Why Chrysler is utterly doomed

Definitely not a car guy.

But also probably better in touch with the market than those of us who are car guys. We will put up with a _lot_ that the rest of the world won't.

Really, when you look at the cars people are now buying, they're pretty much turning into giant floating barcaloungers, complete with TV screens.

 

And one Italian company that doesn't spend two Euros on consumer research has a customer waiting list two years out.

 

Does Nardelli think he's working for Maybach or something?

Just stick to making ugly minivans with doors that open by themselves......that's the only consumer research they managed in 10 years.

 

From the Uro-centric view point, that's bad!

 

To know why Chrysler is doomed, all you have to do is drive their so-called "cars." shudder

 

Mainly, because they have such a low production volume. If they increased production, that waiting list would just go away...

 

I agree too. What you said about the Charger is more of what I meant. I didn't want them to remake the classic, instead reinvent it in a new way while having some modern styling cues from the classic. Not like the Mustang, this is one 'stang that has yet to grow on me.

You know, I almost got the GTO for the pure fact that it's so under estimated. As well as the fact no one likes the look of it. For some reason that makes me like it more.

 

The new GTO was a great car in my opinion, the original Pontiac GTO was basicly a big engined sportier looking version of an ordinary family car in all honesty. We now think of it as being a "muscle" car. The new GTO is one of the few cars made new in the past few years I'd consider buying, if I weren't happy with my 944. it can seriously move, the series one, looks like an sportier Pontiac with two doors. In my opinion, rather then being "retro" styled after the old GTO, it had the same basic principal. I also liked the Holden Monaro, and wished we got in the US, so I'm also very glad that they decided to bring it over here, even if it is guised as something else.

 

You're right, no doubt the new GTO beat the old one any way you can think of. But GM/Pontiac approached the whole project ass-backwards and gave us another fast car that looks like a rental car and therefore it was a huge sales flop.

It is a perpetual mystery to me why American carmakers consistently launch losers like the Ford Five Hundred, Ford (new) T-Bird, Chevy Monte Carlo and Pontiac GTO that any car enthusiasts worth his salt could tell you were going to bomb. Ditto the Chrysler Crossfire, which looked like some grade school kid's classroom doodle dropped atop the old MB SLK chassis. We either get dull and forgettable, or gimmicky and dated (PT Cruiser, Prowler, Crossfire, Aztek, HHS wagon...) Rubbish. Even the flagship Viper looks like it has an ugly plastic Dodge Ram truck steering wheel pulled right out of the discount corporate parts bin.

And Nardelli doesn't inspire confidence at Chrysler. Not sure what the Cerberus guys were thinking here.

 

I thought you have to know about cars in order to run a car company?

 

Not necessarily... does "John DeLorean" inspire memories of a successful car company? Well, he was reported to be an enthusiast anyway.

 

And a gambling crackhead.


Not CEO material either.

 

My question is, what hapened to the designers at the Pentastar? Seemed like it was eons ago that they were showcasing world class design concepts under guys like Tom Gale and Lutz. How do they manage to get the 300C right and then go on and design a disjointed looking Sebring? Thank heavens they were never serious about putting the Imperial concept into production. I guess any glimmer of hope there is, is that Nardelli is contemplating jettisoning some models like the PT Cruiser, Pacifica and Magnum and Commander.

 

I remember reading an article when the new Sebring came out, that basically questioned why they weren't capitalizing on the 300. If that was such a huge hit, why wouldn't they take styling cues from the 300 instead of designing some demonic looking Crossfire. Seems to me they aren't paying attention to what works and doesn't.

 

And to think these geniuses killed the beautiful & high-performance Prowler.

 

LOL.

The Prowler had so much promise when the concept was unveiled. I believe I was b/w 7 and 10 when the Concept was first shown. I loved it. Then when the final specs came out.....utter disappointment.

 

Nardelli showed up with his very own Prowler at the Woodward Dream Cruise to cement his car guyness and sip on some kool aid while talking shop.

 

Sounds like I'm in the minority but there are several cars they make that I really like. They make cars that are RWD with good motors that are reassonably fun to drive. There are many cars that they make that are perfectly styled as well as several that are accurately described as "disjointed".

 

Using old MB chassises is the best thing they have done (in recent history).

 

I'll bet he even had the matching road trip trailer. Was it purple?

BTW, I just read that they are laying off 12,000 workers.

 

They just realized how much money Nardelli is going to lose the company in the next few years, so they are cutting jobs ahead of schedule!

 

You have to think look what this new charger spawned the 300C another great car even though they may not be the giant 40feet per gallon monster of the 60's but they are great modren day cars for what they should be. Come on do you really think that Dodge would remake the 70's classic in this day and age? It would be popluar but I doubt it would be successfull.

The GTO was a great idea but I think it shouldn't have been called "GTO" look at the G8 they aren't trying to rebadge it as the Tempest, they went with something totally new from scratch even though I don't like it I think they will have something going for them. The new Elcamnio scares me cause all I see the GTO take to all over again. They really need to quit B.Sing and just bring Holden up here to the states rather than rebadge their vehicles. theres a market here in the states for holdens so why not bring them up here and give Buick the boot?.

 

I lost hope for the big three.

Hopefully Lockheed Martin steps up to the plate

 

+1

 

I still have some hope for GM....the Vette, the new G8 Pontiac, the upcoming Camaro, the Acadia (GM can't build them fast enough) and the new CTS are some sorely needed bright spots....