Viper escapes extinction

Chrysler has revealed that its much adored Dodge Viper sports car will be around for a year or two yet.

Chrysler previously announced that the Viper business would be sold off, making the niche sports car yet another victim of the economic malaise.

But the company has had a change of heart following its marriage with Fiat, and the booming V10-engined Viper, the base model of which is priced at around US$90,000, will continue in production into 2010 and beyond.

Production was scheduled to shut down at the end of this year, but Chrysler will now continue building the high-powered sports car indefinitely.

That's the good news. The bad news is, that after eight years, it's time for Chrysler to find some money to give the Viper a spruce up.