http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...1-ArticlePage1

 

Great ideas! I can't believe how many vehicles they added to the Jeep line-up. I'd eliminate the compass as well, or rename it to another brand (dodge, chrysler). Jeep should be Liberty, Cherokee, and Wrangler. The patriot, compass and commander should be eliminated.

 

Good to see that they are getting smart and are going to stop competing directly with themselves. I agree Jeep expanded way too much and the Dodge Nitro is just plain ugly IMO.

 

Patriot is selling really well, but it does kind of overlap Liberty. I'm not sure which they'll dump, and it's possible the Liberty and Grand Cherokee will both grow some and they'll keep all three.

Ultimately, the Jeep line will probably be Wrangler, Patriot and/or Liberty, Grand Cherokee, Grand Cherokee-with-a-third-row, and a small 4x4 pickup.

 

I'd keep the Nitro.

 

I think the Aspen is a good looking SUV. I don't see many of them though... Guess it's time for the pink slip.

 

Its an overpriced, chromed out Durango...

 

The Compass makes little sense in Jeep's lineup. It's ridiculously fugly to boot. Axe it.

I'd axe Avenger before Sebring. Yeah, they're essentially the same car, but the Sebring at least has some name cache in it. The name "Sebring" automatically makes me think "popular convertible". The name Avenger makes me think 90's throwaway car.

Many would say that about previous generation Escalades --> Tahoes.

 

Although the Sebring sedan may be under review, you can bet the family farm the Sebring convertible is going nowhere.

Not sure how the new model is doing, but the last one was the most popular convertible sold in the US.

Yes... it even outsold the Mustang convertible.

 

1) A lot of those were fleet sales.

2) Sebring, more than any other single current vehicle, has received a LOT of focus from the new management. There has been serious talk of launching an all-hands crash program to completely redo it, and I would not be surprised to hear that efforts on that front were already underway. One insider posting to Allpar said that it was likely that Sebring would be substantially revised for 09 and all-new for 2010. I don't think it will get killed near-term, but it's not impossible that they'll decide to just shut it down while they come up with a new car.

3) They're clearly going to reposition the Chrysler brand, though it's not clear yet exactly how. If a midsize FWD sedan doesn't fit with their intended positioning, they might just decide to kill it altogether.

 

As someone who sells these, I would disagree entirely with the assessment that the Patriot overlaps the Liberty...it does not in the very least. A base 4x4 Patriot is roughly $2,500 less than a base 4x4 Liberty, is the same size as the original Cherokees (while the Liberty is 2 re-dos larger than the Cherokee), is a 4 cylinder only, etc. That's like saying the Nitro competes with the Caliber...it doesn't.

From my perspective, selling all 3 lines, what do we not need? COMPASS is the one that is completely pointless...as is Commander. Otherwise, Jeep is fine. Dodge is ok IMO...the Caliber sells well (not for us, but for many), the Avenger is needed, as is the Charger, Nitro and maybe the Durango. Durango sales are way down, but GM has proven large SUVs can sell well if done right. For Chrysler, I'd axe the PT Cruiser and possibly the Sebring. I'd rather see a Sebring done RIGHT than not at all, however...

In summary, I can see easily killing 3 current model lines. Above and beyond that, it then gets a little hard. Jeep is SUVs, Dodge is full-line and Chrysler should be near luxury...which to me means a proper Sebring, the 300 is perfect, a decent crossover (Pacifica is dying, but I guess we get a new one off the Journey chassis), a luxury SUV and yes, even that stinking van It is overlap with the Caravan for sure, but we still sell a ton of them...

The one new product I DON'T think we need is a Jeep pickup...why have it? Sure, its a cool idea...but hardly needed.

 

I think they should ditch pretty much all of those cars (Grand Cherokee can stay; Durango maybe) and start from scratch.

Maybe not all at once... gotta keep selling cars.

 

Maybe get rid of the Dakota. Build the crossover Rampage pickup, and then give Jeep some sort of non-fullsize pickup.

 

I don't think they have to ditch everything...not by any stretch. I think its important however to improve interior quality for sure...Chrysler is now where GM was 3 years ago, save for the LXs, Jeep and minivans.

You gotta give Chrysler props for what DOES work. I realize this is a GM focused board by its very nature, but consider: the Wrangler was a runaway success. The Caliber and Patriot are doing extremely well (especially the Patriot). The new vans lead the class all over again...indeed, it is a shrinking market, but its still a volume segment and we're seeing people get out of SUVs and back into vans for better MPG. I have an '08 300C sitting in my driveway right now, and the '08 interior improvements add to what was already a phenomenal car. Despite having the oldest truck, truck sales are still strong.

Granted, there have been some real hiccups too. The Aspen/Durango debacle. The Sebring, and to a lesser extent the Avenger, are yawners. The Compass is asinine. The Commander was an answer to a question no one really asked (can you make a 3rd row Grand Cherokee, and make it look like a gas-swilling mini-H2 while you're at it??). The Magnum is pointless...the car is a non-event in the Northeast.

So yeah, there are issues...but I swear I see some real life, too. The new Liberty is well done IMO. The Patriot is on fire, for us at least. The '09 Ram is gorgeous. The 300 is still, IMO, about the best car under $40k in the US...period. I agree that the CTS is a class act, but until you've driven a 300C on a highway road trip, you don't know what I mean.

Is the lineup as strong as GM's at this point? I'd say no. Interiors are cheaper, and powertrains aren't up to snuff when compared to GM. But a lot of models ARE as good as, if not better than, competing makes. I wouldn't throw everything out, but I think the new management is excellent at figuring out what DOES need to be thrown out...

 

Now that the wrangler has a stretched frame for the 4 door.... how about closing the cab with two doors and a bed