Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,870
Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
RICK KRANZ | Automotive News
Posted Date: 6/1/05
DURHAM, N.C. -- A price premium of about $7,000 is likely for a proposed four-door Chrysler 300 convertible.
The Chrysler group will take another year to determine whether it will build a production version of a concept car unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January, said Joe Eberhardt, executive vice president of global sales and marketing for the Chrysler group.
Key factors are market appeal and the structural concerns involved in creating a four-door convertible.
ASC Inc., with assistance from Chrysler engineers, created the four-door Helios convertible concept. It cut off the top of a 300C sedan and strengthened the car's structure.
Eberhardt said: "Convertible premiums typically range anywhere between $2,500 and $7,000 in the marketplace. I think we would have to be probably on the upper range of it because of all the changes required for the vehicle."
Pricing it any higher would make it hard to sell, said Eberhardt, who was interviewed at a Dodge event here.
Craig Love, vice president of the Chrysler group's rear-wheel-drive product team, said there are engineering challenges to create sufficient stiffness in a four-door convertible.
Eberhardt said research shows there is demand for a more functional convertible.
Part of the business case is determining where the four-door convertible could be assembled. DaimlerChrysler's Brampton, Ontario, assembly plant, which builds the 300, is near capacity. Eberhardt said the automaker is in discussions with ASC, which builds niche vehicles.
"If you run it on the regular line, I think the volume would have to be quite substantial because you need to tool for it, you need to do all the dimensional things," he said.
"If you (go) offline at a specialty shop, I think you could make a viable business case with smaller volumes."
RICK KRANZ | Automotive News
Posted Date: 6/1/05
DURHAM, N.C. -- A price premium of about $7,000 is likely for a proposed four-door Chrysler 300 convertible.
The Chrysler group will take another year to determine whether it will build a production version of a concept car unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January, said Joe Eberhardt, executive vice president of global sales and marketing for the Chrysler group.
Key factors are market appeal and the structural concerns involved in creating a four-door convertible.
ASC Inc., with assistance from Chrysler engineers, created the four-door Helios convertible concept. It cut off the top of a 300C sedan and strengthened the car's structure.
Eberhardt said: "Convertible premiums typically range anywhere between $2,500 and $7,000 in the marketplace. I think we would have to be probably on the upper range of it because of all the changes required for the vehicle."
Pricing it any higher would make it hard to sell, said Eberhardt, who was interviewed at a Dodge event here.
Craig Love, vice president of the Chrysler group's rear-wheel-drive product team, said there are engineering challenges to create sufficient stiffness in a four-door convertible.
Eberhardt said research shows there is demand for a more functional convertible.
Part of the business case is determining where the four-door convertible could be assembled. DaimlerChrysler's Brampton, Ontario, assembly plant, which builds the 300, is near capacity. Eberhardt said the automaker is in discussions with ASC, which builds niche vehicles.
"If you run it on the regular line, I think the volume would have to be quite substantial because you need to tool for it, you need to do all the dimensional things," he said.
"If you (go) offline at a specialty shop, I think you could make a viable business case with smaller volumes."
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 858
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Originally Posted by Gold_Rush
7g's. Pricey. How many 4 door drop tops are on the market today? i can't think of any.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,276
From: Chattanoga & Franklin
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
DCX needs to stop this GM navel gaze for three years thing and build the damn thing. Its not like they're taking a huge risk since production would be less than 15,000 cars a year.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,870
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Originally Posted by AronZ28
DCX needs to stop this GM navel gaze for three years thing and build the damn thing. Its not like they're taking a huge risk since production would be less than 15,000 cars a year.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 808
From: manassas, VA
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Originally Posted by MissedShift
Thats because the OEs ***** foot around and bitch about structural stiffness... Get over it, weld in some big honkin' subframe supports, and GET IT DONE. With a car like the 300C, noone will care if it gains 200lbs worth of supports (more, if you include the removed roof). They'll care that they're driving the worlds only regular production 4 door convertible, and they're doing it in 2007, instead of in 2009.
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 858
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Originally Posted by notgetleft
I'm sure it's not a question of making it strong enough to be ok to drive. Probably really hard to get a 4 door convertible to be strong enough to meet crash regs, ESPECIALLY side impact. Subframe connectors aren't going to help you when the sidewall of the car folds in, and the gov't won't certify it if they can't make that stronger.
Ok. That last part was BS. But still, this is just marketing-spew for "We dont have the cojones to build something truly different, to take on the challenges and defeat them in one-on-one hand to hand engineering combat."
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 808
From: manassas, VA
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Originally Posted by MissedShift
We live in a world where any idiot can get in a sub-3000lb FWD econobox, go tooling down the road, and have a reasonable expectation to walk away from a 40mph crash with a 5000lb pickup truck. Dont give me that really hard crap. This is the company that brought you greats such as the 1970 HemiCuda, and the 1977 Dodge Aspen...
Ok. That last part was BS. But still, this is just marketing-spew for "We dont have the cojones to build something truly different, to take on the challenges and defeat them in one-on-one hand to hand engineering combat."
Ok. That last part was BS. But still, this is just marketing-spew for "We dont have the cojones to build something truly different, to take on the challenges and defeat them in one-on-one hand to hand engineering combat."
And i still in think you underestimate how much structural rigidity a roof provides a car. With no b or c pillar, as well as the triangulation that comes into play when they're joined by a roof, you don't have anwhere near the same car. And at least with a 2 door you only have 1 hinged joint. The rear door in a 4 door vert might as well not even be there, the hinge basically makes a soft spot in the middle of the side where the b pillar used to form a rollbar hoop.
DC hasn't shown much restraint with other such bold ideas. If they can solve the problems for a reasonable amount of money they'll sell it. If it will cost every penny of $7k + to do and sticker for more than that, then you're pushing the car into a price league it doesn't compete in anyway. If someone wants a 300C vert they can pay ASC (or another company) to do them as one-offs. Nothing novel there. People make ZO6s into drop tops. Same with 3rdgen f-bodies before ASC was 'officially'; commisioned in 87. I've also seen convertible g-bodies, 2nd gens and probably more stuff i'm not thinking of.
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 858
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Ive worked on vintage 60s droptops, so I know full well how raglike they are compared to hardtops. Ive also helped in some construction on a few rollcages, and I can appreciate how much stiffness can be restored to a car, even one as floppy as a 60s ragtop.
Sure, there are obstacles, but they're not insurmountable.
Sure, there are obstacles, but they're not insurmountable.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,817
From: O-Town
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Are not some of the 3 series cars 4dr convertables? I think Chrysler is worried about a floppy vert 300 ruining the current reputation of the car and killing off 300 hardtop sales.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,870
Re: Proposed Chrysler 300 ragtop could add as much as $7,000 to vehicle's price
Originally Posted by mastrdrver
Are not some of the 3 series cars 4dr convertables?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
stockssn2o
Parts For Sale
14
May 25, 2015 08:54 AM
99TransAmWS6
Parts For Sale
5
Feb 3, 2015 08:27 AM
guionM
Automotive News / Industry / Future Vehicle Discussion
13
Sep 5, 2002 09:58 PM