QOTD: Is There Room for the Snake?

by Jack Baruth

Published: August 18th, 2017

They closed the Viper line at Conner, they’re selling to Chinese

What was once the “engineering company”, now trembles on its knees

The money went to swift sedans, that need cash on the hood

There ain’t nobody left who thinks the Journey’s any good

And the Roadkill squad they’re restless, they need somewhere to go

As Sergio and I look out tonight from Desolation Row

We’ve said goodbye to the finest, fastest American track car ever produced and, although I don’t know exactly why it failed, I have my theories. The only question left is: Could it come back? Is there room for any sporting car from FCA besides the 500 Abarth and the super-sedans from both sides of the Atlantic?

Let me throw my hat into the ring for a moment: I think FCA should field the smallest, lightest RWD ponycar they can build. Something for a younger demographic, something to thrill the people who find the Challenger just too ponderous and exaggerated. It should be fun, it should be fast, and it should be priced to match or beat the Mustang. The Pentastar would do a great job of pushing 3,100 pounds, and there’s always room for a Hemi or Hellcat engine if things get serious. Heck, you could even try a four-cylinder turbo like the one from the Giulia.

The name of the car? Come up with it yourself. My suggestion is this.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]

#QOTD #QuestionOfTheDay

Jack Baruth

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11 of 78 comments

Zeus01 on Aug 18, 2017

Chrysler has already tried to put out a Mustang competitor on more than one occasion. The first serious attempt was the Barracuda. It was at least respectable if not quite superior. And it was built during an era when Chrysler still built some decent, desirable and durable machines. The second attempt was the mid-80s Dodge Daytona and Plymouth Laser twins -snazzy looking cars with OK handling and acceleration (for the era). But there's a reason Phil Edmunston from Lemon Aid refers to the 80s as "the lemon years", and these cars were one of the primary inspirations for that assessment. So now we arrive at a point in history where some think it might be a good idea for FCA to produce a "Mustang-beater" with rear-wheel drive and a big honkin' V8 under the hood. Careful what you wish for because as always, the devil is in the details. (not to mention Fiat's influence and ability to turn everything it touches into sh!t, and the bean-counters' predilection for stuffing V6s in places where V8s should go). I suspect any bastard child hunk of steel, aluminum and plastic offspring from this marriage will have automatic transmissions with the life expectancy of a Taylor Swift relationship, consume head gaskets like it was tax-deductible and completely miss the point by trying to pass off the only engine option - a turbo 4-banger - as the best thing since sex. I think I'll stick to Mustangs thankyouverymuch.

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Johnster on Aug 18, 2017

The V-10 in the Viper was getting old, but I think that they could have stuck a Hellcat V-8 in the Viper and kept it in production. I would think that down the road they could switch the Viper to a platform shared with various big Maseratis. Similarly, they could develop a slightly smaller V-8 powered replacement for the Challenger (perhaps a 'Cuda?) that shared its platform the Alfa Romeo Giulia.

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- 28-Cars-Later on Aug 19, 2017
  
  I thought I read the platform was designed around that engine specifically.
  
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- Rudiger on Aug 19, 2017
  
  @28-Cars-Later If true, it could explain a lot. Maybe to accept a V8 (or maybe even an automatic), an essentially brand-new platform would need to be created. IOW, a V8 and/or automatic Viper might have been just as (or even more) expensive as the existing V10/manual car.
  
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- Johnster on Aug 20, 2017
  
  @28-Cars-Later My understanding was that when the Viper was updated, Chrysler was owned by Mercedes-Benz and that the platform shared an awful lot with the the then concurrently produced SL and SLS models. If the SL could come with a V12, a V8 and V6 versions, it shouldn't have been too difficult to make the Viper with V10 and V8 versions.
  
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- 28-Cars-Later on Aug 20, 2017
  
  @Johnster Gen II Viper was released in 1996, the DC merger was in 1998. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Viper I think you may be referring to Crossfire.
  
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- Rpn453 on Aug 21, 2017
  
  @28-Cars-Later A pushrod V8 will fit, with room to spare, anywhere that V10 fits. But it might not have the hood clearance for a supercharger or overhead cams. I don't think it would be hard to get an automatic in there either, especially with a more compact V8. However, I doubt a V8 would save enough money to make it as affordable as a Vette of similar performance. So sales would still be low, and it will have lost some of its character as a V10, manual-only beast. I'd like to see it live on with additional drivetrain options rather than die, but I doubt anyone can make a business case for it.
  
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- Flipper35 on Aug 24, 2017
  
  The Hellcat engine is too tall for the Viper. There was no way to put side curtain airbags in the current platform as well. The Giulia with a forced induction Pentastar with 400/450hp would be a good start. Then the SRT 'cuda with 550hp. I like how they did the retro ties to the old cars but this car should NOT look like the old Duster in any way shape or form.
  
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Ronnie Schreiber on Aug 20, 2017

The Giulia weighs between 3,000 and 3,400 lbs, depending on drivetrain and equipment. They could probably take a few inches out of the platform like Chrysler did to make the Challenger out of the 300, and end up with a good basis for a RWD pony car.

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- Zykotec on Aug 20, 2017
  
  Using an existing platform is the only solution. Cheapen it down enough to sell it to working class Americans and you have a decent starting point. The proper Pony car versions just need to be about as good as the Giulia is today, but with more American looks/interiors/sound, and a bit more power than the chassis can realistically handle, until you check all the options. Keep it 4 door, and make the rear seats better than the Camaro/Mustang. The Viper was a sledgehammer that was tuned to play guitar solos. The fact that it could do well on a track was as unrealistic as making a rear engined flatsix engined car handle with 400hp or more. It would also have taken FCA another 40 yearsto make it into a 'proper' sportscar, and by then purists would say they had ruined it...
  
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Namesakeone on Aug 20, 2017

Unfortunately, with the new tooling they would need to make a light RWD car, that pony car would cost about $50,000 in the base version. And there wouldn't be enough buyers who want something that won't hold God-knows-how much baby detrius. FCA would rather kill Chrysler and Dodge--and their respective heritage--and build another three-row Jeep crossover that will actually sell.

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