Why no orange peel on SRT Viper unlike on Corvette C7 Stingray?

Pretty easy answer: because it is not painted by Chrysler and UAW members.  The primer is sanded prior to applying the base coat and plenty of clear is applied BY HAND and wet sanded afterwards.

Too bad this is the only thing that new Viper has going for it. 

Nissan GTR Nismo sets 7:08 at the Nurburgring, nailing the coffin for SRT Viper

The car may be heavy and ugly but it certainly gets the job done.  To see this SIX CYLINDER heavy weight with DCT fly around the ring is something truly amazing.

And here is SRT Viper, only 40 hp more than the Generation 4 predecessor that held a ring record for less than three years, only to be dethroned by laws of physics defying Japanese ingenuity.

Will Ralph Gilles finally get the message?  No doubt, he will not.  However, he will find plenty of excuses and point finger at others as usual, while the Viper continues to die a pretty excruciating death.

Will the new hue of blue make new SRT Viper a better and faster car?

Seems like this is the secret ingredient the current  epitome of automotive sales failure has been missing all along.  Not the lack of power increase over Generation 4, not the much needed increase in wheelbase, not a modern light weight chassis, not a modern rear transaxle drivetrain and not a fresh styling instead of Generation 2 remake.  At least according to +Ralph Gilles  and the geniuses in SRT R&D and marketing departments, all this car needed was a new shade of blue, resembling SRT racing ventures. 

Yes Gilles, just paint this antique on four wheels in this new blue and no doubt it will make all other shortcomings  of this SRT flop go away.  Pretty refreshing that while GM is busy testing new Corvette at the Nurburgring track and sets up production of high performance version of the C7 Corvette, the best the SRT can come up with is a new PAINT COLOR.  How much of this blatant incompetence, delusion and outright stupidity will it take before Ralph Gilles is fired and the entire Viper program either shut down or set on the meaningful course?  Ralph Gilles, you should have been fired long time ago, go and collect unemployment in lieu of doing anything constructive.

No matter what color this car is painted, it is still the same failure and disgrace to the automotive world.

What will be the results of SRT Viper remaining in production for 2015?

The answer is very simple: Dodge dealers (yes, any Dodge dealer can sell Viper now) will have THREE MODEL YEARS of showroom floor paper weights.  With sales of the 2013 and 2014 models officially dead, not even convertible version can save the day now.

Time to say GOOD BYE to Generation 5 Viper.  This car makes Edsel look like a sales hit.

Why are Ralph Gilles and Chrysler afraid to test new SRT Viper at the Nurburgring?

Seeing the impressive times the previous car, SRT10 Viper achieved at the Nurburgring in the past, including the (former) best time ever for production car, the question lingers and it is very urgent:

What is stopping Ralph Gilles from bring the new Viper to the "Ring" and testing it?  There is only one logical answer, the new car is inferior to the predecessor.  Seeing how the Viper sheep attempts to excuse Viper's absence at the ring due to limited funding is beyond weak, if not outright lame. 

After all, the sales of the new car all but dead, with plenty of 2013 rotting on the showroom floors while 2014 cars continue to be delivered.  Furthermore, Ralph Gilles has plenty of funds to travel to Europe attending Le Mans race and socializing (all on Chrysler's dime) and there is plenty of money to sponsor factory racing program.  The fact that Chrysler made such a big deal out of the SRT10 record at the ring that there was an actual Nurburgring edition of the SRT10 Viper makes it even more puzzling and outright disturbing.

With all the negative press, SRT Viper continues to receive, its absence from the Ring may be just the final nail in its coffin.  Considering the C7 Corvette, in spite of its crappy quality and truly awful paint and finish and extra weight is already at the ring, the incompetence of both, the car designers and engineers and now SRT marketing and SRT CEO may just make this SRT Viper a very short production run, two years only.

Why Ralph Gilles remains at his job is a great mystery, certainly it cannot be due to his competence or managerial skills or design vision.  Firing Ralph Gilles may be just as important as testing the car at the ring.  This new Viper seems to be working very hard to assure its permanent position as the quintessential laughing stock of automotive world.

Another black eye for SRT Viper, courtesy of Corvette C7

New Corvette C7 may be a turd quality wise and it may be too complex and heavy but the fact remains, it costs half of the Viper and can be easily modified on a shoe string budget to leave new Viper in the dust.  As shown in this video, the car already broke 10 second ET barrier while the New Viper considers itself lucky to break 11 second mark.  Pretty good demonstration why new Viper should be just put out of its misery and discontinued.

What a way to go Ralph Gilles and the rest of SRT crew busy picking out a name for the new shade of blue for the car that cannot be modified in any meaningful way without spending half of what new Corvette costs. 

Time for the Viper to throw in the towel and Ralph Gilles to find another job is long overdue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_3KbTXQY9E

What do Lexus LFA and SRT Viper have in common?

The answer: a gap between the front bumper and the hood.  A clarification is in place-while Lexus LFA sports this gap due to aerodynamics, the one on SRT Viper is a result of truly awful fit and finish, as delivered by the UAW.  Great job +Ralph Gilles , as with everything else that contributes to the failure of this "new" Viper.  Although new Corvette is even worse, actually considerably worse, at least it costs half of what new Viper does.

Incidentally, is there a single car build by fine UAW folks that does not have quality issues? Is there a pattern here?  Labor unions and work quality are mutually exclusive?  Must be...

Increasing Chrysler profits may spell the end to Viper

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/30/uk-fiat-chrysler-earnings-idUKBRE99T0JJ20131030

What does this really mean?  FIAT continues losing money while Chrysler continues to increase.  When profits grow, the only smart thing to do is to assure streamlining and concentrating on lines that actually generate profit.  SRT and especially Viper are have never been profit generating Chrysler ventures.  While other SRT products are based on mass produced vehicles, as long as these mass produced vehicles remain profitable, their SRT counterparts will stay. 

Not so with the Viper, there is no mass produced origin for this car and it is losing money big time while continuing to earn horrible ratings from the entire automotive press.  The last thing FIAT would want is a bad apple in the profit making Chrysler.  Thus, the chances of Viper surviving beyond 2015 are extremely slim.  Considering Alfa 4C is coming soon, the chances got even slimmer.

Overall, euthanizing Viper will be a best thing that can happen currently to this relic of past attitudes and high performance market.  Viper is non Morgan and it will not survive.  

Ralph Gilles-you are fired!!!

Ralph Gilles has to be the most incompetent CEO the automotive industry has ever seen.   Not only is the Viper doomed after super embarrassing launch but this fiasco cannot be blamed for anyone else except for Ralph Gilles.  Go away Ralph, keep peddling hopped up Chargers and Challengers pretending SRT is a separate "brand" while Vipers sit on showroom floors next to minivans.

2013 SRT Viper LE- LE stands for LEMON EDITION

Absolutely amazing, at this price, and the car is just much of a turd quality wise as the new Corvette.  Gotta love UAW and Ralph Gilles for nailing the coffin tight on the Viper. 

Seeing how little effort was put into this new car to improve it over the previous one, this is not a bad thing actually.

Die Viper die!!!

Time to euthanize (Dodge) SRT Viper!!!

http://www.autonews.com/article/20131002/OEM01/131009944?template=mobile

As bad as new SRT Viper is, Fiat's marketing and PR are even worse.  By all accounts, there should not be any new Vipers past 2013.  Considering there is already 280 day inventory of these cars, not a single one should be produced unless they will designated as 2016 model. 

Apparently neither Gilles or his boss understand that raising prices on Viper does not equal a better car.  I personally will not be looking at another Viper past my 2009, especially since the convertible is not even available and the Gen 4 looks better than this new turd while the performance did not improve at all, unless DECREASE in hp counts as such.

If anyone considers this new Viper, they should really think about it very hard.  Considering the number of unsold cars, their car will be taking a minimum 30% dive in value even before they drive off the lot (assuming they can due to shoddy quality of these new cars, LOL).

Sorry Gilles but the new Viper is hardly any different or better than the previous one, still waiting for the final piece of the puzzle-PINK SLIP for you.

Why is Ralph Gilles not fired yet?

Ralph Gilles should be fired long time ago.  This guy has ZERO CEO skills and will be directly responsible for killing off the Viper.  By all accounts, seeing how little performance improvements and stylistic changes there are in new Viper, this car should never happen in the first place.

The only person less competent than Ralph Gilles is Fiat CEO, the same guy that let Gilles keep his job and has not fired him yet.  Sergio, grow some brains, you obviously have none considering that Fiat 500L monstrocity unfortunately.

Putin and VCA

When Putin resigned, he did so only after appointing someone from his circle who in turn made sure to appoint him as the prime minister. 

What does that have to do with Viper Club of America?  The current president of VCA who just resigned, did so only after hand picking his replacement.  Now, there is a little scam that VCA continues to support, called Viper Parts of America that sells Viper parts to VCA members after getting them heavily discounted or even free from Chrysler.  Apparently VCA is non profit and VPA is not associated but only time will tell if IRS buys off on this claim.  It just happens the outgoing president Lee Stubberfield and his family run VPA at the same time.  Hopefully IRS will deal with this fraudulent activity by the Viper "enthusiasts".

Dodge SRT 10 Viper audio upgrades

Are they possible?  Yes, they are and they can be very effective, putting the new SRT Viper high end system to complete shame.  The catch:  you have to spend your time learning the audio subject and practicing building skills instead of BS'ing on VCA or +Viper Alley  forums.  Yes, the time can be spend constructively.

http://snakepit.freeforums.net/thread/34/srt-10-viper-audio-upgrades

2013 SRT Viper Quality Control and Fit and Finish

This picture needs no explanation, a brand new 2013 Viper GTS and the fit of the interior trim makes old Yugo look like a Bentley.  What gives here exactly?  There are considerably more problems that are being noticed, including poor door alignment, paint issues and plenty of electronic gremlins.  Seeing this kind of issues on a 130k car that cannot even go faster than the predecessor should make anyone intelligent start looking for buying alternative.  Shame on you +Ralph Gilles  and SRT team.

Dumb and Dangerous-Forgeline and DV8 Motorsports present fake centerlock rims

What a 2fer: both ghetto and dangerous to boot.  Apparently neither the geniuses at +Forgeline Motorsports  and the tool peddling their stuff, Anthony Whatley and his LOL outfit, +DV8 Motorsports Inc were firmly MIA during their high school physics courses and lack even the basic understanding of mechanical engineering.

Here is the deal:  centerlock wheel make sense only in one scenario: endurance racing where tire wear is an issue and time needed to change the wheels counts toward the outcome of the race. 

From the engineering point, even the true centerlocks are unsound, the cyclic load is applied over an area considerably smaller than one created by conventional lug nuts or lug bolts.  What is the result?  Due to concentrated load, the area surrounding the center bore develops CRACKS over time, resulting in wheel failure.  And yes, wheel studs can fail too but when they fail, it is a cheap failure, not expensive wheels.  Also, if even a small amount of freeplay develops in the pin area, the wheels will start walking, resulting in another form of failure, sheering off.

Now, what did Forgeline come up with and what is that idiot Whatley selling?  Well, nothing less than FAKE centerlock wheel mounting system.  What is wrong with this idea?   In real centerlock, the hub is already set up for the center bore mounting.  What Forgeline did is a hub adapter, one that mounts to the original hub using their own lugnuts that function as drivepins and in effect add dead weight to this idiotic set up.  There is more dead ROTATING WEIGHT from the adapters themselves and then more deadweight from the cheesy looking nut and locking cap which incidentally, is meant to CROSSTHREAD due to pitch being finer than the one on threaded center of the adapter.  This whole thing is just outright STUPID but not only stupid and ghetto rigged, it is also dangerous since the new rims mount using a single center point now, instead of safer multi lug design. 

Should be interesting to see if anyone gets hurt and sues Forgeline and this DV8 Motorsports idiot, nothing beats learning the hardway, apparently.

Here is the fake centerlock set up:

 

 

Here are the adapters with holes drilled and drivepins aka lug nuts in place

 

 

And here is Whatley's own ghetto rigged and outright unsafe install.  On the bright side, this idiot is doing it to himself first, LOL.

 

 

 

 

Generation 5 SRT Viper inherits design flaw causing oversteer

The old saying about not changing good thing certainly does not apply to the new Viper.  +Ralph Gilles  and the rest of the Viper team apparently are too lazy to change anything at all, including CHEAP changes that could greatly benefit the new car.

All previous Vipers have been plagued with severe OVERSTEER under hard throttle.  What causes it?  The excessive overhang is the major contributor.  However, there is a small detail that heavily accentuates this main cause:  the rear mounted battery, mounted on the DRIVER's side. 

The rear mounted battery is a great idea, helping a lot with weight distribution but... there are a few factors that have to be understood before taking this approach.  Sir Isaac Newton is the person to talk to before designing any car.  Apparently Gilles and the rest of the SRT team must have been heavily sedated in high school when laws of physics had been taught to them.

Here is the deal:  ideally, a rear mounted battery should be mounted either over or as close as possible to the rear axle, preferably BEFORE the axle.  Explanation how loading axle to improve traction is a trivial one but... Gilles refuses to acknowledge this part and the battery in the new Viper is located exactly where it was in the previous generations.  Granted, the fuel tank is in the way, however, the battery still could be closer to it instead of residing next to the rear bumper. 

The other problem, a very simple one to correct is that all Vipers continue to have this battery on the wrong side of the car, the battery should be on the PASSENGER side, not driver, to offset the weight of the driver and to some extend minimize the momentum its presence creates.

Now, combine the excessive rear overhang resulting from the short wheelbase and this extra weight hanging behind the driver and aft the rear axle and there it is, an explanation why Viper is plagued by this very dangerous oversteer.  Now Ralph, any particular reason why you could not at least put the battery on the passenger side?  Pretty obvious the more things change, the more they stay the same.

VCA, Viperclub forum, Steve Prescott aka Vipair and fraud-anything in common?

Yes, apparently Steve Prescott hiding behind Vipair Performance scam donated 48k dollars to VCA which bought him immunity from angry customers whom he continues to steal money from, with me being one of them.  As soon as I stated my concerns on that fine forum, I got banned.  Now of course, I cannot post any further complaints and have to use legal ways to hopefully collect my parts and money from that thief.

If this guy steals money from people and VCA knows about it and still takes his money, this is not any different than VCA stealing themselves from Vipair customers themselves.  Can there be more corruption at that fine Viper club?  No doubt there can be.

How fitting-2013 SRT Viper on Top Gear USA

A truly awful TV car show testing a failure of a car, LOL.  Come to think about it, Top Gear USA is a lot like new Viper-a real knock off of the original show, disguised behind new faces and surrounding and showing painfully why rehashing a decent thing is very likely to result in a failure.

Personally, I cannot stomach this US knock off show for more than 5 minutes and this was not exception.  However, these five minutes were enough to conclude that the show is still as awful as ever and new Viper is just as awful. 

What is very ironic: putting the turdy SRT Viper on the track along with McLaren and Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale  and McLaren 12C Spider.  What separates Viper from these two?  TECHNOLOGY.    Compared to these two, Viper is an equivalent of hopped up steam locomotive competing with maglev train.  Sure you can dress it up to disguise its shortcomings but as soon as you open the hood, it becomes painfully obvious this is still the same original Viper that started out in the early 90's while the other two are true mid engine sports cars utilizing carbon fiber tubs instead of this truly archaic steel frame new Viper has (it is identical to Generation 4).. 

Nevertheless, a failed car belongs on a failed TV show.  The highlight of the show: MOBILE COFFIN moniker for Viper-pretty good one although not sure how many months took these three geniuses to come up with it.

http://www.history.com/shows/top-gear/videos/top-gear-coast-to-coast

Disclaimer: although this is a link to the show, I do not assume responsibility for nausea watching this show may induce.

What SRT missed on new Viper to make it a good car?

Let me itemize here:

1. A real space frame with rear cradle and roof, cowl and windshield bracing, using light metals.

2.  Longer wheelbase to eliminate rear overhang and improve interior comfort.

3. Torque tube drivetrain to improve weight distribution, structural rigidity, crash safety and handling.  Not to mention stop providing security to engine mount supplier.

4.  Variable flow rear exiting exhaust system instead of this archaic and dysfunctional side exiting disaster.

Never mind interior bling and carbon fiber body and trim pieces, this is what this car really needs to move up to modern car world.

Ralph Gilles, are you listening?  Beats listening to the clueless VCA squad and typical Viper buyers who happened to be shrinking in numbers...

What is wrong with Viper's structural design?

The biggest problem is of course the frame.  It is ancient, mildly put and it is deficient in providing bending and torsional rigidity.  This frame belongs on a home made kit car, not on a car that is being advertised as world class performer.  I was looking for the front posts to create a brace through dashboard reinforcement and windshield frame but I could not find any.  Am I blind here?  Oh and where did the rear cradle go?  It was missing on the previous generation and it is still missing on the new car. 

If GM got this part, why cannot Fiat and Gilles get this through their skulls?  Still looking for those improvements on the new Viper.  If anyone knows, I would like to hear about it.

What really puzzles me here is the fact the new Viper starts out as a coupe, is Fiat really that cheap and Gilles that dumb to create at least interior cage, using a roof structure?  Light alloys are available and for the money Viper costs, it really should have one, just like it should have a better front cradle and rear cradle actually there.

So how much did new Viper really improved? Frame comparison

OK, we already realized that the new Viper has less horsepower than the previous generation.  How about those handling and structural improvements Ralph Gilles keeps bragging about?

Well... let us take a look...

Here is Generation 3/4 frame

And here is the frame of the brand new Viper... See any changes?  Besides what I think are openings for subwoofers in the rear bulkhead support, I see nothing that actually could contribute to structural rigidity of the new Viper.  Or maybe the different color of paint makes all the difference?  Great job Ralph, as usual.  LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 SRT Viper vs. 2009 Dodge Viper dyno runs--what SRT doess not want buyers to know

In case anyone wondered why Generation 5 Viper produces such weak performance figures, barely edging new Corvette that is 180 hp short and is over hundred pounds heavier than new Viper... Well, there is a very logical explanation:  new Viper has LESS hp than the previous generation and significantly so.  Not only that but also this hp is achieved at higher RPMs.  The same goes for torque, except the new Viper runs out of steam here at LOWER RPM than Generation 4.

This lie can be witnessed in Edmunds dyno runs for both cars. 

2009 Dodge Viper results:  581 hp @ 6100 RPM, 551 ft-lb @ 5150 RPM
2013 SRT Viper results:     558 hp @6150 RPM, 528 ft-lb @ 5100 RPM

Using the same drivetrain losses that SRT apparently applied to new Viper, Generation 4 Viper was severely underrated, with real horsepower rating at the flywheel right around 680 hp. 

Pretty obvious here that both +Fiat  and +Ralph Gilles  are lying here.  Should be interesting to see what kind of discounts will be offered to push these disasters off the lots.  The morale of the story:

DO NOT BELIEVE CORPORATE LIES!!!  The sad reality is however, that the ignorant buyers of Vipers tend to lag behind in the intelligence department.   This may be not nice but to see these fools buying these disasters and then bragging about it is fun to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXcA6Q0M80w

http://www.edmunds.com/car-videos/dyno-tests/2009-dodge-viper-srt-10-dyno-test-video.html

However, for those who are fully brain dead, stupidity coming from clowns like these two should suit them better. 

http://motorhed.com/xf/threads/video-2013-srt-viper-vs-2008-acr-viper.6032/

When faced with facts, idiots like this 9 ball aka Tony Whatley look even dumber-and this is quite an accomplishment, LOL.

VCA claims a partial responsibility for Generation 5 SRT Viper disaster-Dumb and Dumber

Apparently VCA is fighting with Gilles and Fiat to claim this dubious honor, at least according the recently disclosed correspondence.  Wow, just when I thought some people are really dumb, they just prove to be considerably dumber.   And all of this over a vendor going by JonB on Viper morgues while peddling his merchandise and attitude on Partsrack website.

March 10, 2013


Mr. Sergio Marchionne

Chrysler Group LLC

CIMS 484-14-16

1000 Chrysler Drive

Auburn Hills, MI 48326

*RE: Chrysler's lost sales due to Ralph Gilles personal agenda

Dear Mr. Marchionne,

I write at this time to address what I consider to be serious issues
regarding the future of Viper and SRT in general, and I greatly appreciate
your consideration and attention to my concerns. ****

Let me start by saying that I have been a long-time customer of Dodge,
Chrysler, and SRT, and I have owned numerous products from each, including
several Vipers. Additionally, I have been a member of the Viper Club of
America for many years, and have also been a member of the VCA's national
board of directors for several years. During that time, I have worked
closely, and became good friends, with many dozens of individuals who were
very devoted to SRT and the Viper, and who excitedly promoted SRT
products-resulting in many thousands of car/truck sales. ****

Over the years, the VCA has enjoyed a mutually-beneficial relationship
with the manufacturer and various members of its management. Dodge, then
SRT, has supported the VCA, provided cars for our events, allowed the VCA
access to manufacturing facilities, invited input from our members,
sponsored banquets, and much more. In return, the VCA has been far and away
the biggest supporter, and customer, of Dodge and now SRT. By way of merely
one example, one of our members, after owning his first Viper, bought
16,000 Dodge trucks for his companies. The number of SRT and other related
vehicles that have been purchased by VCA members is impossible to
calculate, but would certainly number in the tens of thousands. Bottom
line, the VCA is immensely valuable to your organization as well. Indeed,
the VCA is without question the core of SRT's customer base and, arguably,
essential to the very survival of SRT.

As with any organization with thousands of members, the VCA is not without
its internal and political issues. Historically, however, the VCA leaders
have made it a point to not trouble our manufacturer/partner with our
internal issues, just as the manufacturer does not bring its internal
issues to the VCA. Unfortunately, Mr. Ralph Gilles, CEO of SRT, has
recently not only injected himself into VCA business, but has conducted a
number of meetings and phone calls with VCA leaders through which he has
made numerous "demands" and serious threats which have largely centered
around his insistence that the VCA modify a suspension of one of its former
members.

Without troubling you with the history of what led to the suspension,
suffice it to say that the member at issue was suspended, following many
years of problems, by a unanimous vote of the national board of directors
in January of 2012. That suspension was extended by a majority vote of the
same board this past quarter. As it turns out, the suspended member is a
personal friend of Mr. Gilles and his wife.

After the vote to extend the suspension, Mr. Gilles took it upon himself
to demand a meeting with the national officers of the VCA. That meeting
occurred in his office on January 16, 2013. At that time Mr. Gilles made
numerous demands and threats to withdraw (SRT and Mopar's) advertising from
Viper Magazine (published by the VCA), to stop offering free first-year VCA
memberships to new Viper owners (something Chrysler has not provided anyway
for the past four years), and to pull all support from the VCA. He also
proclaimed that the VCA's ownership of Viper Parts of America (a for-profit
organization) is "illegal." In fact, VPA was set up as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the VCA by an Am-Law 100 law firm. Nevertheless, Mr. Gilles
demanded to see the financials of VPA-something he has no right to.

After the meeting, Mr. Gilles sent a written message (which, presumably,
he could provide you if asked) to the VCA officers demanding, among other
things, that the suspended member not only be reinstated, but that he be
placed in an "honorary" position (Mr. Gilles's written words). On January
18, 2013, the newly-appointed national board of directors of the VCA, met
to discuss how to respond to Mr. Gilles's "demands". The board (which I am
a part of), voted-unanimously-to continue the suspension of the member at
issue, despite Mr. Gilles's demands. While I cannot speak for every member
of that fifteen-person board, I can tell you that many were very taken
aback by Mr. Gilles's behavior, demands, and intrusion into VCA business.
While every person expressed respect and concern for the VCA's relationship
with the manufacturer, the entire group ultimately concluded that
succumbing to Mr. Gilles's expressed demands was simply unacceptable.
On January 22, 2013, Mr. Gilles's participated in a multi-hour telephone
conference with the national officers concerning his demands and the VCA's
response thereto. While I was not involved in that call, it is my
understanding that Mr. Gilles's demands continued. At one point Mr. Gilles
was asked what happens if the suspended member was allowed back in, there
were additional problems, and the VCA had to explain that the member was
allowed back because Ralph Gilles demanded it. In response, Mr. Gilles
excitedly proclaimed that could never happen and neither he nor SRT could
be associated with this issue in any way-despite the fact that the only
reason SRT is involved at all is because Ralph is choosing to inject
himself. Nevertheless, Ralph insisted that he could not be associated with
this if there were problems later. Why he chooses to involve himself, and
threaten the leaders of SRT's core customer base, is simply baffling.

While I greatly appreciate the role Mr. Gilles played in creating the new
Viper (which looks to be an amazing car), I am extremely frustrated with
his recent intrusion into VCA business and the threats he has made against
the national officers and VCA membership in general. During the meeting on
January 22, 2013, I am told that Mr. Gilles at one point made a comment to
the effect of "I have managed 'the NASCAR issues' I have recently dealt
with, no little car club is a problem for me." He seems to think he is
invincible and needs no one-including SRT's customers.

After witnessing what Mr. Gilles's has done in the past few months, I have
decided that I am not going to place the orders for a new truck and Viper
as I had originally planned. I am not alone in this respect, and have heard
similar responses from several other members of the club. I know for a fact
that you have already lost several dozen new car orders. I am positive that
this will become far more widespread if news of this situation becomes
public.

While I most certainly hope these issues can be resolved and that the VCA
and SRT can regain the tremendous relationship they have both enjoyed for
many years, if they are not, and Mr. Gilles ultimately carries through on
his threats, the VCA will have no choice but to explain his and SRT's
withdrawal from Viper Magazine and VCA events to the entire club. The VCA
will, of course, be entirely honest about everything that has occurred
here. However, the truth will not be positive for the perception of the
vast majority of the VCA's thousands of members.

My letter to you is written in the hopes that you can assist in preventing
this from ending as I fear it otherwise will. Toward that end, if there is
anything I can do to address these issues further, I will be happy to
respond as you may request. My contact information can be found at the
bottom of this letter. On the other hand, if Mr. Gilles is allowed to
follow through on his threats, I will have to make it known to the entire
VCA membership that I sought assistance with this issue, but was
unsuccessful in acquiring it.

I strongly encourage you to advise Mr. Gilles to avoid involvement in VCA
business and politics, cease making demands and threats to VCA leadership,
and continue to support SRT's largest and most important customer base. In
return, the VCA will continue to be the biggest cheerleader of SRT, as it
always has been.

Thank you again for your consideration of this issue which I hope you
recognize is potentially very serious not only to the VCA, but for SRT's
future business.

Best regards,

Tim Wollesen

And just when I was fully convinced Ralph Gilles was the person responsible for this disaster, VCA is the one that caused this fiasco?  I still think Gilles is the main fall guy but I understand even more now why the VCA and other Viper internet morgues get so defensive should anyone point out shortcomings of these cars.  Oh and just clarify, I do own one and was deeply disappointed to see how little progress the next generation made.
.
Seems like Gilles and VCA are the new cast of Dumb and Dumber remake, LOL.

A better car to buy than SRT Viper and it is not a Corvette

As current owner of Generation 4 Viper and C6 Corvette, I see no other car out there to get to make real performance upgrade than Rossion Q1.  This car is superior to both, any version of Corvette or Viper.  The car is considerably lighter, mid engine (real mid engine and not one based on technicality like Corvette) and it performs considerably better than either of the other two choices.   Why this car does not sell better is beyond my comprehension.  I already know why Viper does not and why Corvette can be rented at local Hertz locations though, LOL.

Is Generation 4 Viper a better car than Generation 5? What is going here?

So, I found this old article, testing the Generation 4 car and it is quite eye opening.  The test results achieved on Generation 4 are superior to the current Generation 5 test results, in spite of what Ralph Gilles claims.  What gives here?  Seeing the total defeat of the current car and what Generation 4 could do, it makes no sense at all to buy Generation 5 for those who own Generation 4.  This is not any different than Corvette C6 vs. C7 test results. 

Interestingly enough, acceleration times are the same, ET time and braking distance and skidpad make Generation 4 a better car.  Seems like new Vipers will be a permanent feature on those newly created SRT dealerships showroom floors.  LOL

http://autoresource.internetautoguide.com/09-viper-srt10-vs-ford-gt-1581.html

PIrelli tires on new SRT Viper

Are these tires hindering the performance of the new Viper?  The performance figures like skidpad, ET and braking distance achieved by car press are at best, the same as Generation 4.  Could the tires cause or at least contribute heavily to the ongoing demise and humiliation of the new Viper?

Ralph Gilles, it is not too late to conduct tests using Michelin tires and if there is indeed an improvement, offer free upgrades to the current owners and switching the tires on the cars that have not sold yet and the upcoming new model year.

Wake up Gilles before Viper dies completely.

Breaking news!!! 2013 Viper outruns first generation Gallardo, LOL

Give it to the idiots like the one from +DV8 Motorsports Inc , Anthony Whatley to give the much needed advertisement to the failing venture called SRT Viper to make sure it continues to show its shortcomings.  In this case, this idiot decided to have his wife race against a first generation Gallardo, a 500 hp car short on torque and equaling new Viper in weight.

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/668117-Video-of-my-wife-beating-a-Lambo-in-her-Gen5-Viper.-LOL!

Well duh Whatley, new Viper better be faster although courtesy of your wife's lack of driving skills, the superiority of the new Viper is not very well noticeable.  Make sure to ask whoever you decide to race next time to ride the brakes a bit more.  LMAO at this tool.

Cannot blame this guy though, he bought one of these disasters and apparently keeps himself busy trying to convince others why he did it.  Sorry bud but this is as weak as your IQ.  You should really stick to peddling fake center lock rims from the back of your white van.

Oh and Whatley, in another breaking news, the sun decided to rise today.  Just make sure not to race this turd against ZR1, limited intelligence and plenty of arrogance would cause a serious nervous breakdown for you.  Come to think about it, avoid the new Vette as well, LMAO.  Seriously doubting +Fiat  or +Ralph Gilles  would be using this manifestation of stupidity for their advertising purposes.

What is the biggest problem with SRT in SRT Viper?

The biggest problem is that SRT as a brand is a failed idea.  The reason: Viper is the single original model this fake brand includes.  The rest are just hopped up versions of mainstream Chrysler cars, including those that car rental companies use. 

Had Fiat kept Viper as the only SRT branded car and then added a couple of others that would be exclusive to SRT (smaller sports cars competing with Miata, lower Porsche and BMW), yes, then this would work.  As it is right now, it is an absolute disaster, killing the Viper even more than what lack of improvements in design and performance already do anyway.

LOL at Chrysler dealers paying 25k for the privilege of pretending they sell an exclusive brand while people cannot tell apart on the lots run of the mill Chrysler cars from their SRT equivalents (minus Viper of course).

Seeing this stupidity, it is pretty obvious that Viper was better off as a Dodge, at least it was a flagship of a big brand, what is it now?  A complete failure all on its own.

Should Fiat relieve Ralph Gilles of his duties as SRT CEO?

The answer is a resounding YES!!!  Seeing the fiasco associated with Generation 5 Viper, lack of progress in design and performance, total humiliation with press reviews and tests and sales that are actually dead, yes, Ralph you should be fired and the sooner it happens, the better it will be for everyone.

Is the new SRT Viper worth anything at all?

Not according to this ad, considering the options like track pack and seat belts.  96k right now and most likely considerably less after next year model comes out and few more tests are done by car magazines.  LMAO at this ultimate failure.  Great job Ralp Gilles and tools who bought this disaster already.  Watch the values plummet faster than the gas in that undersized gas tank.

This is the actual car BTW...

Values of NEW SRT Viper plummet

Up to 20k right now off MSRP on new SRT Vipers BEFORE 2014 cars are even out means the idiots who bought this POS just lost 30k minimum on their already USED cars.  WOW!!!

How does it feel for the geniuses who just had to buy one to be taking it in the shorts on continuous basis?  Good thing their weight is considerably higher than their IQ...

What should Gilles learn from Corvette design?

Two things:

1.  Drivetrain efficiency-it is painfully obvious that old school conventional driveshaft is super inefficient when compared against torque tube set up.  Torque tube prevents energy transfer through the engine mounts on to suspension (twisting).  GM figured this one out back in the 90's, Chrysler and Gilles apparently are not familiar with physics and simple concepts employed in mechanical engineering.  Gilles also fails to understand that in torque tube, the actual driveshaft rotates at the engine speed, regardless of which gear is employed.   Come on Gilles, go back to high school and learn a few things.  Took GM long time to figure this one out but apparently you will never get there.

Oh and better weight distribution is just an icing on the cake.

2.  Longer wheelbase.  Yes, Fiat is as cheap as Chrysler was before, too cheap to bring the Viper frame into 21st century and improve both riding comfort and car handling.  Even Porsche 911 has less rear overhang than Viper and Porsche is a REAR ENGINE car.  Once again Ralph, let me explain to you:  dead weight outside of axles is BAD, laws of physics dictate this part and it continues to show with the rear end of all Vipers having a mind of its own.  And for the money Viper costs, is there a reason why the frame cannot be constructed using aluminum alloys, titanium and carbon fiber?  Kudos for shedding some weight on the new car but this could have been easily a 3100 lbs car which would put it in a league of its own instead of barely edging the BASE Corvette.

Wake up Ralph, pretty clear that the ranks of Viper enthusiasts are idiots, cannot tell them this because they think with their wallets instead of their heads.

Ralph Gilles-you are an absolute disgrace, killing the car that could have been truly great, SHAME ON YOU.

How to ghetto rig a Viper?

Ask Anthony Whatley of DV8 Motoring.  Oh and you will be making it less safe and heavier/

http://snakepit.freeforums.net/thread/6/ghetto-viper-make-slower-less

How much will the discount on 2013 be in a couple of months?

Should be considerably more than 20k.  LOL at the idiots that bought this car already and at the dealers who got greedy, ordered top of the line versions and will be making Christmas ornaments out of them. Gotta decide here is the Viper owners are dumber than Corvette owners?  Tough call.

Once again, lack of development makes Gen 5 Viper a POS

The effects of being cheap and not revising the frame to either shorten the rear of the car or extend the wheelbase catch up with the new Viper in more than one way.

Short wheelbase cause the doors to be short and making access even worse than those sills already do.  Throwing this mass behind the rear wheels around cannot be good for the handling as pointed out in many tests already.  If Gilles continues this path, Viper will be dead in one more year.  For the money Fiat charges, this car should have more horsepower and modern design.

SRT Viper changes for 2014 and 2015

Apparently very little will be happening for 2014 model year outside of updated cam position sensor, new colors, mandatory rear view camera and a couple of new colors and interior trim details.  Does this mean that Ralph Gilles and company are too busy trying to fix the numerous flaws and quality issues that are plaguing the new car or are they too busy picking up the pieces that fall off the new car? 

2015 is more interesting considering that a slight bump in horsepower is planned (670 hp) and new roadster will finally see the daylight.  Unfortunately, very little otherwise will be happening.  Will this be enough to save the Viper?   May not be...

And looking at the new roadster, something got lost in translation here since it looks truly awful, considerably worse than the Generation 4 version.

The aftermath of MT test results

Pretty obvious that Dodge Viper just hit the bottom.  Will Ralph Gilles keep his job as a result of this total humiliation to Fiat, SRT and Viper owners egos?  No doubt there will be plenty of finger pointing and nobody with guts to acknowledge what has been very obvious for a very long time and subsequently assume the responsibility.

The bottom line is that 2013 SRT Viper is a verified POS and SRT itself is a failure.  Maybe these disasters can be rebadged as Lancia, at least then, there would not be anyone surprised.  LOL once again at the idiots who bought this car. 

A note to Ralph Gilles:  stop traveling to Italy, you are already responsible for a car deserving to be Italian, LOL.

Short wheelbase, excessive rear overhang and SRT Viper handling problems

Dodge Viper has 49/51 weight distribution.  On paper, this sounds good, real good.  The problem?
The short wheelbase and excessive overhang in the rear of the car.  Since its conception, Dodge Viper increased its wheelbase from 96.2 to 98.8 while the rear overhang remained consistently excessive. 

At the same time, the front overhang decreased noticeably.  Does this make any sense?   The problem with reducing overhang is that it can interfere with the aerodynamics of the car but... this is usually a problem with the FRONT of the car, not the rear.  All Vipers have real bad Cd, the new car has Cd of 0.37 IN ITS BASE FORM, without aero add ons which make Cd even worse.  So why not extend the wheelbase, increase interior comfort and improve handling characteristics of the car instead? 

Very simple explanation, Fiat is too cheap to bring Viper in the 21st century, keeping this car in the 1980's.  Somehow GM got the hint and improved Corvette in this aspect significantly since C4 and its short wheel base but somehow Fiat and Gilles refuse to spend the money to modernize the car.  This was fine up to Gen 4 but the buck stops here-this is just too archaic and actually dangerous, considering the handling characteristics of this car.  Good for novelty item like Morgan but even Morgan figured this part out already.  Gheez...

So what are the real life results of this archaic design?

"Far and away the Viper's biggest fault, though, was how it communicated with the driver. While the nose was always stapled to the pavement, the rear end liked to do all sorts of funny dances when you lifted off the throttle and went to the brakes. That's disconcerting in a 640-horsepower car, to say the least, but what makes it truly frustrating is the car is lying to you. The back end isn't going anywhere. It's glued down nearly as well as the nose is, but the car is telling you it's about to come loose and fling you off the road. You have to constantly remind yourself the car will stick, and ignore what every sense is telling you"

Now, chances for majority of Viper enthusiasts comprehending this part is beyond slim, they are pretty brainless regarding laws of physics but it seems like there are people out there who understand what is happening.

Oh and gotta love the Fiat BS regarding the short wheel base:

"When it comes to on-track performance, smaller is often smarter. In a world of ballooning supercars that dwarf their predecessors, the SRT^® Viper confidently holds one of the shortest wheelbases in the segment at 98.8 inches. Retaining the important attribute helps to return lightning-fast lap times."

Now, come on Gilles, let me provide the correct translation:  when it comes to being really CHEAP, less progress and technology is always cheaper.  The SRT Viper confidently holds profits ahead of performance improvements and owners safety.

In reality, it is not short wheelbase that matters, it is the overall design of the car that prevents unsprung weight from getting mind of its own, going one way while the rest of the car goes the other. 

Oh and the rest of this BS from SRT:

http://www.drivesrt.com/news/2013/01/size-matters-a-short-wheelbase-enhances-the-srt-vipers-track-capability.html

LOL at that "size matters" notion, yes, it is true but only with regards to the mentality of the dim witted buyers mistaking size of their penis with IQ number...

Come on Gilles, even Russian owners of TVR get this part

Is 2013 SRT Viper a real POS?

Seems like it is... Not sure if this is a review of a cheapo Fiat or 140k self proclaimed super car?

"There were other problems, too. One of the hood vents flew off on the freeway and caromed off the windshield. There was a persistent rattle in the right side of the cabin that was never identified. The Performance Apps froze the infotainment system. The paint on the edges of the rocker panels was being burned by the exhaust.

Finally, the Viper arrived mounted with standard Pirelli P Zeros on the front and P Zero Corsas on the rear.Set aside these issues, and the story is marginally better: Judges had originally placed the Viper in eighth. Many complained about an uncomfortable driving position and narrow footwell with closely spaced pedals that were easy to misapply. The shifter drew ire for needing a very strong shove to get into the next ratio, and the word "earplugs" appeared in many judges' notes."

Vent flying off the hood?  Rocker panel paint blistering from the get go?  These disasters should be pulled back by Fiat until Ralph Gilles can figure out how to slap more lipstick on this pig.  Last generation did not have these issues, what happened here?  LOL

The worn out tires on the press car is just another sign of Ralph Gilles'es incompetence as a leader of that bogus SRT brand from Chrysler. 

New SRT Viper taking a beating from Ford Focus

12 out of 12?

http://www.motortrend.com/features/performance/1311_2013_motor_trend_best_drivers_car/viewall.html

2013 Viper should be flying off the dealers lots now for sure.  Gotta congratulate the idiots who bought it already.  Is this a wake up call for +Ralph Gilles  and the rest of the SRT crew to improve the car for the next year or these cars will be taken off life support in a hurry.  LOL again about Ford Focus owning Dodge Viper.  PATHETIC!!!

Advantages of buying 2013 vs 2014 SRT VIper

Logically, there are none, especially considering this is first year of new AMERICAN car produced in small numbers.

The only time  this makes sense is if next model year already comes out and there are no improvements present.  Due to hefty discounts at that time, this makes sense-as long as there are no issues the come up in the meantime.  

Seeing electronic gremlins popping up on those few that already sold, buy the current year by all means. LOL

Let me fire away here: Why is new SRT10 already a sales failure

Wishing this would not be the case but unfortunately it is.

The main reason:  ECONOMY-still in a tank and not getting better anytime soon.
The second reason: price-not very realistic due to reason above.
The third reason: little change to the car, including the appearance while reason two applies.
The fourth reason: +Ralph Gilles and his lack of vision and complete disconnect from the outside world.
The fifth reason:+Fiat ownership and its lack of funding and conflict with +Ferrari as the top dog of +Fiat  corporate world.  Last thing +Fiat  would want is a fairly crude car costing less while exceeding +Ferrari  high priced jewels.
The sixth reason: super idiotic idea of pretending that SRT is a separate brand and charging dealers for the privilege.  The problem is that these dealers are still the same ones selling generic Chrysler crap and due to that surcharge, they actually attempt to recover their fee through so few cars they try to sell.  Truly, this is as stupid as it gets.

The result:  new +SRT Viper  cars sitting on the lots while delusional dealers kid themselves that someone will pull the trigger on the purchase, hopefully with a healthy markup on MSRP, LOL.

The reality is pretty pathetic, the small group of those who have to have the brand new model and have the means to buy them has depleted the purchaser pool.  Less than 300 have actually seen sales, the initial claims of being sold out included the cars purchased by the dealers, without an actual buyer.

So what happens now?  Well, not much outside of the dealers getting stuck with these cars and paying interest on their loans without hope of actual sales.  The prices are dropping and very fast too, MSRP is a norm now, even from dealers asking 20 or 30k a few weeks ago and more and more of them marking the cars well BELOW MSRP.  Seems like the impatient tools who already bought theirs will be getting screwed and more so, especially since the orders are already being taken for next model year.