At Chrysler group, the sun is shining; COO says company isn't a one-hit wonder

AutoWeek/Automotive News ^ | 5/6/05 | Mary Connelly

[B Knotts]

The Chrysler group is sitting pretty compared with General Motors and Ford Motor Co.

Chrysler is gaining sales and share in a market that's depressed. The Chrysler 300 sedan has given the Chrysler group a hot aura - and shown that it can make cars that excite U.S. consumers.

While Ford Motor and GM struggle with turnaround efforts, the Chrysler group, says COO Tom LaSorda, is "just trying to maintain the momentum. That is what we are pushing with our employees."

...

Through March, the Chrysler group's sales are up 5.6 percent to 546,732 units. In contrast, U.S. light-vehicle sales fell 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2005. At GM and Ford, sales tumbled 5.1 percent each in the period.

[B Knotts]

I thought I'd post this in light of all the stories floating around about the difficulties GM is having.

As far as I know, Chrysler has to deal with the same kind of UAW contracts.

The difference seems to be that Chrysler is actually making cars that people are interested in buying.

Some of their recent successes noted in the article:

The 300C sedan, the Durango SUV, their minivans with "Stow-and-Go" seating, and the diesel Jeep Liberty CRD.

I'm not a stockholder or anything...I just think GM is totally non-consumer-oriented, and they need to get with the program, but fast.

[mhx]

I like what Chrysler has been doing the last few years. And I love my Jeep even though it's a few years old now. There's nothing GM has been doing that really interests me, and I'm always kind of wondering why it is that they are consistently unable to come out with any vehicles I would buy.

[B Knotts]

As soon as I can afford it, I'm buying a Jeep Liberty CRD.

[dts32041]

Jeep Liberty CRD

Haven't seen this one, is it the diesel I have been hearing about?

[Arkie2]

We've already got a Grand Cherokee. I'm waiting for the Jeep Gladiator to come out. When that hits the market Chrysler will have another big hit on it's hands.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I wonder how they can come out with products like the Pontiac Aztec. You can analogize the production of a car with the production of a film - each have long gestation periods and require a lot of money. And with all the money that is committed to either - you wonder what the analysis process is to produce such expensive losers. Look at Honda - the one product they introduced that was arguably a mistake (and I say arguably, because many would say it wasn't) was the Del Sol. They stayed out of the mini-van business for years but pitched a perfect game when they finally introduced one. Now one would think that even if GM only watched Honda for 10 years and then emulated them - they couldn't be in the spot they are in now.

[JoJo Gunn]

The front end of the 300 reminds me of the mouth on Dancing Bear (Captain Kangaroo).

[B Knotts]

Yes. It has a 2.8 liter Italian turbodiesel in it, with lots of torque, and pretty good mileage for such a heavy vehicle.

[neb52]

I wish they could port that diesel over to the Ram 1500. I bought one with the Chrysler V6. I love the truck, but it could use more umph! Plus for a V6 the gas mileage sucks. 16/21(usually 19).

[neb52]

Also I think the Mercedez-Benz side of the house has had a lot of influence on the little things like interior quality. The difference between my old man's '99 1500 and my '04 is night and day.

[oceanview]

is that the CDI diesel unit from Mercedes?

[oceanview]

oh, I see now, its an Italian diesel.

[fabriclady]

Good post. My Dad and my ex-husband retired from Chrysler.
A very good company. We all drive Dodge products and I drive a Mercedes, which is now a sister product. I have a 2005 Dodge van and it is a joy to drive. Chrysler and Dodge have improved so much. Look for sales to continue upward.

[B Knotts]

I think it might be a tad weak for the Ram. It makes 160 hp and 295 ft-lbs torque, which is just fine for the smaller Liberty, but I'd guess you'd want something more in the Ram.

Navistar has some V-6 diesels that would probably fit the bill, but I'm a little unsure of their reliability.

However, VM Motori, the manufacturer of the 2.8 I-4 in the Liberty also has a 3.0 liter V-6 (220 hp, 369 ft-lbs) that looks promising.

[Afronaut]

Their cars have pickup truck front ends! They have a great design shop though. They are introducing some exciting cars.

If I was buying a car right now I would buy the 400 hp GTO for under 35,000. Killer car.

[sgtbono2002]

The Chrysler and the 300 both have rear wheel drive, and can be purchased with their new Hemi engines.

GM in their infinite wisdon decided to stop makinf rear wheel drive cars, thus giving the cops no alternative but Ford. I expect to see a few Magnums show up with Bubble gum machines on their roofs soon.

[B Knotts]

Yes, it's an Italian division of DaimlerChrysler.

[B Knotts]

Either that, or Chargers. :-)

[B Knotts]

But, yeah, GM ran into financial problems, so what did they do? They canceled their "Zeta" RWD platform, which, IMO, was their whole future on the car side.

[dts32041]

I likey that one, reminds me of a 5/4 weapons carrier.

Still pissed cause they got rid of the Comanche.