Chrysler planning a “product renaissance” for 2010
“In the pipeline for 2010: A brand new 300, a brand new Charger … a brand new Jeep, the pipeline is full, plus we have these smaller vehicles coming through partnerships and alliances,” Nardelli said. “I think the product cadence at Chrysler is coming back strong.”
As the Free Press first reported, Chrysler is planning a “product renaissance” for 2010 when it will launch seven — perhaps eight or nine — new vehicles.
Chrysler has said that it plans to offer a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Nissan-made small car in 2010. The automaker also has announced plans to begin selling a hybrid version of its Dodge Ram in 2010.
Chrysler to debut new Charger, 300 - freep.com
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I for one,personally,cant wait to see what the new 300/Charger look like..Very nice cars as they are now, and if they improve it (like I always said they should do with all the new Mopars)by the sounds of it it should be killer !!!!
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Wait… didn’t all the “analysts” say Chrysler was getting ready to go out of business and there was “no product down the pipeline”???
Who’s eating crow now? I can’t wait to see them. I agree with Rich, it sucks that we have to wait another year, but that is reality thanks to the Krauts that left us in shambles.
October 3rd, 2008 at 9:01 pm
c the Charger they showed us was still in clay, but Giles said that he was trying to capture the look of the 69 Charger R/T.
The car retained a lot of the current Chargers look, but the body lines had more edge the rear quarters were taller the hood looks like the current hood in use on the 08 Magnum and the body sides were concaved like the 69 Charger.
The rear doors appeared to melt into the body, if we get Charger they showed us it will blow your socks off.
The 300 doesn’t stray to far from the original design, again sharper edges and very refined.
The big improvement is in the interiors, again if they stick to what we saw then you’ll be blown away. The Interiors were beautiful a lot of attention to detail.
The Hornet looks like the prototype, kind of looks like a cross between the first Scion xb and the Honda Element.
The New Grand Cherokee looks like a Mercedes Benz Grand Cherokee, they dropped the boxy look the vehicle has soft rounded lines, again a lot to attention to detail.
2010 is along way off and it appears that all the domestics have written off 2009. The only concern I have with the new product is price point.
October 4th, 2008 at 11:48 am
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/BUSINESS02/809240299
1. Speaking of new product, see this informative Toledo Blade article focusing on the electric Wrangler shown last month.
2. Note especially the comments of the Jeep dealer and the UAW guy.
3. Enlarge the photo of the interior. Don’t you assume that’s a prototype electric Wrangler interior?
4. Rick, thanks for the inside skinny. That’s what we need more of on this Weblog. More insight and inside skinny.
October 4th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
2010 is going to be a good year for chrysler.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Thats one ugly interior if you ask me. Looks like they didnt know what they were doing/thinking when they designed it.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
What would Oscar say?
October 4th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Does anyone know if there will be a dakota replacement?
600 units a month isnt good at all.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Toyota pushes 0% financing
The Japanese automaker is taking an unusually aggressive approach after a crushing September sales drop.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
http://fox.com/terminator/ram/
Has everyone seen the Ram TV commercial? It’s all over the Saturday football games on Fox SW. I’m not certain that you can access the entire TV commercial on this Website, but it’s worth keeping your eye out on TV to watch it. Everybody who sees it will think that Chrysler has listened to all the bitching about marketing and really shaped–up.
October 4th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/toyota-skeptical-about-plugin.html
“Toyota skeptical about plug-in electric”
Technology blog of the Dallas Morning News,
Oct. 4
The comments below this provocative article are also worth reading.
October 4th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Where do you go on that site to see the commercial?
Thanks for the great info, daves….. Daaaaaaaaa
October 5th, 2008 at 9:03 am
DaveS
The arguements against a plug-in or pure electric vehicle are the same as they were back in the late 70’s and 80’s.
Not enough range, where do I charge it and cost to buy is to high.
Electrics will find their nich in large cities, retirement community and as short commute vehicles.
The mass majorite of vehicles will still be powered by gasoline and you’ll see a spike in the use of CNG, just like the 70’s and 80’s.
I drove a CNG powered Cougar in the 80’s, it was a pain to get fuel and the valves kept sticking. I replaced many push rods in that car.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:31 am
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122274297535189207.html
“Sales of Souped-Up Pickups Slow”
The Wall Street Journal, 9/30/08
Dodge Ram marketing is the focus of the last four paragaphs. But don’t le that keep you from reading the entire article.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Rich,
Thanks for the historical perspective, but it’s important not to think in terms of statics—-what was is what will be in the future. The infrastructure to get electricity to plug in vehicles is a market waiting to happen. Watch for General Electric and the electric utilities to all be involved. Did you see this comment below that technology blog item on electric plugs-ins that I posted?
————————————————————————————–
Posted by Jerry Reich @ 2:53 PM Sat, Oct 04, 2008
The issues around where to plug in will be handled just as there are being addressed in London, Amsterdam,Paris and Berlin, by street level parking towers, parking lot plug in towers and general parking structures. Our firm is in the business of supplying these solutions, and are currently working with several organization on the east coast to begin installing our system. Jerry of P&P N.A.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
DaveS
I think your going to have to watch the oil producing countries.
If there is a perceived threat to their hold on the energy market then prices will fall to the point where it will make alternative modes of transportation so expensive that it won’t be viable in the open market.
I’m not saying that pure electrics or plug-ins won’t have there place in the market, but not to the extent that many analyst predict.
The same scenario was played out in the 80’s, I remember the slogans then “Save the Planet” and we celebrated “Earth Day”.
Analyst predicted that large percentage of vehicles would be electric powered, it didn’t happen.
All the automobile manufacturers need to find a vehicle that will deliver the profit margins lost by the fall of SUV and full size truck sales. Plug-ins and electrics are money losers for the manufacturers.
My prediction is oil prices will fall and the manufactures will create a new segment of vehicle that recaptures the profit loss from weak SUV and truck sales. Look at Crossovers they didn’t exist ten years ago.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I watched the detroit lions game today on tv.There were 3 commercials i watched and they were commercials about the 2008 dodge ram.
Isnt the new 2009 out? Can somebody tell me why they were showing the 2008 model.
October 5th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Kyle they have over 90,000 dodge rams sitting on lots.They still have to advertise the older models too!
October 5th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Rich,
Your response is very thoughtful, and it resonates with the lesson of history. But think in terms of how the current situation differs from the one that you accurately described in the late 70s: (1) The cause of today’s high price of oil is entirely different from the one that caused long lines at gas stations during the Carter Administration. The cause today is solely market-oriented. That is the reason gasoline costs so damned much is because it is sold in a global market where there is increasing demand for oil in rapidly-developing countries like China and India. During the last 10-15 years they have been growing a middle class with a huge demand for vehicles and for the same consumer products enjoyed in the West. That require lots of fuel to transport that stuff. Just getting vegetables to market from rural parts of China and India to its cities takes a lot of gasoline. But the last time we had a problem with gasoline, in the last century, there weren’t many consumers in those countries buying cars or shopping for groceries, very little industry and not all that many power plants; (2) The shortage of gasoline that you remember was entirely political, not caused by market forces. Instead, Saudi Arabia and the other members of the OPEC oil cartel imposes a boycott on the USA because they didn’t like our role in the Middle East. As you correctly pointed out, when the US made noises about shifting to alternative energy sources, the Arab oil cartel got over its political hissey and resumed acting in their economic self-interest. They lifted the boycott and started shipping us oil again, and all the talk of alternatives to gasoline faded. Today’s situation also differs because even if the US never imports another barrel of oil from the MIddle East—-and we import a hell of a lot less from the Middle East than we did 20 and 30 years ago–the global demand will still be there and the Saudis and the other OPEC countries will still have a big market that is growing rapidly in India and China. (3) Another huge big set of differences today flows from the convergence of technology and market economics. That is, the electric utilitiy comparnies have been deregulated and are now urgently looking for new markets to sell all they have to sell, electricity. They see a potentially big market for electricity (mostly during the night, when regular demand is down) with the advent of plug-in electric. They are a lobbying force in Washington and helped shape the form of the Detroit bailout bill. Still another factor is that battery technology has advanced to the point that it’s now realistic and practical to think in terms of plug-ins. Most importantly, there has been a generational change. The people in their prime years now are not the same as those who were around in the 1970s and 1980s and they don’t elect the same breed of politicians to public office. That’s why the Detroit bailout loan bill is focused on new technology. It’s so written that not a dime of it can be used to build Hummers and Rams (unless they get a minimum of 25% increased fuel economy). The terms of that loan bill were written to require an emphasis on fuel efficiency. That translates into mostly hybrids and plug-ins, but don’t be surprised if there isn’t some slack cut for a Phoenix engine project that promises some increased fuel efficiency from internal combustion engines and new transmissions. That’s the only way it could have been sold to Congress.
Rich, the bottom line is that it’s important that we learn from history but not fall victim to the idea that everything that happened 30 years ago is gong to play out the exact same way today or tomorrow.
October 5th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
LMAO! Thanks…….
October 6th, 2008 at 12:04 am
DaveS - Have to disagree with you there. There is a six month surplus of oil just sitting right now and has been for the past couple years. The price of oil is actually pretty consistant over the past decade, what has changed is the value of the dollar. Oil prices relevant to the dollar have nearly perfectly mirrored other commodities, such as gold, coal, etc, what has changed is the valuation of the dollar due to extremely low interest rates. Raise the value of the dollar(as has happened over the past three months) and you lower the price of commodities such as oil.
As for plug ins, I agree with Rich on that. Honestly all I’d be doing is changing my bill from the pump to the electric utility. And increased electrical demands will increase the price of power since no one has put forth a plan to seriously increase grid capacity yet.
October 6th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Rich, thanks for the insight…
but crossover’s have been around. In my opnion, especially the flex, it is just a glorified station wagon!!!
October 6th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Hey all kidding a side, this credit crisis is really presenting a challenge to all of us and I mean all of US!
If you speak to anyone interested in purchasing a car, let them know that Chrysle still has excellent finance options available.
2010 isn’t going to save us in 2008 or 2009, I’m talking dealers and Chrysler itself.
We have plans in place to go all used if I have too, but most stores are to big and can’t be sustained on used sales alone.
The forth quarter is proving to be a challenge, this is where the man get seperated from the boys.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I think the new charger/300 along with the current challenger are going to be the best selling vehicles for chrysler in the short term. With high gas prices people will be avoiding trucks and if chrysler can figure out close to 30 mpg with a V8 in those cars they’ll sell really well.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Rich - If they’d just put the diesel in the barebones GC Laredo I’d be there. Its that ridiculous package that kills the deal for me, it puts the price up into ludicrous range.
Also they need to somehow advertise that lifetime bumper to bumper is an option, thats a killer deal.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I am very enthusiastic about the 2010 300. I want one already!
October 6th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Rich… I was curious if you saw the Durango, and if you did, what was your impression? I too saw the Charger, and the Grand Cherokee. I thought the Durango was a HUGE leap… wasnt really sold on the Cherokee. What did you think of the rear end of the Charger? Thanks…
October 6th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
By 2010 Chrysler will not have any customers left. The planned roll outs are simply marketing ploys to keep you all interested in buying those unsold trucks on dealer lots. Did anyone hear how many Chrysler dealerships folded today? Sad. Right sizing to demand will only go so far.
0 sales = 0 dealers by 2010.
October 6th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Jona Chrysler only showed us drawings of the New Durango.
I’m going to a meeting in Vegas later this week maybe we’ll get a better look at what’s coming in 2010.
John was there news of several Chrysler stores folding today, if yes how many and where did you get the information.
On the brighter side Benny Brown the Corning Ford Dealer in Northern California just bought the Dodge Chrysler Jeep store in Redding California.
The word on the street is he plans on moving it to Corning: Looks as if Ford is in worst shape then Chrysler.
October 6th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Rich, at least you have a plan and you aren’t planning on the cut and run chapter 11 weenie way of doing it. It only continues the bleeding as it effects employees, creditors, manufacturer, etc. I appreciate that. The Bill Heard mess is truly a mess of epic proportions. That guy should be in jail.
I want to buy a new Dodge today, have a Challenger sitting in D1 right now… problem is, when I checked last week, Chrysler Financial was offering loans in the high 6’s. There are several credit unions in my area that offer high 4’s and low 5’s. I would prefer to give Chrysler all my business but I don’t think they can compete. Any thoughts or comments that might be able to help me?
Thanks,
October 6th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Yeah, get the best rate you can. Who cares where you get your rate!
October 6th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
“I would prefer to give Chrysler all my business but I don’t think they can compete.”
Why would you care to give chrysler all your business?
Anyone in their right mind would shop for the best rate.
Some of you people on here are so full of shit!
October 6th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/30549784.html
Rich, see the 4th and 5th paragraphs for news of a Chrysler dealership that folded because of the credit crunch.
Guess you saw that front-page article in last week’s Automotive News about the country’s most successful string of Chevy dealerships closing because their customers couldn’t get credit to buy vehicles.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
The problem is they do not have on the lot the cars and trucks that Joe six pack wants. Plus, nobody can get the financing — so they cant by at all. Billy Bob and I just decided to hold off on buying right now as the gasoline prices the past few days have been falling. We really dont wanna make a vechicle payment if we dont have to so we are just going to keep driving our old beaters for a while longer.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Do any of you guys really think anyone gives a damn if chrysler goes out of business? I think cerberus will make some drastic moves next year when chrysler is about to run dry of cash.
Bankruptcy= New UAW contract = Shit wages and benefits.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Good for you , Cindy! Do you really think anyboby cares what you do in your personal life?
And people aer getting financed to buy vehicles from chrysler some how. Didnt they sell 107,000 vehicles last month.They were ahead of Nissan, Honda and almost Ford.
And the word is ‘Buy” Not “By”……….
Please tell me why Chrysler outsold Honda,Nissan and a few other makers if nobody wants or cant buy their vehicles…
All Automakers are in the same boat. Even the almighty toyota is offering incentives and financing they never thought they were going to do , because of this economic mess.
I thought chrysler wasnt even going to sell 80,000 last month.But for some reason i was wrong and people were buying from them!
October 6th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Anonymous call the dealership that has your Challenger order, ask for the Finance Manager, tell him or her the rate your receiving from the Credit Union.
The Finance Manager has the ability to ask Chrysler Financial to match the interest rate your receiving from the Credit Union. If it makes since Chrysler Financial will match the rate.
The key is in how you approach the Finance Manager and your going to need proof of the rate your receiving from the Credit Union.
Personnelly I’d follow Connie’s advice and take the best rate offered by either the Credit Union or Chrysler. I know out west Chrysler Financials best rate is currently in the mid 5’s.
The Credit Unions are flush with new deposites and are looking to generate interest for their members, anything under 5% is excellent and there’s talk that the Feds are going to lower a key interest rate later this week or next.
With interests this low you’d be surprised at how little a quarter or half a percent will change your monthly payment.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Yesterday I saw a side note on one of the finance programs, I believe it was on MSNBC that Cerberus has been active in the market and just aquired another company and it has nothing to do with buying the rest of Chrysler from Daimler.
Don’t believe everything you hear from the 24hr news cycle, I’m getting people financed with no problems, both Chrysler Financial and the local Credit Unions are buying car deals.
The Credit Unions will purchase up to a 125 percent of MSRP plus Fees: Financing isn’t an issue if you have average to good credit.
It’s the under 620 scores that are tough to get done unless they have some stability and down payment.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Wrong Ms Connie my repeat dealer gives me free Oil changes, tire rotation, vechile inspection, and parts at cost. And all because I bought my second truck their and a referral. One more thing matched the price of tires at goodyear dealership once I showed the estimate.
Many times your rate can’t change due to credit history that’s not the dealer fault.
Gas $3.06 a gallon come on $2.50 daddy needs a new RAM!
October 7th, 2008 at 7:42 am
DaveS
Large dealer chains built their emperiors on the backs of credit challeged individuals. They loaded up these customers with over priced accessories, service contracts and extended warranties.
I buy a lot of repo’d Dodge Ram Trucks and they are loaded with Nav, Spray in Bedliners, Back Up Cameras, Moon Roofs and Custom Wheels.
When credit tightened up and the housing bubble burst the dealers didn’t change their business plan, they didn’t adjust their inventories to match the down turn in sales.
The Chevy guy Bill Heard got caught in the wholesale floor plan credit crisis. GMAC called in their note and he didn’t have the cash to cover it.
When I talk to the guys at Chrysler they say it is a combination of not having credit available to finance marginal credit, not having wholesale floor plan credit to stock inventory, a back log of aged inventory, questionable business practices and run away overhead that are putting the large dealers out of business.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:27 am
As much as I don’t like to see chrysler dealers go out of business this is in a way a good thing for Chrysler. Jim Press has stated that they want to consolidate and just outright cut down the number of Chrysler dealerships across the country, going out of business is one way to achieve that.
Rich, have you seen an in traffic based on the challenger/Ram lately? I hope you guys can convert that. On a side note, the dealer that sold my sister her Patriot mislead her before they got it in.
They did a swap with another dealer in the area, my sister asked if it had power doors/windows, the usual stuff an average person that is buying a car would want. The salesman said it was loaded up so she and our mom went and signed papers for the loan the day before it got there. When she picked it up it was as base as you can get, 4×4 and the cvt were the only options.
She was upset to say the least, after a couple days of talking to the dealership they installed all of that free of charge. So she actually got a better deal because the salesman mislead her, but it didn’t have to work out that way. She’ll be telling that story to everyone she knows for a long time and those people will have a mental note to stay away from chrysler dealers stored away in their subconscious.
Things like that really bug me because it could and should have gone a lot better. But the salesman didn’t do any diligence on the vehicle he was ordering from the other dealer.
Rich, it sounds like your dealership is more on the ball than the one my sister went to. I hope you guys do well enough to make it through until the 2010 products come out.
October 7th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Rich,That would be great if the new Charger captures more looks of the ‘69 Charger.I hope that you can hang in there until new product shows up,or the economy turns around and everyone can start selling loaded up cars to people with bad credit,22 inch wheels on every lx car, 45 year olds with co-signers..ha..Seriously the new product sounds promising,if they all have top notch interiors,(like I always said improve all product)great looks as the recent new products have, you and Chrysler hopefully will do fine..Though now very intrigued to see the new Grand Cherokee and Durango….
October 7th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Rich - Interesting point there, that might explain why its so difficult to find ‘base’ models with only a couple of practical options(ie: tow package). I could care less about nav, dvd systems, tire packages, leather interiors, etc, those things add unnecessary cost and often are just something that breaks eventually. My biggest complaint is that oftentimes you cannot get options that actually mean something(such as the diesel engine in the GC) without also purchasing options that are fluff(like the X package version of the GC). It drives me nuts.
October 7th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I’m going to Las Vegas tomorrow to attend a West Business Center Dealer meeting on Thursday.
The West business consists of all the West Coast, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii and Idaho Dodge Chrysler Jeep dealers.
I’m going to express my dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs between Chrysler and it’s dealers and the dealers with their customers.
After reading the blog over the last several months I have found most of you to be passionate Chrysler fans.
I keep reading about the horrible experieces that many of you have had in our service departments and on our showroom floors. I think its time to let the dealer body know how badly they treat you and how lucky we are to have you as our customers.
As per relations between the dealers and Chrysler, if you do a little research and log on to Automotive News you’ll find story after story of dealers that are unhappy with their relations with Chrysler.
Last year at this time the entire Chrysler dealer body over 3,000 attended the Chrysler New Car Showing in Las Vegas. We heard passionate speeches by then new comers Bob Nardelli and Jim Press, how this is the New Chrysler and things were going to change.
We left renewed and ready for the challenges a head knowing that the Chrysler dealers finally had a management team that would listen to us and address our needs.
Reality has set in and these guys aren’t much different then the last guys and in many cases they are worse.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Rich,
Good luck. It would be foolish of me to tell you to hold on a little while longer, Press and Nardelli haven’t had enough time. Even though that’s how I feel I’m not a dealer so I have no idea what it’s like to deal with Chrysler Corporate. I hope you can say something that sticks.
I also have to say thank you for being the voice of us every day folks. I’ve had so many odd experiences at dealerships in general that I’ve thought about becoming one myself because I know I could run one better than half these clowns (that goes for all dealers, not just chrysler). Again, I hope you can find the right words to resonate with the dealer body that they have a loyal customer base that can grow if they help it.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Thank you for taking our concerns seriously, Rich, and good luck at the conference. I wish your dealership was in the Northwest, it would be nice to take my Jeep to someone who gave a damn.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Ive driven chryslers,dogde and jeep vehicles for the psat 30 years.
Ive had omnis,minivans,new yorkers, daytonas, turbo-z , spirits, cherokees, grand cherokees,etc.
Ive been to a lot of chrysler/dodge and jeep dealers for new cars and service. I can honestly tell you i have never really had a bad experience on the sales side nor the maintenance side.
Yes, once the merger between chrysler and the germans took place was when chrysler started going downhill. I really dont think the germans had any real interest in the CG. The only wanted the money and thats what they got.
Yeah, they designed the sebring , avenger , compass , caliber , magnum. And all those vehicles are duds. Now cerberus must take a very poor and broken company and try and fix it in the worst economy we have ever seen.Will they succeed? I dont know.
I just cant believe when i read the paper or watch tv how bad it is out there. Big companies going out of business/bankruptcy.Thousands of people losing their jobs that will be replaced with low waged jobs.
If chrysler pulls out of this economic nightmare it will be a miracle. That goes for ford and gm also.
October 8th, 2008 at 5:12 am
Thanks Rich… you and I normally don’t see eye to eye at all, but after your answers to my questions and your other posts on this thread, you have really changed my attitude. I really appreciate it.
Seriously, thanks!
October 8th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Anonymous
If we didn’t have conflicting views then things would get boring.
I think over the past several months of blogging I’ve learned that you have to look at things from the other guys point of view.
I get so frustrated with Chrysler that sometimes I forget that most of you aren’t dealers and it can be difficult to understand why I get so angry with those guys.
I try and share as much as I can, so that you can get an idea of the life of a small town Chrysler dealer.
It hasn’t been fun lately, but I’m a car guy through and through and I’m not given up on my dream to be the best small town Chrysler dealer in the country.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) — Oil prices may drop below $80 a barrel by the end of the year because of weakening demand and continue to slide next year as global demand deteriorates, the Centre for Global Energy Studies said.
“It will go slowly down further because the world economy is heading for the rocks. There are clearly big problems,'’ CGES Deputy Executive Director Leo Drollas said today in an interview in Amsterdam. “Forget even about $70 a barrel next year if there’s a major recession.'’
Crude has plummeted 40 percent from its July record of $147.27 as the worsening global financial crises threatens to restrain economic growth and energy demand. Yesterday, OPEC member Libya called on the group to cut production further in an attempt to stall the price slide, and Qatar said it was already curbing supply.
October 8th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
hey rich,
all of us moparheads wish you luck at the meeting. maybe if you can bend someone’s ear you could pass along the following:
1. please design the a/c compressor to last at least as long as the payments. if they’re going to design it to fold after 4 years, at least give me power window assemblies that won’t fail the next day and seal the car up like a tomb.
2. take the 4-speed automatic out back and put the poor thing out of its misery. we need 6 speeds in all our vehicles whether they’re auto or stick.
3.all my passengers are potential chrysler customers…whether they know it or not at the time. their accomodations and mine should reflect the company’s desire to see us as repeat buyers.
4. don’t kill chrysler’s once-great reputation as an autoshow giant. it may cost money to pull off the stunts, but that footage of the bulls running through detroit with the new ram made every newscast coast to coast. i’m no advertising genius but people who know absolutely nothing about cars were talking about it for days. i can’t remember any marketing campaign since ‘that thing got a hemi?’ that had such an impact as that newsreel. bob, you should re-think this position.
okay, that’s my two cents. good luck, rich. let us know what happens.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I think this is great! I knew they would have to return of the Imperial and Plymouth!!! I knew it all along. I am sure they were using some kind of reverse psychology on all of us, but I did not fall for it. No, I did not - not one bit. I love the Imperial and the Plymouth, and I have said for many years these are the best two brands that Chrysler ever built. I love the LeBaron and the ‘Cuca. I never really cared for the Dodge - I never owned one. I always thought that it stold the Plymouth market. I think the Chrysler is OK, but why by one when you can drive a Imperial? I don’t think it would happen, but any bets on the DeSoto? Mr. Mattis, my next door neighbor, used to drive one. I really liked it. But like I said, I don’t expect to see the DeSoto brand resurected again in my lifetime. I really don’t care as long as they bring back the Imperial and the Plymouth. I am so happy!
October 9th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Some of you people that post here are really frigging retarded.
I cant believe i debate with you guys……..
October 9th, 2008 at 10:20 am
George, that is fucking hilllarious… can you spare some of that LSD or whatever it is you are using. Oscar could really use some.
October 9th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
This weblog is a fucking joke..
Liars and bullshitters!
October 10th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
There are two Georges posting here… the one above is an idiot.
October 12th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
And the one above is an ars. I have never seen so many hateful, hurtful, and inconsiderate people as there are on this weblog.