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Christine Feuell Hired as CEO of the Chrysler Brand

I'm not saying STLA and the other automakers aren't going to try and make EVs a success - they clearly believe in that EVs are future, and are (supposedly) spending billions to make this happen.

I am absolutely certain that EVs are the future in Europe. There is a political and economic mandate to make that happen. That is the collective societal decision that has been made. I am less convinced this same mandate will happen in China and the US, beyond window dressing and hollow statements/non-binding targets. I'll believe EVs are the future when I see an EV Ram 1500 or range extended Wagoneer/PHEV WL74 on the road selling more than 5000 units a year, and are actually built profitably. I'll believe it when EVs comprise more than 10% of STLA's US sales volume and actually contribute to STLA's bottom line.

I doubt EV > 10% marketshare will for STLA (in the US) before 2030, due to the current chip issues and the fact that an order of magnitude more chips are needed, per vehicle, to build an EV. An order of magnitude more chips per vehicle is a lot.

In the meantime, EVs in Europe will become increasingly unaffordable. @Bili has referenced this as well.
 
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The chip shortage will likely be a short term issue. Before new EV vehicles can be brought to market (design, supplier setup, test runs, safety and environ testing) the shortage will be solves -or- brought onshore.

Unless the NA arm of Chrysler has been warming a 200, dart, commander like NA spec vehicle in the CTC waiting for a market/plant to release it - it will be 2+ years before you see anything from Chrysler testing on the roads.

The Dart COULD be re-released using the Jeep Cherokee plant (which has volumes) if they had been working on an EV power train for it - the 200 while liked by people it suffered from poor marketing and highlighting of the low entry back seat (which is fine for me but I'm not 6'+)

the best bet for between now and 2+ years for Chrysler IMO is a filler of a commander based CUV with Chrysler styling, ICE MH and maybe a ICE MH version of the Dodge Charger to keep the 300 alive. Otherwise, you are stuck with the Voyager/Pacifica twins.

If I had my personal pick - I'd stick with the Voyager/Pacific twins for 2+ years and make those two vehicles exemplary to build the brand quality and venerability. The worst thing they could do is chase the fools who talk about only 1 vehicle Chrysler is dead zealots and throw lipstick on a 500 and call it a Chrysler. That would kill the brand.

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From 2004 to 2019 I worked in the fire alarm industry. I am very familiar with Honeywell fire alarm products. Honeywell quality control went downhill big time. Software issues. Circuit board issues, dead panels and power supplies straight from the factory. Massive back orders. Customer support and technical support suffered. Account issues. Just problems across the board. Honeywell expanded, adding many companies as distributors. Long time distributors felt like Honeywell was giving them the shaft. I don't see hiring anyone from Honeywell as a good thing.
 
They tried marketing the 200/300 like it was a Cadillac. Well I had a 200S for about 6 years and that thing was a mess. I think 4 of those years were spent without a working heater, in NW Pennsylvania. The interior was fine but felt more like a Ford/Chevy. Which I guess is their target segment now?

If it were me, I'd position Chrysler as an electric/hybrid option for the younger crowd. Almost like a more affordable Tesla. Having said that any brand that sells a minivan is probably going to be a tough sell for that demo. But maybe restyle it similar to the Kia Carnival and they might have something. That's the best example I can think of a minivan not looking like a minivan.
 
cgseller said:
Unless the NA arm of Chrysler has been warming a 200, dart, commander like NA spec vehicle in the CTC waiting for a market/plant to release it - it will be 2+ years before you see anything from Chrysler testing on the roads.

The Dart COULD be re-released using the Jeep Cherokee plant (which has volumes) if they had been working on an EV power train for it - the 200 while liked by people it suffered from poor marketing and highlighting of the low entry back seat (which is fine for me but I'm not 6'+)
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Let go back 5 years ago..... On another site..... the Mid-sized sedan market is dead, the margins are zero, the company who shed that capacity first will do the best moving forward...... this wasn't my wish or want or a future prediction. It what the market had evolved too. What the OEMs were executing Massive over capacity and zero to negative margins............... Oh was ITAH for just reporting this. Still arguing about it over there while my reporting played out.

For all the 200 and Darts flaws.... it didn't matter. They could have been the best mid-sized vehicles ever made that would have only accelerated the loses because of cost. It just dumb luck FCA didn't have the capacity to keep taking it on the chin to have a segment offering.
 
vdizzle12 said:
They tried marketing the 200/300 like it was a Cadillac. Well I had a 200S for about 6 years and that thing was a mess. I think 4 of those years were spent without a working heater, in NW Pennsylvania. The interior was fine but felt more like a Ford/Chevy. Which I guess is their target segment now?

If it were me, I'd position Chrysler as an electric/hybrid option for the younger crowd. Almost like a more affordable Tesla. Having said that any brand that sells a minivan is probably going to be a tough sell for that demo. But maybe restyle it similar to the Kia Carnival and they might have something. That's the best example I can think of a minivan not looking like a minivan.
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From what I been getting tidbits, Chrysler would be “Electric Buick”, so with product like a large CUV so it would above $50,000.

Maybe a more “SUV looking” ID4 competitor that’s made in Europe.
 
TripleT said:
Let go back 5 years ago..... On another site..... the Mid-sized sedan market is dead, the margins are zero, the company who shed that capacity first will do the best moving forward...... this wasn't my wish or want or a future prediction. It what the market had evolved too. What the OEMs were executing Massive over capacity and zero to negative margins............... Oh was ITAH for just reporting this. Still arguing about it over there while my reporting played out.

For all the 200 and Darts flaws.... it didn't matter. They could have been the best mid-sized vehicles ever made that would have only accelerated the loses because of cost. It just dumb luck FCA didn't have the capacity to keep taking it on the chin to have a segment offering.
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I do not disagree - the point I was trying to make was that there will be no Chrysler product in the next year or two unless they are warming something in the hopper to release.... like Apple did with their switch from Power PC to Intel decades ago - they kept the Intel version of their Software in the warming tray along side the PowerPC version so they could switch on a dime - which they did. Not an easy/feasible thing to do when it comes to vehicles like this...
 
Chrysler has about the same number of model it historically had until Lee the badge Engineer came in and slapped Chrome on some Dodges and wagged a magic wand, It was never a Volume brand.... they will carry on as is until 2024 model year.
 
Windsor will build the upcoming Chrysler EV, this has been known for some time, and was in the most recent Canadian Autoworkers contract.
 
cygnus said:
I'm not saying STLA and the other automakers aren't going to try and make EVs a success - they clearly believe in that EVs are future, and are (supposedly) spending billions to make this happen.
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Believe me... At the same time STLA wants, of course through politicians, to have more relaxed CO2 and emission regulations. More relaxed in comparison to current European plans.
 
patfromigh said:
Good find on the article. I'm not so sure about bring in an outsider to run the brand.
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You have to wonder the same thing when Bill Ford admitted what he was up against and decided to on-board Boeing CEO Alan Mullaly. A reporter at the airport when Alan arrived in Detroit asked him what he knew about the auto industry and that his aircraft experience was a no-go. Alan simply responded in saying that a passenger jet has millions of parts in its assembly while a car has thousands and it shouldn't be a problem! Alan saved FORD and quietly walked away after he accomplished it! The future of Chrysler has to find it's new success with a niche whatever that may be... premium electric road cars? Dodge found its niche with the 'Does that thing have a hemi?' niche, Jeep has theirs so it's Chryslers turn to reinvent itself.
 
Hope you guys are ready for Canadian and Chinese made Chrysler EVs.
 
TripleT said:
Chrysler has about the same number of model it historically had until Lee the badge Engineer came in and slapped Chrome on some Dodges and wagged a magic wand, It was never a Volume brand.... they will carry on as is until 2024 model year.
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Yeah that Lee. Knew nothing about marketing or running a company. That’s for sure!
 
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