Rumors are spreading that the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Group is planning to revive the Viper—yes, barely over two years after it got axed. It sounds like the American front mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car won’t be gone for too long. At least that’s the hope of many motorheads here in the US. There’s nothing wrong with hope, and science actually says hope and optimism are good for the brain. So, is hoping for a new Dodge Viperany good or is that hope likely to break your heart?
Anyway, it would be wise to look at the reasons the Viper was axed in the first place before discussing its possible return. What went wrong with the model? What does the future hold for the legendary American sports car? Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
Dodge first introduced the Viper as a concept at the 1989 North American International Auto Show, and it was in 1991 when the first-generation Viper rolled out of Chrysler’s then-newly put-up New Mack assembly line.
The first-generation Dodge Viper sported sleek exterior styling that was way ahead of its time. It also carried a V10 engine capable of 400 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, which was based on Chrysler’s LA V8 engine. The Viper was only meant to last until 1997 and was supposed to be replaced by a completely new model.
Unexpectedly, however, the Viper lasted for 20 more years until it met its worst challenge—the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) #226. This standard regulates automotive ejection mitigation in the US and it turned out that the Viper couldn’t comply as it lacked room for side curtain airbags. As expected, the car didn’t live long past its 25th year on the market.
Production finally came to an end in 2017.
The side curtain airbag wasn’t the only problem faced by FCA’s halo car. In 2018, the late Sergio Marchionne, then-CEO of FCA, revealed to the press that one of the reasons the company couldn’t keep the Viper in production was because of its poor sales. This backs why the group was quick to let the Viper go the moment the federal safety standard problem blew up. All FCA had to do was to redesign the car to fit the necessary features, but it didn’t want to spend millions on a car that wasn’t really bringing in the sales.
Another problem the car and its owners faced was the lack of safety features like traction control and an anti-lock braking system (ABS). The absence of these features made the car nearly impossible to maneuver at high speeds, especially for inexperienced drivers. This also led to a lot of crashes.
Bathe in the insanity of the original Dodge Viper. Chrysler’s homage to the Shelby Cobra had even more bite → https://t.co/yAbg9FT7ra pic.twitter.com/nBZ3b6HoFl
— Top Gear (@BBC_TopGear) December 2, 2019
If the Viper is indeed making a comeback, this won’t be the first time. It went away for a year in 2011 after four generations, but the fifth-generation model—which finally featured traction control—debuted in April 2012 at the New York International Auto Show.
Is the Viper bound for the same fate sometime in 2021 just as the rumors claim?
There are two sides here: business and ambition. Business is the main reason why FCA axed the Viper in 2017, while ambition was the driving force that led to the production of the Viper in 1991 and its rebirth in 2012. Back in the late ‘80s, Dodge knew it needed a halo car to rival its two giant competitors, Fordand Chevrolet. The idea was to make a modern-day interpretation of the legendary Shelby Cobra—not to go head-to-head with the Chevy Corvette.
Bob Lutz, who was the president of operations at the time, did everything he could to make the dream come true. There’s your ambition.
Business-wise, however, the plan didn’t pan out the way the company envisioned it. Sales began to drop as the entire coupe segment hit rock bottom. Some believe that the market’s shift from manual to automatic transmissions was also a significant factor as to why the Dodge Viper failed to meet expectations. But against all odds, FCA managed to bring it back to life in 2012.
The point is that the snake was once gone and came back not long after. Will it be the same story this time around?
For a better guesstimate, let’s look at FCA’s current situation, shall we? In October 2019, reports about FCA celebrating a 0.1% sales increase in the third quarter surfaced on the web. While this may sound fairly positive, the increase was the lowest compared to FCA’s five largest-selling rivals, namely General Motors (6.3%), Ford (4.9%), Honda (2.4%), Toyota (9.9%), and Nissan (4.8%). At this point, it’s quite understandable to doubt whether the company can put up a new Viper project, but let’s dig deeper.
The little success FCA saw was mostly thanks to larger vehicles such as the Ram pickup trucks and Jeep models. However, Dodge Charger and Challenger sales also rose despite them being fuel-thirsty, expensive machines. If these models managed to do well despite their downsides, couldn’t a new Viper do the same? Or what if it doesn’t need to chug on gas? A more recent report by The Verge in November 2019 revealed that FCA is currently in talks with a couple of electric vehicle (EV) start-ups to help with the development of EV FCA models.
Could this be the answer to all the questions about the probability of a Dodge Viper 2021?
The EV-shopping report published on The Verge specifically named Faraday Future and Seres as the brands connected to FCA’s EV project. We can’t help but wonder if FCA is working on a secret project for a new-generation, fully-electric Viper. If you knew how Dodge developed the Viper concept, you wouldn’t think the term “secret project” was crazy. The Viper concept was developed in so much secrecy that when it came out at the Detroit Auto Show in 1989, everyone was astounded—that’s how good FCA is when it comes to surprising the public.
If an electric Viper is indeed the new path for FCA, it might be a rocky one. “Electrifying” a powerful V10/V8-powered sports car may sound like a very bold move, but we’ve seen it done on a Chevy Corvette, so maybe it isn’t that crazy after all. However, we have to say that it’s probably not the case for the Viper because if it is, we would’ve seen it done on the Charger and Challenger by now.
Earlier this year, FCA CEO Mike Manley shared his thoughts about electrification involving the Charger and Challenger. For Manley, electrifying these American muscle cars defeats the idea of what a muscle car is. The same context could apply to the Dodge Viper, which was known for its large and powerful gasoline engine. This crosses out the idea of an electric Viper for now.
As you may recall, reports came out in 2018 saying the Dodge Viper was slated to make a comeback at this year’s Detroit Auto Show—Car and Driver even dropped the “trust us” line. However, the show came and went, and no one saw even a shadow of the car. What’s bugging everyone is that they were so sure about it and the report was so detailed that there was even an estimated figure for the price. No source was ever mentioned and the articles that sprouted after Car and Driver’s were mostly sourced from the said publication.
What keeps our hopes up despite all the disappointments in the last few years is FCA design chief Ralph Gilles’ statement about the possibility of a new Viper. For him, it’s all about the business case. He said he’s sure that the new Viper will most likely use a different technology, which was a bold statement that was followed with, “it will have to celebrate another step-function. A new thing in technology.” But when asked if the snake would ever return to life, Gilles said, “I think in my lifetime I surely hope so.”
The problem with rumors is they get people’s hopes up—only to end in disappointment. Reviving the Dodge Viper in 2021 is a huge risk that FCA may not be willing to take right now. But if we hang on a little longer and wait for FCA to find the technology Gilles was talking about, we might gaze upon a next-generation Dodge Viper in our lifetime.
Our hopes are still up.
Dodge Viper pic.twitter.com/akc3rxpuJ3
— Carworld (@worldfullofcars) November 6, 2019
Back in 2018, Car and Driver magazine predicted an all-new 2021 Viper. The publication anticipated that the forthcoming car would be offered in multiple trim levels with engines ranging from a naturally aspirated V8 making around 500 horsepower to a supercharged V8 turning out approximately 700 horsepower. But so far, Dodge has not confirmed that there will be a next-generation Viper, nor has the brant hinted at how much power such a car would make.
Unfortunately, Dodge discontinued the Viper in 2017. At the time, the sports car had an MSPR of around $93,000. Car and Driver magazine anticipates the release of a new Viper (possibly a 2021 model year), but the car’s cost is still unknown.
Over the past few years, there have been rumors that an all-new Dodge Viper would debut as a 2021 model. However, Dodge has yet to confirm whether the Viper will return.
According to Motortrend, the 2017 Dodge Viper SRT has a top speed of 206 MPH and a 0-60 time of around 3 seconds.
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Yes Dodge Viper viper viper the baddest car to ever the streets arias and highways yes Viper yes Viper it can wind like a snake it can strike like a snake It wears the emblem of a snake and it not a cobra it’s a VIPER VIPER VIPER THATS RIGHT ITS A VIPER FOR 2021 yes yes yes can’t wait
Get it out of the Garage and into mine I have been all my life just been a hard working guy and if I can get it in my Garage I will only have one more real important thing on my bucket list a big game hunt but I would give that one up to have the 2021 Viper in my Garage
It will be exiting to see the 2021 SRT VIPER IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ,MANUAL TRANSMISSION and PADDLE SHIFT GEAR AND I 💘 THE DODGE VIPER and hopefully they make better Hybrid that doesn't lag to the RPM and the Speed METER and I can't wait for the BRAND NEW DODGE SRT CUDA and hope both of them comes with AWD OR 4WD and would like to see both SRT VIPER SRT CUDA. THAT U CAN DRIVE IT IN THE SNOWY WEATHER . 😊
Hi Adebayo,
A new Viper and an AWD Cuda would both be very cool! Thanks for sharing your opinion with us!
The Viper what a car!!! The closest thing to a hand built race car that the public could buy since Dodge built the Cgarger Daytona in 1969, and to go beyond the v-8 of yester year by adding 2 more cylinders. Of Course that motor was supposed to power the new Dodge trucks of the 90's and the viper was just a promrtional display at the show when it debuted, it didn't even run at the time. They got so much intrest and people plopping down cash upfront to secure an order that Chrysler fast tracked the viper into production. I know it was arecord from idea to production of a model for Chrysler and I think it was around 6 months. I understood why Dodge cancelled the viper they were coming out with the Demon and they couldn't have 2 100k models in the show room. I would think let the viper go and bring the car back in it's newest version but give it a new name from a performance icon og the past. I don't know pull out some Plymouth names but please do better then they did when they brought back the Dart name. The names like the GTX, SUPER BIRD, BARRACUDA, SUPERBEE, FURY, or a new name like the Phoenix comes to mind, rising from the ashes. Maybe with the supercharged Demon motor or the hellephant 1000 hp 426 gen 3 hemi. OR go after Tesla like they did with the ZR1, Make a better electric car to beat TESLA in there own market. Lets face it a 11 second car is fast even if it is all electric. What ever FCA chooses to do make sure it's a winner from the first concept to the last model to roll off the assembly line. The cars people want to buy are winners and make them happy to drive and show off. Trailor queens, concept cars and good intentions are for SEMA and Barret Jackson. You want sales keep up the performance division that Dodge is for FCA. Sunday race winners bring sales on Monday morning. Take my words to heart I have owned Dodge since I was 17 years old and I have seen Dodge on the verge of dieing and the rebirth under Lee Iacocca. What saved them was reliability in the new products and the best warranty in the industry so buyers were not going to worry about their new cars not running after 3 years, but they brought performance back with half the cylinders andl getting 30mpg.