2013 Viper Launches as Standalone SRT Brand, Marking Shift for Chrysler
Chrysler will revive its Detroit Viper plant and launch the 2013 Viper as the first model under the newly independent SRT performance brand.
Chrysler will introduce the 2013 Viper next year as the first model under its newly independent SRT brand, ending the car’s two-decade run as a Dodge and reopening the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit to build it.
SRT, previously the Street and Racing Technology badge for Chrysler’s high-performance models, will now stand as its own brand. The Viper, last produced as a Dodge in 2010, will return to production in 2013 wearing only the SRT badge. Chrysler’s decision to separate SRT from Dodge is aimed at broadening the appeal of its performance models beyond traditional Dodge buyers.
The Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, which has been idle since 2010, will reopen to build the new Viper. Chrysler expects to employ 150 hourly and salaried staff at the Detroit facility. The move restores a manufacturing site closely associated with the Viper since its original launch in 1992.
Why Chrysler is launching SRT as a standalone brand
Chrysler’s strategy with SRT is to create a dedicated performance brand, distinct from Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler itself. The company sees the Viper as the natural flagship for this new division, intended to act as a halo car and draw attention to SRT’s engineering capabilities. Ralph Gilles, head of SRT, has said the Viper will continue to be linked with Dodge in spirit, but the new branding is designed to attract a wider base of performance car buyers.
SRT’s origins go back to 2003, when the Viper SRT10 debuted. Since then, SRT-badged versions of the Charger, Challenger and other Chrysler models have followed. The new approach will see SRT models marketed as a separate range, with the Viper leading the charge.
Production and jobs at Conner Avenue
Bringing the Viper back to Detroit means jobs for 150 workers at the Conner Avenue plant, which had been mothballed since 2010. The plant’s reopening is a boost for the city’s automotive workforce and maintains the Viper’s tradition of being built in Detroit. Chrysler has not detailed production targets or volumes for the new Viper, but the model’s hand-built nature suggests output will remain limited compared to mainstream models.
Viper’s new position in Chrysler’s line-up
With the Viper now part of SRT rather than Dodge, Chrysler is repositioning its most recognisable performance car. The company aims to use the SRT brand to create a family of high-performance vehicles, with the Viper as its centrepiece. This marks a shift from the previous approach, where SRT variants were sold under existing Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep badges.
The 2013 SRT Viper is not expected to be offered in Europe for its launch year. For more detail on market exclusivity, see SRT Viper to Remain a North American Exclusive for 2013
