DETROIT — The new Chrysler Group reopened its first plant after its bankruptcy filing and subsequent merger with Fiat. Interestingly, it is the Conner Avenue plant in Detroit that builds the Dodge Viper.
The Viper plant employs 115 and builds a product that is critically esteemed but serves a very small niche in the marketplace. Chrysler had been trying to sell the Viper brand and reportedly got only one offer earlier this year. That was a bid for some $5.5 million from Devon Motor Works of western Michigan, a startup that was hoping to build its own supercar using the Viper as a donor.
Last week Chrysler said the Viper assets have been turned over to Fiat as part of the buyout.
Chrysler is still planning to shut down all vehicle production for two weeks in mid-July.
Inside Line says: Logical restart or show of bravado? Either way, at least it got Chrysler in the news in a good light. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent
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