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Topic starter
08/02/2021 9:34 am
I originally wrote this as a response to John Bono's reply to the note about the head of Chrysler saying the Hellcat engine would eventually change in format. I thought it might be worthy of some dialogue.
It will be interesting to see how things shake out now that Stellantis owns Mopar. The Chrysler brand is on life support with the only unique nameplate being the Pacifica. I can see that minivan becoming a Dodge and the 300 going away, "Bye Bye, Chrysler."
I don't struggle with disappearing nameplates as some do. When a brand dwindles down to insignificant offerings, its time has come. I'm reminded of Springsteen's "Glory Days."
"Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister, but
Boring stories of
Glory days, well they'll pass you by
Glory days, in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days"
No company can continue to do business based on offerings they produced a half-century ago. Think about what had become of brands like Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Plymouth, Mercury, Studebaker, et al. They weren't killed off. People just stopped buying them. You can only sell a legend for so long. Sooner or later, your product has to keep pace with the rest of the market. How many of us would have even considered buying one fo those brands in their final years?
As far as engines are concerned, I'm betting nearly all drivetrains going forward will morph into some form of hybrid, particularly the high-performance ones. There are too many performance advantages to be gained by adding some form of electric propulsion to an ICE. Most rumors concerning the upcoming Corvette Zora allude to electric motors at each wheel and a high-output ICE for a combined HP of over 1,000.
I can see the Hellcat going the same way...if they ever decide to design a new platform. Right now the Charger, Challenger, and 300 are built from an old Mercedes mid-size platform that goes back to the early nineties. Sooner or later, they'll have to either bring in a new platform or drop those models altogether. The Hellcats are exciting, but Dodge is in jeopardy of singing one note for far too long. They're becoming a brand that is noted for little more than putting a giant engine in anything they can, whether it was designed for that or not.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
08/02/2021 10:01 am
Like most of us here the Chrysler offerings are dinosaurs and soon will die, hopefully of natural causes.
08/02/2021 10:57 am
Very well stated JK.
The whole automobile industry is in a major state of change right now and I suspect in a decade or so the landscape will be totally different with many current manufacturers gone or swallowed up in others. I don't see wholesale move to electric due to power grid costs overall, but hybrids I certainly feel will dominate, especially in the performance market as you suggest.
We quickly get used to new names in the automobile market. The general public moves on leaving us dinosaurs to wax nostalgic.
John Kuvakas and John Kuvakas reacted
08/02/2021 11:29 am
Chrysler is my favorite make of car! I own a 1955 (my birth year) Chrysler Windsor.
Chrysler was an aspirational car. Driving up in a New Yorker was announcing to the world that you were doing very well.
I still think the name has recognition, and value, if the right products are added to the line. I think a Chrysler branded "luxury" SUV would be successful in today's marketplace.
Dodge, Hemi, Mopar...all names with a long, strong, positive performance heritage and youth appeal which can be further capitalized upon. My current daily driver is a 2020 Dodge Charger AWD.
I see a bright future under Stellantis!
Barry Levittan
Long Island, NY
08/02/2021 1:43 pm
I wouldn't be shocked to see both Chrysler and Dodge discontinued, with the minivan either going to Ram or Jeep, or also being discontinued. Minivans aren't exactly a hot market, and small cars have pretty much disappeared as a class too.
Retired in Dunedin, Florida.
John Kuvakas and John Kuvakas reacted
Topic starter
08/02/2021 1:46 pm
I think you may be right, Ed. Mopar only offers three cars at the moment with no mid-size or small car to be seen. However, the minivan is a moneymaker for them. It will be around in some form under some nameplate for awhile.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
Ed Glorius and Ed Glorius reacted
08/02/2021 3:53 pm
Chrysler [or what ever] seems to be putting their money on the RAMs. And successfully at that.
Topic starter
08/02/2021 4:10 pm
@brush, Spot on, Bruce. It's where everybody in our domestic market is headed at this juncture.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
08/02/2021 4:34 pm
I think you may be right, Ed. Mopar only offers three cars at the moment with no mid-size or small car to be seen. However, the minivan is a moneymaker for them. It will be around in some form under some nameplate for awhile.
It's hard to see where they'll put it, and I know nothing (much) about its profitability, but do know it's a point of pride since it was invented by Chrysler (or Renault with the Espace, depending on who you talk to).
Retired in Dunedin, Florida.
08/02/2021 4:51 pm
I don't think the Chrysler name plate is necessarily a liability. IMO it's more about what product Chryco can offer under that name. As we all know, the traditional sedan demand is about done, at least for the forseeable future, with mostly only rental fleets and seniors interested. I hate to say it but it's true. As SUV demand grows even more, rental fleets will reflect this in their inventory. Chryco must know this so if they want the Chrysler name to survive then they will create an SUV series to accommodate that. The obvious problem is that Jeep is doing a good job of that category presently, so is there room any more for a Chrysler? Maybe AWD Chryslers of varying sizes built like the Subaru Outback, basically an AWD traditional mid-size station wagon. Having said all this, I don't think that the average person gives a damn about tradition anymore when it comes to automotive marques and their rich heritage; just us older car nuts. Change comes at us faster each passing year it seems. I struggle to remain keen on automotive change now and prefer to focus on vintage...but in a healthy way that makes me happy.
Topic starter
08/02/2021 5:39 pm
The reality of Chrysler's heritage is this, many of the folks who are in their prime meaning years remember the New Yorker like this:
And the Imperial like this:
Lee Iacocca may have rescued Chrysler but he may have done irreparable damage as well. The new cars helped but they are getting exceptionally long in the tooth.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
Ed Glorius and Ed Glorius reacted
08/02/2021 5:43 pm
Good point actually. When I think of traditional Chryslers my vision doesn't include those generic FWD appliances. The majority of today's car buyers don't even consider cars older than 1980.
08/02/2021 5:51 pm
Now THIS is a Chrysler New Yorker that you would drive with pride:
Barry Levittan
Long Island, NY
Topic starter
08/02/2021 6:19 pm
@moe-parr, Yes, I would. I had a 4 door sedan for a bit.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
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