50 Million Possible Build Combinations: Dodge Expands Industry-first '1 of 1' Viper Customization Program with New Matte-Finish Paint Option
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
- New matte-finish exterior paint available on all of Viper '1 of 1' program's 8,000 exterior color options and 24,000 stripe options
- Viper's custom '1 of 1' exterior paint options double to 16,000 exterior colors and 48,000 unique strip combinations
- Matte finish available in all exclusive '1 of 1' program and standard production colors
- In addition to matte-finish exterior paint, Viper customers can choose between satin chrome or satin black badging and fuel filler door for a sinister appearance
- Dodge Viper owners can build their one-of-a-kind Viper from more than 50 million unique build configurations for the ultimate in model year exclusivity
The Dodge brand continues to expand the Viper's exclusive production elements like never before.
Beginning with the 2016 model year production, Dodge will offer matte-finish exterior paint across the color palette making the Viper available in more than 50 million unique configurations, made up from the more than 16,000 unique paint color options and more than 48,000 unique stripe combinations.
"The Anodized Carbon Viper was the first-ever use of this unique metallic matte exterior color by FCA and helped further the trend in automotive matte finish exteriors from the factory," said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO, Dodge and SRT brands, FCA US. "Now, by adding 8,000 new matte finish options to our high-end, hand-built hand-painted super car, we're continuing at the forefront of the matte paint trend by offering so many variations, colors and even a metallic finish, all of which give each "1 of 1" Viper an even more unique appearance."
Orders for the new matte finish equipped Vipers will open at Dodge dealerships in July.
Hand-painted process brings exclusive flexibility
The individuals who hand paint the Dodge Viper are truly specialized artisans.
The Viper's unique hand-painted process enables the flexibility to deliver industry-first custom paint options that offer unequal personalization while meeting the latest industry durability standards.
Each Viper has an extremely high quality level paint finish that ranks as one of the best in the industry. It takes between 145 to 160 man hours to prep and hand-paint the Viper body panels.
The application of the exterior paint is a detailed and intricate process, taking approximately eight hours to complete. The process starts with a base color coat followed by the application of a clear finish. After paint and clear coat, every Viper body panel is sanded smooth by hand with 1,000 grit paper and polished to a near mirror finish.
To create the new matte finish, each body panel is also sanded for a second time before the matte clear paint is applied.
Each coat application adds depth and accentuates the curvature of the Viper's exterior design.
As a result of this unique hand-painted process, Viper is able to offer industry-exclusive finishes across its full color palette.
Stripes available across the Viper lineup
All 2016 Dodge Viper models are available with stripes. GT, GTC, GTS and ACR models offer optional 'GTS' stripes that run the length of the coupe from the front to rear fascia. The SRT and GTC models are available with 'SRT' stripes starting on the clamshell hood and making their way onto the roof and finishing on the rear hatch. Viper GTC and ACR models are available with the ACR center band and driver's side stripe.
Nose to tail stripes are also hand painted and finished – unlike most cars that use decals – underneath the clear coat or matte clear finish coat. This results in a surface with no discernable edges to the stripe. A stripe adds 18 hours to the overall paint process.
Stripe configurations are expertly applied in the paint booth before the main body color. Only after the paint is cured, a final coat is used to ensure the stripes are an integral part of the finished product.
Exterior stripes are offered in: Black Venom, Billet Silver, Bright White, Gunmetal Pearl and Adrenaline Red or from the custom "1 of 1" color palette.
Each "1 of 1" GTC model Viper also features a personalized instrument panel badge with the customer's chosen name to commemorate their exclusive design, satin chrome or satin black badging and fuel filler door for a more sinister appearance.
Viper GTC Customizer offers personalized online design
On the 2016 Dodge Viper "1 of 1" GTC model, the new Viper GTC Customizer offers Viper lovers the chance to design their personalized version of the only hand-built performance supercar as part of the enhanced customization program. Available at www.driveSRT.com/Viper, the Viper GTC Customizer lets enthusiasts create their own virtual-reality vision of the Dodge Viper through dynamic elements that deliver a unique online design experience.
The new matte exterior paint options will be available to view on the GTC Customizer beginning in the third quarter.
Starting inside the Design Studio of the customizer, users create their one-of-a-kind Snake from the ground up. Users can "sit" in the virtual cockpit and take an up-close tour of all 18 available trim options.
Once the design of the perfect Viper is complete, users can place the vehicle in their own lifestyle environments to preview how their custom Viper GTC will look in the real world.
Users also can share their custom supercar designs with family and friends. Images may be downloaded in various resolutions to share on social media or used as wallpaper on phones, tablets or computers. A PDF file of the image, complete with all technical information selected, can be downloaded — an especially useful tool for those ready to purchase. Designers can also share their custom Viper on the GTC Inspiration Gallery for other enthusiasts to appreciate and enjoy.
The enhanced "1 of 1" customization program is available exclusively for customer orders (not for dealer stock). No two customers can order the same configuration, including color, in the same model year.
About Dodge Brand
The Dodge brand is America's mainstream performance brand. With the purification of the brand and consolidation with SRT, Dodge is getting back to its performance roots with every single model it offers. The Dodge and SRT brands offer a complete lineup of performance vehicles that stand out within their own segments. Dodge is the "mainstream performance" brand and SRT is positioned as the "ultimate performance" halo of the Dodge brand, together creating a complete and balanced performance brand with one vision and one voice.
From muscle cars to compact cars, minivans, crossovers and full-size SUVs, the Dodge brand's full lineup of 2015 models deliver best-in-class horsepower, class-exclusive technology, unmatched capability and a slew of cool features, such as LED headlamps, Dodge signature racetrack tail lamps, dual exhaust, 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment centers and 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) customizable gauge clusters, to name a few. For the 2015 model year, customers will be able to drive the new 2015 Dodge Charger and Challenger, as well as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and Charger SRT Hellcat. The Dodge brand lineup also includes the 2015 Dodge Dart, Durango, Grand Caravan and Journey, including the new Crossroad model, and its flagship, the Dodge Viper.
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SOURCE FCA US LLC
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