Steven:
About a year ago, Car & Driver had a truck style vehicle based on the
current 300M. Maybe the pieces are falling into place, here. Hmmmmm.
Thanks for the tip. I appreciate it!
Richard
On Tue, 2 May 2000 10:00:23 -0700 Stlaurent Mr Steven
<STLAURENTS@mctssa.usmc.mil> writes:
> I don't know the source, but we have a person who works for the DC
> folks
> that may have inside news. But Richard, if my source is correct, the
> Ram
> will take a more aggressive front end stance and a MAXIPAD rear-cab
> appeal.
> Along those lines the Dakota will follow suite the following year.
>
> Now Chrysler folks want a high-price truck in there line-up beside
> the PT
> Cruiser. They wanted a truck/car spin-off that will be the
> Blackwood
> fighter from Lincoln (Ferd). It makes a lot of sense seeing the
> upper scale
> division want a deluxe driven truck base vehicle for the over 50
> club. Hmm!
> May work if it is like the 300M series.
> -------------------------------------------
> Steven St.Laurent
> Test Engineer
> Test Branch, GSD, MCTSSA
> MARCORSYSCOM, USMC
> 760-725-2506 (DSN 365-2506)
> Work:mailto:stlaurents@mctssa.usmc.mil
> Home:mailto:saint1958@home.com
> <<...>> <<...>>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard A Pyburn [mailto:rap777@juno.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2000 8:11 AM
> To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> Subject: DML: Dodge to build the MAXXCAB?
>
>
> Here's a story from the buzz that says Dodge will build the Maxipad,
> I
> mean Maxxcab. Unlike previous stories, however, their not saying it
> will
> be a Dakota. Yes!
>
> Here's the
> story: Here's the
> link:
> http://www.car-truck.com/chryed/buzz/b050200.htm
> DODGE TO BUILD MAXXCAB?
>
> Warning: This column is often based on
> rumors
> and information derived from
> unsubstantiated sources. We do not
> guarantee the
> veracity of any of the information
> contained in this column. For news and
> in-depth
> features please visit the News,
> Features or Reviews sections of this site.
> The
> opinions expressed in this column are
> those of the Buzz Watcher, and do not
> represent
> those of Car & Truck News or our
> advertisers. Read on at your own risk.
>
>
> Ward's Automotive is reporting that DC
> plans to
> build a
> production version of the Dodge MAXXCab
> concept.
> According to the report, Canadian suppliers
> have
> told
> Ward's that the hybrid van/truck will be
> built
> at DC's
> Pillette Road Truck plant.
>
> It sounds plausible. The MAXXCab looks more
> like
> a van
> then a pick-up, perhaps Dodge plans to
> build it
> as both a
> van/truck hybrid and a full-size van? It's
> a
> move that seems
> to make good economical sense.
>
> Pillette currently builds about 75,000 Ram
> Vans
> and
> Wagons annually (note: the "van" is the
> windowless cargo
> version, the wagon is the windowed,
> passenger
> version). For
> the past year I've been reporting on buzz
> that
> DC would add
> a second product to the under utilized
> Canadian
> plant.
>
> Late last year DC announced that they would
> add
> a state of
> the art paint shop to the plant ensuring
> the
> plants future
> and guarantying that a second product will
> be
> added to the
> mix. The buzz has been that Pillette's will
> build a van
> (possibly an US version of the Mercedes
> Sprinter
> ) and a full
> sized SUV.
>
> Back in late December Buzz Watch broke the
> story
> that the
> full size Jeep SUV codenamed SJ had been
> canceled. In the
> same report I broke the story that DC was
> developing a full
> sized Dodge SUV (codenamed TR74) instead.
> According to
> the Ward's report, they have completely
> "shelved" both the
> big SUVs?
>
> I checked with my original source and he
> reports
> that TR74
> is still in the works. Perhaps this full
> sized
> Dodge SUV is
> going to be something completely different.
> According to a
> high-ranking source at Dodge, the Chrysler
> Group
> has "no
> intention of walking away from the
> full-sized
> van market."
> This leads me to believe that an all-new
> Van/Wagon is in the
> works, despite previous reports to the
> contrary.
>
>
>
>
> Could the MAXXCab, or more accurately the
> MAXX
> platform be Dodge's answer for several
> different
> vehicle
> niches? The notion makes fiscal sense.
> Imagine
> three
> different MAXX configurations. MAXXCab, a
> van/truck
> hybrid basically identical to the vehicle
> they
> unveiled in
> Detroit. MAXXVan/MAXXWagon, the
> replacements for
> the
> current Ram Van/Wagon. MAXXSuv, essentially
> a
> MAXXWagon but with all-wheel-drive and more
> SUV-like
> amenities.
>
> In order for the plant to be profitable DC
> need's to build
> over 120,000 units there annually, they
> currently only sell
> around 75,000 Ram Van/Wagons. The Buzz is
> that
> when the
> plant upgrades are complete Pillette will
> be
> able to produce
> 140,000 units per year. Obviously it's
> going to
> take more
> then a new van to use up that capacity.
>
> So will that capacity be filled by the
> MAXXCab
> and possibly
> the MAXXSuv? It seems like a likely
> scenario.
> However just
> because manufacturers are bidding to supply
> parts for this
> vehicle doesn't necessarily mean that it
> will be
> built, after
> all, they were doing the same thing in
> preparation for the
> full-size Jeep SUV.
>
> That said, this does seem like a logical
> direction for DC to
> pursue. The ability to build multiple niche
> vehicles based on
> the same platform would allow DC to easily
> tailor the
> plant's production in response to shifting
> market trends.
>
> If that's the direction they are headed,
> Pillette could be
> transformed from one of DC least high tech
> facilities into
> the blueprint for the assembly plant of the
> future. I'll keep
> you posted.
>
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