Despite being hotly anticipated by the automotive media and well-heeled customers, the initial launch of the SRT Viper has not gone as well as planned. Low sales have caused Chrysler to cut internal production goals by a third, and a later-than-planned launch date certainly didn’t help matters either. But Gilles isn’t giving up on the Viper, not by a long shot, and he thinks the future of the Chrysler supercar looks bright.

Wards Auto interviewed Gilles regarding the Viper, and the SRT boss was fairly candid about where he thought the real blame for low Viper sales fall…and it isn’t with Chrysler.

Though he admitted that the late launch and higher base price haven’t made for smooth sailing, Gilles also blamed over-eager dealers who may have ordered Vipers in configurations that will be hard to find a buyer for. “They [customers] want what they want – their color, their stripe, their package, their interior,” Gilles told Wards Auto. “And dealers who were trying to anticipate the market ended up creating a car that may not be the right car.”

Gilles went on to claim that the factory is booked-solid with orders, implying things are just peachy with the car Chrysler built. For now at least, Gilles and Chrysler are standing by the snake-branded supercar, though there are plenty of questions going forward regarding the future of both the Dodge, and SRT brands. Should we start asking questions about the future of the Viper as well?