When Chrysler contacted Woodhouse Dodge, in Blair, NE, they were looking for dealerships that would purchase 10 to 20 of the final run Vipers being built. Why would they get in touch with a Nebraska dealership in a town of 7,500 people? Well, it seems that this particular Dodge store sells more Vipers than anyone else, and has done so since 1999.
Image:
Chrysler
According to Bill Pemberton, Viper sales manager at Woodhouse, they were not the only dealership approached. "Of the 10-12 dealers contacted, only three grabbed the golden ring, and Woodhouse was the only one with the idea to create a new model," Pemberton said.
That new model is the Viper SRT10 ACR convertible and it is exclusive to Woodhouse. All previous ACR-X Vipers were coupes and some development work at Chrysler was needed to compensate for the model's different aerodynamics. Time in the wind tunnel suggested that changes to the front splitter and rear wing were needed. With their own in-house performance arm, Woodhouse Motorsports, the dealership wasn't about to settle for a scoop and sticker package.
They wanted their limited edition to have all the goodies from the ACR-X, including the Stoptech brakes, KW suspension, revised transmission gearing, short shifter and new wheels. They got that and more. Their special edition Vipers carry the official "21B" code that denotes a factory-built ACR.
Reportedly, more than half of the $107,000 Vipers have already been sold to owners as far away as New York, New Jersey and California. If you're thinking that this is the car that your garage desperately needs, check out the dealer's web site for more information.
More...