2015 Dodge Viper price cut by $15,000, now starting at $84,995

The Dodge Viper has been in crisis for the past several months. Since the fifth-generation model arrived for 2013, sales have been poor, and dealers currently have 15 months' worth of Vipers gathering dust. The Connor Avenue plant in Detroit where the Viper is built has, since July 3, been shut down. Even a mild reworking of the snake for 2015—including a small power increase to 645 hp and a new GT model—wouldn't be enough on their own to bring new buyers in.

In an effort to save the Viper and get the plant and its people back to work, Dodge has announced a $15,000 price reduction, starting immediately. This means you can now pick up a 2015 Viper for $84,995, the inflation-adjusted equivalent of the $50,700 original Dodge Viper. All existing owners of current-generation Vipers will receive a $15,000 certificate (used in conjunction with the price drop) to be put towards a new one, meaning that if you have a trade-in value of roughly $70,000, you'll be able to switch your old Viper for a base 2015 Viper at no cost.

The top-of-the-range 2015.5 Viper GTS can be had for $107,995, compared to the old price of $122,385. And the new GT, splitting the difference between the base SRT model and GTS, slots in at $94,995. To further fix its problem, the Viper will be open to all Dodge dealers, not just those licensed to sell SRT models.