Brace yourselves, this is going to be unpleasant. You may recollect a certain video of a pristine Dodge Viper getting the business end of a track hoe claw.

As it turns out, that car wasn't the first otherwise functional Viper to get a date with the shredder, and it won't be the last. Chrysler is in the midst

of having 93 first-generation Vipers destroyed. The cars were originally donated to schools around the country for use in educational programs. These

pre-production Vipers were some of the first that were ever stitched together. Now Chrysler wants them dead.

Why? Blame the lawyers. These cars were never meant to be street-legal. They were built without emission control systems or speed limiters. You can see

where this is going. At least two of the cars managed to make it to public roads and—big shock—were involved in accidents. Since Chrysler still

technically owns the cars, the company is liable for any damages. The resulting lawsuits have cost the automaker millions of dollars.

Rather than risk a repeat, Chrysler's having them all destroyed, even VIN No. 004—a preproduction model, and the fourth car built. That Viper now resides at South Puget Sound Community College, where the

school uses it for training and promotional tasks. As one of the first five Vipers ever built, it's a rolling piece of automotive history, and it's worth

somewhere around $250,000. There's a petition going around to save No. 004 and its brethren, but don't expect Fiat-Chrysler to bend. Watch the heartbreaking

videos of two other cars meeting their maker below.

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We've reached out to Chrysler for comment. Check back soon for the company's response.

UPDATE: Chrysler has issued a statement regarding the educational Vipers:

Approximately 10 years ago, Chrysler Group donated a number of Dodge Viper vehicles to various trade schools for educational purposes. As part of the

donation process, it is standard procedure -- and stipulated in our agreements -- that whenever vehicles are donated to institutions for education purposes

that they are to be destroyed when they are no longer needed for their intended educational purposes. With advancements in automotive technology over the

past decade, it is unlikely that these vehicles offer any educational value to students. Chrysler Group fully understands and appreciates the historical

significance of the Viper and is very active in preserving many of its legendary models and designs for historic purposes however, none of these vehicles

fit into this category.

Chrysler Group has no record of any legal proceedings involving Dodge Viper vehicles donated to educational institutions being involved in accidents and

product liability lawsuits.

Via Jalopnik and KING5 News

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