| Chrysler's recent bankruptcy filing has left some of its | | | | purchased the rights to the Avanti, the company's |
| current products exposed, including the iconic Dodge | | | | forward looking model introduced just a few years |
| Viper sports car. That vehicle, first rolled out in 1992, is | | | | before. For the next two decades the timeless Avanti |
| a halo car one that was created to advance the | | | | was built and sold to devotees. |
| image of the company's Dodge division. | | | | Taking Its Cues From The Avanti |
| A handcrafted vehicle, the Dodge Viper has always | | | | Like the Avanti, the Viper could be produced by just |
| been sold in low numbers, only selling its 25,000th copy | | | | about anyone as the buyer of the car would gain |
| in 2008. Last year, Chrysler LLC announced that they | | | | rights to the name, body molds, parts, tools and |
| would try to sell the Viper in a bid to raise much | | | | everything related to the car. The new buyer would |
| needed funds for the company, but that | | | | also assume responsibility of furnishing replacement |
| announcement didn't bring forth a serious buyer and | | | | parts for existing Vipers and would probably strike a |
| now, with the bankruptcy in place, the factory | | | | warranty agreement with Chrysler to cover cars built |
| producing the Viper has been shut down. | | | | when the Viper was under the Dodge umbrella. That |
| Several Factories Closed, Not Part Of The Fiat Deal | | | | agreement could be backed up by the federal |
| Eight Chrysler factories are being left in bankruptcy | | | | government which has a similar plan already in place |
| which means that Fiat SpA, the buyer of Chrysler, can | | | | for Chrysler. |
| pick which assets it wants. The Viper assembly plant | | | | Thus, if the Viper does continue to live on, its new |
| in Detroit was not included, meaning that support for | | | | owner may have nothing to do with building cars, |
| the sportscar has ended at least for now. | | | | although my personal speculation is that an existing |
| Though the Dodge Viper will likely not emerge as part | | | | manufacturer will acquire full rights to the Viper and |
| of the newly restructured Chrysler entity, there is a | | | | produce the car themselves. After all, a halo car is just |
| possibility that a new buyer could step forth to claim | | | | that - one that bolsters the image of a brand, |
| the car. Back in the 1960s when Studebaker went out | | | | something that the V-10, 600 horsepower, 560 lb.-ft of |
| of business, a pair of former Studebaker dealers | | | | torque Viper has done successfully for Dodge. |