Fangs for the Memories

The Shelby influence is very much evident on the Viper, and he is considered one of the car’s “four fathers”

by Colin Comer

The discontinuation of several Chrysler models to help stop the corporation’s financial bleeding is no secret. Rumors abound about Dodge’s Viper being on this list, and numerous Dodge “insiders” claim the Viper will be discontinued after 2009.

Has the Viper been a resounding success, merely in danger of corporate cost-cutting, or would its termination brand it as a failure? To make that determination, let’s look back at the Viper’s history to see if it has stayed true to its original goal, and how Vipers have fared in the marketplace.

In the dark days of K cars and minivans at Chrysler, the Viper was a dream car from former United States Marine fighter pilot Captain Robert Lutz. Lutz “transferred” from Ford to Chrysler in 1986, yet still drove his 1985 Mk IV Autocraft Cobra to work at Chrysler. Lutz, well-known car guy extraordinaire and longtime...