I have to agree with the part about dropping some models. This is a big problem for all the big three. We manufacture a rear suspension part for the ford fusion. It is the same part for the fusion, milan, mazda 6 and lincoln zepher. All four cars are the same car. GM is probably the worse, and chrysler has them to. Trim the fat, you can bring them back if things get better. Also, would it kill them to offer a true "base model" car and truck! Like a base 1/2 ton truck - 2wd v6 manual trans. No air, no pw, pl, etc. and a bench seat. Sell it for 10 -12 thousand or less and sell them all day long. A base model car with 4cyl manual trans and no options for 8 grand? Just an idea but I think it would go over good.

 

I like your idea Kenz. I have seen 2wd 6cyl 6 speed manual dodges for sale here. However, No one wants to buy a car with a stick anymore. Personally, i love manuals but they will not move in the market. people say, "shifting in traffic... no way!" we are lazier than ever and have less common sense than ever as a society, thats why we are in this whole mess.

 

lol. Well, I guess you just described me.

 

They need those hands free to hold their cellphone and the newspaper, you can't expect them to actually focus on driving, that would be wrong!

 

i suppose that i can also be just as lazy as the next guy from time to time but i think that another reason people are scared of manuals is because they are scared of the unknown. that is they dont really know how to drive one.
and altair, yes that would be asking too much.

 

I think everyone here is right, except, Chrysler still has the leanest cost-per-car in the industry. You have to look at the General for the company most likely to fold, and that is doubtful. DaimlerSh@t, stripped the company of engineering and cash. They have little resources to engineer their way out. That is why the FIAT deal makes total sense. Little engineering cost to completely revamp the bottom and middle of the market and the full size car and truck segments are VERY strong compared to Ford and GM. A huge plus for Chryco and us is the fact that the EU exhaust standard now meets ours and the crash standards are just a bumper improvement away. They literally have "plug-n-play" cars for our market. And, finally, FIAT was where Chryco is now, about 7 years ago and they and the Italian govt have paved (and paid) the way for the same thing at Chrysler. It's a win-win. We get good, efficient cars and they get full size car and truck engineering, and a free ticket to sell high end Alfa's in the U.S.

 

BTW, I just threw this one in because I thought I saw the horses corpse quiver a little.