In case anyone missed it on the DF front page...click here for more info on the new Dodge RAM Brand.

Im interested to see what chrysler does with the dakota...and the crossovers. i have a feeling that this might be in relation to CAFE laws, but i guess that we will find out..

 

The dismanlteling of chrysler has begun.

 

if you dont mind my asking, are you back to work shapman? it would seem to me that at this point, working for the "ram brand" is the better place to be..no?

 

I still have hope that his type of restructuring will be successful. It saved Fiat, hopefully, it will do the same for Chrysler.
They can't do much worse than what Daimler did to the brand.

 

That's my take on it as well. I understand people making their assumptions of what is coming, but its not like fiat took a thriving company and changed a bunch of things...they took a company that was bankrupt and they're trying to make what they can out of it. If nothing else, aren't they prolonging some jobs compared to where they were a few months back.

 

Exactly.

 

No I took the buyout and got off the crazy train. But I still have many friends there. They are spinning off the car line to kill it. The chrysler brand will most likely done around 2012. Fiat did not take chrysler for the brands, but the dealer network.

 

That will not happen. They will always have a minority stake in Chrysler, the UAW being a majority stakeholder. BTW, this weeks Autoweek said the opposite. Chrysler is going upmarket to take on the J@panese and G@rman brands-head on, with the Hemi as the foundation.

 

Is anyone else laughing as hard as I am about this one? Chrysler and upscale? We have tried that before and failed big time. Here is the deal, shap is closing, no replacement in chrysler line. The sebring/avenger replacement is alfa based and will be imported. Jnap will close next GC to move to tnap, thus killing the nitro, and commander(which is already dead). The fiat 500 may send the caliber packing. Not good for belivdere assy. They have already stated one minivan will go away. Most likely it will be the T&C. So where does that leave the chrysler brand?? 300. Thats it. Thus the end of the chrysler brand. And now that the dodge cars are seperate from the trucks they will go away as well. So whats left? Jeep will be suv's, Ram will be trucks, and minivans, fiat bargain line, alfa premium line. Chrysler?? most likely gone. If people really knew how Obama sold out chrysler they would have like the loan program even less since it will be outsourcing most of its product line.

 

That scenario may well be right, but only if the board majority (UAW) approve it. I can't imagine them voting themselves out of jobs. But, the FIAT models will be produced here, after the first round being imported. According to Autoweek, they are already preparing a couple Michigan plants to produce a small car based on a FIAT. If they can keep them from dying too soon, FIAT's might be a good thing. Anyway, the Alfa 8C may be the best looking car in the world right now. I'd love to see a DOHC 5.7L Dodge engine with Viper styling added, that would be a dream car.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/abc/Alf...-1600x1200.htm