Chrysler is here to stay

[patfromigh]

Tesla launched the Model 3 and they're doing quite well. Anything EV has market right now.

The electrical grid crashed in what was once the energy capital of the United States. Wind generators are frozen in place, and politicians here are pointing fingers of blame to everyone but themselves. With the green push of the past four decades, Americans neglected to put some redundancy into the power grid. We (the USA) are about to do the same with transportation. (A close study of US history will show that high speed passenger rail was outlawed here in the early 1950s. So maybe I should say we have already done the same with transportation.)

This is only my opinion, but I believe Tesla is only a fad. I'm not saying battery electric vehicles are a fad, they have a significant role in the future. Consumers buy Teslas because they are techy and cool. Meanwhile, Chevy Bolts sit in the dealer's back lots while pickup trucks are sold right away. Here is an example of an automotive fad. VW was once the leading import car in the USA with the imports trailing far behind. Most of Volkswagen's success in America was on the strength of the air-cooled Type-1 sedan or the Beetle. Sales peaked here in the 1972-73 time period and then quickly died off. VW has not duplicated the success of the Beetle in the US since that time, while the Japanese brands went from strength to strength. Small imports were not a fad while the VW Beetle was.

Chevrolet showed the updated Bolt hatchback a few days ago, and also introduced a crossover version of the Bolt, the EUV. Before Chevrolet killed the Volt, GM was working on crossover version of that nameplate. The Volt was a great car, but the batteries made for a cramped sedan. Utility vehicles offer more vertical space for dealing with the batteries.

The automakers will have to rethink what a sedan is sooner or later. I remember all those Checker Marathon taxis that used to populate American cities. They offered the interior room of today's Chevy Suburbans and Ford Expedition at nearly half the weight. A European example of a classic sedan would be the Alfa Romeo Giulia (Type 105) of the 1960s and 70s.

 

[TripleT]

Tesla launched the Model 3 and they're doing quite well. Anything EV has market right now.

Not really, it launch was a disaster ..... I guess you don't pay that close attention. And it again isn't mid-size it a Niche BEV. They are rushing to get the Y out.

 

[JasonB]

According to statements made by Mr. Tavares during his Detroit visit, nothing will happen to the Chrysler brand until a new leader is chosen and that person makes an acceptable business case for each new product. I have not received any phone calls as of this moment. Is the Auburn Hills facility even on a bus line? If not, that would be a deal breaker for me.

It seems to me if the Pacifica really is a slow seller, a vehicle based on the Portal concept could go into Windsor. There already is a plugin drivetrain for that platform.

 

[Mopar392]

Mazda is a single brand corporation with no toes to step on, no margin to eat in trying push a transition of demographic. The decision is easy what brand will the new vehicle be offered under. Mazda.

Ford facing similar decisions Lincoln or Ford.... Toyota- Lexus or Toyota .... Honda Acura or Honda..... Nissan Infiniti or Nissan ..... the only company close is GM which has a worse cluster of interwoven toe stomping.

Stellantis is showing with Maserati Grecale and Alfa Stlevio twins that you can you have the same product for two different targeted market.

Why can’t Jeep be the Off-road and tougher FWD crossover, while Chrysler goes for the near-premium FWD crossover market??

 

[Bili]

Why can’t Jeep be the Off-road and tougher FWD crossover, while Chrysler goes for the near-premium FWD crossover market??

Alfa and Maserati have similar targets albeit at different price range.

For FWD SUV. How do you know that something similar is not in the works

 

[Mopar392]

Alfa and Maserati have similar targets albeit at different price range.

For FWD SUV. How do you know that something similar is not in the works

I won’t know, that’s why I’m saying Chrysler could use such vehicle.

 

[Tony K]

I won’t know, that’s why I’m saying Chrysler could use such vehicle.

Sure, but not THAT vehicle. When you understand the value and dynamics of what Giorgio represents, putting it in a near dead American mainstream brand, even if you could position Chrysler at or near premium, doesn't add up.

 

[Mopar392]

Sure, but not THAT vehicle. When you understand the value and dynamics of what Giorgio represents, putting it in a near dead American mainstream brand, even if you could position Chrysler at or near premium, doesn't add up.

I wasn’t intended to mean Giorgio derivative.
I’m talking about CUSW and Small-Wide platforms

 

[TripleT]

Alfa and Maserati have similar targets albeit at different price range.

For FWD SUV. How do you know that something similar is not in the works

WOAH everyone Maseratis are nearly hand made, Alfa is somewhere in the middle,

 

[Bili]

WOAH everyone Maseratis are nearly hand made, Alfa is somewhere in the middle,

Similar targets in terms of engineering goals. Handling, centered around driver.

I don't think that any other brand is so driver oriented as Alfa Romeo.

Grecale should be built by the same guys as Stelvio and Giulia. We could see more sharing in the future. For Giorgio family of architectures based models.

 

[TripleT]

I wasn’t intended to mean Giorgio derivative.
I’m talking about CUSW and Small-Wide platforms

Like importing the Tipo?

Chrysler was going to get CUSW CUV, a CUSW+ CUV, and a CUSW+ Sedan to replace the 300..... all canned because the ROI didn't work.

 

[TripleT]

Similar targets in terms of engineering goals. Handling, centered around driver.

I don't think that any other brand is so driver oriented as Alfa Romeo.

Grecale should be built by the same guys as Stelvio and Giulia. We could see more sharing in the future. For Giorgio family of architectures based models.

The component capacity is a entirely different realm than a volume brand, how parts are made and created is centered around the volume and margins

 

[Mopar392]

Like importing the Tipo?

Chrysler was going to get CUSW CUV, a CUSW+ CUV, and a CUSW+ Sedan to replace the 300..... all canned because the ROI didn't work.

With CUSW/+ mostly gone, I really would like them modifying EMP2 to suit us non-Europeans.

 

[Archknight]

With CUSW/+ mostly gone, I really would like them modifying EMP2 to suit us non-Europeans.

I really didn't see CUSW surviving beyond the current generation of models, since they seem to have abandoned it otherwise. EMP2 is likely a more suitable candidate for any FWD models from Stellantis until their fully electric platform is ready. With SRT engineers spread across the brands now, I believe there will be some interesting performance models coming out in each lineup.

 

[Mopar392]

I really didn't see CUSW surviving beyond the current generation of models, since they seem to have abandoned it otherwise. EMP2 is likely a more suitable candidate for any FWD models from Stellantis until their fully electric platform is ready. With SRT engineers spread across the brands now, I believe there will be some interesting performance models coming out in each lineup.

If the base is not good, SRT can’t do anything about it. Isn’t this what we’ve never seen Dart SRT??

 

[Bili]

If the base is not good, SRT can’t do anything about it. Isn’t this what we’ve never seen Dart SRT??

CUSW was fine base for performance FWD based model. But where was the engine or performance transmission?

But really it doesn't matter. Dart was killed soon after.

 

[Bili]

What is Chrysler?

It still doesn't have a brand CEO. Yes, Kuniskis is interim CEO but he is Dodge guy and he will bring (a lot) new Dodge models.
CEO will be one which will chose Chrysler direction but keep in mind that Kuniskis will be Synergy Referent, not the future Chrysler CEO.

I doubt that Chrysler could be a semi/near premium offering. That market is dying all over the world. And for sure it's not a premium car maker.

But having it as an entry level brand makes sense in my book. Of course for smaller cars. For bigger ones it can be more upscale. Such policy is more common all over the world. Actually Peugeot is such in Europe.

And please no badge engineering. It doesn't make sense. Not to mention that Peugeot interiors would not work for Chrysler brand.

 

[Mopar392]

What is DS to PSA?
Certainly it’s not Alfa’s counterpart.
Can’t the idea of DS work in the US but under Chrysler brand?
I agree no badge engineering.

 

[Bili]

DS is a premium car maker. IMO the most similar at FCA world would be Lancia. Lancia as was for the better part of its existence. Premium but more GT oriented car. Sort of Italian Mercedes. If anything is Italian Mercedes.

I could see Chrysler which will act in similar fashion as Peugeot is doing right now in the Europe.
Focus on modern styling which is BTW not for everyone. Top notch interior materials for non premium segment. Ana also technology oriented. Still such car should command slightly elevated price. So not exactly Toyonda.

At least we do know what Dodge is.

 

[cgseller]

DS is a premium car maker. IMO the most similar at FCA world would be Lancia. Lancia as was for the better part of its existence. Premium but more GT oriented car. Sort of Italian Mercedes. If anything is Italian Mercedes.

I could see Chrysler which will act in similar fashion as Peugeot is doing right now in the Europe.
Focus on modern styling which is BTW not for everyone. Top notch interior materials for non premium segment. Ana also technology oriented. Still such car should command slightly elevated price. So not exactly Toyonda.

At least we do know what Dodge is.

If you target Chrysler to technology hungry buyers that could be a potential fit. If not done well, it may end up like Olds did when they went modern and alienated their base (kind of like Bill Knapps did). In Chrysler's favor is they only have 3 (nee 2) vehicles. If you take the Pacific high tech - you could keep the Voyager with the manual dials to keep the folks who want dials and buttons and simple vehicle and keep it as a Chrysler (certainly not FIAT in the US). Voyager would be the favored Rental/Autonomous fleet. If you use it as an early adopter audience to condition new consumers before moving the user experience to volume/main stream brands to avoid alienating your base. This same tech could be used in other brands globally in the region that makes sense.