Nice article on the Gen V

[Redsled]

Finally a magazine that gets it.

http://www.racer.com/viper-gts-super...rticle/323029/

[KRATEDISEASE]

Finally a magazine that gets it.

http://www.racer.com/viper-gts-super...rticle/323029/

Yes, the reviews are getting better, finally.

[Space Truckin]

Nice read, I love this line " it still requires a certain amount of commitment and acceptance of what it is"

[WhiteSnake]

I agree. It's nice to see a positive review for a change. I feel the car has been unjustly criticized. Although some of it is the result of SRT's inept handling of the launch and the test mules given to the media.

[VENOM V]

Good stuff, SRT's on a role with the media of late.

[viperr]

You are right. That Motor Trend article really hurt. It sounds like people are finally going to find out that they are building Vipers again and that they are even better.

[slitherv10]

Now if they can get rid of the other 10 articles/videos/tests on youtube that put the Viper behind almost every car including the VW beetle and the like....can't find that one but, its on youtube comparing the top 10 or 12 drivers cars and Viper took last. That's just one video I saw on there putting down the snake. Unfortunately the motor trend article caused a domino affect on the car and most , esp the competition, jumped all over the negativities of the car and thus instilled it in peoples minds early. Its hard to remove that stain in peoples minds once they've seen the other side. When you come out of the blocks, you gotta come out running, not walking. SRT walked and so did the car.

[Policy Limits]

Yeah you can't unring a bell. But the gen V is one of the coolest toys I've owned. Pics do it little justice; it needs to be seen in person and driven. They should have a traveling demo that people can drive since most dealers have their one allocation roped off and doors locked. Any word on that idea?

[slitherv10]

Yeah you can't unring a bell. But the gen V is one of the coolest toys I've owned. Pics do it little justice; it needs to be seen in person and driven. They should have a traveling demo that people can drive since most dealers have their one allocation roped off and doors locked. Any word on that idea?

To make it fair assumption, I would say give people a chance to drive the competition cars first, like a Vette or GTR and then let them decide what they think is the better car.. Its not fair to put a first time sports car, or, a guy moving up from a mustang into a 2013 Viper and ask their opinion. Of course their going to pick the more expensive, newer car. That's not a fair way of asking.
I hear your comment about, you need to drive the car and put people in it to get them sold on it. WRONG!! You think the people going out car shopping with a 130 thousand budget, didn't try out the competition first. Or will not make comparisons by testing others? Of course they will and have. Unfortunately they did and have opted to go to the competition or wait it out for other models. Its obvious and elementary. its not rocket science.

[VENOM V]

Actually Motor Trend did the most damage to the Viper rep, for the most part the rest of the press was positive. But boy did they do damage. The TA is a chance for a media do-over for SRT, and let's hope it fares well in the 2014 Car and Driver Lightning Lap. My only issue with the format of Lightning Lap is that the editors don't take enough time with each car. They even admitted missing a shift in the Camaro 1LE's test, but just let the lap time stand rather than re-doing it. So my guess is they won't get to know the cars well enough to push the Viper near as hard as it is able to be pushed. Still optimistic that the TA will kick ass.

Policy, ask and ye shall receive… SRT All Access is a new traveling Viper test drive program, going to cities all over the nation. SRT recognized that they need to get people to drive the cars, as the dealers were not allowing it to their detriment. So far, reviews have been positive and a couple of guys have posted that they purchased Vipers after the test drive.

[Policy Limits]

Hmmm actually I think if someone really wants it, like I did, they'll just buy it without driving it or seeing it. I've done this with all exotic car purchases. IMO the problem they have is, the 400 or so who bought sight unseen aside, the people who want it can't afford it and the people who have the coin don't want it; want a pickle.

[slitherv10]

Look....I get that most of you that purchased the Gen 5 are finding reasons and grasping straws as to why you bought and your trying to convince the rest of us that your decision was justified.
I get it,I really do. I think it is a great car too, better than the past Gen's ( has to be) . Truth be told though, the car is not selling or being advertised as the next best thing. Its just not. We continue to grasp at every positive article we can find to justify this passion we have for the Viper. We forget though, that, for every positive one their seems to be 2 negative ones. Like I said earlier, I can point out several videos of comparison tests between the Viper and the competition and most have the Viper behind. Blaming the drivers as being timid from the Viper only makes it worse for the average daily "real" driver/customer/potential owner , as it makes the car look too tough to drive/learn. Why would you need to spend 130 grand when you can spend the same or less for a car that allows you to do what a normal driver does every day . Drive the car. Drive the car without any reason that it may hurt you. They put it through the slaloms with the base 2014 Vette and it lost. They put it through the brake test and it lost. Yes it won in Hp, but it should considering it has more of it and, cost 50K more.
listen, its getting tiring to sit and read and listen to threads and posts over and over again trying to justify this car. It is what it is . Its not selling as should have and its not testing or competing the way it should have. It has become what most of us have to realize and come to terms with. Its a normal sports car among the rest now. It does not stand alone as it had in the past and will never again. Period
love it for what it is.

[Policy Limits]

Doesn't feel like "a normal sports car" when I stop to get fuel or any place else. I promise you that it gets as much, if not more attention than my Lamborghini did. Even when its not stopped its not uncommon to see people taking pics and filming from cell phones while traveling in other cars. Maybe if the brand dies and fails the values on all gens will shoot up like the Ford GT did when they announced they weren't going to make more. Who knows. In the mean time I've having fun driving the beast and I like how I've never seen another in the road and how I don't expect to.

[BlknBlu]

Things are looking up for Viper.

Bruce

[slitherv10]

Doesn't feel like "a normal sports car" when I stop to get fuel or any place else. I promise you that it gets as much, if not more attention than my Lamborghini did. Even when its not stopped its not uncommon to see people taking pics and filming from cell phones while traveling in other cars. Maybe if the brand dies and fails the values on all gens will shoot up like the Ford GT did when they announced they weren't going to make more. Who knows. In the mean time I've having fun driving the beast and I like how I've never seen another in the road and how I don't expect to.

[VENOM V]

I'm sure there are some owners trying to find reasons and grasping straws as to why they bought, but my guess is that the majority of us genuinely feel that this car is spectacular, and are sharing that with others. I agree with what Policy said.

For me, the most compelling reason that I just freakin love my Gen V is performance at the track. I've road coursed at three tracks now, and very few cars were in the same league as the Viper. Of course there are cars and drivers out there faster, but this impressed me. I showed up at Thunderhill Raceway, and bested a Ferrari 430, a Saleen S7, a McClaren MP4-12C, a number of Z06 and ZR1s, some Porsches, and every other car out there. The one that really counted was catching a Ferrari 458 Challenge on slicks. I caught him, he wouldn't let me pass, and he pulled into the pits instead, LOL. I don't think he was used to being caught. Also ran at Laguna Seca, for the first time ever. I started out slow. But by the end of the day I think there was one modified Z06 that was turning faster laps than me, that was all that I saw. I've been tracking for less than a year. I took a couple of Ron Fellows classes which gave me the basics, but I am far from a professional driver. So if a normal guy like me can take a 100% stock Viper to the road course and perform like that, it says a hell of a lot about how this car just dominates at the track. That feeling you get when you are able to pass car after car on the road course is amazing. I think Ralph said that something like 20 or 25% of Viper owners track their cars, well the Gen V is a dream machine for those owners.

My best friend has owned and tracked a number of cars including a Lambo, a pair of Ferraris, and most recently a Porsche Cup Car. He is much more experienced than me and I put a lot of weight on his opinion. He drove my Viper at Laguna Seca and was absolutely blown away. Two weeks later he tracked a number of cars in Vegas - a C7 Vette, a 458, a 430 Scud, a Lambo and a modded C6 Z06. His favorite by a margin? Viper! Close second place was the 430 Scud and the modded C6 Z06. His knee gets sore with a clutch, so he's stuck with trying to find a paddle shifter car. Otherwise, he said there is no question he would get a Viper.

We're not all Kool Aid drinkers, LOL. Most of us are just guys that discovered the Gen V and are happy with our decision. If you didn't have the actual owners of the car posting their experiences, this site would have a strong bias towards unwarranted BS such as the "Told Ya…" thread on the other Gen V forum. It would be dominated by those who just speculate about the car, get their info from Motor Trend, but don't have any first-hand experience with it.

[ViperSmith]

Perhaps those with the Gen V who have been driving and using the car are just tired of people that have little experience with the car going on endless diatribes why the car is "lackluster."

What has gotten tiring is defending what is an absolutely awesome car to people who have an axe to grind, for whatever perceived reason.

It is confusing why Gen V owners aren't supposed to be passionate about their cars, where every other generation people at fanatical about theirs.

Poor sales has nothing to do with how unreal the car is.

A car that beats everything else at Laguna, when it took Chevy 5 years with the ZR1, is "a normal sports car" - oh please. The ZR1 set the record and the TA beat it a month later.

Yet the GV is just anOther sports car. Lmao.

[VENOM V]

Perhaps those with the Gen V who have been driving and using the car are just tired of people that have little experience with the car going on endless diatribes why the car is "lackluster."

What has gotten tiring is defending what is an absolutely awesome car to people who have an axe to grind, for whatever perceived reason.

It is confusing why Gen V owners aren't supposed to be passionate about their cars, where every other generation people at fanatical about theirs.

Poor sales has nothing to do with how unreal the car is.

A car that beats everything else at Laguna, when it took Chevy 5 years with the ZR1, is "a normal sports car" - oh please. The ZR1 set the record and the TA beat it a month later.

Yet the GV is just anOther sports car. Lmao.

Bulls eye, ViperSmith

[ViperSmith]

Bulls eye, ViperSmith

The V holds 3 of the top 5 lap times at Laguna, and still not good enough! lol

Oh well. I'll keep driving mine :-)

[Policy Limits]

And it took a million dollar 918 to beat the TA; now that speaks volumes!!

[Smog Dog]

[QUOTE=ViperSmith;11587]Perhaps those with the Gen V who have been driving and using the car are just tired of people that have little experience with the car going on endless diatribes why the car is "lackluster."

What has gotten tiring is defending what is an absolutely awesome car to people who have an axe to grind, for whatever perceived reason. QUOTE



As VV said" Bullseye". I mean BULLSEYE. Harold, your words are so true.

Bill

[slitherv10]

Perhaps those with the Gen V who have been driving and using the car are just tired of people that have little experience with the car going on endless diatribes why the car is "lackluster."

What has gotten tiring is defending what is an absolutely awesome car to people who have an axe to grind, for whatever perceived reason.

It is confusing why Gen V owners aren't supposed to be passionate about their cars, where every other generation people at fanatical about theirs.

Poor sales has nothing to do with how unreal the car is.

A car that beats everything else at Laguna, when it took Chevy 5 years with the ZR1, is "a normal sports car" - oh please. The ZR1 set the record and the TA beat it a month later.

Yet the GV is just anOther sports car. Lmao.

I get what your saying and it sounds very convincing.

Now, about your comment about poor sales mean nothing and this car beats everything but.

First off the truth is a 2009 model ZR1 got beat from a 2014 Viper. Not a fair comparison. Apples to apples we would have to wait for the new Z06,Zr1 to enter the competition and form the fair choice. With a few mods the 2010 ACR would beat that time. Nothing special if you ask me.
Secondly, I would love to know WHY, why the cars are not moving if it is the better choice, the faster car, not a normal sports car? Why are the numbers down. Please don't say that marketing is the issue. A car of this caliber and 2 year hype from SRT surely caught the attention of half the planet. It did from the critics for 2 years and it did from us sitting here waiting for the result. So, the marketing is and always was there. You do not need someone to sit in the car and drive it to know what it feels like and if you want to buy it...lol.common. People don't show up at Buggatti and ask to take it for a ride to see if they like it...lol..that would be absolutely stupid. You don't walk into a Mercedes dealer and ask to test drive their flagship car to see if you like the ride...lol..too funny. If it has come down to reaching out too the public and literally forcing them too like it, then I think you have to give your head a shake and wonder if somethings gone wrong. you don't walk into Lambo or Ferrari and ask to take them for a spin to see if you like the drive. These cars are weekend cruisers, not everyday back and forth to work autos, Its not the customer that SRT and the like is targeting anyway.
We are definitely pulling teeth when were offering a "ride" to everyday people who walk into a dealership and want to test it in order to like it. You have to be kidding. These kinds of cars are bought site unseen more than half the time. As most have done here. So it proves the point.

So in your personal opinion, why do you think that the Gen 5 has not sold the numbers they wanted?

[ViperSmith]

I don't have anything to add to what I said, because you'll simply counter with some mundane point.

But as an aside, I have family friends who have been flown out by Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren to test their latest line of supercars - to entice them to buy them. Not just test drives, but invited, trips paid for, to attempt to get them to cut checks for $1m+ cars. (Well to be fair, at that point they had no production models so they were ride alongs)

So yes, Ferrari, Lamborghini, et al all "let people kick the tires"

Also, McLaren has been known to let people take the 12C home overnight to seal a deal

[slitherv10]

I don't have anything to add to what I said, because you'll simply counter with some mundane point.

But as an aside, you clearly have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. I have family friends who have been flown out by Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren to test their latest line of supercars - to entice them to buy them. Not just test drives, but invited, trips paid for, to attempt to get them to cut checks for $1m+ cars. (Well to be fair, at that point they had no production models so they were ride alongs)

So yes, Ferrari, Lamborghini, et al all "let people kick the tires"

Also, McLaren has been known to let people take the 12C home overnight to seal a deal.

as you know 5 people that those brands let test drive, I know 5 more that bought site unseen and never got test drives on a 300K car. When any Joe Blow walks into a dealership and asks for a test drive in an Viper is aloud hoping that they buy, lol, that is pretty desperate if you ask me. I don't think the 12C and the lambo buyers are doing so as a test drive, they are pulling the potential buyer in from past experiences, not future ones.
I know as facts, friends that have done so and know dealers in that industry and brands. What you may be hearing is the hear say that they want you to know and hear. Please don't tell me I don't know what I am talking about as you clearly as speaking through hope and personal experience. What people say and what people do is 2 totally different situations.
being a betting man, I would bet that the sales stay put even with this new venture of test and drive by SRT. The car should sell itself, not the latter.

As a note. please don't get me wrong. I am a true Viper enthusiast or I would not be witting trying to figure this out and why it is the way it is.

I would still like to hear your opinion to why the sales slump. if you have no answer, I guess it is the answer.

[ViperSmith]

as you know 5 people that those brands let test drive, I know 5 more that bought site unseen and never got test drives on a 300K car. When any Joe Blow walks into a dealership and asks for a test drive in an Viper is aloud hoping that they buy, lol, that is pretty desperate if you ask me. I don't think the 12C and the lambo buyers are doing so as a test drive, they are pulling the potential buyer in from past experiences, not future ones.
I know as facts, friends that have done so and know dealers in that industry and brands. What you may be hearing is the hear say that they want you to know and hear. Please don't tell me I don't know what I am talking about as you clearly as speaking through hope and personal experience. What people say and what people do is 2 totally different situations.
being a betting man, I would bet that the sales stay put even with this new venture of test and drive by SRT. The car should sell itself, not the latter.