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The new Dodge Challenger is hitting showrooms. The 2009 Dodge Ram launch is scheduled for fall. But it's the sounds of silence after that when it comes to product. What's going on? One influential industry study, the Merrill Lynch "Car Wars" report (yes, that's it's real name), states Chrysler's lack of new product may be a deliberate effort on the part of owners Cerberus Capital Management to thin the herd in advance of a breakup and subsequent sale. In an excerpt that again proves financial analysts are paid by character count , the report says, "Chrysler's product pipeline severely lags the industry on a number of key metrics, which is an ominous sign for its market share. We believe that this is an active decision by new owners to rationalize the product portfolio in advance of a breakup/sale." Cerberus, of course, is denying any such plans, stating that, "We have a model that is buy, fix and hold." Uh-huh. Didn't Gordon Gecko...
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Former chairman Lee Iacocca gave a closed pep rally to Chrysler employees yesterday in Auburn Hills, once again sharing the stage with a K-car , a minivan ...and rumors of Chrysler's imminent bankruptcy. While current CEO Bob Nardelli was praising Iacocca as "Chrysler's most dynamic leader" and "a great American," Chrysler spokesman David Elshoff was telling reporters that rumblings about a forthcoming bankruptcy filing by the automaker were "without merit." Presumably addressing the present state of the industry, Iacocca said, "We'll live through it. Don't panic. Things are going to be OK." To fix the current management problems, Iacocca suggested outfitting Nardelli with wire wheel covers and a vinyl landau roof, then sending him back into the boardroom and hoping everyone would think he was a totally new CEO. The bankruptcy rumors seem to have sprung from reports this week that Chrysler drew down on a line of credit from Daimler...
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The good folks over at PickupTruck.com picked up on this interesting press release from Chrysler. It looks as though Chrysler LLC will be building on its relationship with Nissan Motors by building a full-sized trucks for the Japanese-European automaker. Dodge, as you all know, just came out with the new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 . Nissan's largest truck is the half ton Titan, which is seriously aging. Should we therefore assume that the truck is going to be a half ton replacement for the Titan? Possibly, but according to PickupTruck.com the Salitllo plant, which is slated for this future production, currently makes the three-quarter and one-ton Dodge Rams. Is Nissan moving up? Details are scarce, but it looks as though Cerberus has found a way to build more cars without having to worry about selling them. Press release below the jump. (UPDATE#1, it looks as though the truck will be a full size light duty replacement for the Nissan Titan) . Chrysler Will Make Full Size Truck for Nissan AUBURN...
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It's no news that the 300's been a hit for Chrysler -- and we here at the Jalop obviously are fans of the Dodge Charger SRT8 , and the new Dodge Challenger 's certainly got itself a purdy mouth. But there's potentially going to be some fuel economy issues inherent with a RWD, Hemi-powered platform given the current desire by Washington to focus toward beating up automakers and away from a more common-sensical Euro approach to increasing fuel economy. So what's the three-headed dog-owned car company going to do? According to the website for the lovers, the dreamers and me the answer is -- not a whole lot. The Car Connection is reporting: "Chrysler's plans for its large 300/Charger sedans include a major makeover for the 2011 model year. But while Chrysler's new managers have been dropping hints about the future of the HEMI engine, there's not much they can do about the rear-drive layout of the big sedans." Although we can barely contain our glee...
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It's no news that the 300's been a hit for Chrysler -- and we here at the Jalop obviously are fans of the Dodge Charger SRT8 , and the new Dodge Challenger 's certainly got itself a purdy mouth. But there's potentially going to be some fuel economy issues inherent with a RWD, Hemi-powered platform given the current desire by Washington to focus toward beating up automakers and away from a more common-sensical Euro approach to increasing fuel economy. So what's the three-headed dog-owned car company going to do? According to the website for the lovers, the dreamers and me the answer is -- not a whole lot. The Car Connection is reporting: "Chrysler's plans for its large 300/Charger sedans include a major makeover for the 2011 model year. But while Chrysler's new managers have been dropping hints about the future of the HEMI engine, there's not much they can do about the rear-drive layout of the big sedans." Although we can barely contain our glee...
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Who would win in a fight between a 3-headed hell hound and a snake? In a case important to a great number of high-horsepower-lovin' enthusiasts, it appears it's going to be Satan's canine. In all the hoopla over the past few weeks about Dodge's new entry to the Muscle Car Wars , the media stories popping up hinting Chrysler may be thinking about discontinuing the Dodge Viper have gone relatively ignored by the majority of the product press. Unfortunately for those with a love of the serpentine-named supercar, we've learned through several of our sources that the decision to kill off the next generation of the Dodge Viper has already been made. The next generation Viper roadster, referred to internally as ZC-D27 -- and ZC-D29 in the case of the coupe -- are no longer part of Chrysler LLC's future plans. They've been shuttled to the side -- we're assuming as part of "Project Genesis," the new game plan "intended to align the needs and wants of...
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So the three-headed dog that runs "The New Chrysler" showed off their new muscle car to their wide world of dealers and a select group of media in Vegas last week. But it wasn't the concept car 2008 Dodge Challenger we've been seeing since it's first reveal at last year's Detroit Auto Show. Instead, they showed off what we're hearing is the production version of the new '08 Dodge Challenger via some secret camera phone shots from either a media person or dealer in attendance at the event. Luckily, as we didn't go, it obviously couldn't have been us who snapped these shots -- but fear not, we've got the utmost expectation we'll be getting a call from Chrysler PR blaming us for it. We'll just have to wait for the Chicago Auto Show to see it in person. Full spy report after the jump. galleryPost('2008DodgeChallengerVegas', 4, '2008 Dodge Challenger Caught In Vegas'); "-Comes out in March as 08 model -5500 to be built, all SRT8's with AUTOMATICS for 38K -July 08 production begins for the 09...
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