Chrysler Citadel.
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There has been a rumor about Chrysler being on the Stellantis chopping block recently.
Which would be sad news indeed and contrary to what the company was saying just a couple of years ago. What Chrysler needs is new models. It’s not that complicated really. SUVs, cars, vans, anything will be welcome.
Sergio Marchionne did its best for years to starve the Chrysler brand and now they only have the Pacifica minivan left. It’s hard and unfair to blame a brand for not making money when they have nothing to sell.
What they need is what everyone else has, a new SUV. Since most US Stellantis products will be based on their new STLA platform, so be it. A new SUV model has done wonders for many brands before. Just ask Porsche, Mazda, or almost anyone else.
Dodge is rumored to be working on 2 new STLA-based SUVs, and Chrysler should be getting their own versions of these. The Citadel illustration above shows what a Chrysler version of the next-generation STLA Dodge Durango could look like. Something that could compete against the Cadillac Lyriq and many others.
The only thing Chrysler has shown us was the really cool Halcyon concept a few months ago. Which, unlike other Stellantis concepts didn’t really preview a production car. Which could be a bad omen for the brand…
Here’s the thing, even a single new SUV isn’t going to save the brand. Sure, that would double the number of models it has to sell, but that’s still just TWO vehicles. You don’t get a brand residency with just that. You need 4 or 5 models, and since Stellantis has so many brands, I just don’t see them ever investing that much money into each.
I would hate to see Chrysler go away, but if by killing Chrysler, they could invest in some fresh new products for a reinvigorated Dodge brand, then so be it. They need to chop their brands in 1/2 and stop dilly dallying.
Fold RAM back into Dodge. Kill off Vauxhall, but keep Opel. Kill off Citroën, but keep Peugeot. Keep Fiat and Alfa, but kill off Maserati and Lancia. Get rid of Abarth and DS as separate brands and just have them as trim levels. And obviously keep Jeep which is probably the crown jewel of the whole company.
They’re their only US brand that can directly pull off affordable value. They’re missing a sub-compact CUV and compact CUV/hybrid. People expect a lot of butch and aggressive with Jeep and Dodge.
As long as the outcome isn’t hideous looking like offerings from Japan or Korea. I find it incredible that any design out of those two countries comes out worse than the one it replaces. Add to that, cheap interiors and lacking horsepower compared to their rivals, and the results are mind bogglingly that anyone but a rental counter would purchase or want to be seen in them
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Chrysler really needs an update to its minivan, a large SUV, a compact SUV, and a mid-size/compact stradling sedan – all hybrids. Chrysler should be focused on premium content, design, and pricing, but Sergio was intent on replacing Dodge and small Jeef’s with Fiats, and Chrysler with Alfa. How’d that work out? (answer: meh)
*chopping block
Chrysler needs more of a Toyota Crown competitor to remain in the game. An elegant elevated sedan-like SUV. If they do the reskin game people may favor one over the other like what they’re doing with the Honda Prologue and Chevy Blazer EV. Make it elegant and people will come. Make it cheap and people will leave.