Viper: A Commentary
by John Rhodes

When the concept initially came out I do not think that anyone really expected Chrysler Corporation to put it into production. A company in financial trouble promotes dreams and the Viper just did not seem realistic. When actual production began the U. S. economy was weak. Who would buy these cars? Not Corvette owners. Vipers were more expensive than the few early 1990s sports cars. It is amazing that the Viper did not die a quick death. As the 1990s economy grew and other sports cars arrived in the marketplace, Viper achieved success and America had two great sports cars.

Viper needs to live on. It is a great car and the Challenger is not a sports car — no matter how good it is.

Let's Take Count:
by Sandy

We have nobody to blame except our fellow Americans who have an appetite that cannot be satisfied for "Piss-On" - honDUH - Toyopet (BTW, their REAL name, NOT the "americanized Toyota).

We bought a brand new 2001 Jeep XJ Cherokee Limited 4x4 in 2001, top of the line, all options. Now, at 60,000 miles, we have done new tires & shocks and had 1 not covered repair. Otherwise, never a problem!

"Junk American Car". Right?

Sandy (forever in an American car). Until there are no more. (Which should be around 2011 at the current rate.)

Did you hear? Mercury Grand Marquis is in its final year (2009) and Mercury BRAND final year is 2011? True!

Let's take count:

Gone:
Oldsmobile
Imperial
Plymouth
American Motors
Mercury

Left to do battle:
Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet & Saturn
Lincoln & Ford
Chrysler, Dodge & Jeep

July 23, 2008

Sandy,

I understand well your sorry for "Bye, bye American cars" but so what? Golden era is goes by for these cars since the seventies. I have had an Oldsmobile Omega in the beginning of the eighties and it was a good car technologically speaking, having done 300000 kms in four year w/o trouble, the car looked nice. Having travelled in California in 2005, in a rented Chrysler Sebring, I can assume a good car too... But with Japanese platform undercover! Being once more in travel in Florida in 2006, I used a rental red convertible FORD Mustang: That car was build with same standard of Ford Europe twenty years ago! Lot of trouble with electrics, the fabric used was poor quality, the electric cranking so disastrous I was obliged to to close the fabric roof by hand! Ok for the shape externally but inside i ought to rent a réal Mustang of the sixties. At the end of the travel, I bring back that car to rental shop: the contact key stayed blocked in his hole! Funny isn't?

You say Jeep? Ok, Hummer? Ok but where are those quality cars of yesterday (Packard)? I like U.S. cars, but those pre-war or fifties to sixties cars. To day we assist to a fight to finish with maximum 20 carmakers all around the world for the next 10 years but what can we do? The cars dreaming is gone and young customers are pragmatic. Don't cry, Sandy, we keep cars literature.

Very truly yours,
Philippe

July 27, 2008