Maybe we won't have to worry about cracked dashes now....


In Last week's Automotive News has an article that Lear, which has provided Ram interiors including seats and dashboards since 1994, will lose its contract with the re-design in 2009. The new contract goes to Johnson Controls and Visteon, who will each be taking different aspects of the interior. There's still a slim chance that Johnson or Visteon will sub-contract some items to Lear.

The rumor is that this is backlash on DC's part for Lear demanding price increases and threatening to stop production last year. DC sued them (successfully) to hold them to their original pricing contracts. Lear posted $1.3 billion in losses last year. Of course, the DC spokesman claimed "we are not vindictive", but what about the rumored "punishing" of Dana in 2002 over arguments with the Jeep Grand Cherokee axles? [As an aside, Dana's doing very poorly while AAM seems to be doing extremely well despite a poor 4th quarter].

Visteon is in bad shape (let's face it, all suppliers are). I think Johnson Controls is doing "okay", at least relative to the rest of the supplier base. I think it will be very interesting to see what the new interiors will be like with new manufacturers. Also note that they will operate under DC's new supplier cooperation strategy they announced last year, wherein suppliers are brought in very early in the design process. Should be interesting.

 

Great news, spank them when they don't do their job, replace them when the spanking does not work.

Competition is always good for the consumer....good job Chrysler LLC.

Thanks for the info Moparman.

 

Indeed. I can't wait to see the new interior design. Rams are trucks, yea, I know. But many of us use them like mini vans alot too .... I vote for cup holders in the rear doors rather than in the centerdrink catcher on the floor.

Mike