Fear Not, It Shall Return

The 2009 Viper--as menacing as ever. (Photo courtesy of Dodge.com)

Dodge has recently announced that production of the Viper, its crowning sports car, will be halted in July of 2010, following a final limited run of 500 cars. But do not fret--Dodge plans to return in 2012 with an updated version.

Dodge claims that the move to halt production is motivated by a desire to guard against lessening the market value of the current generation of the Viper by continuing its production with no end in sight. This move, it seems, is representative of a notable forward-thinking mentality on Chrysler's part. Market value for the Viper has always been strong--for instance, early generations have long-enjoyed a stable market value, not violently depreciating like so many other sports cars often do as production marches on. At a time when MSRPs of sports cars have soared, Dodge has done a noteworthy job keeping the price for the basic Viper below the $100,000 mark. As Chrysler is likely aware, bolstering its brand image cannot be accomplished with quick fixes, but rather must be oriented towards insuring that new measures and developments do not suddenly (and catastrophically) fold years down the road.

The Viper has always been geared towards a particular buyer, as is the same for so many American sports cars. Much as is the case with the Japanese-made Acura NSX, the Viper has enjoyed a loyal following, which recognizes its uniqueness and uncomplicated, natural approach to two basic components of a respectable, original sports car--raw speed coupled with an exceptional sound. At a time when complex European sports cars, with advanced traction control systems and 7-speed flappy paddle gearboxes, arguably dominate the market, the Viper has colorfully, and forcefully, demonstrated that a 6-speed manual transmission coupled with a 8.4 liter V10 can handle itself just fine, thank you very much.

For this author, it seems that European automakers ought to take note of this fundamental approach to the modern sports car, lest they forget the simple, yet crucial, principle that the connection between driver and machine is best strengthened by reducing the encumbrances between the two.

Five Minutes to Wapner, Five Minutes to Wapner...

TV... in my car?! Life is complete.

(Image courtesy of Chrysler.com)

Thanks to Chrysler, no longer will you have to fret that you might miss your favorite TV show. By the end of the year, for a mere $629 (plus installation costs), you can outfit your new Chrysler with roughly twenty channels of live television, including CBS, MSNBC, and MTV, among others.

At a time when some states are enacting laws prohibiting texting on cell phones while driving, Chrysler has added yet another distraction to the ever-increasing list for today's driver. Of course, the 7" TV included in the FLO TV Auto Entertainment system will not be positioned within view of the driver's seat. Nevertheless, the sound of live TV in the background, coupled with cell phone conversations and crying children, only adds to the many distractions faced by the average driver. And if the background noise is the sound of MSNBC reporting yet another day of dismal performance in the stock market, there is, it seems, little hope of returning the driver's focus to the task at hand, namely, the road ahead.

Leaving aside tangential concerns--why not talk to your children instead of turning on the TV in the backseat?--one hopes Chrysler has not hinged too much on this new innovation. It is, to be sure, a difficult time for Detroit auto makers, and live TV is certainly not the best means by which to bolster brand image.