How to manufacture and sell 5.5MM Chryslers per year!
wrcushing
06-28-2003, 03:55 PM
Jurgen Schrempp
Dieter Zetsche
DaimlerChrysler is very good at niche marketing (Mercedes Benz, Smart, Freightliner), but not so at mass marketing (ie. Chrysler) as the last few months have proven. You have managed to turn a projected $2 billion profit into a $1 billion loss thus almost crippling your company! Plus you are saddled with a under-funded pension plan. And Union contracts are due to expire. Futhermore you have a major class action lawsuit pending that could conceivably pull you under.
I have a solution!...Sell me Chrysler for $1.00 and you keep the shares as collateral. I will take all the flack. This way you can redeem yourself and get the hounds off your doorstep. With the company in Canadian hands (mine), you would be off the hook! I would however reinstate Lutz, Iaccoca and even make room for Kerkorian (you need investors) to appease their sensibility. You need American ingenuity as much as you need German engineering in order to survive the vagaries of the mass market.
I still believe that DC can be a major world player, but its vision must change from a niche orientated strategy to a global one. For now, let's leave Mercedes, Smart and Freightliner out of the equation as they are doing quite well already. The problem child is Chrysler.
If you shoot yourself in the foot, you will walk with a limp. If you shoot yourself in the other foot, you will have difficulty in moving forward. Chrysler has committed both errors!
1. You killed the Plymouth nameplate. If Coca Cola decided to drop Diet Coke because of slow sales, where would their customers go? To Diet Pepsi, of course! If Mercedes Benz were to drop the 'S' series because of high production costs, low volume and poor gas mileage, where would their customers go? To BMW, of course! Thus you quite literally told 100,000 potential Chrysler/Plymouth customers to get lost!! Did it put a dent in your pocket book? Obviously you are hurting from this decision.
2. Then you killed the Dodge RamVan before bringing the Sprinter online. Dodge Van buyers have no choice but to go to Chevy or Ford. Who needs those customers anyway, right? YOU DO!! They may not be fully profitable sales, but they generate showroom traffic and sustaining sales that you inadvertantly chopped off without properly assessing the potential damage.
You can't go on eliminating your potential customers. Mass marketing is not the same as niche marketing! You cannot focus on tiny areas of indulgence, because each item is DIRECTLY related to other products in the same scenario. You kill one, it affects all the others.
Problem:
You have completely alienated and overlooked customers who buy Asian cars. 40% of all vehicles sold in America are Asian products (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc.), largely because of perceived value. Yet there is NOTHING in your lineups to attract them to your dealerships.Chrysler has failed to recognize or address this situation in its marketing strategy and is therefore ignoring the largest market for new cars.
Solution:
Revive the old DESOTO nameplate to design, engineer and manufacture Chrysler versions of Honda's "Civic, Accord, and S2000" in China and ship them to America. This not only gives you an Asian presence, but grafts you into the current American buying spree. Thus, if DESOTO is reborn you will gain customers and a new market you never had before.
Addenda:
A joint venture with Mitsubishi in China could really assist your market share and improve your bottom line.
You could also play the dollar game and take advantage of currency swings, especially if there is more interchangeability of Mitsubishi and Chrysler components.
All new factories should be built in China to take full advantage of low wages and lower cost structure and avoid union meddling. Note also that China's auto market is growing at 15% per annum now.
Problem:
Apparently your marketing teams have neglected to inform you that there are Europeans living in the U.S. You are already aware how nationalistic their buying habits are. But again, you offer them NOTHING in your portfolio.
Solution:
Revive the PLYMOUTH nameplate to design, engineer and manufacture Chrysler versions of VW's "Golf, Jetta, Passat" in Europe but with the flair of the new Nissan/Infinity designs; and for good measure add a Ford Mustang competitor called the BARRACUDA! Thus, if PLYMOUTH is reborn, you will gain customers you never had before.
Problem:
Luxury vehicles account for 15% of all vehicles sold, yet Chrysler is not even in the game participating! Not everyone wants or can afford a Mercedes.
Solution:
300M is an excellent automobile, however what is needed is a brand new Chrylser IMPERIAL, not to compete with Mercedes Benz but to draw domestic customers out of Cadillacs and Lincolns. It would be advantageous to use Mercedes V8 engines and transmissions as a major hook though. Rear drive is a must!
Luxury cars add profit to the bottom line and that is what you are looking for. Also again you will see thousands of new faces in your showrooms. Also you can also re-enter the Police and Taxi fleet sales arena again with a Dodge POLARA built on the same platform. That just means more sustaining sales overall.
Problem - Nomenclature:
Chrysler/Dodge has always been synonmous with sporty American cars.
However "Neon" and "Stratus" fail to convey this message and as a result these models have very little recognition value with the buying public. Therefore they should be rebadged as Dodge DART (GT) and Dodge CHARGER respectively.
Problem/Solution:
PACIFICA is a dog (for the long run). Its features should have been incorporated into the minivan line instead. Good money says dump the puppy (although in the short term it may do well).
Bring back the Dodge RAMVAN instead. At least it has commercial vehicle uses (RV's, etc) that Pacifica doesn't. That means more sustaining sales. I suggest however that you lengthen the nose and have a tilt forward hood for easier maintenance. That's oneupsmanship!
NEW WORLDWIDE PLATFORMS should be incorporated for all Chrysler products so they can easily be built wherever the demand is greatest. Plymouth cars should be manufactured mainly in Europe, whereas Desoto cars would be mainly manufactured in China. Platforms (overall length) of 166"for small cars, 177" for subcompact cars, 188" for compact cars, 199" for midsize cars, and 209" for full size rear wheel drive cars should be instituted.
CHRYSLER products would emphasize LUXURY; IMPERIAL would draw its engine from Mercedes Benz and resemble the new Rolls Royce Phantom; LEBARON would be an upscale Dodge Dart/ Plymouth Valiant radically designed like the new Infinity; and COMMANDER would be an upscale Dodge Durango to compete with BMW X5, Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator:
177" LEBARON 2.0 sohc 4 turbo (200bhp) 100,000 units
188" SEBRING 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 100,000
199" CONCORDE 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 100,000
300M 3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp) 100,000
209" IMPERIAL 4.3 sohc V8 (275 bhp) 100,000
CROSSFIRE 50,000
TOWN & COUNTRY 100,000
COMMANDER 50,000
700,000
DODGE products would emphasize sporty American cars:
177" DART GT LX 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp), turbo (200 bhp) 300,000 units
188" CHARGER GT LX 2.0 sohc 4 (150bhp) 300,000
2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp)
199" INTREPID GT LX 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 200,000
3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp)
209" POLARA 3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp) 100,000
4.3 sohc V8 (275 bhp)
VIPER 8.0 ohv V10 (450 bhp) 20,000
CARAVAN SE LE 200,000
SPRINTER 2.7 CDI (150 bhp) 80,000
RAM VAN SE LE 200,000
DURANGO SE LE 100,000
DAKOTA 300,000
RAM PICK UP 300,000
2,100,000
JEEP desperately needs an H2 competitor. How about calling it ZEPPELIN???
WRANGLER 100,000 units
LIBERTY 300,000
CHEROKEE 300,000
ZEPPELIN 100,000
800,000
PLYMOUTH products would reflect European products (ie. VW Golf, Jetta, Passat) radically designed like the new Nissan/Infinity line; BARRACUDA would be a Chrysler version of Ford Mustang; VOYAGER would be a short wheelbase minivan:
166" PT CRUISER SE LE 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp), turbo (200 bhp) 200,000 units
177" VALIANT SE LE 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp) 300,000
2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp)
188" DUSTER SE LE 2.7 sohc V6 (200 bhp) 300,000
BARRACUDA 3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp) 100,000
4.3 sohc V6 (275 bhp)
VOYAGER SE LE 2.4 sohc 4 (150 bhp) 100,000
3.3 ohv V6 (180 bhp)
1,000,000
DESOTO products would reflect Asian products (ie. Honda Civic, Accord, S2000):
166" DH20 Hatchback 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp), turbo (200 bhp) 250,000 units
177" D20 DS20 DL20 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp) 300,000
2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp)
188" D30 DS30 DL30 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 300,000
D2000 Sportcar 2.0 sohc 4 turbo (200 bhp) 50,000
900,000
TOTAL 5,500,000
5.5 million vehicles...Now that is world class action!
AND I GUARANTEE IF YOU FOLLOW THIS PLAN YOU WILL MANUFACTURE AND SELL ALL OF THEM!
Most auto manufacturers are complaining about over-capacity, but it can be readily seen that Chrysler has inadequate capacity yet to be a major world player and mount a sustainable offensive. 15 assembly plants (with 5 in America, 3 in Canada, 2 in Mexico, 1 in Venezuala, 2 in Europe and 2 in China) each producing 400,000 vehicles annually are required by Chrysler to return to high profitability.
Morever each Chrysler dealership must be reconfiguered to promote ALL Chrysler products, so that once a customer walks in the door, he will find enough choices that he need not shop elsewhere!
AN OLD AXIOM SAYS:
MAKE WHAT SELLS!...SELL WHAT PEOPLE ARE BUYING!
Regards,
Warren Cushing
Dieter Zetsche
DaimlerChrysler is very good at niche marketing (Mercedes Benz, Smart, Freightliner), but not so at mass marketing (ie. Chrysler) as the last few months have proven. You have managed to turn a projected $2 billion profit into a $1 billion loss thus almost crippling your company! Plus you are saddled with a under-funded pension plan. And Union contracts are due to expire. Futhermore you have a major class action lawsuit pending that could conceivably pull you under.
I have a solution!...Sell me Chrysler for $1.00 and you keep the shares as collateral. I will take all the flack. This way you can redeem yourself and get the hounds off your doorstep. With the company in Canadian hands (mine), you would be off the hook! I would however reinstate Lutz, Iaccoca and even make room for Kerkorian (you need investors) to appease their sensibility. You need American ingenuity as much as you need German engineering in order to survive the vagaries of the mass market.
I still believe that DC can be a major world player, but its vision must change from a niche orientated strategy to a global one. For now, let's leave Mercedes, Smart and Freightliner out of the equation as they are doing quite well already. The problem child is Chrysler.
If you shoot yourself in the foot, you will walk with a limp. If you shoot yourself in the other foot, you will have difficulty in moving forward. Chrysler has committed both errors!
1. You killed the Plymouth nameplate. If Coca Cola decided to drop Diet Coke because of slow sales, where would their customers go? To Diet Pepsi, of course! If Mercedes Benz were to drop the 'S' series because of high production costs, low volume and poor gas mileage, where would their customers go? To BMW, of course! Thus you quite literally told 100,000 potential Chrysler/Plymouth customers to get lost!! Did it put a dent in your pocket book? Obviously you are hurting from this decision.
2. Then you killed the Dodge RamVan before bringing the Sprinter online. Dodge Van buyers have no choice but to go to Chevy or Ford. Who needs those customers anyway, right? YOU DO!! They may not be fully profitable sales, but they generate showroom traffic and sustaining sales that you inadvertantly chopped off without properly assessing the potential damage.
You can't go on eliminating your potential customers. Mass marketing is not the same as niche marketing! You cannot focus on tiny areas of indulgence, because each item is DIRECTLY related to other products in the same scenario. You kill one, it affects all the others.
Problem:
You have completely alienated and overlooked customers who buy Asian cars. 40% of all vehicles sold in America are Asian products (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc.), largely because of perceived value. Yet there is NOTHING in your lineups to attract them to your dealerships.Chrysler has failed to recognize or address this situation in its marketing strategy and is therefore ignoring the largest market for new cars.
Solution:
Revive the old DESOTO nameplate to design, engineer and manufacture Chrysler versions of Honda's "Civic, Accord, and S2000" in China and ship them to America. This not only gives you an Asian presence, but grafts you into the current American buying spree. Thus, if DESOTO is reborn you will gain customers and a new market you never had before.
Addenda:
A joint venture with Mitsubishi in China could really assist your market share and improve your bottom line.
You could also play the dollar game and take advantage of currency swings, especially if there is more interchangeability of Mitsubishi and Chrysler components.
All new factories should be built in China to take full advantage of low wages and lower cost structure and avoid union meddling. Note also that China's auto market is growing at 15% per annum now.
Problem:
Apparently your marketing teams have neglected to inform you that there are Europeans living in the U.S. You are already aware how nationalistic their buying habits are. But again, you offer them NOTHING in your portfolio.
Solution:
Revive the PLYMOUTH nameplate to design, engineer and manufacture Chrysler versions of VW's "Golf, Jetta, Passat" in Europe but with the flair of the new Nissan/Infinity designs; and for good measure add a Ford Mustang competitor called the BARRACUDA! Thus, if PLYMOUTH is reborn, you will gain customers you never had before.
Problem:
Luxury vehicles account for 15% of all vehicles sold, yet Chrysler is not even in the game participating! Not everyone wants or can afford a Mercedes.
Solution:
300M is an excellent automobile, however what is needed is a brand new Chrylser IMPERIAL, not to compete with Mercedes Benz but to draw domestic customers out of Cadillacs and Lincolns. It would be advantageous to use Mercedes V8 engines and transmissions as a major hook though. Rear drive is a must!
Luxury cars add profit to the bottom line and that is what you are looking for. Also again you will see thousands of new faces in your showrooms. Also you can also re-enter the Police and Taxi fleet sales arena again with a Dodge POLARA built on the same platform. That just means more sustaining sales overall.
Problem - Nomenclature:
Chrysler/Dodge has always been synonmous with sporty American cars.
However "Neon" and "Stratus" fail to convey this message and as a result these models have very little recognition value with the buying public. Therefore they should be rebadged as Dodge DART (GT) and Dodge CHARGER respectively.
Problem/Solution:
PACIFICA is a dog (for the long run). Its features should have been incorporated into the minivan line instead. Good money says dump the puppy (although in the short term it may do well).
Bring back the Dodge RAMVAN instead. At least it has commercial vehicle uses (RV's, etc) that Pacifica doesn't. That means more sustaining sales. I suggest however that you lengthen the nose and have a tilt forward hood for easier maintenance. That's oneupsmanship!
NEW WORLDWIDE PLATFORMS should be incorporated for all Chrysler products so they can easily be built wherever the demand is greatest. Plymouth cars should be manufactured mainly in Europe, whereas Desoto cars would be mainly manufactured in China. Platforms (overall length) of 166"for small cars, 177" for subcompact cars, 188" for compact cars, 199" for midsize cars, and 209" for full size rear wheel drive cars should be instituted.
CHRYSLER products would emphasize LUXURY; IMPERIAL would draw its engine from Mercedes Benz and resemble the new Rolls Royce Phantom; LEBARON would be an upscale Dodge Dart/ Plymouth Valiant radically designed like the new Infinity; and COMMANDER would be an upscale Dodge Durango to compete with BMW X5, Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator:
177" LEBARON 2.0 sohc 4 turbo (200bhp) 100,000 units
188" SEBRING 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 100,000
199" CONCORDE 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 100,000
300M 3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp) 100,000
209" IMPERIAL 4.3 sohc V8 (275 bhp) 100,000
CROSSFIRE 50,000
TOWN & COUNTRY 100,000
COMMANDER 50,000
700,000
DODGE products would emphasize sporty American cars:
177" DART GT LX 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp), turbo (200 bhp) 300,000 units
188" CHARGER GT LX 2.0 sohc 4 (150bhp) 300,000
2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp)
199" INTREPID GT LX 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 200,000
3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp)
209" POLARA 3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp) 100,000
4.3 sohc V8 (275 bhp)
VIPER 8.0 ohv V10 (450 bhp) 20,000
CARAVAN SE LE 200,000
SPRINTER 2.7 CDI (150 bhp) 80,000
RAM VAN SE LE 200,000
DURANGO SE LE 100,000
DAKOTA 300,000
RAM PICK UP 300,000
2,100,000
JEEP desperately needs an H2 competitor. How about calling it ZEPPELIN???
WRANGLER 100,000 units
LIBERTY 300,000
CHEROKEE 300,000
ZEPPELIN 100,000
800,000
PLYMOUTH products would reflect European products (ie. VW Golf, Jetta, Passat) radically designed like the new Nissan/Infinity line; BARRACUDA would be a Chrysler version of Ford Mustang; VOYAGER would be a short wheelbase minivan:
166" PT CRUISER SE LE 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp), turbo (200 bhp) 200,000 units
177" VALIANT SE LE 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp) 300,000
2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp)
188" DUSTER SE LE 2.7 sohc V6 (200 bhp) 300,000
BARRACUDA 3.5 sohc V6 (250 bhp) 100,000
4.3 sohc V6 (275 bhp)
VOYAGER SE LE 2.4 sohc 4 (150 bhp) 100,000
3.3 ohv V6 (180 bhp)
1,000,000
DESOTO products would reflect Asian products (ie. Honda Civic, Accord, S2000):
166" DH20 Hatchback 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp), turbo (200 bhp) 250,000 units
177" D20 DS20 DL20 2.0 sohc 4 (150 bhp) 300,000
2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp)
188" D30 DS30 DL30 2.7 dohc V6 (200 bhp) 300,000
D2000 Sportcar 2.0 sohc 4 turbo (200 bhp) 50,000
900,000
TOTAL 5,500,000
5.5 million vehicles...Now that is world class action!
AND I GUARANTEE IF YOU FOLLOW THIS PLAN YOU WILL MANUFACTURE AND SELL ALL OF THEM!
Most auto manufacturers are complaining about over-capacity, but it can be readily seen that Chrysler has inadequate capacity yet to be a major world player and mount a sustainable offensive. 15 assembly plants (with 5 in America, 3 in Canada, 2 in Mexico, 1 in Venezuala, 2 in Europe and 2 in China) each producing 400,000 vehicles annually are required by Chrysler to return to high profitability.
Morever each Chrysler dealership must be reconfiguered to promote ALL Chrysler products, so that once a customer walks in the door, he will find enough choices that he need not shop elsewhere!
AN OLD AXIOM SAYS:
MAKE WHAT SELLS!...SELL WHAT PEOPLE ARE BUYING!
Regards,
Warren Cushing
InfernoRed
06-28-2003, 07:23 PM
Interresting post....but a 2.0 liter PT???????:rolleyes: Those are allready marketed overseas.Here in the states,it is either a 2.4 Liter or 2.4 Turbo.Why the little bit of extra power?....WIEGHT.These little cars are heavy for thier size....I know,because I own two.If anything,people stateside want a slightly lengthened version capable of having a V6 installed.
Why move it under the proposed reinstatement of "Plymouth"?......Because it was originally a Plymouth nameplate concept?????No......Leave it as a Chrysler.It definently has more going for it quality/comfort wise then it's competitors..Focus,Vibe,Matrix,Aerio...the soon to be Chevy Cobalt(Cavilier hatchback replacement).
Somethings definently need redone.Introduction of the Charger again???You bet....but NOT AS A RENAMED CURRENT NAMEPLATE!!!!!Try something more along the lines of the 1997/98 concept car......THAT WAS the Charger reincarnated!!!!!!!!!And you had the audacity to suggest a 2.0L 4 cylinder for a Charger?!?!?!:biggrin2: Your friggin nuts and have forgotten or are not familiar with it's history.
And a reborn Barracuda with a V6?????Hello!?!?....why is it the Mustang still commands a decent successful production run???????:confused: BECAUSE...they are realatively affordale with a V8!!!!!!!!!!You want to compete with the Mustang......then any new Charger or Barracuda MUST have a V8 available!!!!!!PREFERABLY a HEMI under the hood.
You make many good points,but your ideas need some refinement as well.
InfernoRed
Why move it under the proposed reinstatement of "Plymouth"?......Because it was originally a Plymouth nameplate concept?????No......Leave it as a Chrysler.It definently has more going for it quality/comfort wise then it's competitors..Focus,Vibe,Matrix,Aerio...the soon to be Chevy Cobalt(Cavilier hatchback replacement).
Somethings definently need redone.Introduction of the Charger again???You bet....but NOT AS A RENAMED CURRENT NAMEPLATE!!!!!Try something more along the lines of the 1997/98 concept car......THAT WAS the Charger reincarnated!!!!!!!!!And you had the audacity to suggest a 2.0L 4 cylinder for a Charger?!?!?!:biggrin2: Your friggin nuts and have forgotten or are not familiar with it's history.
And a reborn Barracuda with a V6?????Hello!?!?....why is it the Mustang still commands a decent successful production run???????:confused: BECAUSE...they are realatively affordale with a V8!!!!!!!!!!You want to compete with the Mustang......then any new Charger or Barracuda MUST have a V8 available!!!!!!PREFERABLY a HEMI under the hood.
You make many good points,but your ideas need some refinement as well.
InfernoRed
wrcushing
06-29-2003, 02:53 PM
I love your input!
Re: PT CRUISER. I agree that PT Cruiser should remain a Chrysler, but Chrysler buyers are somewhat offended that a Chrysler can be bought so cheaply. That is the reason I put it back where the idea originated and to add spice to the Plymouth line-up. As for the 2.0L vs the 2.4L there is very little difference in horsepower for either one (150 bhp and 200 bhp for the turbo). About the only reason to keep the 2.4L would be better torque??? Like you say a small V6 sure would be sweet.
Re: CHARGER. Okay I admit that it would be almost sacreligious to downgrade the nameplate like that. (My mistake). How about a entry level 3.5 V6 model and for real Dodge afficianados a 4.3L V8 from Mercedes? However there would still have to be a 2.0L or 2.4L entry model with a 2.7L V6 upgrade that could remain under the Stratus badge.
Re: BARRACUDA. Believe it or not Mustang and the dearly departed Camaro both came with V6 engines, but with a V8 upgrade available.
There was a typo in my note where I proposed a 3.5L V6 entry level and "a 4.3L V8" from Mercedes. Sorry about the confusion.
Thanks for the refinement tips...they were right on!
Are you listening Chrysler???
Re: PT CRUISER. I agree that PT Cruiser should remain a Chrysler, but Chrysler buyers are somewhat offended that a Chrysler can be bought so cheaply. That is the reason I put it back where the idea originated and to add spice to the Plymouth line-up. As for the 2.0L vs the 2.4L there is very little difference in horsepower for either one (150 bhp and 200 bhp for the turbo). About the only reason to keep the 2.4L would be better torque??? Like you say a small V6 sure would be sweet.
Re: CHARGER. Okay I admit that it would be almost sacreligious to downgrade the nameplate like that. (My mistake). How about a entry level 3.5 V6 model and for real Dodge afficianados a 4.3L V8 from Mercedes? However there would still have to be a 2.0L or 2.4L entry model with a 2.7L V6 upgrade that could remain under the Stratus badge.
Re: BARRACUDA. Believe it or not Mustang and the dearly departed Camaro both came with V6 engines, but with a V8 upgrade available.
There was a typo in my note where I proposed a 3.5L V6 entry level and "a 4.3L V8" from Mercedes. Sorry about the confusion.
Thanks for the refinement tips...they were right on!
Are you listening Chrysler???
InfernoRed
06-29-2003, 03:57 PM
Oh yes,I am quite well aware that the Mustang has pretty much as it's standard a V6...even as small as a 4 banger....my point was more simply to say that a V8 option is available in the Mustang and from todays standpoint...pretty affordable.That is one thing Ford has managed to do right over the years.
I was just saying...the name Charger and Barracuda inspires those bygone days where the 426 HEMI and 440 were legendary monsters.That any new models carrying those names MUST have a V8 available.....and with the new HEMI(although no where nearly as massive as the 426)as it gets refined should be the top option engine.
As to the 2.0 litre in a PT vs the 2.4........I would rather have the 150 Horses of the 2.4 or the "rated" 215 horses of the Turbo.......I put rated
in quotes because most independent tests are showing closer to 245 horses........ofcourse Chrysler/Doge does tend to underate thier specs.
By the way.....I like your idea of bringing back DeSoto as well.
InfernoRed :)
I was just saying...the name Charger and Barracuda inspires those bygone days where the 426 HEMI and 440 were legendary monsters.That any new models carrying those names MUST have a V8 available.....and with the new HEMI(although no where nearly as massive as the 426)as it gets refined should be the top option engine.
As to the 2.0 litre in a PT vs the 2.4........I would rather have the 150 Horses of the 2.4 or the "rated" 215 horses of the Turbo.......I put rated
in quotes because most independent tests are showing closer to 245 horses........ofcourse Chrysler/Doge does tend to underate thier specs.
By the way.....I like your idea of bringing back DeSoto as well.
InfernoRed :)
Hudson
06-30-2003, 04:20 PM
Originally posted by wrcushing
1. You killed the Plymouth nameplate. If Coca Cola decided to drop Diet Coke because of slow sales, where would their customers go? To Diet Pepsi, of course!
Removing Plymouth isn't the same as removing Diet Coke. Plymouth did amazingly well because they had nearly no advertising (in the mid 1990s, Plymouth had the lowest advertising $/vehicle sold ratio in America). If people came into a Chrysler-Plymouth dealer, it most likely wasn't because of advertising and could be easily persuaded into another product. Most C-P dealers also hold a Dodge franchise. The price differential between Dodge and Plymouth was not substantial.
2. Then you killed the Dodge RamVan before bringing the Sprinter online. Dodge Van buyers have no choice but to go to Chevy or Ford. Who needs those customers anyway, right? YOU DO!! They may not be fully profitable sales, but they generate showroom traffic and sustaining sales that you inadvertantly chopped off without properly assessing the potential damage.
How many Dodge vans do you think they were selling? It wasn't many. And buyers of Ram Vans and Wagons were not the type of traffic who would buy another product as well. Full-sized vans are fleet items...companies who need to haul stuff, for the most part. The incremental sales of cars or other trucks was not worth the falling market share of a stale van, not worth the investment to update it further, and not worth the money keeping an entire plant running.
You have completely alienated and overlooked customers who buy Asian cars. 40% of all vehicles sold in America are Asian products (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc.), largely because of perceived value. Yet there is NOTHING in your lineups to attract them to your dealerships.Chrysler has failed to recognize or address this situation in its marketing strategy and is therefore ignoring the largest market for new cars.
Not "alienated" or "overlooked." Having worked in many facets of the automotive industry, I can tell you that American buyers fall primarily into two groups, those who buy American brands and the rest. Someone buying a Civic is NOT cross-shopping Ford, GM, or Chrysler products. And it wouldn't matter if Chrysler sold the Civic itself. People who bought the Geo/Chevrolet Prizm were not typically Toyota Corolla shoppers. Toyota (Honda, Nissan, Subaru, etc) buyers rarely if ever step foot into a Big 3 dealership.
Reviving Desoto would not help at all. The Desoto name, if it is remembered at all, is for "an old man's car." It was connected that way when "Mr C" drove one in the TV Show "Happy Days." Plymouth would have been a much better, more youthful brand...and Eagle even better.
The whole "union meddling" problem would become even GREATER if you shipped cars from China. They had enough problems with NAFTA, now you want to export jobs from North America to China. Additionally, you want to take advantage of Europe's HIGHER wages in import cars from non-existent plants there to revive Plymouth? A Mustang competitor that is hindered less competitive labor costs plus trans-Atlantic shipping costs plus a 2.5% tarriff for US-market cars (and don't even think of importing a Plymouth TRUCK with its 25% tarriff).
You realize that Cadillac and Lincoln buyers aren't shopping for imports but you don't realize that import buyers wouldn't care what a Chrysler dealer had? Chrysler had an "Imperial" on the drawing boards back in the early 1990s. It was rear-wheel drive and was stunningly beautiful (in my opinion), yet the Chrysler management (wisely, in my opinion) decided that there weren't enough buyers for it. That car shared parts with the LH cars and used their plant. The economies of scale were there and they still couldn't make the project work.
As for the rear-wheel drive, V8-powered luxury sedans...have you not noticed the upcoming Chrysler 300C, Chrysler "LX", Dodge Magnum, and Dodge full-sized sedan? Rear-wheel drive, and powered by Chrysler V6s and Chrysler V8s using Mercedes-Benz transmissions and rear ends. The Chryslers are already on their way up market.
Chrysler/Dodge has always been synonmous with sporty American cars.
However "Neon" and "Stratus" fail to convey this message and as a result these models have very little recognition value with the buying public. Therefore they should be rebadged as Dodge DART (GT) and Dodge CHARGER respectively.
You want to cater to import buyers by making Chrysler products more American? What?!?!?
PACIFICA is a dog (for the long run). Its features should have been incorporated into the minivan line instead. Good money says dump the puppy (although in the short term it may do well).
Bring back the Dodge RAMVAN instead. At least it has commercial vehicle uses (RV's, etc) that Pacifica doesn't. That means more sustaining sales. I suggest however that you lengthen the nose and have a tilt forward hood for easier maintenance. That's oneupsmanship!
Problem...many buyers would never touch a minivan. Some of these people WILL buy a Pacifica. This is a good move in the long run. Incorporating the Pacifica into the minivan lineup closes that door. And the Mini-Ram/Caravan C/V sold in tiny numbers...and the Ford Econoline/Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana are vastly better vehicles than the Ram Van/Wagon. It's a tiny market and Chrysler would see very little benefit in building a direct competitor to Ford/GM.
NEW WORLDWIDE PLATFORMS should be incorporated for all Chrysler products...
It's a wonder why Chrysler hasn't thought about this. Oh, wait...they HAVE! The next generation Neon and Stratus/Sebring sedans will be built on Mitsubishi platforms allowing them to be produced alongside Mitsubishi vehicles on three continents...in addition to the Chrysler plants that will make them in North America. In order to build new plants in additional countries, Chrysler products would have to sell in much greater volumes than they do today.
I think you think it's as easy as "build it and they will come." It doesn't happen that way. Chrysler was one of the great names in American luxury motoring until World War II. From the 1940s until the early 1990s, the brand name has fallen sharply. In order to revive it, many years will be needed and many millions (if not billions) of dollars will need to be invested. After you've shot yourself in the foot, recovery means you have to crawl before you can walk...and definitely before you can run with the big boys (Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Infiniti, BMW, etc.).
Your numbers show that you don't seem to know how many vehicles Chrysler currently sells or produces. Increasing the price of a "LeBaron" over the Neon is going to sell as well as the Plymouth Neon did in its best years? Increasing the price of the Concorde is going to increase its sales by 150%? And you could sell two-and-a-half times more Crossfires than Chrysler thinks they'll sell? By changing the Neon's name you'll sell 150% more? By changing the Stratus' name, you'll triple sales? You can sell 100,000 "Polaras" AND increase Intrepid sales by more than 50%? And I'm sure you have some magic potion to increase Viper sales 1,200% as well as out-selling the Ford Econoline (the perennial leader in the full-sized van segment). And in all this planning, you expect Ram Truck sales to FALL by 25% when the less-profitable Dakota increase in sales by nearly 150%. Let's not forget one million units of Plymouths that have suddenly appeared (apparently causing Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Volkswagen to close their well-established doors in the US). And then there's Desoto forcing Honda out of business in North America.
Building 5.5 million units would put Chrysler ahead of Volkswagen and put them nearly on par with Toyota who currently stands as the world's number three vehicle maker. While you have good intentions, I guarantee you'd bankrupt all of your investors in less than five years and put thousands out of work, while retiring the Chrysler and Dodge names forever from the automotive field.
My estimate on the cost of launching all of the new products, new plants, joint-ventures, nameplates, and brand names puts the bill somewhere around $13 billion (conservatively $3 billion in new plants, conservatively $8 billion in new products, VERY conservatively $1 billion EACH in marketing to launch Plymouth and Desoto, and that just scratches the surface). That's far more money than DaimlerChrysler (including the former Daimler-Benz side) is worth. For the same money, you could BUY your way to 6.7 million units by acquiring Ford...or put up about $19 billion and you can aquire GM's 7.5 million units.
1. You killed the Plymouth nameplate. If Coca Cola decided to drop Diet Coke because of slow sales, where would their customers go? To Diet Pepsi, of course!
Removing Plymouth isn't the same as removing Diet Coke. Plymouth did amazingly well because they had nearly no advertising (in the mid 1990s, Plymouth had the lowest advertising $/vehicle sold ratio in America). If people came into a Chrysler-Plymouth dealer, it most likely wasn't because of advertising and could be easily persuaded into another product. Most C-P dealers also hold a Dodge franchise. The price differential between Dodge and Plymouth was not substantial.
2. Then you killed the Dodge RamVan before bringing the Sprinter online. Dodge Van buyers have no choice but to go to Chevy or Ford. Who needs those customers anyway, right? YOU DO!! They may not be fully profitable sales, but they generate showroom traffic and sustaining sales that you inadvertantly chopped off without properly assessing the potential damage.
How many Dodge vans do you think they were selling? It wasn't many. And buyers of Ram Vans and Wagons were not the type of traffic who would buy another product as well. Full-sized vans are fleet items...companies who need to haul stuff, for the most part. The incremental sales of cars or other trucks was not worth the falling market share of a stale van, not worth the investment to update it further, and not worth the money keeping an entire plant running.
You have completely alienated and overlooked customers who buy Asian cars. 40% of all vehicles sold in America are Asian products (Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc.), largely because of perceived value. Yet there is NOTHING in your lineups to attract them to your dealerships.Chrysler has failed to recognize or address this situation in its marketing strategy and is therefore ignoring the largest market for new cars.
Not "alienated" or "overlooked." Having worked in many facets of the automotive industry, I can tell you that American buyers fall primarily into two groups, those who buy American brands and the rest. Someone buying a Civic is NOT cross-shopping Ford, GM, or Chrysler products. And it wouldn't matter if Chrysler sold the Civic itself. People who bought the Geo/Chevrolet Prizm were not typically Toyota Corolla shoppers. Toyota (Honda, Nissan, Subaru, etc) buyers rarely if ever step foot into a Big 3 dealership.
Reviving Desoto would not help at all. The Desoto name, if it is remembered at all, is for "an old man's car." It was connected that way when "Mr C" drove one in the TV Show "Happy Days." Plymouth would have been a much better, more youthful brand...and Eagle even better.
The whole "union meddling" problem would become even GREATER if you shipped cars from China. They had enough problems with NAFTA, now you want to export jobs from North America to China. Additionally, you want to take advantage of Europe's HIGHER wages in import cars from non-existent plants there to revive Plymouth? A Mustang competitor that is hindered less competitive labor costs plus trans-Atlantic shipping costs plus a 2.5% tarriff for US-market cars (and don't even think of importing a Plymouth TRUCK with its 25% tarriff).
You realize that Cadillac and Lincoln buyers aren't shopping for imports but you don't realize that import buyers wouldn't care what a Chrysler dealer had? Chrysler had an "Imperial" on the drawing boards back in the early 1990s. It was rear-wheel drive and was stunningly beautiful (in my opinion), yet the Chrysler management (wisely, in my opinion) decided that there weren't enough buyers for it. That car shared parts with the LH cars and used their plant. The economies of scale were there and they still couldn't make the project work.
As for the rear-wheel drive, V8-powered luxury sedans...have you not noticed the upcoming Chrysler 300C, Chrysler "LX", Dodge Magnum, and Dodge full-sized sedan? Rear-wheel drive, and powered by Chrysler V6s and Chrysler V8s using Mercedes-Benz transmissions and rear ends. The Chryslers are already on their way up market.
Chrysler/Dodge has always been synonmous with sporty American cars.
However "Neon" and "Stratus" fail to convey this message and as a result these models have very little recognition value with the buying public. Therefore they should be rebadged as Dodge DART (GT) and Dodge CHARGER respectively.
You want to cater to import buyers by making Chrysler products more American? What?!?!?
PACIFICA is a dog (for the long run). Its features should have been incorporated into the minivan line instead. Good money says dump the puppy (although in the short term it may do well).
Bring back the Dodge RAMVAN instead. At least it has commercial vehicle uses (RV's, etc) that Pacifica doesn't. That means more sustaining sales. I suggest however that you lengthen the nose and have a tilt forward hood for easier maintenance. That's oneupsmanship!
Problem...many buyers would never touch a minivan. Some of these people WILL buy a Pacifica. This is a good move in the long run. Incorporating the Pacifica into the minivan lineup closes that door. And the Mini-Ram/Caravan C/V sold in tiny numbers...and the Ford Econoline/Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana are vastly better vehicles than the Ram Van/Wagon. It's a tiny market and Chrysler would see very little benefit in building a direct competitor to Ford/GM.
NEW WORLDWIDE PLATFORMS should be incorporated for all Chrysler products...
It's a wonder why Chrysler hasn't thought about this. Oh, wait...they HAVE! The next generation Neon and Stratus/Sebring sedans will be built on Mitsubishi platforms allowing them to be produced alongside Mitsubishi vehicles on three continents...in addition to the Chrysler plants that will make them in North America. In order to build new plants in additional countries, Chrysler products would have to sell in much greater volumes than they do today.
I think you think it's as easy as "build it and they will come." It doesn't happen that way. Chrysler was one of the great names in American luxury motoring until World War II. From the 1940s until the early 1990s, the brand name has fallen sharply. In order to revive it, many years will be needed and many millions (if not billions) of dollars will need to be invested. After you've shot yourself in the foot, recovery means you have to crawl before you can walk...and definitely before you can run with the big boys (Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Infiniti, BMW, etc.).
Your numbers show that you don't seem to know how many vehicles Chrysler currently sells or produces. Increasing the price of a "LeBaron" over the Neon is going to sell as well as the Plymouth Neon did in its best years? Increasing the price of the Concorde is going to increase its sales by 150%? And you could sell two-and-a-half times more Crossfires than Chrysler thinks they'll sell? By changing the Neon's name you'll sell 150% more? By changing the Stratus' name, you'll triple sales? You can sell 100,000 "Polaras" AND increase Intrepid sales by more than 50%? And I'm sure you have some magic potion to increase Viper sales 1,200% as well as out-selling the Ford Econoline (the perennial leader in the full-sized van segment). And in all this planning, you expect Ram Truck sales to FALL by 25% when the less-profitable Dakota increase in sales by nearly 150%. Let's not forget one million units of Plymouths that have suddenly appeared (apparently causing Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Volkswagen to close their well-established doors in the US). And then there's Desoto forcing Honda out of business in North America.
Building 5.5 million units would put Chrysler ahead of Volkswagen and put them nearly on par with Toyota who currently stands as the world's number three vehicle maker. While you have good intentions, I guarantee you'd bankrupt all of your investors in less than five years and put thousands out of work, while retiring the Chrysler and Dodge names forever from the automotive field.
My estimate on the cost of launching all of the new products, new plants, joint-ventures, nameplates, and brand names puts the bill somewhere around $13 billion (conservatively $3 billion in new plants, conservatively $8 billion in new products, VERY conservatively $1 billion EACH in marketing to launch Plymouth and Desoto, and that just scratches the surface). That's far more money than DaimlerChrysler (including the former Daimler-Benz side) is worth. For the same money, you could BUY your way to 6.7 million units by acquiring Ford...or put up about $19 billion and you can aquire GM's 7.5 million units.
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