Chrysler Detroit Conner Plant Reopens to Produce 2013 SRT Viper
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Auburn Hills, Mich. December 13, 2011; Chrysler Group LLC announced
today that it will reopen its Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit for
the production of the next generation SRT Viper. With the plant’s
reopening, nearly 150 jobs, both hourly and salaried, will return to the
City of Detroit. About Chrysler Group LLC
The Conner facility was idled when production of the Dodge Viper ended in
July 2010.
“The next generation Viper will make its return to the product lineup
in late 2012 as a 2013 model,” said Ralph Gilles, President and Chief
Executive Officer - SRT Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC.
“We’re extremely excited that our ultimate American sports car
will continue to live on and be produced exclusively here in the Motor
City.”
Current Chrysler Group hourly employees who previously worked at Conner
were first offered the opportunity to return to their home plant. The
balance of the positions will be filled by hourly employees volunteering to
transfer to the Conner Avenue plant.
Conner Avenue will begin building the new Viper in late 2012, but employees
began reporting for training and orientation this fall.
In preparation for the reopening, the Conner facility will begin its
transformation by implementing World Class Manufacturing (WCM), a system
that is focused on reducing waste and making continuous improvements
throughout the assembly process to improve quality and productivity.
Viper production began in May 1992 at the New Mack Assembly Plant, then
moved to the Conner Avenue site in October 1995. All Vipers that rolled off
the line were hand-built in a low-volume, modular process. Over the course
of 15 years, Conner Avenue employees built about 12 vehicles a day for a
total of 22,070 Vipers.
The reopening of the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant reaffirms Chrysler
Group’s commitment to the City of Detroit as the only auto
manufacturer with two assembly plants in the city.
About the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant
The Conner Avenue Assembly Plant was built in 1966 and purchased
by Chrysler in 1995. Viper production began in May 1992 at the New Mack
Assembly Plant and was moved to Conner Avenue in October 1995. Prowler
production began in May 1997 and ended in February 2002. Viper V-10 Engine
production was transferred from Mound Road Engine to Conner Assembly in May
2001. In 2003, the newly engineered SRT10 Roadster hit the market and the
SRT10 Coupe followed in 2005. With a production run of 28,056, Viper
production ended on July 2, 2010. As a result, the facility was idled.
Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance
with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat
vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide
distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance
builds on Chrysler Group’s culture of innovation, first established
by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat’s complementary technology
that dates back to its founding in 1899.
Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group’s product lineup
features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the
Chrysler 300 and Town & Country, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Durango, Ram 1500,
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Fiat 500. Fiat contributes world-class
technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars,
allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including
environmentally friendly vehicles.