite the image they're going for.

But it'll be interesting to see if anyone picks it up. It's hard to imagine a Viper really being a Viper without mopar.

 

Tru Dat

End of an era.

 

I think I might have to try my hand at photoshop for this one... maybe a Hyundai Viper or a Kia Viper?

I think it's bad news for both brands. Chrysler loses it's halo car, and Brand X picks up a legacy car that will never truly shed the Dodge image. Even if it's re-engineered into an amazing car and a raging success, it will always be 'the car that Dodge built and Brand X simply took over'.

-Tad

 

Shelby

 

Ford

 

Panoz.

 

Viper Club Of America members should all pitch in.

$5k each ?

 

TATA!! Better sell it quick or the taxpayers may have some vested interest!!!

 

Yeah perhaps Viper could be a new governmental agency.

 

Yep, Tata.

 

hadn't considered them, that would actually be pretty smart. would be cool to see what Elan could do with that V10, too....

 

This has got to be some of the saddest news I've ever heard. Hard to imagine the Viper anywhere else.
In my opinion, this is one of the dumbest moves Chrysler could've made--I understand they have to raise cash, but selling the Viper is the equivalent of cutting the soul out of the company. This is like Chevy selling Corvette or Ford selling the Mustang.

 

As an American, it really is sad to me but for different reasons. This is a vehicle line developed in house that is actually seen to have enough quality and cache value to be spun off and sold as it's own brand now. How many other automotive products coming out of Detroit could do something similar? Now, that's why its sad to me....

 

If Lotus is an example, Proton wouldn't be difficult to live with. They obviously recognized the history and strengths of the Lotus marque to enthusiasts and capitalized on the cachet, which also involved keeping themselves low profile. Clever and humble.

 

kinda strange selling off a model lineup from a manufacturer....

 

Nikolai Smolenski would be a great buyer,has a lot of experience with "saving" TVR,after all.
Any russkie zillionnaire would be great,they are all great business people(where else can you make billions overnight?) .

 

Good point. I don't even think of Proton when I think of Lotus.

 

No, second dumbest. The dumbest is them getting out of leasing. Second dumbest is selling the Viper.

I truly think the world is coming to an end these days! Seriously.

RMX

 

I don't think the world is coming to an end, but the rampant idiocy from so many sectors in this country is numbing. The pending bailout of the big 2.8 just astounds. Big rewards for decades of mediocrity, top to bottom.

 

investors cashing out. chrysler will be sold off bit by bit until its gone. jeep is next.

 

Hyundai it is... and strangely, it doesn't look as bad as I thought! :lol:

-Tad
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No way. Hennessey is a company that can't even manage to return cars to customers in a timely manner, let alone without stealing pieces out of one car for another. They could never succesfully run a company building an entire car.

And Saleen...... simply, no.

I actually hope the buyer would be someone who is quite wealthy, and American, or has a love affair with American muscle. Someone who has also had a life long addiction to Mopar. This would make for, we would hope, a company that would stay true to the Viper's originality and nostalgia.

I'm not a huge Viper fan, but when I first laid my eyes on the concept as a kid I freaked out. I thought it was so cool. And it would be truly sad in my eyes to see the Viper to go the way of the Dodo.

 

and it's faster than the scuderia ....

http://www.caranddriver.com/content/download/122224/1656509/version/1/file/The+Lightning+Lap%2C+2008+Results.pdf