I wouldn't necessiarly say strapped. GM is looking to do exactly what
Diamler did. Buy the company and spend all its cash reserves on your
own pet projects. But don't give me an econobox truck cause I won't
be buying it. I liked the Dak when is was a slightly bigger small
truck with a V8.
Quoting Gabriel Couriel <gcouriel@gmail.com>:
>
> Remember, chrsyler is strapped for cash. If they move it to
another
> platform, it should be one that will foster economic engine
choices. Just
> use what's on the shelf, and run with it!
>
> Gabriel A. Couriel
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of
Dustin
> Williams
> Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 10:50 PM
> To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
> Subject: Re: DML: Future of Dakota..
>
>
> The dakota has always been the biggest in it's class, as the rest
of
> the class grew it it's size untill it grew to just shy of the size
of
> the next class. That was in the day when advertisers talked horse
> power and torque in selling vehicles now the only number they talk
> about is mileage. If they shrunk it down to the size of the journey
as
> I heard mentioned a few months ago or the liberty as mentioned in
this
> thead and put a diesel in it and made it into a plug in series
hybrid
> in a few years it would meet everyones needs and desires: a 4x4
> capable light truck with the fuel economy of a car that is able to
> haul a sheet of plywood, an atv, or tow a boat and it would
dominate
> truck sales.
>
>
>
> On 10/22/08, Gabriel Couriel <gcouriel@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> the problem is that the mid-size truck market was a market of 1.
Now that
>> everyone is in it, Dodge should either revolutionize the market,
or move
> to
>> another one. The dak isn't the cheapest truck in the class, by
far, and
> the
>> V8 option is rarely checked, and isn't much of a motivator. Move
to
> another
>> class and start again. Put 4-bangers back in the trucks. The
M-80 was a
>> bad concept at the time, but would probably do very well now. A
small
> I-4,
>> a Turbo 4, and a diesel engine. Average fuel ratings of 22
city/30
> highway,
>> and a diesel option. Sell it for $14k, and watch them fly off
the lots.
>>
>> Hell, build it off the liberty/nitro platform, they're probably
killing
> the
>> Nitro soon, so use the extra production space and build it there
(oh, and
>> name the truck Dakota).
>>
>> Gabriel A. Couriel
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
>> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of
Kenneth M.
>> Berntsen
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 5:33 PM
>> To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
>> Subject: RE: DML: Future of Dakota..
>>
>>
>> I think if they were to just go back to the original forumla for
the
>> dak they would do great. But then it will have to be figured in
with
>> the Colorado which follows the original Dak formula better than
the
>> current truck. That assumes GM can find some one to loan them
the
>> money to buy Chryslers reserves.
>>
>> Quoting Gabriel Couriel <gcouriel@gmail.com>:
>>
>>>
>>> I've been thinking about the Dakota, and why, when I went to get
a
>> new
>>> vehicle, I didn't really consider it. The answer is, that the
>> Dakota
>>> doesn't fill a niche with any consumer. Want an HD truck? it's
>> too small.
>>> Want a sports truck? It's too heavy/big. Need an economical
>> truck? Look
>>> somewhere else. Want a good looking truck? Nope.
>>>
>>> About the only market it fits, is people who want something, not
>> quite as
>>> large as a full-sized truck, with a V8... that's not a very big
>> market,
>>> considering "V8" is a 4-letter word, right about now.
>>>
>>> The future of the marquee, as we know it, probably won't exist
>> beyond this
>>> product cycle. Obviously, dodge did something right with the
Gen
>> I/II
>>> designs, which translated into even bigger hits with the Gen III
>> design.
>>> However, when they scrapped that model (just bigger than a small
>> truck) and
>>> went for a big truck, they lost it.
>>>
>>> Gabriel A. Couriel
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
>>> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of
Andy
>> Levy
>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 2:23 PM
>>> To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
>>> Subject: Re: DML: Future of Dakota..
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 14:14, Mr. Plow
>> <adam_is_mr_plow@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I don't really understand any sort of rationale from Chrysler
>> wanting to
>>> get rid of their small truck line.
>>>> Toyota is becoming the world's largest passenger manufacturer
>> (maybe it is
>>> already??) and they had had HUGE success with their small trucks
>> world wide.
>>>
>>> I think they're swapping position w/ GM each quarter. One quarter
>> it's
>>> Toy, the next it's GM, then back.
>>>
>>>> Why get out of a vehicle segment when others are doing so well
in
>> it???
>>>> Instead, make a better product that actually appeals to more
>> people.
>>>
>>> Too expensive
>>> Too late
>>> Too long to make it happen
>>>
>>> The 2005 Dak redesign was the window of opportunity, and it has
>> closed
>>> (or is closing rapidly). I don't see how Chrysler can matchToyota
>> in
>>> the timeframe that would be needed to "save" anything.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Nov 01 2008 - 10:23:36 EDT