Have the big three lost their minds? Or the real question could be did they ever have them?

In short, Chrysler is abandoning all pretense of marketing strategy, its recent but now fading fast "design leadership" snobbery, its holier-than-thou, "we're smarter than the other guys" German-tinged arrogance - and throwing up their hands and flat giving up. They have too many cars and trucks on the ground at the dealerships (108 days supply and counting), they have too many vehicles stacked up in holding lots all over the city waiting to be shipped to dealerships, and if they don't do something about it they'll drown in their own stupidity. And to think these brainiacs liked to brag about how they were the smartest guys in the room?

Full article here

PlanoA4 - 6/29/2006 8:17:40 AM

+1 Boost

Some of the best selling vehicles they make are older MB platform hand me downs. So it makes sense on the inside. However does the public at large know this?

TIER1 - 6/29/2006 9:11:55 AM

+1 Boost

Without wanting to cotradict you, let me point out what are Chrysler's main problems:

Crossfire
Pacifica
Durango
LH vehicles (really old stuff)

I see no surprises here, and especially no connection to the design leadership, which in fact belongs to ChryCo these days...

courtstone - 6/29/2006 10:08:59 AM

+1 Boost

Well look at the new '07 Sebring, that is a total mistake. Their objective should be to dethrone the Camcord. Mid-size sedans are what sales. And this is where the Big 2.5 is slacking. The 300C did so well, what happened to the new Sebring...

I just cannot believe they actually approved that car for production.

EnnNorak - 6/29/2006 10:16:26 PM

+1 Boost

My only complaint about Chrysler's marketing is that they avoid proving that their cylinder deactivation system is fail safe i.e. that pistons will not hit valves if the system fails. I believe the system is activated automatically by the motion of a pin moved by oil pressure operated pin. I'd like to know what happens if the pin breaks or fails to operate properly due to clogged oil passages or a sudden drop in oil pressure. Please put it in writing Chrysler -- I don't trust hearsay from salesmen. It's interesting to note that when Mercedes offered cylinder deactivation a few years ago, AMG never adopted it for its versions of Mercedes engines.

PlanoA4 - 6/30/2006 1:00:08 PM

+1 Boost

Chill out man I am on your side. You took a big leap there.

I think the sharing of MB technology is great. The problem is they need to educate the public of technology that is shared. Right now, as you stated, most people are unaware of the platforms the vehicles share. THEY NEED TO BE MADE AWARE so this information can be leverage properly to get the maximum value from it.

It make sense internally for Chrysler to tout it because the engineers are fully aware of the sisterhood of the models. Making a big deal of it to the public by education of the lineage will solidify the link. MB has an outstanding history and Chrysler needs to tout that as a benefit.

MercBasher - 6/30/2006 2:53:57 PM

+1 Boost

Agree MB has a long history, but not sure it is always outstanding:

for example -
(a.) supporting Hitler in World War 2
(b.) making some of the least reliable expensive autos in the late 1990s and early 2000s
(c.) having recent profitability akin to that of Ford or GM
(d.) 2005: losing sales leadership in midsize luxury vehicles in Europe to the Audi A6 and BMW 5 series
(e.) losing billions invested in "Smart" cars
(f.) the "R" class

etc. etc.