I owned a 2009 Viper and now have a 2013 Viper. The old car while stunning had a nervous chassis as you point out. The new Viper has non of that. It is a proper handling sports car. The new Viper is still an exciting ride. great sound and fast. My 2014 Vette is a different type of car, very refined yet exciting to drive The only negative compared to older vipers is they refined the exterior lines so it is a little softer, some people would say more modern. I think the older Vipers have a better look. The newer car is a better sports car. I like them all Best Lee
Sean, I will do my best. My comments are for a 2014 Vette and a 2013 Viper. Pluses Viper 640 hp High torque engine Awesome sound that excites the soul causes excitement when people see the Viper I have not seen another Viper on the road I think it will always be a rare car Just a stunning looking car inside and out An adventure to drive I suspect if you drove the car everyday you would get use to the 1 to 2 lock out It can be avoided by adding more power in 1st gear. 2014 Camaros and Vette have the lock out but it is better designed and not as aggravating The new Viper drives very well but the Vette is better, maybe they just drive differenly Vette Four driving and sound settings Very good gas mileage with or without ECO mode A more refined car for a daily driver A better shifting car easy to get into even for an old guy like me 660 hp will becoming available Heads up display is available A world class handling car Cons Viper Sound cannot be reduced in the drivers seat not great gas mileage Hot exhaust as you get out of the car. A stupid and aggravating 1 to 2 gear shifting lockout a little harder to get into but doable Vette only 460hp as I write this not an adventure to drive just a good sports car Soon the Vettes will be everywhere Both cars have been reliable. The best car debate depends on what you want. The Viper feels and sounds like a beast, The Corvette is refined. Both cars are comfortable to ride in even for long periods. It would be hard for me to chose Best Lee
Only place a DCT is enjoyable over an autobox is at the track. Personaly I would take a stick for street ad track on my viper, its part of that cars raw appeal. Then for the 50% of buyers in athe age group where shifting is a chore an autobox would work fine and be preferable.
Lee thanks for this. Adventure to drive would be my choice. Of course the z06 may change the equation.
to the surprise of nobody, Viper/Dodge/SRT pulled their factory racing team from IMSA. bummer, that team had some really solid results this year including 2 class wins and the driver's championship for Kuno Wittmer. but when you're not selling cars....
Viper not in trouble. With the price decrease sales have now doubled in the month of sept to something like 1000. Once the supercharged car come son stream Viper will get another boost, no pun intended. Witht he Z06 costing the same as the viper, and the z06 being portly, perhaps some of the hi power trackday crowd will migrate to the viper. Part of the issue with the viper, apart from the former price, is tht we all think of the new viper as the old viper. Have a look at a new viper, it really does have a nice cabin and those thta have driven them report very good handling. Perhpas if Chrysler or Srt or Dodge or whatver muddled name makes the viper allowed for people to rty the car, thye may have a few more sales.
well, 108. but who's counting I love the new Viper, especially the T/A, but the market seems to be pretty small. I'd love to know how many Corvettes, 911s, Boxsters/Caymans, or Ferraris were sold in September as a comparison.
My apologies, more like 1000 for the year if you annualise. Still does not seem like Crysler is abandoning the beast just yet. Price cut boosts Dodge Viper sales dramatically - Autoblog
Would the Viper have done better if they came out with the vert first ? Historically do coupes sell better ?
So I just drove a 2014 GTS today and I just don't get it. I have and have had a bunch of sports cars and driven a quite a few others (everything from 69 Camaro to 650S). Never even sat in a Viper until today. I'm looking for a "driver's car" to drive when I'm not enjoying my pricier toys (including a Speciale as soon as I can find one priced right). Thought I wanted a Z06, but then the Challenger Hellcat came out and thought that might even be more fun with which to terrorize my town. I forgot about the Viper - way better looking and sportier than a Hellcat and much more exclusive than a Corvette and apparently faster on most tracks - and a crazy good buy nowadays to boot. So I researched the hell out of it this past weekend and seems there is no middle of the road - people love it or hate. I hated it. To me it was like driving a tractor until the revs hit 5k and by then, you are going too fast for any of the roads I drive. The wonderful sound you hear while walking around the car before the test drive turns into a droning howl while driving and when the revs pick up, a completely ridiculous thunder of nothingness that gave me a headache. You must have to be a Viper die hard to think this is a good car. I did see Motor Trend's comments about how bad it was, but I thought they were just being sissies. I think they were right and I can't see Viper getting any new customers with a product like this and I'm their ideal customer - a guy that can drive who likes fast, obnoxious cars.
The Viper is a bit unusual in that it really seems the coupe has been more popular since the GTS was introduced in 1996. The original 1992 roadster was very Cobra-esque, and the coupe very Daytona Coupe-esqu and I think the latter is preferred by most and that has just carried down the line. That dichotomy seems to have continued and Dodge really went back to 1996 with the new Viper - probably too much as I can't see spending $100K-ish to get the new car over my 2001 GTS, and I bet a lot of Viper owners think the same way. I am glad to see the price reduction is getting sales back up, but worry that the profit may be drained and affect the ability to improve on a car that is now just barely competitive with the Z06 on paper and not as big a styling breakthrough. The C7 really is a home run and Viper not as much so.
Noise is a big factor. the only two V10s that I have heard with a nice sound was the BMW and carerra Gt. Since a viper V10 is really a V8 with two extra cylinbers dodge would do well to add two moree cylinders and offer a pushrod V12, much like the Ryan falconer V12. Or alternatively some typoe of supercharged V8. Either one would sound great.
Was at chrysler dealer yesterday. Had 2 new ones. A red and a black gts in showroom. Caked in dust, scratches, dead battery. $115k stickers. So sad. And then final insult - both 2013's! How can dealer let them sit like that for so long? What can they bring today w new ones under $90k?
