Kuniskis / Dodge: The Muscle Car is here to stay.

[daytonprowler]

http://www.wired.com/2015/05/dodge-muscle-car-stay-thanks-much/

"If you look at the customers buying the Viper and what other cars they own and cross-shop against, they cross-shop against Camaros and Mustangs and Challengers. They go back and forth. A lot of the time, people have the Challenger and then they buy the Viper. People who have the Viper then buy a Hellcat. They’re not trading between the two, they’re adding to their collection.

I made a point when we launched the ACR, when we launched the Hellcat, people said aren’t you taking all the focus away from the Viper and putting it on the Hellcat? We said no, we have a different avenue with that car......"

[ViperDC]

Good article thanks for posting

[BlknBlu]

Great read, and glad to see the Viper shine again. We are in the thick of a growing culture with no end in site for Muscle Cars and High horsepower Super cars. Enjoy the ride and hang on. This gas crunch has been handled correctly compared to the 70's

Bruce

[ViperDC]

Great read, and glad to see the Viper shine again. We are in the thick of a growing culture with no end in site for Muscle Cars and High horsepower Super cars. Enjoy the ride and hang on. This gas crunch has been handled correctly compared to the 70's

Bruce

The "good old days" are right now

[ViperSmith]

they cross-shop against Camaros and Mustangs and Challengers

Personally no, but maybe that is what their research says...

[FLATOUT]

Personally no, but maybe that is what their research says...

Seriously did I just read that? Viper people cross shop Camaros, Mustangs, and Challengers? I can tell you exactly what I cross shopped, Lambo Gallardo, R8, Porsche Turbo, Z06, SLC, GTM, and GTR.

[Dusty1]

Andy I have to agree with you, that would make an interesting case study, but I can't say as I know a lot of pony car converts.

Richard

[FLATOUT]

Andy I have to agree with you, that would make an interesting case study, but I can't say as I know a lot of pony car converts.

Richard

That's true, I came from the muscle car crowd, then in to Vettes, Lotus, and then to Viper. I guess I just never cross shopped them. I very well may be an outlier in their data though.

[Nine Ball]

You guys missed the essential sentence.


"They’re not trading between the two, they’re adding to their collection."
I tend to agree, since I still buy all sorts of cars. I've not turned into an exotic snob, I still consider myself mostly a "Camaro guy". Sure, people aren't picking between the two, but several of us own all types of fun cars. Here is my other track beast, the most fun sub-$32K brand new purchase I've made.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr29/ynotdv8/Camaro/20150525_152822.jpg (http://s466.photobucket.com/user/ynotdv8/media/Camaro/20150525_152822.jpg.html)

[Coloviper]

Mustangs then Saleens my whole life,...then added Vipers. Still own Saleens and Vipers. Absolutely can see Kuniskis point and agree with him as it happens a lot these days, at least with owners I know. I think it is more the two and four seater cross shopping than two seater to two seater when people build these collections.

I will say the issue in my mini collection right now is attending these Viper events in my Viper but having my wife and young 2 yr old son tag along. Viper is 100% useless in this scenario and especially if we have another child on top. Sure I could just give them the finger for the day and go off on my own in my Viper but that is not me nor how I want to spend my time away from family. I want my son to embrace the cars and the fun of the club. Yes we could car pool in two Vipers but I work insane hours all week and want to spend time with my family on weekends. It is a dilemma that ends up with the Viper parked at home and car seat, son and wife put in the daily driver Cayenne Turbo S to attend the Viper events. Feel bad as I want to be there in the Viper (and supporting with me cars) but not happening at this point in our lives with a family.

I have to assume others are in the same boat and those with young families have same types of issues in attending. I tell you, a new RAM SRT-10 or new Viper Powered JEEP GC would be the ideal vehicle as then could sort of have cake and eat it too with the Viper Events and a family.

Agree with Kuniskis on his take. Many have both for these very people fitment issues.

[ViperDog]

Great read, and glad to see the Viper shine again. We are in the thick of a growing culture with no end in site for Muscle Cars and High horsepower Super cars. Enjoy the ride and hang on. This gas crunch has been handled correctly compared to the 70's

Bruce



What gas crunch? We have more oil/gas than we know what to do with. That could be fixed with more Viper drivers and Owners driving their Vipers more! LOL! If anything, we would have even more gas with lower prices if we had more refining capacity.

[BlknBlu]

just a compare to the 70's we have had a few spikes in prices in the last few years and this time around performance and economy are working together. not against each other.

Bruce

[Dman]

I guess it depends on what cross-shop means. lol

I have had a couple of GT500's, have a '14 now, I've had a viper in my garage since '99 and a stang in the garage since '87. So I'm definitely one of those guys he describes as having a more muscle oriented car and a viper. But, I don't cross-shop them in my definition. I cross shopped Porsche Turbo, which I've had and whatever, L and F cars, GT-R, etc., but the viper fits a slot for me that no other car does - it's bang for the buck perf is just crazy, with a near exotic nature and the icing is it's 'merican (kind of).

Cool info

[serpent]

You guys missed the essential sentence.

I tend to agree, since I still buy all sorts of cars. I've not turned into an exotic snob, I still consider myself mostly a "Camaro guy". Sure, people aren't picking between the two, but several of us own all types of fun cars. Here is my other track beast, the most fun sub-$32K brand new purchase I've made.

:lame:
And here I was always respecting your posts and opinions...


Lol, JK!! I always enjoyed your insights, you've been a tremendous support not just for Vipers, but for anything American sportscar or muscle related imo.

[Nine Ball]

Hahaha! I'm just being honest with myself. My favorite car is still my first car, the 1969 Camaro. I will always own a '69 in some form.

Vipers are my favorite race cars though :)

[FLATOUT]

Hahaha! I'm just being honest with myself. My favorite car is still my first car, the 1969 Camaro. I will always own a '69 in some form.

Vipers are my favorite race cars though :)

Yeah I just read it as cross shop, which I would never think of cross shoping them. Adding to yes, but cross shop no.

[swexlin]

Had an 07 SRT8 Superbee and 03 Viper, and traded both for this car. And yes, in couple years, I would like to ADD a Hellcat to the fleet. Barring unforeseen circumstances (financial, accident, or physically unable to drive a Viper) the Viper stays!

[FSTENUF]

Hahaha! I'm just being honest with myself. My favorite car is still my first car, the 1969 Camaro. I will always own a '69 in some form.

Vipers are my favorite race cars though :)

10941 I rebuilt the 69" RS/SS to have fun with and turn a few heads what I ground bounder. I have signed my name on just about every street I have been on. BFG's are cheap compared to Corsa's

[Nine Ball]

10941 I rebuilt the 69" RS/SS to have fun with and turn a few heads what I ground bounder. I have signed my name on just about every street I have been on. BFG's are cheap compared to Corsa's

Black '69 coupes are my weakness. I hate you now. :)

[I Bin Therbefor]

I am fascinated by what he didn't say. Nowhere in the conversation did he mention the buyer cross shopping against sports cars. I didn't see the name Porsche mentioned once. While Jag, and MB, as two examples, keep talking about comparisons against Porsche and even McLaren's entry level vehicle is compared against the high end Porsche, he talks about muscle cars and Viper as a muscle car, a track oriented muscle car, but non the less a muscle car. Now that I think of it, I can't remember a single media list of sports cars that includes the Viper although they usually do include the Vett.

So the Viper is a track oriented muscle car. I missed that completely.

[v10enomous]

When you're sporting the kind of massive engine, hood and tires of a Viper, calling it a sports car would be like calling Brock Lesnar a ballerina. When I bought my 98 I was cross shopping 70 Chevelle SS cars.

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/njvipermail/Brock-Lesnar-1024x878_zpsweivyila.png

[lochnessmonster]

Seriously did I just read that? Viper people cross shop Camaros, Mustangs, and Challengers? I can tell you exactly what I cross shopped, Lambo Gallardo, R8, Porsche Turbo, Z06, SLC, GTM, and GTR.

Yeah, I didn't quite get that either. I agree with him that people will add a Challenger or Charger to their collection, but my idea of "cross shopping" is choosing one vehicle over the other, not adding a vehicle. Either way, what a fantastic time to be a car guy. The Hellcat has definite appeal as my next family wagon. Awesome!!!!