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24 Mar 2014, 22:24 (Ref:3383828) | #1 | |||
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The future of SRT Viper
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/leman...-from-le-mans/
Quote:
Your thoughts? |
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24 Mar 2014, 22:28 (Ref:3383832) | #2 | ||
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Surely the budget was signed of long ago, why cancel it now
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24 Mar 2014, 22:28 (Ref:3383833) | #3 | |
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Theyve already sold a GT3 Viper in europe. This may be the thing that could save this program. Creating a separate brand- SRT- was not a wise decision imo. FIAT should be less stingy as well. Ive heard stories that Viper cant step on Ferrari's toes and that holds back the car from being something more than what it currently is.
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24 Mar 2014, 22:30 (Ref:3383834) | #4 | |
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Wonder if things would have been different had they won Sebring like they should have...And I won't say anymore than that...
I really hope this decision gets reversed. That's a huge blow. What better way to stimulate sales than to go out and win Le Mans. That really just means they didn't think they could win. |
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24 Mar 2014, 22:34 (Ref:3383835) | #5 | ||
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Yikes.
The GTD teams being iffy was not to be unexpected but a factory team starting to look shaky is very concerning. |
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24 Mar 2014, 22:43 (Ref:3383843) | #6 | ||
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Thoughts:
a) good luck to Ralph Gilles at his next job interview, he's going to need it. b) was always very strange that they were using an iconic brand (Viper) to try and launch a new one that had no mainstream identity (SRT) c) this is really bad news for TUSC, Corvette and GTLM in general. It's likely the end of that era, I doubt any new cars will arrive for it now d) the future of GT rules needs sorting NOW. Don't TUSC it up and wait too long, GT3 has been so strong for a while now and it is suffering from this uncertainty over rules. I would say let GT3 be the base ruleset everywhere, much as I originally despised the concept I'm happy to admit I was wrong. e) will be a real shame not to see the GT3 Viper have a proper sales run. I know one has been sold to Race Art but I'm guessing it hasn't been homologated for international GT3 and after their last endeavour I doubt they're going to get another year to try and make some sales of it. f) finally, saying a Sebring win could have saved it is a fallacy. Same for a Le Mans win. If the core product isn't wanted to this extend then no amount of heritage will save it in the short-term. |
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24 Mar 2014, 22:55 (Ref:3383850) | #7 | |
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I'm not so sure. When Falken won Petit last year. It was awful hard to Porsche to not give them a new factory car to play with.
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25 Mar 2014, 00:24 (Ref:3383878) | #8 | ||
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25 Mar 2014, 07:30 (Ref:3383946) | #9 | |||
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Quote:
When I say 'good luck', I mean it; it'd be good to see someone with his passion for racing in a job. |
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24 Mar 2014, 22:45 (Ref:3383846) | #10 | |
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Just to clear things up, this is NOT cofirmed. And if the story is true, its withdrawing from Le Mans, not TUSC.
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24 Mar 2014, 22:48 (Ref:3383847) | #11 | ||
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If you are withdrawing from the biggest race you run all year (with the highest worldwide TV ratings), what is the value in racing in the rest of the Tudor races?
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24 Mar 2014, 23:15 (Ref:3383859) | #12 | |
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Viper is American. The races in America are probably covered. When full details come out about this decision then you will have your answers. Until then everything is speculation.
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24 Mar 2014, 23:11 (Ref:3383856) | #13 | |||
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Quote:
I know some programmes such as the Corvette one are run with current owners in mind. |
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25 Mar 2014, 00:35 (Ref:3383881) | #14 | ||
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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I love this marketing spin...bet the guys laid off love it more.........
Chrysler manufacturing spokesperson Jodi Tinson offered a silver lining to the production stoppage. “We’re trying to satisfy our customers’ desire to keep their vehicles exclusive,” she said. “We didn’t want to make too many of them. This will help us manage our production to keep that level of exclusivity.” |
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25 Mar 2014, 01:03 (Ref:3383885) | #15 | ||
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I'm positive it's not the only, or chief, motivator, but I bet the need to somehow get a car to France for BoP testing in advance of the race isn't helping either. Not cheap or convenient with TUSC commitments at LB and Laguna as well. Be interesting to see how Corvette manages that, though I am nearly certain they have at least one spare chassis.
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25 Mar 2014, 11:21 (Ref:3384073) | #16 | ||
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 429
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Quote:
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25 Mar 2014, 01:15 (Ref:3383887) | #17 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 458
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Ferrari just did the same exact thing....I wonder if this is a FIAT thing?
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25 Mar 2014, 03:47 (Ref:3383913) | #18 | ||
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Quote:
It seems the lack of sales is attributed to the fact that the SRT Viper is not the very best supercar given all the other options out there. |
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25 Mar 2014, 03:58 (Ref:3383915) | #19 | |
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And there is reason to believe its because the parent company doesn't want in brand fighting. The decision to put pirelli tires instead of michelin on the viper, the 640hp limitation when it could easily outdo the F12's 700+ hp, the fact that ceramic brakes arent included standard... the list goes on of reasons FIAT may have held the viper back to not be in Ferrari's teritory.
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25 Mar 2014, 02:08 (Ref:3383901) | #20 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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Yeah this really bites big time. I am optimistic that SRT will be in TUSK for the rest of 2014 though. 2015 you got start questioning though?
Perhaps the SRT brand overall has not been very successful and instead should have remained under Dodge branding. |
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25 Mar 2014, 03:48 (Ref:3383914) | #21 | ||
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Bummer
Hope they can make it to the end of the TUSCAR season.. |
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25 Mar 2014, 07:09 (Ref:3383937) | #22 | ||
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I like the idea of blaming Fiat and Ferrari but i think money has more to do with it, let us just hope that from all this mess and speculation the SRT's do get to Le Mans
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25 Mar 2014, 07:43 (Ref:3383952) | #23 | |
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Money is not being made because of some things going on within the company. Changing nameplates to SRT, its asking price vs. the competition, its relatively poor performance etc. Where does that come from? Thats why people say Fiat are partially to blame. I just hope they go on with the program and keep racing.
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25 Mar 2014, 08:36 (Ref:3383968) | #24 | ||
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The Fiat group have plenty of resources to make the SRT better but do they have the desire to do so
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25 Mar 2014, 09:55 (Ref:3384023) | #25 | ||
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It all seemed so promising when they returned, it will be a massive loss to the Pro catagory at LM. If not for any other reason than because the spectacle is diminished if we're given two more 458s, rather than anything unique.
I was interested to see how they would stack up this season, with a full year behind the project as well. |
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