Posted on Wednesday 16 April 2008
Chrysler has announced it will undertake major changes to its product lineup in order to compete on the world stage. The strategy outlined by its executive VP for product development, Frank Klegon, reveals a car company struggling to adapt to a changing world market but with potential to change its past performance.
Priority on the list of changes has been given to developing a new midsize platform for the all important D-segment. Chrysler’s current offering, the Sebring, has been slammed by both critics and the public alike, with terrible reviews and poor sales. While there is talk of Chrysler possibly teaming up with Chinese company Chery to build a midsize vehicle, the current Sebring still has some years to serve out in the Chrysler stable. It will however receive a major facelift for its mid-cycle update.
The plan for a new midsize model is to build it on a “global platform that [can] serve a global market and maybe be manufactured in different places as well”, Klegon explained to the Detroit Free Press. The D-segment is one of the biggest vehicle markets worldwide and there is the potential for a string of variants including sedans, hatchbacks and crossovers all based on the new platform.
Chrysler is looking at selling the new car in established markets as well as new ones including China, India and Russia.
Chrysler’s other major strategy is to focus on small cars. The carmaker recently announced a deal with Nissan to source a redesigned version of the Versa hatch and there is also the long running partnership with China’s Chery Auto for the development of another small car. Additionally, Chrysler will be building a pickup for Nissan, minivans for Volkswagen and is reportedly in talks with Fiat to build Alfa’s in the U.S.
Chrysler is also keen to reduce the number of SUV models in its lineup. Counting all its subsidiaries (Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler), the carmaker sells a total of 11 SUVs - a number which needed to be halved according to Chrysler president Jim Press. Pctured above is the new Dodge Journey, a midsized crossover designed for global markets.
I must say that the new management at chrysler really is doing everything they can to keep the ship afloat. their products are weak, and just arent selling. so you contract your facilities out to other brands. I’ve seen a couple of the new VW vans cruising around windsor (where they’re going to be made), so the rest of this doesnt come as a surprise to me. I hope chrysler puts a big skin job on the versa, cause that car is ugly as sin. it would be a step down for chrysler.
as far as the journey is concerned, that thing looks boring as hell, and even the name, is uninspired. it looks like a caravan was impregnated by a calibre and then the durango and the cherokee got in there a little too. that being said, Its actually not all that bad. I think I like it. of course the edge and mkx are a million times nicer, but still.
the look of the car above isnt that bad, infact its on par with other options in the class…the problem is the drivetrain….the gearboxes are usually slushy and the engines are gaz guzzling underpowered lumps….that is where the R& D money shoud be going to. The exteriors can be rendered by any sort of design studio.