Why Chrysler is utterly doomed

Nope, the Viper will be cut out. A fringe company like Chysler is becoming can't afford a 2000 unit per year car. Lot different than a 35,000 unit Corvette or 100,000 unit Mustang. Look more at the demise of the NSX.

 

http://www.forbesautos.com/news/headlines/2007/november/fdc112107-worst-performing-cars-2007.html

More proof of Chrysler's crappy products? They are the top five of ten.

 

10 cyl. but different motor. Bet the ACR'll be a focused runner.

 

oh ok... I follow...

Wait.. what?

The NSX came from Honda, and they're not exactly in the same (sinking) boat as Chrysler is now.... in fact, the NSX is supposed to make a comeback as Acura's halo supercar.

I don't think you can say that "Viper is to Chrysler as NSX is to Honda"

On a different note: some car enthusiasts had suggested that GM should make Corvette a separate brand instead of staying under the Chevy umbrella. That way, they could continue to make the Corvette variants s they are now, and then make other sports cars with the Corvette brand. I don't think it's going to happen, but maybe the Viper could live on by itself if Chrysler is shut down for good...

Maybe a private party or tuner can pick up the Viper name and everything else that goes with it... doesn't seem likely though..

~shahedc
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The Viper and NSX are similar in that they are more for the image of the brand than profit. Both cars have such limited production that the net profit on each one was meager at best.

In other markets the NSX was sold as a Honda, while the Viper is sold as a Chrysler. If Dodge goes to all trucks, I could either see it being rebadged as a Chrysler, or simply stay a Dodge. The execs can do whatever they want, no law is making them abide by the Dodge=trucks-only rule.

As for Corvette being spun off as a separate brand, it has been talked about for a decade (when the C5 came out IIRC). It will not happen IMO, because it would alienate a number of Chevy loyalists who insist on the Chevrolet badge on the vette.

 

It will never happen, there is just too much overhead and startup costs, and not enough profit in it.

There are also so many "sport performance coupes" on the market these days, there wouldn't be any more demand for more American Models. The only thing I could see them make is a Corvette Pick up Truck. I'd buy one!

 

I believe that it was called the SSR. At least the later versions, with the LS2.

 

If that happens well looks like chrysler is ****ed thats like the pats losing brady .

 

Face it the NSX is the japanse Viper. With the introduction of the challenger the ACR the Viper i can see will rise up again as the best damn supercar from america. The only thing that keeps the mustang and corvettes competetive in my opinion is because of the abundance of them out there and how "Cheap" they are compared with the Viper. Think about it if the Viper was selling for oh say 50k a pop do you think anyone would care about the new cobra or z06? . I could see a line forming at the dodge dealerships if they cut the price that low for the vipers and me included in one of those lines.

Dodge should focus on building the best trucks, the ram to me is the best pickup on the market by default.

 

The SSR? That was a joke of a pickup truck...it looks more along the lines of a hyper- Chevy S10.

A Corvette PickUp should resemble something similar to the Dodge Ram SR/T (1500, Manual box/400 Hp +).

Chevy has the Silverado SS, but a Corvette version should be much more spectacular than that.

 

BINGO! A fringe company like the underfunded Chrysler can't afford an image car if even Honda said screw it eventually.....

 

How about a Z06-powered new version of the Cyclone?

 

I suppose the question is what ends of costing more: continuing with an established car like the Viper, or killing your halo vehicle and letting something like the 300C be the "aspirational" purchase for Chrysler faithful.

 

Possibly, but I was thinking something like a Chevy Silverado shortbox 1500, with a Z06 engine?

 

It once did at somepoint which was the worlds fastest pickup truck sort of like the Lamborghini LM002.

 

That would be stupid. All GM needs is another Corvette powered vehicle in their lineup.

What GM needs is to bring back the 3.8liter engine and slap a turbo on that then they need to start by bring back the Grand National, Fiero, and then perhaps the cyclone should be reintroduced.

 

A new Grand National would be a great idea.

Get rid of all the junky Monte Carlo's SS, they are just terrible looking.

 

Give the boot to the Impala, G8, some other unessary models with the Corvette V8.

Buick is about to kick the bucket if they don't do something in the next couple of years and I couldn't help but laugh at the release of the lucerne like that was gonna get them back in the game. All they keep bringing is ugly cars and SUV's, if the GN was back GM would have something else to play with.

Pontiac is also about to die if they don't do something, the Solstice is good but not good enough since theres no flagshipcar for that company anymore atleast throw an LS2 where it belongs for godsakes! in the Solstice!. If not then since GM loves to rebadge cars and sells them under diffrent titles then why not bring the Vaxhall roadster here to the states as the Fiero?, do some minor front work slap somebadges on it and sell it for under 20k and compete against the lotus elise and Porsche Cayman and Audis R8? that would be awsome!.

 

I think the only way Buick can stay alive is if they start putting Toyota badges on them.

 

That would be even worst id rather ride a byecle than drive a toyota.

 

Nice call on initiating the thread Jon. Cerberus are strippers, not anything else, and once all the pieces of Mopar are gone, the BIG 2 and the Japanese will usurp what's left of their marketshare and they'll inevitably join the ranks of marques and manufacturers our kids will doubt ever existed (Desoto,Plymouth,Studebaker,Oldsmobile,AMC...Mercury in a few more years). I remember standing in line at an airport avis outlet when the fellow ahead of us was told he was going to be driving an AMC Concord. "No way", he said, "give me anything else". The models Chrysler have recently introduced are as wretched as an interview with Celine Dion and fully deserve the bad press they've received. They've been hiding behind minivans, pickups, Jeeps, and old M-B platforms for as long as I can remember and it's finally caught up to them. I can't see how the Challenger could be introduced amidst escalating fuel prices and the Demon another Johnny come lately wasted effort. Neither car will stand a chance of living beyond 2 years and besides, if Chrysler has seemingly given up on the bread and butter marketplace, the fringe models won't make an iota of difference even if they are enormously successful.

When I was born, some 35 (ok, 36) years ago, domestic manufacturers were producing brakeless, crude, unbalanced musclecars, Coupe de Villes, Lincoln Mk. IIIs, boat tail Rivieras and were just introducing the Vega, Pinto and Gremlin as import fighters. This is the best the Big 3 could offer when cars such as the Datsun 510 and 240Z, BMW 2002 and 2500, Dodge Colt, Saab 99 and Peugeot 504 were already stateside, some of them for years. Granted, these cars had their problems too, but in their class, all of them offered superior driving dynamics by light years over the locals. Detroit paid no attention. If the Big 3 had analyzed the competition from abroad, introduced their obvious strengths to their own product lineup while steadily improving production tolerances, I'm certain they wouldn't be anywhere near the trouble they are in today. Remember, it took them 9 years from this point to manufacture their first FWD sedan, the quality challenged X-car from GM.

The problem for domestic makers right now is the public's mindset. For 'non-car' people who make up 95% of the market, all they know is what they've heard from friends or Consumers Reports over the last 15 years. Toyotas and Hondas are what to buy, and when you've made it, it's best to go Lexus, Acura and BMW. Ford and GM need to introduce products seen as being at least as desirable if they are to survive.
Chrysler's gone, I agree with Jon.

 

No to nit-pick, but GM had a FWD car in 1966.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

 

Olds Toronado! Kind of a cool car it its own right.