Hi,
Thanks for posting this very challenging question.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate direct, definitive and
compelling evidence as to what the 2002 production of Dodge Vipers
would be. However, based on my research (outlined below), I can safely
estimate the production of Dodge Viper in the year 2002 to be between
1900 and 2000 units.
Here's how I arrived on this conclusion.
*****************************
From the two links mentioned below, I was able to determine that the
only manufacturing facility of Dodge Vipers in the world is in Conner
Avenue, Detroit. Information contained in both the links can be
assumed to be credible as one of them is an official DaimlerChrysler
document and the other is an official State of Michigan Government
report.
http://www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa/Economics/MVStatReport.pdf
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/Projects/c2c/channel/documents/379778_dc_facts_figures_2003.pdf
From the above links, it is also very clear that the Conner Avenue,
Detroit production facility produces two models, the Dodge Viper and
the Chrysler Prowler.
*****************************
AutoWorld Knowledge report titled "North American capacity utilisation
tumbles 10 percent in 2001"
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:uS4oO0DDoFUJ:www.awknowledge.com/include/getfile.asp%3Fid%3D60%26contentid%3D490+%22Dodge+viper%22+units+2002+
%22Conner+Avenue%22&hl=en
(Please note that the link is a Google cached copy as the original
report has likely been removed by awknowledge.com) According to this
report, the Conner Avenue, Michigan, production statistics are as
follows:
2000 2001 Estimated
Production Production Capacity
--------------- --------------- ---------------
Chrysler Prowler 2890 3002
Dodge Viper 1726 1887
--------------- --------------- ---------------
Total 4616 4889 5000 (98% capacity utilization)
Clearly the above report suggests that the Conner Avenue, Michigan
plant had a production capacity of 5000 units in 2001. It also
suggests that approximately 1900 Dodge Vipers were produced in 2001.
************************
Prowler Online
http://www.prowleronline.com/facts.php
Although the link above is about Chrysler Prowler and not Dodge Viper,
it is important in that it suggests that 2977 Prowlers were
manufactured in the year 2001 (only 25 units off what the Autoworld
Knowledge report mentions). This link also mentions that Prowler
production was discontinued from February 15, 2002.
************************
DaimlerChrysler Sells 3.82 Mio. Passenger Vehicles Worldwide in 2003
http://www.daimlerchrysler.co.jp/news/2004/20040115_e.html
The above official DaimlerChrysler report mentions "Dodge Viper sales
of 2,103 units (in 2003) surpassed the previous record of 1,926 units,
set in 1994"
************************
To put the pieces of information I discovered from the above sources
together and to form some sort of circumstantial evidence, I also
looked for news stories and articles related to:
a) Any type of production outage at the Conner Avenue, Detroit plant in 2002.
b) Any major spike or decline in sales of the Dodge Viper over the past 4 years.
c) Any major surge in the production of Dodge Vipers after the end of
Prowler production in early 2002
d) Any major restructuring or expansion of the Conner Avenue, Detroit
plant after 2001.
I couldn't find anything to suggest any of the above four happened.
************************
Based on the results of the above research, I can safely estimate the
production of Dodge Viper in the year 2002 to be between 1900 and 2000
units. By the way, to obtain the exact number, I have also written to
DaimlerChrysler. I will post the reply as soon as I receive it from
them.
Hope the above helps.
Regards,
bestsearcher-ga |
