DODGE VIPER, DISCONTINUED FOR 4 YEARS, TALLIED SALES IN 2020

Even though the Dodge Viper went out of production in 2017, that didn’t stop Dodge from selling a few of the V10 powered phalluses in 2020.

Included in FCA’s full 2020 sales report—right there among Ram’s full-size truck volume, Jeep sales, and the sadness that is the Fiat brand—were four new Dodge Viper sales. What’s funny is, the four Viper sales in 2020 represent a year over year decrease of 20 percent, and who knows if those were even the last Vipers out there in inventory purgatory.

Who knows where these cars even came from. Like, were they racking up “demo” miles as on-again-off-again playthings for some dealership kingpin? Were they sitting in a showroom as auspicious candy designed to lure some unsuspecting individual into a predatory five-year lease on a used Dodge Durango?

According to the tale of the tape, only two of the four Vipers changed hands through the first nine months of 2020, and then all of a sudden come Q4 two more Vipers made their way to new homes. That actually jives with a recent trend seen in the secondary market.

Through the last three months of 2020, there was a succession of used Viper sales that saw ever-escalating sale prices for the mercurial American coupe. Some believe that’s a harbinger of an impending boom to Viper resale values. In that vein, it would certainly be a cunning move to scoop up one of the final remaining “new” Vipers still on the market, likely for a fraction of the original MSRP.

Of course, we can’t even be certain the Dodge Viper won’t return from the grave, it was already resurrected once, in 2013, much to the chagrin of those who quickly scooped up the last of the stock in 2010. Since the Viper left showrooms in 2017 Dodge has lacked a true halo car—I mean there’s obviously the Hellcat Challenger and Charger muscle cars, not to mention the very insane Dodge Demon—but none of those boast the balls-to-the-wall unbridled lust that the Viper evokes.

Will the Dodge Viper return? maybe. Tim Kuniskis, head of FCA Passenger Cars, pointed out to MC&T last year that many of the track records set by the Dodge Viper ACR still stand. And we’re sure they’ve taken a close look at the C8 Corvette.

“Will we ever see another? I don’t know. TBD,” he said.

– By Michael Accardi