The five-year plan of Chrysler and Fiat for the US was recently presented and one of the more notable details is that of a plan to discontinue Dodge Viper and revamp it in 2012 when the companies will debut a brand new generation. From January to July 2010, 500 more Vipers will be produced. Work for the new-generation Viper will then be started, the products of which are projected to hit the streets in 2012. The details are far from complete but it’s likely that the upcoming Viper will borrow some parts for Fiat or Alfa Romeo.
Since Chrysler is straining to keep the price low, that gives us an idea of what its choice will be. There were rumors that a Ferrari V10 unit will be powering the next-generation Viper. But analysts are dousing water on this idea since Chrysler does want to be known as a more consumer-oriented company. This would be the second time that Chrysler axes the Viper.
Earlier this year, it was basically given a death sentence under Chrysler’s restructuring process. It was in July that Chrysler disclosed that it will continue building the Viper, saying that the Dodge Viper has “successfully captured the hearts and imagination of performance enthusiasts around the globe.” Mike Accavitti, Dodge CEO, in a release, said that the “ultimate American-built sports car” will live on as the “iconic image leader for the Dodge brand.”
