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The headlines says it all. Stay tuned to our 2002 models page or just visit our main page at www.allpar.com.
According to Automotive News, DCX has refused to let Mitsubishi share the soon-to-be-redesigned Dodge Dakota. Mitsubishi may, instead, built a new compact pickup in the US. No word on whether Dodge would participate or get a version of it - a relatively high-mileage pickup would fill out the Dodge truck lineup, the only line of pickups not to have a compact model.
Honda is recalling 120,649 Civics, while Ford is recalling 1997-98 Windstar minivans.
Nissan and Suzuki also announced recalls on models not sold in the US, with Nissan bringing back 81,258 cars and Suzuki recalling 142,240 vehicles.
GM and Fiat appear to be close to wrapping up their bid for Daewoo, but they reportedly are not agreeing to include the company's largest and oldest plant in the deal - which may make it unacceptable to South Korea's government.
As we reported earlier, Chrysler is dropping prices on its vehicles across the board, while simultaneously reducing incentives. The goal is presumably to achieve a more fair comparison on car reviews, (since value is based on list price), while avoiding the kind of fire-sale ads that truly devalue the brand by leading to thoughts like: "if those cars were any good, they wouldn't need to offer me $2,000 to buy one!"
Recent research and media blitzes point to the need to check your tire pressure periodically. You should know what it needs to be, and also how accurate your pressure gauge is. Many gauges are inaccurate - even digital ones - so try buying two or three inexpensive pencil gauges and seeing how the readings compare. Remember, properly inflated tires don't just save lives, they also save gasoline, cut down on tire wear, and improve handling.
Discussion of Daimler-Benz's treatment of Chrysler seems to have started bouncing up from its low point. While the next generation of midsized cars will be based on the Mitsubishi Galant, Chrysler engineers have reportedly been given the lead on engineering. (No final word on whether that means you'll still see Chrysler engines in the next generation). Some are saying that the Neon will be more than a rebadged Mirage/Lancer, as well - that Chrysler will be able to get their hands on it in a meaningful way. While Chrysler is still not very specific, the situation seems to be less gloomy than earlier.
Taken from Chrysler's press releases:
2002 Chrysler Voyager eC and Dodge Caravan eC
Starting at $16,995 (which includes destination charges), the Chrysler Voyager eC and Dodge Caravan eC will be the most affordable minivans in the market. They will be the strippers with 150 hp four cylinder engines and two rows of seats for five passengers. Options include the third row (for seven passenger seating), rear defroster, adjustable pedals, power locks, and side airbags.
2002 eL minivans (extended wheelbase)
Targeting the Honda Odyssey LX, these will include the old reliable (yet peppy) 3.3 engine, quad seats, split roller seats, and first and second row storage trays. Optional equipment includes a roof rack, right power sliding door, side airbags and adjustable pedals. The Chrysler's list price is $360 less than the comparable Odyssey, or $24,330, while the Dodge's list is $515 less than the Odyssey ($24,175), presumably on the assumption that the Chrysler name still has positive connotations of some sort.
eX models (long wheelbase)
The eX models, which oddly enough target the Odyssey EX but with InterCaps to differentiate the names, go after buyers who like lots of options. They feature the power liftgate, power center console, split roller seats, three zone temperature control, four-wheel disc brakes, traction control, a 215 horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine with superior torque, passenger side power door, second row bucket seats, and 16- inch tires and aluminum wheels. List price on the Chrysler is $26,830 - beating Honda by only $360 - while the Dodge goes for $26,725, beating the Honda by $465.
/rant mode on/ Will these price advantages be enough to lure people away from Honda dealerships? We think Chrysler is underestimating the draw of Honda's "quality driven" reputation, which entices people to buy otherwise overpriced Accords and Civics. /rant mode off/
Chrysler has finally woken up and realized that it needs to do something other than offer rebates to fight the Odyssey. The result is two new minivan options packages (billed as four new models, though they really are not) - the Voyager/Caravan eC, and the Town & Country/Grand Caravan eL. Despite the InterCap names, the models have a formula similar to the EX - namely, instead of having a high prices that is discounted through rebates, they will have a lower price to start, and no rebates.
The eL comes with air conditioning, captain's chairs, split rollout seats, storage trays under both first and second row seats, power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, trip computer, three-zone automatic climate control, antilock brakes, and heated/dimming exterior mirrors - at a stunning $24,175. That's an amazing amount of equipment even on a car. Chrysler's base minivans can be purchased for under $15,000 with a four-cylinder (150 hp), making them considerably cheaper than the new Kia Sedona, as well as optioned-out economy cars like the Toyota Corolla LE and Honda Civic EX.
Chrysler is reportedly set to introduce four new minivan models later today, and to announce what we already knew was coming - a 3.5 liter van with the highest horsepower of any minivan. (We suspect the 3.8 will be phased out - one more engine to knock out of Schrempp's "too many engines" chart.)
We don't know if these new models will simply be stripes-and-seats packages or really different in some meaningful way, e.g. all wheel drive.
Chrysler is changing around its product teams, ostensibly to allow new niche vehicles a better chance. The plan also aims to cut development time to 18 months while cutting costs and increasing quality - though exactly how they will do this has not been explained. (Reduced development time on some vehicles will be easy to reach, since they will be remodelling Mitsubishis rather than actually creating new cars.)
A small vehicle team replaces the small car platform team, though the vehicles it handles seem to be the same (Neon, PT Cruiser, Sebring Coupe). A family vehicle team will include minivans and derivatives. An activity vehicle team includes Jeep. A truck team encompasses all body on frame vehicles - pickups and truck-based SUVs, in other words. The car platform is renamed the premium product team and given the responsibility for creating an LX-based crossover.
Chrysler will still need to use Mitsubishi and Mercedes platforms. Mitsubishi will design small cars, which Chrysler will restyle for Dodge. However, Chrysler will "lead" the design of midsize cars - perversely, using the Mitsubishi Galant platform. It should be interesting to see how the engineers take ownership of someone else's designs.
DCX claims the result will be clearly different cars that have the same underlying architecture, saving lots of cash by cutting Chrysler's platforms from 14 to 9. Yes, that's right, they're cutting Chrysler's platforms back by a third.
Under the terms of the buyout, a number of remaining Chrysler executives may leave the company to collecting huge bonuses. Included in this group are Chrysler's sole remaining members on the board (also the only Americans, despite Freightliner and Detroit Diesel). DCX may offer them contract extensions, but no word has reached the media yet.
The latest enhancement to child safety is the LATCH system, which uses anchors in the seat to firmly attach infant and child seats. Far safer than the usual seat belt attachments (even with tether straps), the LATCH system is in our opinion long overdue. It is mandated for cars produced after September 2002, but many current models already have the system installed. Unfortunately, our research turned up only two car seats that take advantage of the system - one by Fisher-Price, the other by Cosco.
Early rumors say the 300M Special Edition will not produce 300 horsepower, as rumored, but will instead produce about five extra horsepower, with an acceleration-biased gearset that can push 0-60 times below 7 seconds.
German aftermarketer StarTech has been upgrading Chrysler cars, boosting the PT Cruiser engine by about 16 hp, selling wood-grain dash inserts for the Grand Cherokee, installing lowering kits, and making other minor modifications. StarTech vehicles or parts will reportedly be offered within the United States, in the same way they can now be installed by German Chrysler dealers.
Don't try looking for startech.com - it's an electronic parts site - try startech.de. The site is in German with a few moderately poor English translations.
To avoid confusion, we do not believe that StarTech is related in any way to the forthcoming performance team being set up within Chrysler.
Panoz may have entered into a deal to modify DCX cars - that is, Smart cars. Don Panoz will buy engineless Smarts, put electric motors in, and start a Eurostyle car-sharing program, with short-term rentals of cars in busy, convenient locations such as subways and shopping malls. If approved by DCX, the program would start in Atlanta, and move on from there, using up to 15,000 Smarts. The Wall Street Journal has details.
Chrysler will be changing the makeup of their platform teams as they try to reach a stated goal of downsizing from 14 platforms to 9. For reference, and thanks to Dan Minick, the current platforms are:
Meanwhile, the Mitsubishi line is very crowded...we wonder what kind of trimming will be applied there, considering that DCX only owns about a third of Mitsubishi.
While there is no money to build a third-generation Neon or Stratus/Sebring sedan, DCX has found enough cash to restart the Maybach brand, making it the Mercedes equivalent of Imperial. The luxury marque will return in Fall 2002 with custom-made, bi-turbo V-12 powered sedans. Production is now estimated at up to 1,500 per year.
A D etroit News article describes the new Jeep plant in Toledo as being far, far more efficient than the ancient factory that makes Wranglers. James V. Higgins, after dinging Mercedes efficiency, pointed to the new plant's good balance of robotics and humans, notes its "an obsession with quality," and compares it favorably with the state of the art - Toyota. The plant makes only one vehicle, the Liberty, which comes with a single engine but a choice of transmissions, transfer cases, and left- or right-hand drive (both domestic and export versions are made in Ohio).
Production of the Thunderbird and Lincoln LS has been temporarily halted due to engine overheating problems. There will be no recall because vehicles with the current 3.9 liter V-8 engines have not been delivered to customers yet.
Dealers are reportedly scalping early Thunderbird customers with premiums of $20,000 or more above list price - showing that Ford salesmen may have no more scruples than Dodge and Chrysler salesmen.
The Thunderbird is the most recent entry in a continuing stream of new vehicles which look like classics - the Prowler, New Beetle, PT Cruiser, Mini, Thunderbird, and SSR being the most obvious examples. We applaud the resurrection of classic designs - hey, Dodge, how about returning the 1995 Neon and 1965 Dart to us?
According to Automotive News, the Chrysler Crossfire will not rest on a Mercedes platform when it comes out. It is expected to replace the Prowler. The concept Crossfire used a Chrysler 2.7 liter V-6.
Dieter Zetsche has, as far as we can tell, made two major contributions to Chrysler (the other one you'll have to wait for) - and one of them is more important than it may seem. Chrysler's 2002 price list essentially takes rebates and applies them to list prices, so that Chrysler vehicles are not on a permanent "fire sale," and are not overpriced in magazine tests. The base Grand Cherokee MSRP drops $2,000, the Neon drops $1,700. Overall, three quarters of the company's models will have price cuts.
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