[1]It was with much fanfare that Chrysler launched the 2013 SRT Viper. The much-anticipated sports car launched with a splash as well as several special edition models designed to milk collectors and enthusiasts for all their worth. Unfortunately, the year-long delay between the Viper’s 2012 debut and actual deliveries may have hurt sales of Chrysler’s supercar.
[2]Automotive News reports that Chrysler has cut production of the Viper by 33% following slow sales. It appears as though Chrysler will fall far short of its original sales goals.
Now granted, selling a $104,000 supercar these days is a tougher sell than in the early 2000s, but there was a lot of hype and excitement for the Viper since it debuted in 2012. But in the year since its debut, there have been a number of other high-profile car launches, among them the new Corvette, which caters to much of the same crowd. Quality assurance delays meant that the first 67 Vipers didn’t reach dealers unti mid-April, and another 200 were rolled out in July and August.
A total of 805 2013 SRT Vipers were built, falling far short of Chrysler’s goal of 2,000 units. Production of the 2014 model has just begun, and the cut in staffing means the Pentastar is aiming to sell around 1,300 Vipers this year. So far though, they’ve only sold 436, with more than 500 still on dealership lots. Hopefully sales pick up, and soon, or the suits might start reconsidering a next-gen Viper all together.