Chrysler fan site Allpar.com got its paws on a list that it says depicts Chrysler’s upcoming production plans. If true, this list confirms that many of Chrysler’s refreshed products won’t be hitting the streets until 2010 is nearly over, and that the debuts will come thick and fast. So don’t expect much to improve in the way of sales for Chrysler until at least December. Even then, every other TV ad will have to be for a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge if the firm hopes to educate the buying public about these re-launches. The chances are good that Chrysler will survive until December, barring any supplier issues, recalls or further sales dips. Come December, when we have seen and driven this new generation of Fiat-refreshed products, we’ll have an idea of Chrysler’s chances of survival until 2013, when the next wave of fully Fiat-developed projects arrive. This should be interesting.
I’m betting the Sebring gets renamed 200C. I don’t understand why they are keeping the Compass, which is simply an ugly version of the Patriot. Why have two products compete directly against each other like that?
While I would like to see the 200C nameplate down the road, it deserves to go on a new vehicle with no baggage attached, not the Sebring. I still feel that Chrysler should redeem the Sebring nameplate by remaking a terrific vehicle out of the existing model. They desperately need some brand continuity, and if Hyundai can do it with their models, so can Chrysler. Re: the Patriot/Compass, you’re absolutely right, kill the Compass and redesign the butt ugly Caliber, too.
There is a simple reason as to why the Compass is still alive. Economies of Scale. The triplets are all built at Belvedere and use the same platform, powertrains, and quite the same amount of parts as well. Its simple economics to keep it moving down the line as long as both the Caliber and Patriot are still being produced.
While it never should have been produced is another story.
Gold star for Roundel. I pointed this out years ago on this very website. The problem is there is no Plymouth. You have basically a small to compact economy car but only one division that can sell it – Dodge. Can’t sell it as a Chrysler, that would be like selling a Cobalt as a Buick. The Patriot has been pretty good for off-road but many believe for good reasons that it should never have been a Jeep (not trail-rated, etc.) but at least it has some credibility. The Compass? Never should have happened. Just like the PT Cruiser should never have been a Chrysler either (it was supposed to be a Plymouth).
The more I consider it, the more I think the Compass was produced simply because they needed to use the production capacity at Belvedere. I know we have all heard the story that the Patriot went well with the male focus groups, and the Compass did well with the female focus groups. That simple could have been an excuse to essentially produce a “different” vehicle to use that excess capacity as well as fit the economy of scale. No matter how un-necessary the Compass was, that was probably why it was produced at all.
What should have been done was a refresh of the PT Cruiser onto that platform in 2006-7. Cerebus/Daimler were to cheap to update the PT off of the old neon platform and move production out of Mexico (that could have been another capacity issue overall as well)
Water under the bridge. The platform and the vehciles are mediocre at best anyway.
oh20 is a pretty reliable source for news at Allpar. He’s not been 100% right but more often than not he nails it.
By the way the “Sebring” will have a new interior, new exterior, revised suspension, Pentastar V6, and a FIAT DCT automatic. If they can pull all that off, what an “intervention”!
As Allpar says, “A million, one hundred thousand cars must be sold in the United States in 2010 to have a positive operating profit.” So I foresee UAW workers buying and stuffing cars in their backyards.
They sold about 85,000 in Feb. So it might be doable.
85k * 12 = 1,020,000
February is the shortest selling month and one of the slowest selling months. If the economy holds steady or improves they should be able to do it. It it double dips, uh oh. If Toyota gets hit with another huge recall(s) or some other automaker goes under the recall microscope that might help some. If Chrysler gets hit with a big recall or investigation then it’s uh oh again. So far they have been pretty good or lucky in that dept, depending on how you feel about them. Bottom line is there are too many variables to predict if they will make 1.1 million but it’s doable.
Besides selling under plan (if we take the 85k/Feb x 12), we also have to consider what the assumptions were for cash-on-the-hood, interest-rates, advertising costs, floorplanning costs, etc. Devil is in the details.
13 cars and trucks and not one of them sounds remotely desirable. Atta boy Chrysler, keep up the good work.
Come get me when they have Alfa products showing up.
And you’re basing that off of a list of names right? Way to keep an open mind.
BTW I recieved my “Car Issue” of Consumer Reports (it was an accident, I signed up for a free issue and a free consumer guide, they didn’t cancel things fast enough.) Chrysler was ranked dead last in their reliablity rating by company, although half of the Toyota’s had * next to their names to indicate they were involved in the UA scandal.
Nope, basing it off of driving their products and realizing they’re crap compared to others in the same segment.
Did you even read the article? These are production dates for new or refreshed vehicles.
But you keep keeping on with snide comments about Chrysler that got old 3 years ago.
When Chrysler gives us a reason to not call their products what they are, which is uncompetitive crap, then I’ll stop calling it uncompetitive crap.
The “new” Sebring is being extensively revised. It deserves a new name. The current Sebring is the poster child for all the crap that Daimler did to Chrysler. Too much baggage to carry with that name. If they can make it look 80% as good as the 200C concept, they could have a winner.
Scooped by Jalopnik.
What’s the problem, jcross, is something like a ram or challenger not wimpy enough for you?
Chrysler constantly gets beat up, but I’ve driven half a dozen Dodge and Plymouth minivans from 250,000 to over 300,000 miles with absolutely minimal repairs on some of the worst roads and worst climate in the U.S. (northern Minnesota and North Dakota). Right now I’m driving a 1998 Neon with 200,000 miles on it that is still on the original clutch, has averaged 38 mpg over the 85,000 miles I’ve owned it, and has required $600 in repairs in that time.
If that is the definition of “crap,” then, please, build more crap like that. (Note, however, these are pre-Daimler vehicles).
The Neon was not a piece of crap, but it was replaced by one. If DCX had refreshed the Neon on a competitive schedule and not replaced it with the Caliber, Chrysler today would probably be a player in the small car market.
(Note, however, these are pre-Daimler vehicles).
Yea, most ChryslerCo vehicles have regressed in quality. Go compare a brand new Caliber SE with your 200k-mile Neon.
Everything they make these days not wearing a HEMI, Trail-Rated, or Cummins badge is disappointing.
I tend to agree with your assessment. My 96 Grand Voyager went 120k (engine wiring harness – heat), my 85 LeBaron GTS went 206k (rust), and my 98 Grand Caravan has 144k and going. However, each of these cars were plagued by A/C problems and loose interior trim pieces.
Western PA roads are notoriously some of the worst in the country, and it’s not called the Buckle of the Rust Belt for nothing. The hills destroy tires and brakes by day, and the salt eats the bodies by night. Potholes beat up the wheels, shocks, bushings, and frames.
This car-killer region is one reason I’ve purchased at least three cars from other areas of the country rather than here.
> Everything they make these days not wearing a HEMI, Trail-Rated, or Cummins badge is disappointing.
So true. Watch out for the “trail rated” badge, too, they stick it on everything with a Jeep label, seems like. Maybe change that to “Everything they make these days not wearing a HEMI, Wrangler, or Cummins badge is disappointing”
The trucks are great, I own 4 of them. the hemi challenger and the other 2 LX cars are good, as well as the chrysler designed jeeps.
The caliber is not a chrysler, it’s a mitsubishi platform with a hyundai angine. All of the junk they have is mitsubishi based, which was dumped on them by mercedes.
They had 2 small cars on the drawing board, called the rebel and hornet. But the germans were calling the shots, and gave them the caiber. I think that fiat is in the deal for their benefit, and won’t be much help either.
nbpheights, I use an 04 ram 2500 and 05 3500 dump truck for my roofing business. The 518 trannies in them hold up well. I also use an 07 1500 as my daily driver, and I use a 78 3/4 ton dodge 4×4 to plow my driveway with.
BTW, installing a cooler is not much more difficult than changing oil. How much did the trans shop rip you off for?
I have an 05 Magnum RT – LX chassis, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else but maybe an 08 Magnum SRT. Solid, reliable, practical, decent mileage (if you don’t smoke the tires), great handling, and a head turner even after 5 years. I can outrun just about anything on the road except a full on sports car-Corvette, Porsche, etc. It’s a better car than most at twice the price of it. I bet most of you Chrysler crappers can’t say that about your vehicles – if you own one, that is.
With all due respect to Fred Schumacher and Moparman: the 2.7, Ultradrive and Neon head gaskets were all pre Daimler, and the Mitsu/Hyundai “crap” triplets have average to better than average reliability rating in Consumer Reports latest findings.
Dweezil, no car guy reads consumer reports. Everyone knows that they are not car guys, and don’t know any more about a car than the people that read their publication.
As far as the neon head gaskets go, yes, they had a problem with them at first. But they came out with a redesigned gasket in mid 99, and did a recall which solved the problem. And the neon was far from the only car with head gasket problems, other manufacturers had this problem also.
And the ultradive problems were solved in the early 90’s. myself and another guy had to explain it to posters in the article on the chrysler minivans, so if you would like to see it go there. Again, chrysler was not the only maker to have problems with a transmission.
Yes, the 2.7 had sludge problems, like millions of toyota 4 and 6 cylinders in the 90’s.