Chrysler rolls out some big guns

[skylark68]

Maybe with some good sales of the Ram, Chrysler can afford to put some money into a revamp of the Avenger/Sebring and the Caliber.

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by mjd1001

I really don't have a problem with their designs..I actually like a lot of Dodge's exterior designs..(and the interiors are getting better).

The problem I have is the obvious one...they are showing off a Full size truck, RWD sports/muscle car, and focusing on features for mid to large SUV's and minivans....what about the should-be-coming updates an features for economy cars that seemingly everyone (especially the media) is clamoring for? I'll include myself in that category....show me a small car with safety features and a near class leading fuel economy that will be in the market before the upcoming Cobalt replacement and you may have me as a customer. As it is..I'm probably going to forget about this article in 2 minutes.

There's a big difference in not having a problem with them and absolutely loving them. I love the G8, the Charger is so-so. I love the Malibu, the Avenger looks like a car they just had to get out to market. I love the new Fiesta from Ford, the Caliber is the ugliest car on the road. I love the new lamdas and the Ford Edge, the Journey looks like another car they just had to get out to market, it actually looks like it could be from the 80's its just that boring!

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by roteague

I'd buy a Chrysler Pacifica in a heartbeat ....

Why??? Do you have no taste? You would rather buy a Pacifica then an Edge, Traverse, Outlook, Enclave, or Acadia? You make no sense!

Why don't you line up to get a PT Cruiser while you're at it!

[HotCarNut]

Originally Posted by KingElvis

It's almost comical just how out of touch these products are. The crossover might have some relevance but the Challenger and Ram?

Ouch.

Ummm....yeah, it was this design cycle time for the new Ram. What did you want Chrysler to do? They can't shelve a terrific product for 6 mos simply because the market has gone soft. They have supplier contracts, tooling in place, and the old stuff went out of production some time ago.

Originally Posted by KingElvis

I liked the throwaway line about how the Challenger won't sell well or make much money. Thank God for that. Thank God this $25 - $45K car won't make any money for Chrysler. Good.

The sports luxury market better make money - else why even have it?

I think you'll be surprised at how well the Challenger sells. Let's face it, the gas mileage isn't much different than a midsize to large sedan with the V6, and that's what the vast majority of people buy anyway. It's only the rare few individuals for whom these cars are toys that buy the top-of-the-line V8s anyway, and they don't really care about the price of gas for the 2500-5000 miles a year they'll drive it.

[TruckMan]

Originally Posted by lio45

The halo car seems to work, otherwise it would have been abandoned by everyone long ago.

Kind of like the Viper?

[HotCarNut]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

Why??? Do you have no taste? You would rather buy a Pacifica then an Edge, Traverse, Outlook, Enclave, or Acadia? You make no sense!

Why don't you line up to get a PT Cruiser while you're at it!

Actually, I have an Acadia SLT with 10k miles, and I've logged 30k miles in a Pacifica Limited AWD, and I can tell you that if the Pacifica seated 7 I would own one right now instead of the Acadia. It is extremely quiet, handles like a sedan (which it basically is - the old Mercedes E-Class architecture), and the interior is nicer than any other Chrysler product (at least the top-line versions). I love my Acadia and it's the best thing GM has put out, but that Pacifica is NICE. Chrysler has simply never done a good job marketing the vehicle.

[BigThreeForever]

[quote=KingElvis;1454579]It's almost comical just how out of touch these products are. The crossover might have some relevance but the Challenger and Ram?

Ouch.

The Challenger concept was shown at the same time as the Camaro, yet handsomely beat it to market. The redesigned Ram simply follows Chrysler's usual model cycle.

How is that out of touch?

[Stevasaurus]

Originally Posted by KingElvis

It's almost comical just how out of touch these products are. The crossover might have some relevance but the Challenger and Ram?

Ouch.

I liked the throwaway line about how the Challenger won't sell well or make much money. Thank God for that. Thank God this $25 - $45K car won't make any money for Chrysler. Good.

The sports luxury market better make money - else why even have it?

And this comes from an internet forum that keeps gushing about Silverado and Camaro? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

[skylark68]

Originally Posted by Stevasaurus

And this comes from an internet forum that keeps gushing about Silverado and Camaro? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

Good point, but GM does have the Cruze on the way as well as the Volt and possibly Beat...

I like Chrysler and I want them to succeed. I just hope they have something up their sleeve for the entry and mid price sedans.

I think they should dust the Neon off the shelf and revise it to go along with the Caliber.

[dav305z]

We're actually renting a Journey right now. It looks nice inside and out, but functionally the interior is abhorrent. The rear seats take a serious effort to slide forward for rear access (my 19 year old sister can't even do it). Once you're in the third row, you'll find it's absolutely uninhabitable, even by third row standards. Everything else in the interior feels incredibly cheap and ergonomically unfriendly.

Chrysler really needs to get their interiors up to snuff.

[red_rider]

Originally Posted by HotCarNut

Actually, I have an Acadia SLT with 10k miles, and I've logged 30k miles in a Pacifica Limited AWD, and I can tell you that if the Pacifica seated 7 I would own one right now instead of the Acadia. It is extremely quiet, handles like a sedan (which it basically is - the old Mercedes E-Class architecture), and the interior is nicer than any other Chrysler product (at least the top-line versions). I love my Acadia and it's the best thing GM has put out, but that Pacifica is NICE. Chrysler has simply never done a good job marketing the vehicle.

Not to mention that the Pacifica is very car-like in its low stance when compared to the Acadia or other cuvs. Looks very nice IMO.

[mjd1001]

Originally Posted by TruckMan

Last time I looked, trucks and SUVs are still outselling or keeping up with most other segments, so why wouldn't they mention them? Once the knee-jerkers awake from the doom and gloom that the greenies and media have been painting, they'll see there is still a very large and profitable market for full-size cars and trucks/SUVs. I'm more interested in what companies are doing to improve the full-size market (trucks/SUVs/cars) as I will be in the market again next year.

I'm not saying they can't mention full sized trucks and SUV's...I'm saying they would do well to focus a bit more on small cars.

And, I don't have any figures in front of me...but you say the last time you looked Trucks and SUV's are 'keeping up' with most other segments? Why is it that everywhere else I read, that segment is WAY down compared to small cars?

[FBODYRULES]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

I still don't think they have design and quality up to par yet. Their designs are boring, i.e. the Dodge Journey. And Chryslers/Dodges have really boring and bad quality interiors. There is really no Chrysler product I would ever buy unless if it came from Jeep.

yeah but like all of us your a GM fan.
they are still better than any toyota.

[TruckMan]

Originally Posted by mjd1001

I'm not saying they can't mention full sized trucks and SUV's...I'm saying they would do well to focus a bit more on small cars.

And, I don't have any figures in front of me...but you say the last time you looked Trucks and SUV's are 'keeping up' with most other segments? Why is it that everywhere else I read, that segment is WAY down compared to small cars?

It's all about how the media portrays the numbers. Sales of Trucks/SUVs are way down from previous months & years, and car numbers are way up. But total sales of GM trucks & SUVs through June were 899,728 while total sales of cars were 689,507. Last year the numbers were 1,137,458 for trucks/SUVs and 760,262 for cars through June. GM still sales more trucks/SUVs than cars.

[steverino]

Quite honestly, I don't think Chrysler is relevant anymore