Chrysler is thinking about selling off the Dodge Viper, its iconic 600 hp sports car. Like GM, which is trying to ditch its Hummer brand, Chrysler seems pretty desperate to reverse its money-losing ways, and get back on track. The company has said it wants to sell off over a $1 billion in assets. Unloading the Viper could go a long way to meeting that goal. (This story, from Business Week, floats the idea that Canada’s Magna might make a logical buyer).
But is it a smart move to ditch what is arguably the coolest car the company has ever made (and certainly the fastest)? It seems short sighted. The move won’t save Chrysler much money in the long run. Then again, some analysts say Chrysler has never been able to really leverage the Viper’s cool to help it sell other models.
Regardless what happens, the Viper’s street cred has never been higher. It just set the fastest lap time ever for a production car at the world famous Nürburgring. Have a look at the rather frightening video.