Rumor: Chrysler expanding to four brands

Isn't the czar telling everyone to slim down their product lines for the sake of getting out of this economy alive?

With the current weakness in the Dodge passenger car line-up, I would think this would be an early move to begin removing cars from the Dodge line up in preparation for the New Chrysler Ram Pickup from your Chrysler/Jeep Dealer!!!!........Dodge goes into the grave.......Remember when the Voyager became a Chrysler?........Bad move.....again!

Not gonna happen.

I think the idea has good intentions. By removing the trucks from the Dodge lineup then Dodge will be viewed as greener...

I can see this is a good martketing idea, but their is no way it can happen and economy has nothing to do with that fact. Dodge Trucks need Dodge cars in order to withstand the stricter mpg requirements that will be enforced in a few years. With out the smaller cars, the "rams" mpg average would never pass requirements.

Aren't trucks being rated differently now and in the future anyway? As long as they manage to hit an epa 20mpg city across the range of trucks they should be safe from regulations for the next decade.

But they would if they were in the Chrysler line-up. Think of the marketing efficiencies, the cost saving of getting things down to two nameplates.

Folks, I was there when Chrysler said, "We'll never close down Plymouth. It has too much brand equity." The we saw new models start to leak over to the Chrysler side (Plymouth Prowler, anyone?). Very soon after that...Plymouth died all together.

There's too much overlap between Dodge and Chrysler cars. Watch what happens here.

Be aware, if you're not already. Chrysler is already demanding remodeling of existing dealerships to accommodate all three lines; Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge. How long does anyone envision Dodge Caravans, Avengers and Chargers being sold next to Chrysler Sebrings, Town & Countrys and 300s?

This, like the rumours we were hearing about the Pontiac G8, are just that. Rumours. There's nothing to be gained by doing that. GM is keeping GMC as a brand and managed to convince the powers-that-be that it was a good idea by showing them the books. The profits. MPG figures be damned. The US govt wants their money back. And the profits that trucks provide are the quickest way to get there. Trucks will always have a position in every lineup. I'm a car guy, but recently after I drove my fairly normal height Mitsubishi Galant over a stone and cracked the transmission, for the first time I was contemplating a higher vehicle. A truck.

Stupid... more employees but the same amount of vehicles sold. No accessible entry-level car to support those dealers through the bad times.

This is all planned by the CZAR and his gang, make more wrong plans to steal ("lose") more money so the government would pay you back.

I have very good sources at Mopar and there is to date no plans to seperate Dodge trucks and cars. Chrysler defined there brands @ 4 years ago and they are what they are. The sales numbers should be good next time around. Dodge trucks have receintly entered the 4500 and 5500 medium duty truck line and its been very successfull with some saying that was one reason GM pulled out of that market with there Topkick and Kodiak. Dont know if thats true, just what i read at Allpar.
Chrysler will turbocharge the 1.8 fiat motor along with there V6 world engine that has been in development for a few years now. The 2010 Challenger will have the 6.4 liter Hemi with 525 HP

Did Chrysler get permission from Obama boy?

This is a bad idea. Keep the current arrangement - Dodge dealers can sell pickup trucks, SUVs, and the like under the Dodge name, while Chrysler dealers can sell these vehicles under the Jeep name.
The big brand problem at Chrysler is lack of differentiation between the brands. They have "watered down" the Chrysler marque to the point that a Chrylser is nothing more than a Dodge with a different grill and badge.

I challange your statement. The Dodge Caravan is the most successfull minivan with all other brands jumping on board to compete, The Charger has been very successffull with models from a 27 mpg V6 to a full blown SRT8 that many upscale cars cant compete [performance]. Sorry to see the Magnum go , The SRT4 neon pissed off many in the arena and unknown to many the Neon in general was a good profitt maker. The Challenger is a good example of what the dodge division can do giving performance and quality. Again the V6 challemger [as heavey as it is] is a 27+ mpg car with the 2010 SRT8 Chall getting the 6.4 525 hp Hemi There is more in the pipeline and the atmosphere at all divisions is quite positive now that Diamler is gone.

Anybody really like the name Ram, with or without the Dodge part? I have never heard anyone refer to their truck as a "Ram" as "Silverado" and "F-150" guys frequently do.

The ram name actually started in the early 1950 and it had to do with the ram air intake manifold design on the 1954 Hemis in the trucks. "The Red Ram Hemi" Also All dodge trucks are rams where chevy has different names for different payloads of trucks and ford was the F series with the model number after. Dodge works just fine.