Chrysler CEO Says No More "Me-Too" Vehicles But Should They Be The One Setting The Trend?

I disagree. Chrysler failed to keep the PT Cruiser updated. It was/is a pretty good small car that really needed a tech update. Chrysler was hasty in its decision to cut the Neon too. Descent, simple small car that got the job done. All was needed were updates to the safety systems and interior design and content. True, we now have the Caliber and Compass, but they need a simple, general design that indicates efficiency & reliability.

Chrysler's largest problem is that it expected to do better with a "partner" when it was really doing well on its own. It did help with finishing a real large-car platform and to get a smaller AWD setup moving, but it wasn't short on design concepts. They should have focused on benchmarking all the models and overall build quality.

I bet no one knew that Mercedes sucked Audi dry back when they were with them too. *smh* Audi was pretty much about to be history until VW took them over/bought them. (was it 50's or 60's?) Anywho, just adding that bit since you mentioned Mercedes robbing Chrysler.

"The truth is every Pontiac, Olds & Buick dealer wanted a Chevy store, but couldn't get one, so they badgered GM to make them a version of every model Chevy had. It destroyed the difference between the brands" - user name DJAurand (Det Free Press)

And the thing is....consumers kept buying all those GM, Ford, Chrysler corporate re-badged models --- making some of them extremely valuable to the automaker. Deep in my heart, somebody at GM had to have mentioned in the 90s, "we really need to just sell 1 mainstream brand & 1 luxury brand, and maybe some limited-edition/production models". To that, someone replied, "they keep buying all the Olds, Buicks, Pontiacs we can make. Why stop? We stamp them out for a huge profit every time...no matter how bland/boring/old they are..."

It wasn't 10 years ago that somebody started to REALLY compare the US cars to foreign brands and hold them responsible for such failures in the market. Consumers started to see prices skyrocket, yet quality of US cars weren't getting better. The overall user experience didn't add up literally. So consumers stopped buying US cars and embraced the foreign competition.

billfrombuckhead is right Chrysler is now on the right track thanks
to Sergio Marchionne. He saved Fiat and will ultimately save Chrysler.
I think there are some exciting times coming from Chrysler and i don't think it will be an issue at all that they are owned by Fiat. If anything Chrysler may end up rejuvanating Fiat with it's own products.
This is already happening right now with the Dodge Journey,Chrysler 300 and 200 etc.Most of Chrysler lineup has been improved. Soon the Caliber will be replaced by a Fiat based product.I'd bet on Chrysler now if I were you.

Fiat can do more than Benz did. It's hard to re0badge a Mercedes and sell it as a Chrysler without making it un affordable to Chrysler buyers. Re-badging a FIAT is much easier to do. The 500 could have been the Resurrection of the neon especially with the headlights reminiscent of the first and second neon. Not to mention they will be much more fun to drive and handle way better then anything Chrysler has ever made. Fiat has a much better chance of saving Chrysler because its technologies aren't as expensive as Mercedes and can much more easily be shared with Chrysler.