There goes Dodge!!!!!

Wm Steed · November 21, 2009, 01:43:27 PM

The list of failed business'/enterprises is endless, e.g. the unsinkable Titanic, the airship Hindenburg, Amelia Erharts round the world flight, the Tucker, etc. to name just a few, all of which were heavily backed by their respective governments. Even communism, which promised a free lunch to everyone has failed because low productivity and poor quality was the standard to which people where expected to achieve.

In the late 1980's, early '90's I was asked to go on several trade missions to Eastern Europe, the purpose being that their communistic system had failed and they were trying to figure out how they could enter into the Western Market. The products that were made in the "Eastern Block" had always been sold/consumed within the Eastern Block. The quality was so poor, there was no way that the products could compete in the western market. When we talked to the plant workers on a one to one basis, a common term was used...."they pretend to pay us, so we pretend to work"

The failure of the U.S auto industry is just like the sinking of the Titanic..... full steam ahead, inspite of the fact that you are sailing in a flawed ship in iceberg laden waters....Bill

Cliff54 · November 20, 2009, 03:29:19 AM

I could write a Thesis on this as a business model but, I will just share some thoughts!

I have never been a fan of badge engineering (re-badging one car as another) Detroit has been doing this for years! I hear men all the time talking about the old days when you could tell the cars apart on sight! Well I started doing some research and from pre war to today this system has worked with mixed results. For example! The 1949 Buick and the 1950 Oldsmobile look a lot alike, change the grill and its basically the same car, as do the Mercury and Ford pickups of the 1950's and 60's etc. etc. etc.
I own a 1954 Plymouth which is the same as a 54 Dodge and I own a 1977 Volare ..same as a 1977 Aspen! WHY was there ever a need for both marques? The companies could have created only a few cars and trucks (names and trim levels) keeping the ability to move quickly with supply and demand. This small tight product line could have kept Chrysler, GM etc. alive (without the need of any government bailout later down the road) If only Chrysler would have done this..............

The entry level car (with several trim levels) would be the Chrysler "PLYMOUTH" ... the mid level car (with several trim levels) would have been called the Chrysler "DODGE" ... and the high end car would be the Chrysler "IMPERIAL" (with several trim levels) ... the Truck division would be called the FARGO! (several load and trim levels) and thats it!!!!!! Guys that is only 3 cars NOT BRANDS ..... This would have made Chrysler lean and mean..... and still owned, BY CHRYSLER

So as for Pontiac, Plymouth, Oldsmobile, Saturn, etc. I say...... WE will miss them (and still collect them) but maybe they should never have been made marques! I hope only the best for the men and women who have made and continue to make what I believe are the best cars and trucks in our country! I also believe that the U.S. auto industry needs to wake up, look around, and think of PACKARD, STUDEBAKER, AMC, KAISER, HUDSON, and how this could happen again!

Cliff54

Chrycoman · November 05, 2009, 08:29:56 PM

Chrysler-Fiat had their major announcement yesterday about the future of Chrysler, Dodge & Jeep.

As per usual with the auto reporters (dream workers would be a better name) they were way off base.? And that is the problem with believing hearsay and nonsense.? ?The truth has no similarity with the "reports" these characters spew out.

In case you have not heard, all three Mopar makes have survived.? There will be changes with more product in the smaller sizes.? Dodge will be getting a new car in the size range of the departed Neon.? Which is exactly what Dodge needs.

The only major name change will be the trucks - the "Dodge" part is being dropped and they will be known as just Ram.? ?

PT Cruiser will be gone next year while the Caliber will basically be replaced by the new small car.? ?As for Avenger, Sebring, Caravan and Journey, the present models will be gone and replaced with new models within the next two years, but the names will live on.? ?Dodge and Chrysler will move farther apart with Dodge expanding down into smaller vehicles and Chrysler hanging onto the larger cars.

In other words, there is a future for Chrysler.? There will be new products and they will be expanding the number of cars offered but will be eliminating some vehicles that are not selling enough to make a profit on.

All in all, it was a great day.

Bill
Vancouver, BC

Wm Steed · November 03, 2009, 01:20:22 PM

It is all to common now a-days to lament about the good ole days and how everything is all screwed up with our favorite brands of many products, not just automobiles, fading from the market place.?
Chrysler like many other manufactures, e.g. Hudson, Packard, Studebaker, Saturn, Oldsmobile, etc. made great cars, however most of them failed because of poor management.. Even the almighty GM/Chevrolet has taken it in the shorts, because they thought they were bigger than life its self.... Remember the statement by GM, "that what is good for GM is good for the country".
I learned a long time ago that "change" is the only thing that is certain... If people and their business's they work for, don't stay up to date, the world pass's them by.
I have a cartoon hanging on the wall in my office showing a King standing in front of his troops, all of which are armed with swords and spears. Standing next to the armed troops is a man standing next to a machine gun... The bottom caption states.. " I ain't got time to talk to no darn salesman.... I have a war to fight !!!"
I have kept that cartoon on my wall since the recession of the early '90's as a reminder to stay ahead of my competition...Bill? ?

plym_46 · November 03, 2009, 12:55:37 PM

Whatsamatter, you didn't run out and buy a Magnum, or a Pacifica. Aparently not a lot of others did either.

Rumored to be Gone

PT Snoozer
Avenger/Sebring
Caravan
Caliber (some body backed a Dakota into an Aztek at speed then shrunk the thing)
Journey??

So the Charger (likely saed by fleet sales), the 300, the Town and Country,Challenger (saved by Nascar) the Dakota and Ram Trucks. Small Cars will be Fiat platforms, and Thee might be a rebaged Alfa Romeo placed as a luxury sedan above the 300.

Did the deal to build Titan trucks for Nissan survive the mellee????

Captain Neon · November 02, 2009, 08:28:31 PM

That's a typical business solution that has been going on for decades. Hardly an indicator that the Dodge brand will be scrapped, but I'm sure that you already knew that. Who makes station wagons any more? However, mini vans are all that and a bag of chips nowadays.

Chrycoman · October 29, 2009, 04:11:43 AM

What I have been reading is SOME Dodge models will be dropped - the ones not selling, needless to say. Same with Chrysler and Jeep, the models not selling enough to make money will go. A quick and easy way to cut expenses, really.

Apparently the Charger will remain while the Caliber will be replaced by a car based on a Fiat platform.

As for the Dodge Truck, there have been rumours the "Dodge" part will be dropped and they will be called Ram Trucks. As I say rumours. Take them for what they are worth - which isn't much, quite frankly.

Bill
Vancouver, BC

Captain Neon · October 28, 2009, 10:18:59 PM

Quote from: Plymouths on October 28, 2009, 11:07:26 AM
FIAT has announced that they will be discontinuing Dodge cars and trucks in the near future. So with our beloved Plymouth gone there will only be the Chrysler and JEEP names left. Who would have thought we would live to see Plymouth,Dodge, Pontiac,Oldsmobile and AMC gone in just a few years.? ?

You don't happen to have a link to substantiate your story, do you??

All I could find was an article dated October 7th stating that they were phasing out the Dodge brand in Europe due to its lack of popularirty since its European introduction three years ago.
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/dodge-brand-phased-out-in-europe-11747.html

plym_46 · October 28, 2009, 12:20:38 PM

Several years ago, there was an artcle in a couple automotive publications regarding a realignment at Chysler and the vehicle lines. This was while Chrysler was still Chrysler and not Daimeler, Cerbeus and or Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino. The proposal would put all passenger vehicles under the Chrysler nameplate, and all Trucks, and SUV's would Dodge branded. But this was several years ago and the FIAT guy is noted for has tossing stuff against the wall to see what sticks.

And as they say,"It will be what it will be." Looking at the Dodge line today, I can't see what will be missed much, with the possible exception of the Rams' How about those Avernger R/T's with them Hyundai engines.

RC Drown · October 28, 2009, 11:28:50 AM

If that is the case, then it seems like Fiat is making a big mistake discontinueing the Dodge brands. I can't speak for other areas of the USA, but here in my area, Dodge pickups are very popular

FourDoor · October 28, 2009, 11:07:26 AM

FIAT has announced that they will be discontinuing Dodge cars and trucks in the near future. So with our beloved Plymouth gone there will only be the Chrysler and JEEP names left. Who would have thought we would live to see Plymouth,Dodge, Pontiac,Oldsmobile and AMC gone in just a few years.? ?