Chrysler/Fiat to Merge in 2013
 

https://dodgeforum.com/articles/2011...dfoct11-1.html

Is this kind of like the difference between living together and getting married?

Merchionne went out of his way the past two years to say "Chrysler will remain independent. This is about creating synergies not taking over a cherished American brand...blah, blah, blah." Chrysler will no longer be an American company and I will most likely quit buying new Chryslers. Merchionne and Obama pulled a DaimlerSh*t and I, for one, won't continue the ride from the time Merchionne officially goes back on his word and destroys Chrysler once and for all.

like mercedes did?

Yes, remember the "merger of equals" and then they raped the company and left us with nothing in the pipeline? This will be worse than DaimlerSh*t, because Chrysler will be swallowed up completely into FIAT. With Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge becoming just another division of FIAT and no independence. The worst part is The Messiah gave 45% of Chrysler to FIAT-they didn't pat one red ¢ for that, just promised fuel efficient engineering.

I'll be cautiously optimistic. I don't know what to think about a merger, other than the last one has completely killed any remote desire to purchase a Mercedes that I may have once had.

I don't expect a repeat, I hope there isn't a repeat. If they start replacing the Charger and Challenger and 300 with crap like the 500, I simply won't buy. I refuse to drive a little econo chitbox like that.

I was pretty excited about getting some good small cars from FIAT and in turn them getting our large cars and SUV's. But being swallowed by a company that has never understood or been successful with the American people is a joke.

As long as Fiat doesn't mess with the formula they should be fine. Bring some advancements sure, but not price themselves out of their respective markets. The question will be how do Fiat brands fit into this? Here is how I would see it stacking up in the US market which dosn't change much at all from how it currently is:

Chrysler: Luxury (other markets could be Lancia models)
> Minivan: Town & Country
> Towncar: 300
> Mid size: 200

Dodge: Sport/Family
> Minivan: Caravan
> Muscle Car: Challenger
> Full size:Charger/Magnum
> Mid size: Avenger

Fiat: Small Cars
> Microvan: ????? (compete with Mazda 5)
> Compact: ????? (compete with Golf/Focus)
> Sub-compact: 500

Ram: Trucks\Vans
> 1500
> 2500
> 3500

Jeep: Off-roader SUV/CUV
> Full size: Cherokee
> Mid size: Liberty (switch Journey platform but still offroad capable)
> Compact: Patriot
> ?????: Wrangler (can't have Jeep without a Wrangler)

Ferrari: Exotic


Did I miss any?

The genius Merchionne cancelled the Caravan. It is gone after the current model is redesigned. They're going to do an oversized Caliber and call it a crossover.

I dont see the reason to kill the Caravan. It dominated the Fleet market for minivan.
Oversized Caliber? we have the Journey for that. I believe they sits on the same platform. And we have the Compass and Patriot.
They should definitely drop the Caliber and come out with something better tho. And i believe they are dropping the Avenger as well.

The Town and Country will have to carry the current minivan torch. A smaller minivan is coming that will carry the Dodge name.

Fiat no Daimler
 

our writer seeks to put your minds at ease...

https://dodgeforum.com/articles/2011...dfoct11-1.html

Hopefully it doesn't go bad. If so, Fiat can GTFO!

It's FIAT (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino) not Fiat. Also, while the automotive press and current Chrysler execs tout all of the quality improvements made possible by the FIAT buyout, it is patently false. All these new models and improved current models were in the pipeline long before FIAT was GIVEN 45% by Obama. I was cautiously optimistic when the merger first happened, but with genius marketing decisions, like ending the Caravan and changing pickups to Ram brand, I am becoming cautiously pessimistic. FIAT failed in the US previously because they never understood the US market. Now they are going to miraculously and suddenly "get it"? Also, how much of the savings from the synergy created by the merger are we going to see in the way of lower priced vehicles? I'm betting the geniuses next decide Chrysler needs to go "upmarket" and price themselves out of the range of us faithful Chrysler owners. It has been 4 years since I bought my last new Chrysler, a 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible. I want to buy now, but frankly, I am going to wait and see if this "merger" swallows and destroys the Chrysler I grew up loving.

Hell ya, they know the American Market! A majority of Americans buy foreign. The 60's and 70's weren't good export years for any foreign competitor. The 80's to present is where foreign cars flourished.

Like I said, Fiat.

I was correcting the article writer who should know how to spell the name right. You can spell it pheeought for all I care.

X2 on that

Just two weeks ago I traded in my 08 Charger Daytona on a 06 Jeep Wrangler. Why you ask? I buy cars for the looonng run Years and Years. and I got worried that the high tech systems of the car would one day die on me and then I'll have a bigger POS on my hands. So I bought what might be the newest vehicle I may EVER buy again.
The Jeep is has much more of what i like and much less of what i don't like.
Like on the Jeep : Throttle cable, manual transmission, solid axles, inline six engine
No like on charger: Throttle by wire, auto HeatA/C controls, Electronic controlled auto trans.

AS far as the Chrsyler/FIAT deal goes I just hope fiat can be the silent partner chrsyler needs.
THe LAST thing we need is the dodge/chrsyler name on some little fiat designed/built car. THe american people are not stupid they can see when you do that. And MANY people here will question the quality of ALL the other dodge chrsyler vehicle. It has happend in trhe past. If chrsyler isn't careful it will happen again.

After the screwing we got from Dr. Z and Daimler, being leery of any foreign company taking the reigns is quite acceptable.
Eliminating duplicate models such as the GC and T&C, is commonplace now. Ford ditched the Mercury brand which were rebadged Fords (although Lincoln is the same thing), and GM killed Pontiac and Oldsmobile for the same reason. Plymouth suffered the same fate as well.
I don't necessarily agree with killing the Grand Caravan, but a replacement is supposed to be in the pipeline. A bit smaller so hopefully it will be priced right.

Translation: Cerberus wasn't the disaster everyone said they were. I didn't agree with everything they did, but FIAT is potentially destroying the company. Their marketing ideas are foolish. Ram division, SRT division? Ask GM how well having more divisions works in the modern day. Chrysler needs three (two if you lose Chrysler division the most deserving division to receive the axe).

If I have said it once, I have said it a hundred times, badge engineering does not work. The Mitsubishi did not sell nearly as well as the Chrysler models nor did the Mercedes clones or any other clones. Chrysler needs to be Chrysler. They need to replace the lousy Lancer based Avenger/200 (I'm sorry but that is the dumbest name, 200 what!? There is a history behind 300 but what is 200? The same as the 400 or 600. Nothing! Call it Cirrus, Le Baron, New Yorker, or why not Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, just not some random number. Grrr!) They would be better off to take the previous platform, take notes from competition & other models, and give it a modern suspension and if we are going to have a Chrysler version, give it an interior that would put Lexus to shame and spare no expense on technology on the engine (GDI). For Dodge, style it like the original Avenger with cues from the Viper (not the Charger), offer not only an option V6, but a turbo AWD V6 to reinforce the performance of the brand, and work harder on making the interior equal or better than the standard car competition (and offer a Diesel). For the 300, loose the model with the 5-speed. Consider making a higher end car from the 300's platform the Imperial, just as the Equus is to the Genesis.

Update the Challenger and offer the V10 in a street legal package to compete against the upcoming GT500 and ZL1. Keep it as the Dodge Viper, the Dodge Ram, offer a SRT in the upcoming Dart featuring the 2.4L turbo with updates coming from the Caliber. Keep the Caravan and the Town and Country only make the Town and Country more luxurious (leather wrapped dash) and make the V6 with GDI.

With Jeep, loose the MB tranny and use the 66RFE instead with the Wrangler. Offer the Hemi as an option as well as a small diesel. A guess make a new generation Liberty with modern powertrain this time. Offer 8 speed tranny in GC and V10 for SRT. Loose the Compass and move the Patriot to Dodge.