The introduction of the new SRT Viper will not only mark the return of the Pentastar company's greatest supercar, but it will also mark the introduction of a new high-end sports car brand.
Tasked with the critical job of cultivating the future of a supercar and a brand, SRT CEO Ralph Gilles announced that only 100 to 150 dealerships across the nation will earn the special privilege of carrying the mighty V10 SRT Viper in its showrooms. There will only be 2,000 examples of the SRT Viper built each year so the limited dealership availability is the Viper's only realistic distribution strategy.
What's more, Chrysler intends to really elevate the brand value of 'SRT.' According to Gilles, "The SRT cars are starting to pull in a very, very interesting demographic -- much higher income, much higher education levels. The customer is becoming more sophisticated."
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In an interview with USA Today, Gilles emphasized that the most important trait a Chrysler dealership must possess in order to carry a Viper in its lot "is first of all, to have the fire, the passion. That's the unofficial requirement -- that you have alove affair with the cars and you just love fast cars."
Expressing the other end of the conversation, Chuck Eddy, owner of Bob and Chuck Eddy Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram of Youngstown, Ohio, told USA Today why it's critical for a dealership to have what only 4-6 percent of all Chrysler dealerships will have: "It's the image. I want to be able to say I have Viper."
Despite the exclusivity of the SRT Viper, all Chrysler dealers are eligible of carrying the other SRT models. As for the handpicked selection of specialty Chrysler dealers, each SRT Viper approved dealership must pay the company a one-time fee of $25,000 in order to possess all the necessary tools, equipment, training, and signs for the SRT Viper as well as preferential model ordering and allocation of in-demand special Chrysler models like the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.
Look for the all-new 2013 SRT Viper to arrive in the North American market later this fall with an MSRP price of $97,395 before fees and destination.
