Conference terri::cars_uk

>Has anyone got any info on the new Chrysler Viper? I assume it will be 
>distributed by Renault.

why Renault???

...Art

Renault in France are the distributers for Chrysler vehicles and whilst 
searching to buy a Chrysler Jeep i was told they were distributers in the 
UK also.

Is this not the case? Do Chrysler have their own showrooms/dealers in the UK?

    I think you will find that it is a Dodge Viper,I have a picture of it
    in front of me.
    
                 John

    'Tis a Dodge Viper.
    
    I think I read that it will be distributed by the same people
    that have recently opened 'official' imports of Jeeps.
    
    Write-up on the car in last month's CAR magazine, I seem to recall.
    
    J.R.

    Don't hold your breath waiting to see a Viper. They will be in such
    short supply through '92 that few if any will make it to the U.K.
    or Europe for a while.
    
    There is an allocation plan to parcel out the '92 production run
    between those U.S. Dodge dealers deemed most worthy of receiving one,
    and it is expected that collectors will drive the price to great
    heights. Of course dealers will charge whatever the traffic will bear,
    which may not be as high as greed could wish for given the state
    of the economy.
    
    U.S. magazine road tests seem favorable in general, given that this is
    a rough and ready sort of vehicle in the spirit of the original Cobras.
    
    Terry
    

    �I think I read that it will be distributed by the same people
    �that have recently opened 'official' imports of Jeeps.
    
    Is this a new separate company then, or still Renault? And as a side
    question, John, how is this going to effect the Jeep market in the UK?
    
    
    		Lewis_who_WAS_planning_to_bring_back_the_jeep.

>>    Is this a new separate company then, or still Renault? And as a side
>>    question, John, how is this going to effect the Jeep market in the UK?
    
    I cannot remember the exact details, so perhaps Renault are involved.
    I have a feeling that this may have been handled by either TKM or
    'International Motors' - both of whom import other low-volume vehicles
    at present from what I recall.
    
    As for any effect on the Jeep market, I should think that will be
    negligible, since they are not cheap at any rate in the UK.
    
    I doubt it will even help on the spares front, for those requiring
    parts on older Jeeps.  I should hope the importers will stock parts
    for the newer models which they will now sell.  Even if they do, I
    wouldn't be surprised if parts were cheaper through the existing
    supplies (Speed & Spares America being a very good source).
    
    I believe that Howes Jeep were going to apply for official dealership,
    since they have been selling Jeeps for uses, through their own import
    channels.  They also stock the most spares for Jeeps, but are most
    definitely not cheap (only use them when parts not available from
    any other source).
    
    
>>    		Lewis_who_WAS_planning_to_bring_back_the_jeep.
    
    Out of interest, is this a Wrangler (YJ ?) type of Jeep, or a Cherokee ?
    
    J.R.

It's the Wrangler Sahara model with the 2.5i engine... have been thinking about
getting the high-output 4l engine for a while, but a bike kind of messed up that
thought! ;-)

    According to last month's CAR magazine, Chrysler are currently
    following a process of establishing a new set of UK dealerships to kick
    off as early as 1993. They will be bringing over the Dodge Viper and
    two Jeep variants as well as their "people carrier"/Renault Espace type 
    vehicle.
    
    Initially they will only be selling the people carrier and it will be
    in RHD format (Chrysler are currently the only US car manufacturer
    planning to produce RHD versions of vehicles originally intended for
    the US market.)
    
    In a separate article in this month's CAR magazine, Rover are to allow
    their appointed dealers to sell competitors' cars along side Rover's own
    cars. (This is apparently in line with some EEC ruling.) So conceivably
    you could see Chrysler Jeeps being sold along side Land Rovers and the
    like.
    
    
    Reargards,
    
    Stephen
     
    

    
    I know the Viper isn't coming to the UK in RHD form (who cares! I'd
    even go and live in the US if someone gave me one of these to drive
    in!), but are they planning to sell RHD jeeps?
    
    The People carrier thing (Voyager?) is frequently advertised on
    satellite TV (presumably for European buyers, but it can't do any
    harm to raise some interest in the UK can it?).
    
    Going back to the Viper. The article in (was it?) Fast Lane recently
    was very interesting. They say that the car is very much a special
    with poor finish and some very obviously part-binned-sourced parts
    and that it has an effective top speed of 85 mph (after which you
    are pummelled to death by wind!), but that in the context of a 90s
    Cobra it's great. That engine is a Lamborghini re-engineered truck
    engine - The original was iron, the Viper's is Ally.
    
    Mark
    
    PS My wife described the Viper as looking like a Mantula on Steroids! :^)
    

    Read about the Dodge Viper in a "last years" cars mag in the smoking
    room and took the mag home for reference..I will dig it out and post
    the article asap...as I recall, it is a monster of a car...2 versions...
    5.* litre and 7.* litre (V8 & V10), developing outrageous BHP and
    Torque and both versions require a truck automatic gearbox as Dodge 
    haven't developed a manual box that is "man enough" for the job.
    Apparently the chairperson of Dodge gave his designers and engineers a
    brief to build "possibly the last great American Muscle Car"..etc etc..
    and they came up with the Viper..the chairperson wants the Viper to be
    remembered in the same vein as the Cobra (gasp..!!) and apparently
    first impressions indicate that it will...
    
    This is only a "read_about_it_but_can't_quite_remember_the_article"
    reply, so as I said, I will "dig out" the mag and post further details
    later
    
    Cheers
    
    Paul
         

>>    but are they planning to sell RHD jeeps?
    
    I don't recall any comments on LHD/RHD versions from the 'new' dealers,
    but Howes Motors have been doing the conversion for years on the ones
    that they have imported and sold as an 'unofficial dealer'.
    
    J.R.

    �            <<< Note 1703.12 by PERKY::RUTTER "Rut The Nut" >>>
    �                         -< Interested Mark ? >-
    
    Only academically! :^)
    
    Mark

	I always thought that the Jeeps were only LHD until i returned to
	the UK in November. I spotted a RHD Renegade, so assumed that 
	steering conversion kits were available.

	Re. a couple back about new dealers of jeeps.

	Sounds like i should get my Jeep back as soon as possible, imported
	and then sold... anyone want to buy a 91' Jeep?

    From what a remember about the Viper it has a 8.0Litre V10 engine that
    churns out a lavy 400BHP and around 600LBS/FT of torque.
    
    cost around �30,000 from what I read.
    
    Grant

    .2�Renault in France are the distributers for Chrysler vehicles and whilst 
    
    Not true anymore. When the Renault-Chrysler alliance collapsed (already
    a few years ago) Renault wanted to keep the JEEP distribution which is
    what they currently have.
    
    Chryslers are distributed by Chrysler, at least over here. 
    
    Oh yes, they have built their dealers network for several years with
    the help of Sonauto, which is a 100% subsidiary of Porsche. 

    �a few years ago) Renault wanted to keep the JEEP distribution which is
    
    So Renault just do the Jeep distribution?
    
    �Chryslers are distributed by Chrysler, at least over here. 
    
    If Chrysler distribute their own cars, what would be the benefit of
    having Renault distribute 'their' Jeeps?
                               
    
    			Confused_of_ferney ;-)

    .10�    are pummelled to death by wind!), but that in the context of a 90s
    .10�    Cobra it's great. That engine is a Lamborghini re-engineered truck
    .10�    engine - The original was iron, the Viper's is Ally.
    
    Correct, Mark.
    
    I've been somewhat disappointed to hear that they have kept the central
    camshaft like in ordinary US V8s but then I read the specs:
    
    max power: 400+bhp @ 4500rpm (no need for overhead cams then)
                         -------
    
    The pictures I've seen and the articles published around here did not
    show anything wrong with the cockpit. It was beautifully finished.
    
    As pointed above we should not see many VIPERs this year. Dodge plan to
    make only 200 for the 1st model year. Later they will produce 2000 per year.
                                                                           

    
    Umm, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I suspect the comments on
    the finish in the article I read were about it being very basic (which
    it is) rather than neccesarily poorly put together.
    
    Mark

    .19�    the finish in the article I read were about it being very basic (which
    .19�    it is) rather than neccesarily poorly put together.
    
    Yes, the dashboard is very basic (a la motorbike: speedo, rpm, oil,
    water, tank) like in the Cobra except that it's nicer than in the
    Cobra. And the whole thing is covered with beautiful leather. Simple
    but very neat.

    .17�    So Renault just do the Jeep distribution?
    
    Yes, JEEPs are sold by Renault dealers (in France).
    
    .17�    If Chrysler distribute their own cars, what would be the benefit of
    .17�    having Renault distribute 'their' Jeeps?
    
    I don't know. I think the JEEP deal comes from its AMC origins: Renault 
    bought AMC and later sold it to Chrysler. At this point they have kept
    the right to sell JEEPs in France.
    
    One more thing: Chrysler is losing money while JEEP earns money. Wise
    move from Renault.

    �Chrysler is losing money while JEEP earns money. Wise move from Renault.
    
    I can believe that! Seen the amount of Cherokee's on the road around
    this place? There's loads! I would venture an opinion that the Cherokee's 
    are the most popular 4x4 around this area.
    

I saw a dark blue Dodge Viper in Geneva, about a month ago. 

Very nice!!

    Geneva ? Oh yes, the auto show opens March 5th
    
    Things to see there: new Bugatti, Dodge Viper, ...