Is Chrysler dead?
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-The Chrysler 200 will not be alive for the year 2017.
-Crazy Sergio was looking for a “partner” to keep producing it, a few months ago. No one stepped up…
-There will be no replacement.
-A small “Chrysler 100” model has been canceled.
-A new crossover based on the Pacifica is now on hold. Or canceled.
-So far, nothing seems to be planned to replace the 300.
A few months ago, I was thinking Dodge might be killed off soon.
Which still might happen. But at least, they showed a new Challenger and a smaller coupe/convertible at some dealer meeting. (Although
this might just be BS and they could cancel everything anyway)
But now, the lack of future product for Chrysler is kind of scary.
It looks like Mr. Marchionne is trying to kill of everything that is not a truck or a Jeep.
The only cars around might be Alfas. And a few Fiats.
Which is, very, very sad..
What do you think???
Chrysler and Dodge aren't quite dead yet, but they are on life support. With very little evidence of any new product, their chances look bleak.
As for Jeep, their lack of a passenger car and light-duty SUV/CUV partner, and Sergio's resulting attempt at making them everything for everybody only dilutes the Jeep brand.
Chrysler SHOULD be killed, along with Fiat. Neither brand has any relevance in the marketplace. Kill them, make Dodge the mainstream brand with Alfa the luxury brand. Keep Jeep and fold Ram back into Dodge. Then sell Maserati back to Ferrari. Then they'd have a 3 brand company Dodge/Alfa Romeo/Jeep. A look at Fiat's european website show that there is nothing there that we are missing. Same crap we get here. Alfa can stretch down to the smaller cars in Europe to replace Fiat there – they already sell small cars anyway. Dodge and Alfa can sell on road crossovers, and leave Jeep to sell real off road machines.
I will never buy their cars. I prefer to spend my money on other things than repairs. And this mozzarella guy is running around pretending to be CEO of what? Subpar products?
Makes you wonder if Sergio is just waiting to sell off Jeep and RAM and let the other two die once he's recouped his investment and made the margin needed.
Very sad times ahead.
There is zero reason when Chrysler isn't launching new products. It's inexcusable that the Pascifica (a massively declining category) was introduced over a mid and full -sized CUV, compact and keeping the 200 alive.
I shake my head at the 200. For YEARS the car was garbage – but they expect Camry/Accord/Fusion like sales by introducing a good (not great) product? GIVE ME A BREAK.
They have to EARN trust back of consumers by introducing products that exceed consumer expectations for both quality and design. THEN sales will come.
Been a LOYAL Chrysler fan all my life (Including Dodge, Jeep, RAM, and more recently Maserati ). But to be honest, if the "CHRYSLER" Division disappears, so will my loyalty for FCA as a whole. Really disappointed at Sergio's lack of PR acumen.
Been a LOYAL Chrysler fan all my life (Including Dodge, Jeep, RAM, and more recently Maserati
I have not kept up with this brand, but 20-30 years ago Maserattis used to spend half the year in the shop. How is yours holding up?
It is very telling that with the end of Dart and 200 production there will be no more US-built Chrysler or Dodge products. Seems to be writing on the wall for those brands..
Let's be honest, Chrysler has managed to survive for decades under the watchful eye of truly buffoonish management. If the new management at FCA can't make Chrysler work, then they should just shutter all of their businesses and go open a Pizza parlor.
September 16, 2016 at 8:05 AM Better than my Mercedes! (The new Ghibli & Quatroporte are as reliable as 2016 Chryslers; which is to say "more reliable than ANY car built just 5 years ago!" I think sometimes people forget just how far the bar has moved for ALL brands. A Lexus LS from 10 years ago is less reliable than just about ANY 2016 vehicle (aside from specialties like Ferrari or Bugatti). I think that says a lot. Keep up with the times my friend, if your old exotic is shot, I think you'll be quite shocked at how everything from Kia to Maserati is holding up these days. Quality & reliability are no longer part of the equation these days!
Scott MacEwen , maybe you weren't aware of it, but over HALF of ALL minivans in North America are sold by 1 company: CHRYSLER. It's a catagory they OWN. And given the outrageous costs of entering any niche of the automotive market with a new (unknown) brand (or model) I would assume that making a business case for the Pacifica was much easier than trying to justify a new SUV. (In spite of the fact that the crowed SUV market is expanding faster than the minivan market (which as of late, has started expanding again, albeit slowly.) At least minivans aren't in decline (like sedans seem to be — especially medium & large ones.)
@ anonymous…yes, Chrysler owns 1/2 the minivan market – but it's still a declining category, and VERY small when compared to the midsized sedan market, which as you pointed out, is also in decline – giving sales to CUV's. Hence – Chrysler SHOULD have CUV's in that category. Considering Jeep is their sister company, the DNA to make GREAT products is there. Further, Dodge also has the VERY old Journey – which has survived despite its age and is more than ripe for replacement.
Point stands – considering FCA's expertise in CUV's (Cherokee, Renegade, Journey, Fiat 500X) – there is absolutely zero reason why Chrysler isn't investing and competing in the CUV category AND growing in the car category.
Chrysler needs to resurrect the K car. Seriously the K car was Chrysler's best car ever made, because those cars had tons of room, were fuel efficient, had great performance, drove great and looked damn nice?