Dodge Viper plant will close for good Aug. 31

It has been a long time coming, an end rumored since at least
2015, but after 25 years, the Dodge Viper’s demise is nigh. Production of the $90,000 bespoke sports car
is ending. Therefore, FCA will be shutting down its Conner Assembly Plant on Aug. 31.

Automotive News reports that the Detroit plant will be shutting down. The car has been hand-built there since 1995, save for a hiatus in 2010-13 (production began at FCA’s Mack Plant in 1992). The Prowler was built there, too, from 1997 to 2002.

More than 80 workers currently build the Viper, making Conner FCA’s smallest assembly facility.

But not many Vipers are sold – 630 last year – despite
an enthusiastic following. And of course FCA’s own 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT
Hellcats and new 840-horsepower Challenger SRT
Demon can’t help matters. But the last straw is the fact the Viper can’t comply with new safety requirements going into effect.

On the bright side, the UAW has seen the plant closure coming since 2015, and FCA has told the state of Michigan that it expects to find positions at other plants for the Viper crew.

FCA has been celebrating the Viper valedictory for a couple of years now, offering serialized special editions, including the
$121,000 Viper ACR, and touting the ability to build unique Vipers with its “1 of 1” customization program, with a choice of 16,000 unique paint colors and 48,000 unique stripe combinations.

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