Way back in 1992, Chrysler decided to get a little crazy. The Corvette had been an established marque for decades, and performance vehicles were on the upswing after the turbulent times of the 1980s. It was the perfect storm for an all-new American performance vehicle.
That vehicle became the Dodge Viper.
The latest news is of the Viper’s imminent defanging, leaving Mopar’s performance brute’s arch-rival, the Corvette, alone in the American sports car segment (until the Ford GT shows up once again…). But will Viper fans take to the Corvette?
As our sister publication, Fiat-Chrysler Authority asks, we turn the question to you as well.
In all due respect, the Viper has always been more of a rough ‘n tough American powerhouse. It’s always been powered by a stout V10 engine, billowing a unique tone the Corvette can only dream of.
But the Corvette is the everyman’s sports car. It’s approachable, forgiving and delightful, just like a humble slice of apple pie a lá mode.
What we’re saying here is it’s more than likely the two cars attract two very different consumers looking for an American performance car. Hell, until the latest iteration of Viper, stability control was a mere twinkle in the car’s fang. The Corvette has had electronic gizmos to allow a novice driver to jump in and produce a hot lap for years.
FCA CEO, Sergio Marchionne, once remarked he wanted the Viper to become more approachable and forgiving in order to appeal to a broader audience. The engineering team made small steps, but the lack of an automatic transmission offering and other small nuances may have kept the Viper from ever standing a chance in today’s modern sports car realm, even though we love a good manual gearbox.
So, what say you? Will Viper fans flock to the Corvette? Or, will those “Mopar or no car” guys and gals scoop up a Hellcat, and call it a day? Vote in our poll, and talk to us down below.
Comments
I’m not glad because Viper disappears. Is a Great Sport Car, a pure passion like Corvette.
The Viper I really like, like the Corvette Camaro Mustang ………. GM has had to buy Chrysler and develops Viper along with the Corvette.
It would have been wonderful; I’m angry with Sergio Marcchione
The Viper is a weird car to put a label on because it has this massive European influence but it has the insanity of a classic muscle car. So I think Viper owners won’t look to Chevrolet or a Euro company for a replacement because other cars just won’t capture the same soul as the Viper. I think they’ll just drive their Vipers.
There will always be a dedicated cult following here. These are in such low numbers it will always be a collectable.
Many people will never notice it is even gone. And those who were left wanting will move on to a Corvette, 911 or what ever they can afford for performance a sport.
These were ruff and not well refined cars and that is what some liked. Many others will find how much more refunded the other cars are and how much faster and easier to drive they have become and will be smitten.
Finally you had the guy who bought one of these as a trophy car. He will just move on to the next flavor of the day.
Fiat really killed a special car.
As rude and crude as the first models were I liked them just because of this. The no roll up windows and such just reeked of Cobra like feelings in a day and age that just did not happen even at Morgan.
I am and will always be a Corvette guy but the loss here is deep as this car was a true rival to the Vette and is like the Camaro losing the Mustang. It only help spur the other on to do better till at least the FCA thing happened.