Stellantis Maserati MC20 just won the most prestigous Car of the Year award

[Bruce H.]

2022 EVO COTY 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgESfH3_4Pc&t=1s

Former race driver Steve Sutcliffe is my personal most respected reviewer, and others on this panel like Jethro Bovingdon are right up there with him.

I fell in love with the MC20 when our club had the special opportunity to see and pour over a pre-production model that was in final testing stage in 2021. At the time I speculated with the prospect of Stellantis sharing the platform with Dodge, and the possibility of it perhaps being the next Viper. That particularly appeals as our club's Dodge dealer sponsors all have highly trusted Viper Techs.

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...rm-for-a-Gen-6

I'm wondering since GM completely shattered the Corvette's mold with the C8, and even with the coming all-electric 2024 E-Ray, are the Viper faithful any more willing to consider the breaking of the Viper mold? Would we be willing to let a Viper beat the world's best again?

Bruce

[Aevus]

breaking the Viper mold, but for what purpose? breaking the legacy as well?

On a business/marketing point of view, I can understand the idea of brand name recycling (Viper in that case) but it makes sense only if the core, the soul, of the car is kept.

no manual transmission, no V10, not even ICE? Might as well rebadge an electric Dodge Caravan as ''Viper'' ...

[Bruce H.]

breaking the Viper mold, but for what purpose? breaking the legacy as well?

On a business/marketing point of view, I can understand the idea of brand name recycling (Viper in that case) but it makes sense only if the core, the soul, of the car is kept.

no manual transmission, no V10, not even ICE? Might as well rebadge an electric Dodge Caravan as ''Viper'' ...

The MC-20 is a twin turbo'd V6 ICE. Did Corvette break the legacy or are they continuing it? And remember, the Corvette community lost their minds when the C7 dropped the traditional circular tail lights!

[Aevus]

I was refering to the electric C8.

Can't imagine a C9 with ICE... Most probably the last powerful N/A ICE with the Z06 C8.

Also, can't imagine a Viper with nothing less than a V8... and even so, people would complain if not a V10.

Basically: FI = fine. DCT = fine. even hybrid = fine. Smaller displacement = fine.
But I think it would have to remain a front-V10-RWD with aesthetic very similar to gen 3-4-5 (would personnaly just update and modernize the gen3-4 looks)

unfortunately, the reality is: they'd probably just put the hellcat engine in a 4,000lbs car to make a marketing stunt and call it a day, just before the world becomes EV all over...

[Bruce H.]

We won't be able to stimulate or gage interest now that this thread about the prospects for a next Gen Viper has been moved to a forum about your other rides.

I'd like to see Ralph's team design an updated Viper body with conventional doors and have Prefix install it on this platform. You'd find the engine under the rear hatch and could have improved performance over the ACR-E. I'll take EV700001 in Stryker Green please

[Bruce H.]

Myself and another track rat club member looked at 3 MC-20s at the Maserati dealer in Naples Florida today. Yellow, grey and what looked like Viper Stryker Orange. Right up there as perhaps the most beautiful mid-engine super car we've ever seen...and built by Maserati, a Stellantis brand. Ralph Gilles is the Global Head of Design for Stellantis. I'd love to discuss this creation with him because I see his finger prints on this car! Bravo Ralph!

And there's a real possibility that moving this thread to "your other rides" may turn out to be appropriate after all

[Bruce H.]

As gorgeous and highly rated as the MC20 is, I've had to drop it from consideration because of too little storage capacity for our road trips, especially ones involving doing a track day where there's literally no room anywhere for a helmet. The Gen V's capacity is cavernous in comparison, as is the 911's that I would have traded for an MC20.

The 911 Turbo S is an incredible car for every kind of use, but it's lack of a manual and lack of engagement driving it is likely why I could part with it.

As for the Viper, its manual, exotic looks, huge personality and incredible performance are truly irreplaceable...and are certain to remain so!