Breaking news from the Fiat/Chrysler 5-year plan is that the Super Snake dies in July 2010 (and we're lucky if we see any more than 500 more).

Are you going to miss it?





However, 2012 brings a new Fiat/Chrysler super sports coupe.


In other news, the new V6 is coming out very soon (talking end of Q1 or Q2 next year) and they're definitely making turbo and twin-turbo variants, which (according to their numbers) makes a 280hp base 3.6L V6, and likely 295 and 315ish "stock" turbo and twin-turbo, all of which are still supposed to get roughly 26mpg.

Not sad at all. Just like Corvettes, this car reminds me of gold chains and penis pumps. I hated the first generation especially. The second generation was better, but it never evoked any soul-stirring emotion from me. Nor did I ever want one. The V10 engine was awesome, but Dodge never put it in a car that excited me. Even the SRT-10 Ram sucked. More machismo and tacky sentiments. Whatever, bye.

Hopefully they do better this next time. The V6 is interesting news. Dodge hasn't had a turbo vee-six in a car since the Stealth days... unless I'm having a brain fart. From what I remember also, that was a DSM shared motor engine and wasn't a true Chrysler product anyway.

Here's to the future!

This Viper I wouldn't mind.

http://www.henness...RT&ActionReq=Where

Posted by 944kid Not sad at all. Just like Corvettes, this car reminds me of gold chains and penis pumps. I hated the first generation especially. The second generation was better, but it never evoked any soul-stirring emotion from me. Nor did I ever want one. The V10 engine was awesome, but Dodge never put it in a car that excited me. Even the SRT-10 Ram sucked. More machismo and tacky sentiments. Whatever, bye. Hopefully they do better this next time. The V6 is interesting news. Dodge hasn't had a turbo vee-six in a car since the Stealth days... unless I'm having a brain fart. From what I remember also, that was a DSM shared motor engine and wasn't a true Chrysler product anyway. Here's to the future!

Wikipedia?

Posted by TheVicariousVadder This Viper I wouldn't mind. http://www.henness...RT&ActionReq=Where

Hennessey is awesome. Hennessey is just one of a couple of companies that make an awesome car even more awesome.

Posted by big dave Wikipedia?

Que?

I dunno about you guys, but the Viper I think is kind past its time. Its from a different era of high end cars when there was a boat load of people who were making over 100k and well needed to spend it.

I wouldn't mind a Viper for a track toy. Not a car I'd want on the streets, though. Makes you look too cockish.

Something kind of interesting, and a little ironic... it was Chrysler Corp. that first brought Fiat to North America.

Posted by bandi Something kind of interesting, and a little ironic... it was Chrysler Corp. that first brought Fiat to North America.

Chrysler and Fiat had an understood partnership for a while, as venues of selling each others' cars internationally (less so now than previously, since Alfas are about the only Fiats in America now and those come in as luxury imports). I think Fiat is the best thing that could've happened to Chrysler. They are not big on the good ol' boys like American management, nor are they OK with allowing quality to slip.

In yesterday's Fiat-Chrysler 5-year plan brief, Fiat said they wanted to increase production and volume for 2011, while reducing both QC problems and consumer prices. This model is like the Chrysler of the 90's, where cars are affordable and some degree of reliable. They're finally going to replace the Neon using the Dodge and Fiat brands, and really work on making sure the cars are a higher quality without having to pass the bill on to the consumer. Fiat's number-crunchers are expecting to break even with the 2011 cars alone, and then repay TARP by 2014. Those are some seriously ambitious goals, but the guys at Fiat know how to pull a profit, even in tough times.

I'm really excited to see where Fiat brings this. While their previous generations of cars are not necessarily the *highest* quality, they've always offered a reliable (albeit usually ugly) alternative in Europe, and I think they can bring back the feeling of cheap, fun, user-friendly cars into an industry that has been taken over by greed in the last decade.

I thought the Neon was killed off a few years ago and replaced by the highly offensive Caliber? (Seriously the most apalling car I've ever driven... and I've driven a LOT of garbage.)

I don't mind Fiat at all, it'd be awesome if we could get the new 500 over here. I've owned 2, an '81 X1/9 and a '65 1500 Cabriolet (which I still have).

click to view

Posted by bandi I thought the Neon was killed off a few years ago and replaced by the highly offensive Caliber? (Seriously the most apalling car I've ever driven... and I've driven a LOT of garbage.) I don't mind Fiat at all, it'd be awesome if we could get the new 500 over here. I've owned 2, an '81 X1/9 and a '65 1500 Cabriolet (which I still have). click to view

I thought the Caliber was a replacement for the Neon as well, and I guess you could say they fill the same market segment, but the powers that be at Chrysler refer to the Caliber as their "B-Pillar" car (a compact), whereas the Neon was a C-pillar (small sedan) and the Avenger/Sebring/Cloud Cars are D pillars. It's all stupid if you ask me, since the Caliber is hardly a compact.

However, I agree it's a POS. I'd like to see the 500 in its place (which is what looks like will happen - there will be a 500 with a Chrysler trim and a classic Fiat 500). I'd like to drive one, but not own one. It would look like a clown car with me in it.

It was announced yesterday that the NEW Viper will be introduced as 2012 model. So it's not a permanent kill off, just a temporary hiatus for a redesign

Posted by velcrozeppelin I'd like to see the 500 in its place (which is what looks like will happen - there will be a 500 with a Chrysler trim and a classic Fiat 500).

They could play the retro game again and make the NEW OMNI!

Posted by oddspot It was announced yesterday that the NEW Viper will be introduced as 2012 model. So it's not a permanent kill off, just a temporary hiatus for a redesign

Well, they're saying new Viper, but at the same time, nobody's committing to it *actually* being an evolution of the Super Snake. There's a lot of speculation in the MOPAR communities that we'll be looking at a V-10 Supercar, like the Viper, with a very primal/animalistic shape, but it might be mid/rear engined, or it might be more heavily Alfa...

Posted by bandi They could play the retro game again and make the NEW OMNI!

There's speculation that the Dodge version of the 500 will indeed be an Omni? This would be pretty cool.

According to the Fiat/Chrysler talks yesterday, they're looking to further "bucketize" (I guess that's the best to describe it?) the car types into stuff like sweet/simple; fun/practical; uptown/luxury; thrill-seeker; cool/extrovert; and SRT/ultimate-performance" (According to Allpar.com and Jalopnik's joint conclusion.) They're really going for lifestyle vehicles with their new lineup, which is a pretty big risk, since those kinds of labels sometimes backfire (Think Olds trying to market itself as a young/fun instead of Old Reliable). But they might have the grounds to do it and do it right, especially with the broad lineup we're looking at starting 2011/2012 model years.

And here's another interesting bit - Fiat's basically saying that if Chrysler's interests do not get served first and foremost, Alfa/Fiat cars are out until Chrysler gains back its share. These guys know that their place in Chrysler is to preserve AMERICAN automotive and make some money while doing so.

Posted by Agent Skelly I dunno about you guys, but the Viper I think is kind past its time. Its from a different era of high end cars when there was a boat load of people who were making over 100k and well needed to spend it.

The Corvette and Viper should not be mentioned in the same sentence. The Corvette is an evolutionary machine, starting from humble beginnings with the lowly Blue-Flame inline 6. It survived the emasculating 1970's and gained respectability through the 80s and early 90's. It wasn't until the late 1990's that the Corvette began to enjoy supercar engineering and compete on a world state with the likes of Porsche and Ferrari. The Viper was a gimmicky, johnny-come-lately that never had the benefit of GM's massive R&D budget or the decades of evolution that brought the Corvette to the point it is now.

Unfortunately, I have to agree that Viper is LONG overdue for an overhaul and a market shift.

NOW, getting back to nuts and bolts here...
Chrysler needs to jettison most of it's lineup as it's massively out of touch with consumer needs. The Caliber is ridiculous and, agreeing with Bandi, pretty much one of the worst cars I have ever driven. It would be nice to see the Omni or Neon nameplate reintroduced, lesson learned via Ford and their Taurus/Five Hundred debacle.

Posted by Samurai Corvette awesome, Viper gimmicky. Viper old and overdue for an overhaul. Bring back Neon/Omni, GET RID OF CALIBER.

I agree with you on all of these things, Sam. Especially on the Caliber.

Although I will say this. I like the Viper for what it was intended for: pure speed and driver control. It's much less of a car than a 'Vette, but if you consider it only on the fact that it was designed for a) 0 - 200mph races and b) giving the driver reasonable control of 600 hp, then yeah, it's pretty sweet.

The V-10 yowl was always one of my favorite things to hear, even if it was a giant dickhead with a tiny pecker behind the wheel.

Sadly, the car ultimately became a toy for those exact people. If Dodge kept this to its track origins, it would've been something truly special. And for that reason alone, I will miss the Viper.

Could you imagine the automotive jokes if they DID bring back the Omni? Personally I love the little shitboxes and have owned a pile (Including a GLH Turbo and a GLH-S), but most people scrunch up their face and say "Ew... Omni"/

I wouldn't say they were a particularily bad car at all, especially with the 2.2.

The VW engined ones had some issues which were pretty much caused by VW sending Chrysler shit engines, but I doubt there are many of the 1.6 Omnis left.