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Dodge Viper now available in matte finish

The prospect of buying a new Dodge Viper just got that much more enticing with the introduction of matte-finish paint direct from the factory. Available as part of the "1 of 1" customization program, the matte finishes aren't being offered in just a handful of colors like some other automakers do: customers will be able to specify a matte finish on any of the 8,000 colors that are already part of the program's palette. The matte finish option adds yet another step to the exhaustive hand-painting process that Dodge offers on the Viper - a painstaking endeavor that takes upwards of 145 man hours to complete. Specialists start by applying a base coat and a clear finish, followed by the paint and clear coat. The finished body panels are then smoothed with 1,000-grit paper and polished. A second sanding process is required for the matte finish before the application of a matte clear coat. Specify custom stripes (available in five colors or by custom order) and they're applied under the paint, not as decals on top. The availability of the matte finish in conjunction with the stripe options and new satin badging and fuel cap leads to over 50 million combinations. Needless to say, that means no two Vipers need ever leave the Conner Avenue assembly plant the same – though there will surely always be certain favorite combinations, especially on those units ordered from outside the customization program. Related Video: DODGE EXPANDS INDUSTRY-FIRST '1 OF 1' VIPER CUSTOMIZATION PROGRAM WITH NEW MATTE-FINISH PAINT OPTION - 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 June 19, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Dodge brand continues to expand the Viper's exclusive production elements like never before.

Chop the top of your new Dodge Viper for $35,000

We have good news, and we have bad news. First, the good: It's now possible to get a brand-new Dodge Viper roadster, which is nice, considering we're in the dead of summer and many of us like wind-in-the-hair motoring. Now, the bad: This is not a factory option from the automaker, instead coming courtesy of an aftermarket company called Prefix Performance, and that means it's going to cost you some serious coin.
Called Medusa, this drop-top Viper was created without the knowledge or consent of Dodge, but that's probably fine because Prefix works with the automaker already for the final preparation of the American supercar, including paint. According to the company, the current, fifth-gen Viper was built with a convertible version in mind, so no chassis strengthening is required. From the looks of the somewhat grainy photos available, the conversion appears of very high quality.
Want one? Well, that means you're going to need to procure a Viper - Prefix has 10 units ready for transformation as it stands - and that's going to cost at the very least $102,485. Then, you'll need to write a check for an additional $35,000 for Prefix to surgically remove the car's roof. Thing is, for that kind of cash, a prospective owner could buy, among other very nice options, a Viper hardtop and a loaded Miata, or a Corvette Stingray convertible and several pockets full of change. Or, perhaps a new Viper hardtop and a used, first-gen Viper convertible?

Jay Leno's Dodge Challenger raises $585k for USO in Scottsdale

Of all the metal moved in Scottsdale, AZ, this holiday weekend, the one you see here was hardly the most expensive. But it's noteworthy for another reason: despite being a relatively humble, second-hand 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, raised an impressive $565,625. That's because, first of all, it belonged to Jay Leno, and secondly because the proceeds were going to the USO. Leno donated the modern muscle car from his collection to benefit our men and women in uniform, and was on hand to present the car on stage at the Gooding & Company auction, along with USO president J.D. Crouch II and former Army chief of staff General George W. Casey, Jr. After frenzied and patriotic bidding, the gavel ultimately dropped at $360,000, accompanied by over $200,000 in additional contributions, bringing the total amount donated to the USO to over half a million. Commendable though it was, of course the Challenger didn't garner the highest bids at the auction. A 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider sold for $7.7 million and a 1968 Ferrari 330 GTS fetched $2.4 million. A rare 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Series I Coupe Aerodinamico sold for over $4,070,000 – which, according to Sports Car Market, is the most ever paid at auction for a 400 Superamerica. And a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 also sold for a record $1.98 million. Featured Gallery Gooding Scottsdale 2015 News Source: Gooding & CompanyImage Credit: Jensen Sutta, Mike Maez/Gooding Celebrities Dodge Ferrari Porsche Auctions Classics dodge challenger srt8 gooding ferrari 400 superamerica