Why have dodges cars and trucks gotten so damn ugly in the last 4 years?! I
always looked at dodge as a company that made vehicles that had lots of visual
appeal.
The first "big-rig" generation ram
The gen-3 Dak
The 2-door 2004'ish chrysler sebring
the minivans
The intrepid (ok, i liked this one, it was personal)
The Dak is a glaring example of why the company is failing. Take a formula that
was succeeding, and throw it right out the window. Instead, try the
tried-and-failed method of *comformity*. The current Dak is (in my opinion) one
of the UGLIEST looking vehicles on the road, and the 2008 model isnt doing much
better. Then they take another half-assed shot at improving its image by upping
the 4.7's power to where it should have been YEARS ago. (btw, i cant wait to
see the sticker price on a dak equipped with that new "H.O." engine) The truck
is TOO DAMN HEAVY. Wheres the hemi-powered dak at?!
And to top it all off, Toyota just slapped the big three upside the face with
the new tundra. The tundras new 5.7 is putting out 381hp/400lbs-ft, and is
probably out-towing, out performing, and most likely out-economizing all three.
Time, of course, will tell how it all plays out.
In article <003901c7771c$b3dd1a70$6601a8c0@Mopar>, kerib@ptd.net ("Tom Byrne")
writes:
>
>
> You heard wrong. If Cerberus or the Blackstone/Centerbridge group buys
> Chrysler a break up could be possible. The more likely plan is for one of
> the potential buyers to tell the UAW to take a hike, build trucks in North
> America and build small cars overseas where they can be built profitably.
> This puts Magna in the best spot as it builds cars for Chrysler in Austria
> and it has production facilities in Canada where the CAW is a bit more
> cooperative than the UAW. The next plan would be to steal a page from
> Toyota's book and build vehicles in non-union plants in the Southern U.S.
> where they can be built profitably. The Dak would likely be history. There
> would be a Ram, maybe a small truck and crossover SUVs. Marketing would be
> improved. I mean, why doesn't DCX mention that the 2wd Magnum (any engine)
> gets essentially the same mileage as the V6 Camry.
>
> The Caliber sells well, but thee isn't much profit in small cars The
> Avenger is a job not finished, but has potential. The drag comes from trucks
> and poor marketing of the Magnum. Charger and 300 since fuel prices began to
> rise in 2005. Jeep is the crown jewel here. It has tremendous brand
> recognition and loyalty. Look for the new owner to kill the Compass.
>
> Remember, Chrysler was making money building cars up until that time.
> The last time GM's and Ford made money form auto operations was 2001. They
> did make money through 2004, but that is because their financing units (GMAC
> and FMCR) made more than auto ops lost.
>
> I have to be careful what I say because I am not a casual outside
> observer (professional life), but I want to clear some things up here.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gabriel A. Couriel" <gcouriel@bellsouth.net>
> To: <dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 4:25 PM
> Subject: RE: DML: Daimler confims talks to dump Chrysler
>
>
> >
> > news i heard today on the radio was that DCX was considering selling parts
> > piece-meal, if they can't get an all-or-nothing bid. also, DCX will
> > select
> > a potential suitor by end of the month, and then hold negotiations with
> > just
> > that buyer.
> >
> > Gabriel A. Couriel
> >
> > 2006 DML Fantasy Football Champion
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
> > [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net]On Behalf Of Bernd D.
> > Ratsch
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 3:35 PM
> > To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
> > Subject: RE: DML: Daimler confims talks to dump Chrysler
> >
> >
> >
> > It's a coincidence...however, the District Rep here confirmed the
> > story...we
> > just don't know who's going to be in on it yet. GM did try to buy out the
> > Jeep line...but DC told them either all or none.
> >
> > - Bernd
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Gabriel A. Couriel [mailto:gcouriel@bellsouth.net]
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 1:55 PM
> > To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
> > Subject: RE: DML: Daimler confims talks to dump Chrysler
> >
> >
> >
> > ummm... yeah, it is. one of the local dodge dealerships over here bought
> > their neighbor (Mazda/Jeep/Chrysler). they closed the Mazda side down in
> > about a month and a half.
> >
> > Gabriel A. Couriel
> >
> > 2006 DML Fantasy Football Champion
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
> > [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net]On Behalf Of WiLieR[SS]
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 2:51 PM
> > To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
> > Subject: Re: DML: Daimler confims talks to dump Chrysler
> >
> >
> >
> > Let's thicken it even more. A local dodge dealership just closed
> > overnight with no announcements and now all their inventory, both new
> > and used is sitting in the toyota dealer lot. Coincidence? Hmmmmmmm
> >
> > WiLieR
> >
> > - Original message -
> > http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17944679/ <snip> BERLIN - DaimlerChrysler
> > AG is confident a turnaround program at its Chrysler unit will return
> > the beleaguered American brand to profitability, but Chairman Dieter
> > Zetsche said Wednesday the automaker is in talks with unidentified
> > potential buyers.
> > <snip> The plot thickens....
> >
> > On 4/4/07, msnbcnnbcbs@hotmail.com <msnbcnnbcbs@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17944679/
> >>
> >> <snip>
> >> BERLIN - DaimlerChrysler AG is confident a turnaround program at its
> >> Chrysler
> >> unit will return the beleaguered American brand to profitability, but
> >> Chairman
> >> Dieter Zetsche said Wednesday the automaker is in talks with unidentified
> >> potential buyers.
> >>
> >> "As announced on Feb. 14, we are open to all options for future
> >> collaboration
> >> with Chrysler," he told some 9,000 shareholders crammed inside Berlin's
> >> exhibition center. "The statement is still true today."
> >>
> >> He said that the talks have been with "potential partners who have shown
> >> a
> >> clear interest" and "so far, I am satisfied with the process. Everything
> > is
> >> going according to plan."
> >> Story continues below ↓advertisement
> >>
> >> He would not elaborate on who was involved in the talks.
> >>
> >> Zetsche stunned the automotive world on Feb. 14 when he said that
> > continued
> >> losses and fierce competition in the United States meant that the
> >> German-American automaker was considering all options for its Chrysler
> > unit,
> >> and did not rule out a possible sale, saying only that all options were
> >> being
> >> considered.
> >> <snip>
> >>
> >> The plot thickens....
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon May 07 2007 - 19:04:35 EDT