The Viper Is Once Again A Dodge And The SRT Brand Is Dead

[pony23]

I didn't look in the gen v area.

[SmoknTires]

We got word this morning. We'll be sending out a notice to folks about the changes. The company hasn't released much information outside of this, but we've been in touch with a few folks and news will follow. Deep inside I sense this is probably a good move for them as a business - it may help Dodge and the money may help SRT by having them together - who knows. And Ralph will still be involved with the Motorsports division and of course oversee design. There's been some news of changes on the 2015... that's good news. We'll see how things unfold for the Viper. As always support SRT/Chrysler so we can keep the Viper alive. We'll share more news as we speak with folks about the changes!

[SmoknTires]

To add my .02. This may have just as much to do with helping Dodge... Keep that in mind. It goes both ways. They get the performance vehicles and more cars in their lineup, and SRT gets some cash and resources. As much as we all hate change with all that we've lived through, this is just the next evolution. Hang on!

[swexlin]

This...

Also no more JGC SRT? Is this because they didn't really sell? Or what? I think it's an awesome vehicle. I think it's also priced out of the GC segment. Journey just needs to go away.. All of it. I have no idea why, but SRT & Journey should never be used in the same sentence.

I can go MONTHS around here in suburban Philly without seeing a SRT Jeep, Charger or or 300 on the road (and the roads are littered with regular versions). They just dom't sell well. My dealer has a GC SRT8 on the floor - 70k! He has a few Challenger SRTs in stock, but no Chargers or 300 (SRT versions). That says something. I love my 2007 Superbee, but I never see anything other than a Challenger SRT except at car shows.

[Viper Girl]

Merging to older thread in Gen V forum

[Bill Pemberton]

The refresh was stated clear back in 2013, so this really is not new news. Overall, the tough situation to overcome was the 20+ years it has been called a Dodge Viper -- public just could not get their hands around the name change no matter how hard we all tried. Likely the SRT branding will just continue to exist as prior, under the umbrellas of each make/model.

[SmoknTires]

Actually some of them are doing quite well (in fact SRT as a brand is doing well on a whole - and especially the Jeep, it's doing better than all). I forget the total number of SRT vehicles built/sold annually - it was around 45,000 worldwide I believe. So it's fairly limited. In my neighborhood I do see SRT vehicles. As for dealers, we've seen some crazy stuff out there. We all know there are some who are really disconnected. SRT isn't going away.

All the Chrysler cars I've bought are SRT versions, love em. Gimmie power baby.

[Derek Short]

My bet is the refresh will be a convertible viper. Doubt they will go with a ACR just yet. My guess is if they do an ACR Gen V it will be another few years...

[swexlin]

Actually some of them are doing quite well (in fact SRT as a brand is doing well on a whole - and especially the Jeep, it's doing better than all). I forget the total number of SRT vehicles built/sold annually - it was around 45,000 worldwide I believe. So it's fairly limited. In my neighborhood I do see SRT vehicles. As for dealers, we've seen some crazy stuff out there. We all know there are some who are really disconnected. SRT isn't going away.

All the Chrysler cars I've bought are SRT versions, love em. Gimmie power baby.

Maybe it's a regional thing. As I said above, I never, and I mean never, see a GC SRT8 anywhere except at shows. And that goes for Charger and 300 as well. They sure don't sell around here.

[Viper Girl]

I see SRT8's all the time, maybe because Planet Cali prefers the emission legal factory type of go fast cars...

I'm not surprised, on the '13 I wondered why the car didn't have SRT on the bumper like we did thru previous generations with Dodge. Now we just have the trim level letters behind the wheels.

[Thawk97]

It's surprising they're killing the Jeep SRT - I thought that was one of their best selling. Ralph said in an interview earlier this year they could sell double what they make but can't afford to produce that many because of the gas-mileage average restrictions.

[steve911]

I wonder how the Dealers are going to feel that paid out the big dollars to be an SRT Dealer and now are going to have to compete against every other Dodge dealer when it comes to getting products.

[GuitarSteve2112]

Regarding the Journey SRT: there are many models of Journey at the moment, and an over the top SRT is their way of giving it to us....anyway you want it. I hope its welcomed with open arms...don't stop belivin'!

[Creatre]

Best part of the news: Dart SRT4!

Looking forward to the redesign in 2015 though, vert maybe? If so, it may be an expensive 2016 for me. :|

[05Commemorative]

Jeep SRT8 out here see all of the time. probably 3-4 a day, so maybe regional

Maybe it's a regional thing. As I said above, I never, and I mean never, see a GC SRT8 anywhere except at shows. And that goes for Charger and 300 as well. They sure don't sell around here.

[Fatboy 18]

So will this make our SRT Race shirts collectable historic items now?

[Glhs110]

So I guess my new Dodge emblems are in the mail! I hope they are large plastic stick-ons finished in chrome and black!!!!

[Glhs110]

The word on the street (1000 Chrysler Dr) is the SRT viper will be highly collectable! You all better get one before there gone!

[v10enomous]

Identity Crisis...

[plumcrazy]

I wonder how the Dealers are going to feel that paid out the big dollars to be an SRT Dealer and now are going to have to compete against every other Dodge dealer when it comes to getting products.

the manufacturer never cared before, i seriously doubt they care now

[VRYALT3R3D]

It seems the refresh is a mid-cycle refresh, not a clean sheet refresh. Moreover, it seems the current Gen V will last for a few more years(2018MY) until a redesign or maybe the plug will be pulled. The 2015MY Viper better crush the competition or it may not be around for too much longer.

I wonder how long the 2014MY production run will be. Production began last October. Will it be a short MY run?

- - - Updated - - -

I wonder how the Dealers are going to feel that paid out the big dollars to be an SRT Dealer and now are going to have to compete against every other Dodge dealer when it comes to getting products.

I bet it is going to be exactly like how SVT used to be. (Pay a fee to sell GT500s.....)

[The_Greg]

the manufacturer never cared before, i seriously doubt they care now

There has always been additional resources required of dealers who want to sell and service SRT products. There probably would have been a capital buy-in for those that wanted to sell SRT Vipers even if they were 'Dodge Vipers'.

[Uncle Paul]

Lots of changes now that Fiat has stepped back and taken a hard look at their world wide strategy.

Believe this sums it up best for the Viper faithful. "Dodge is the American performance brand," Dodge chief Tim Kuniskis said. "This is not a new strategy. This is a purification of the brand."

Dodge will continue to be the place that we high performance fans will hang out.

Sort of carrying out the Viper-Homecoming theme. Viper has come back home to Dodge.

[ViperSmith]

Well, there can be a silver lining in this all, perhaps the Viper will get the marketing effort and department it finally deserves.

[ViperTony]

Well, there can be a silver lining in this all, perhaps the Viper will get the marketing effort and department it finally deserves.

At the NYIAS, the setups for SRT and the Viper were an afterthought. The anodized GenV Viper, was not prominently displayed. In fact, it was sitting on a rotating pedestal in a remote corner down a narrow walkway hidden by black curtains. It's as if someone put the viper in a corner for a timeout. It was obvious that Chrysler had no meaningful budget for SRT at NYIAS. It was disappointing. The sad thing is, the folks who accidentally did find the GenV, loved it. I really hope Dodge puts some meat into the Viper marketing moving forward.