Production of the current Dodge Viper is scheduled to an end in 2017 and right now there doesn’t appear to be any plans for a successor. That doesn’t mean we’ll never see a Viper again, at least according to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] CEO Sergio Marchionne.
At a press conference at this week’s Detroit Auto Show, attended by Automobile, Marchionne said there was the possibility a new Viper could be launched, and he hinted that such a car could be based on a shared platform as opposed to a bespoke design like the current model.
“Given the architectural development within the brand, there is a possibility that a new version of the Viper may surface,” Marchionne is quoted as saying. “Whether it will surface in time [to replace the current car] is unclear to me.”
Despite its giant-killing performance, Dodge sells less than a 1,000 Vipers per year, which is simply too low to support its specialized production at the Conner Avenue Assembly plant in Detroit. But a new Viper sharing a platform and production facilities with other FCA vehicles, like Maserati’s new sports car, may prove viable.
However, with a long list of more mainstream models due over the coming years, we wouldn’t count on FCA launching a new Viper anytime soon. That just means the current one will be much more collectible.
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