So the new Viper just wasn't good enough for you?

[Slicks]

The current Viper coupe has already been successful in the FIA GT3 series.



The Lotus is worth roughly 1/3 of the Viper, the whole premise of the car is that it is a light, cheap sports car - hence the lack of equipment and engines from small hatchbacks.

You wouldn't expect the highest quality from something that is not supposed to be of particularly high quality anyway.

Amidst all of that "low quality" aluminium and alcantara, Lotus - a small company with limited budget - can still provide an interior that has at least some aesthetic appeal, and that has rare options such as "different colours", as opposed to Dodge - part of one of the world's biggest car companies, and with access to a much greater range of R&D, suppliers and designers - that offers genuine leather-effect vinyl, with some genuine plastic-effect plastic trim in either black, black or black with dials and switches scatter-gunned at the IP.

You deride the idea that a sports car must have the nicest interior possible, and I agree - it doesn't have to be stunning, but at the same stroke there is no need for the interior to be utterly hopeless.

All things being equal in terms of weight, functionality and cost, who wouldn't rather have nicer materials and layout, considering that 90% of your time with the car will be spent inside?

Why impress everyone else with the car's "bad-ass" exterior design whilst you suffer with a "sweaty-ass" caused by your lovely black leatherette-effect seats?

Why should you have to "put up" with anything on any $85,000+ car, let alone something like this?

There is no reason why the Viper could not have had a nice interior if they had even put an ounce of effort into it, especially considering its price and aspirations as a supercar rival.

There are no end of cars available that cost significantly less than the Viper and yet they have very high quality interiors by way of materials and aesthetics - so it is clearly not impossible - it is just laziness.

This apparent slip-shod approach by its creators is one of the main reasons that I have no interest in the Viper at all, aside from a respect for the full-on GT versions - the only versions that live up to their potential.

It does nothing new or interesting, and the only reason for its existence seems to be that Dodge needs a "sports car" in the range, and had the Viper template from before, so it was easier to re-hash that than come up with a better idea.

The cars that impress me are the ones that don't appear to have been completed in someone's coffee break, but the ones where it is apparent that someone cared, and both thought and worked very hard at making something the best it could be.

wow.. I was being sarcastic when I said a car should have the best interior possible.
Ive been using the exige for example because like the Viper, its not made to have a nice, luxurious interior. Its a track monster made for driving experience.

[Slicks]

And yet anytime anyone says "I really like Audi V8s" and defends them, they're a "Eurofanboy"

Ive never called anyone a eurofanboy for simply saying "I like audi V8s." I TOO like audi V8s.

[Coventrysucks]

wow.. I was being sarcastic when I said a car should have the best interior possible.

I know that. That's why I wrote this:

"You deride the idea that a sports car must have the nicest interior possible..."

Ive been using the exige for example because like the Viper, its not made to have a nice, luxurious interior. Its a track monster made for driving experience.

Yes, and that is my point.

A nice interior isn't a priority for Lotus, but they have them anyway.

Lightweight, simple and cheap but still a nice place to be - it reflects the nature of the car - minimalist, few frills - and is in character with the rest of the car - the forms, colours, lots of visible aluminium, etc.

Dodge was starting a car from scratch, they could have put in any kind of interior they liked, but they didn't. Instead, they just scraped together the cheapest tat they could find and flung it at the car.

Why?

I doubt prospective Viper owners would go to a corner and cry if the car cost even one or two thousand $ more, but as a result the inside didn't look like someone had left their record collection in the oven.

In the long run, the lack of attention to detail will put people off, poor durability of components and materials will be bad for residuals, and the stereotype that American cars are made out of old crisp packets and spittle will be reinforced.

The interior is a big part of the driving experience - that is where you do the driving from, to ignore that is a mistake.

[Viper007]

The last time I checked the Viper's quality although lack luster is fully functional and does not rattle or fall apart such as other American cars. The lack of attention will serve little the people buying these cars are fully aware of what they want out of the car and its highly unlikely that those capable of affording the car will be turned off by the interior when the competition has similar if not almost identical interior. At the same time that you do spend all the time in the cockpit, is that the highlight of the car hardly not even close for most Viper purists. The rawness of the car makes up for the interior the ability to unhook the rear tires at the command or your right foot. The ability to scare people with your car as it stands still perhaps even while sitting off in your garage. Interior is a luxury that has no great influence on cars. Lets put it this way seeing as how food analogies have been ever so popular: The Viper is a Steak cooked medium on a regular plastic plate, the owner knows hes getting the meat and protein he desires as opposed to say a European car which is cooked well-done on a piece of fine china attracting a lot of attention. The owner of the Viper loves the car for what it is not what he wishes it had.

[Coventrysucks]

Well, you missed the point entirely.

I'll try again:

If it could be done at no or very little extra cost and added no weight (indeed it could save some)...

What possible reason is there for the Viper to have an poor interior over a nice one?

[Viper007]

It does not fit the Viper's personality at all. The Viper isn't a car that comes with flowers when you buy it. Its a car derived from the legendary Cobra and can be compared with hell itself. This car should walk the fine line between damn right ridiculous and usable, and by putting in this interior you take away from that factor. Although many would like a nice interior on other cars, the Viper has a reputation and will stick to it.

[Ferrer]

It does not fit the Viper's personality at all. The Viper isn't a car that comes with flowers when you buy it. Its a car derived from the legendary Cobra and can be compared with hell itself. This car should walk the fine line between damn right ridiculous and usable, and by putting in this interior you take away from that factor. Although many would like a nice interior on other cars, the Viper has a reputation and will stick to it.

I don't think this is an excuse. Cars (and its interiors) can't be extreme and basic, but that doesn't meant they have to lack quality. Basic and badly made isn't the same.

[Viper007]

Please define what you consider is badly made about this interior. I have read/seen/inspected many vipers over the years and I have yet to see a rattly part in the interior and everything works well and things are not broken. It is possible parts and what not have been replaced, but at the same time I have been to many VCA meetings and many other car events and when the Vipers are there they seem to be in good form following function as far as the interior goes. I will admit I'm highly biased but at the same time I believe that I understand what the Viper stands for as opposed to many other cars.

[Coventrysucks]

Think about this same argument in terms of the exterior, and see if that helps understanding.

Your argument is that so long as the driving experience was the same, it would be irrelevant if the outside looked like this:



No one would care because the "driving experience makes up for it", "Viper owners know what they are getting", "is comparable with hell", etc.

If the exterior is allowed to be "bad-ass" to emphasise the character of the car, why is it forbidden, in your eyes, for the interior to follow?

[CdocZ]

Think about this same argument in terms of the exterior, and see if that helps understanding.

Your argument is that so long as the driving experience was the same, it would be irrelevant if the outside looked like this:



No one would care because the "driving experience makes up for it", "Viper owners know what they are getting", "is comparable with hell", etc.

If the exterior is allowed to be "bad-ass" to emphasise the character of the car, why is it forbidden, in your eyes, for the interior to follow?

That was probably the best put argument I have seen in a VERY long time.

[Viper007]

To each his own as far as preferences go and in all seriousness the car doesn't look that bad. I personally consider the non-excessive interior of the viper to fit its badass persona very well. Why have excessive amounts of sparkle and shine when it would deteriorate what the car is suppose to be? As for the car above if the form of the body was designed for a certain purpose then that in itself makes the design beautiful. Many would argue a similar point with rally cars and what not their design for purpose is what makes them beautiful.

[Quiggs]

The Viper's goal is to be a stupid-fast, no-frills, nun-scaring machine.

Nice interior = frills.

[PerfAdv]

Chrysler's 300 series is worthy of a nicer interior than their top model which costs twice as much? Imagine, if the M6 had an inferior interior to the 3 series, by a large margin...

If Viper buyers said, they'd replace their Vipers when a new model in introduced especially if the interiors were nicer, Chrysler would comply. It's no secret the interior is cheap looking, so the only conclusion can be that Viper owners don't know any better. Or, they know that the Viper is meant to be Stupid fast and not impart an overall feel of quality. If that is the case then I think it's messed up. This is a not a race/track-only car.

[speednine]

Well, that's cool and all but i like it. No matter how crappy the interior is....to an extent.

[Coventrysucks]

I personally consider the non-excessive interior of the viper to fit its badass persona very well. Why have excessive amounts of sparkle and shine when it would deteriorate what the car is suppose to be?

Nice interior = frills.

Does a Lotus Elise, or Ariel Atom interior have "frills" or "excessive amounts of sparkle and shine"?

No, and yet they still managed to put some effort into making a design which most owners like, and suits the car.

The Viper just has the interior from a crap supermini. In fact; most crap superminis these days have more "bad-ass" interiors than the Viper!

All I am talking about is a more considered layout, and some nicer materials - follow Lotus's lead and use some Aluminium and Alcantara instead of the scratchiest, nastiest plastic they could lay their hands on, for example.

It isn't as if having a better interior would drive customers away or make the car perform any worse, so what is the objection?

No one has answered that.