"This is one of the biggest thrills I've ever experienced and I am so grateful to Bob Nardelli and all of my friends at Dodge for presenting such a cool gift," said Kurt Busch, driver of a Dodge NASCAR racing car. "To be an active part in celebrating the 25,000th Dodge Viper to roll off the assembly line is an extraordinary honour and one I'll remember for the rest of my life. To be honest with you, I feel like a young child anticipating a special Christmas gift. I am just that excited and so pleased that I have this opportunity. I'm proud to be a Dodge driver on the NASCAR circuit and appreciate the opportunity to meet all the employees at the plant and personally thank them for the tremendous job they do," said Busch.

Chrysler Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli presented the keys to Kurt Busch after the vehicle rolled off the assembly line.

"Reaching this milestone is quite an achievement considering the Dodge Viper SRT10 is a hand-built performance vehicle," said Nardelli. "This unique manufacturing facility has allowed us to produce a true American legend."

"Members of UAW Local 212 take enormous pride in every hand-built Viper we deliver to our customers," said General Holiefield - UAW Vice President, who directs the UAW's Chrysler Department. "We're very proud to team up with a proven winner like Kurt Busch. He knows world-class quality and craftsmanship when he sees it, and that's exactly what he's going to see in his new UAW-built Dodge Viper," said Holiefield.

Since its introduction as a concept car at the 1989 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Dodge Viper has captured the imagination and passion of performance enthusiasts around the world. The new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 offers consumers bold exterior styling, a race-inspired interior, world-class ride and handling, a stand out powertrain and benchmark braking.

Dodge Viper production began in May 1992 at the New Mack Assembly Plant and was moved to Conner Avenue in October 1995. Viper V-10 engine production transferred from Mound Road Engine to Conner Avenue Assembly in May 2001. In 2008, Dodge introduced the all new, fourth generation Dodge Viper SRT10. With more horsepower, more torque and more than 30 exterior and interior colour combinations, the latest Viper gives enthusiasts the performance they expect on the track and off, with more factory customisation options than before.

"The Dodge Viper SRT10 is the ultimate Dodge and the ultimate American sports car," said Mike Accavitti, Director - Dodge Brand, SRT and Motorsports Global Marketing. "It has a bold, in-your-face exterior with a purposeful race-inspired interior, including the legendary push-button start. But it's not just a pretty face. It backs up the bold styling with world class performance on the track or off," said Accavitti.

At Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, craftpersons hand-build the Dodge Viper SRT10 and its 600-horsepower 8.4-litre V-10 engine. Using 26 work stations on a 705-foot-long assembly line, 48 workers assemble each vehicle. Eight craftpersons build the 600-horsepower 8.4-litre SRT V-10 engine in the same facility using a 24-station circular line that is next to the vehicle assembly line.

"Back in 1992, the purpose of the Viper was to redefine what the Dodge brand was all about," said Melissa Holobach, Plant Manager - Conner Avenue Assembly Plant and Sterling Heights Vehicle Test Centre (SHVTC). "We wanted to come up with something that was extreme and cutting edge. Twenty five thousand vehicles later, we've continued this incredible heritage with the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10. It's the evolution of an American automotive icon," she added.

For the pure performance enthusiast, Dodge recently introduced the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, the ultimate, purpose-built, street-legal track car. With its 8.4-litre, 600 hp V-10 engine, the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR offers customers aerodynamic improvements, reduced weight, a racing suspension, race-ready hardware and competition tuning for optimal on-track performance - all for less than $100,000 (USD).