I just found that the Neon's replacement will definitely be offered on one single mod platform, based off the Mitsubishi Lancer... called the Caliber, as we already heard. It will be offered in a 5-door version, but will not be called a hatchback or a wagon. It will be built in Illinois. No sedan. No coupe. No convertible. No bus lol. And Daimler-Chrysler already announced that they don't intend to answer the rhyme or reason behind it or any questions about it. Just, POOF! Here's the new car!

So that leaves Chrysler with no compact 2-door or 4-door car in their domestic line-up, period... except the PT-Cruiser, which sucks the "sport" right out of "sport-compact." The Stratus is getting replaced by the Avenger in '07... and those are not considered compacts. What is going on here? Where is our peppy little attractive gas-savin' pocket-rocket car? Is Chrysler really willing to leave the domestic 2-door, 3-door, and 4-door sport-compact market to Ford (smog motors) and GM (bankrupt motors)?

Does anyone else see a marketing flaw here or is it just me? I know one thing... when I head out for work tomorrow and walk up to my Neon, I'll appreciate looking at it a little more.

when I head out for work tomorrow and walk up to my Neon, I'll appreciate looking at it a little more.Amen!

Amen!

To follow that, I just read an Associate Press article in my local newspaper today that quoted that sales sub-compact gas-getters nearly doubled last month compared to the same time last year... primarily, because of gas prices. The stats consisted of people who owned trucks and SUV's who decided to trade their gas-guzzlers in for an attractive mpg-gettin go-to-work zipper.

Like I said in a different post, I work for a factory in Dundee, MI, and Chrysler is our main customer. We supply them with millions of ignition coils a year. A couple years ago, we quit sending them our "rail coil," because they weren't going to make the straight-six 4.0 that they put in the Jeeps... because it was outdated and they had a hard time getting a supplier for it. Well, three months after that happened, BOOM, we got a new contract with them and we started sending them 20,000 rails a month again... because they figured out that the old motor was profitable and there was a demand for it. I wonder if they'll change their mind on the Neon at the last minute too...