Comments on: New Chrysler Fatigue?

By: 68PlymouthGTX

68PlymouthGTX — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:09:32 +0000

A Turbo Diesel Mini-van would be acceptable. I wouldn’t mind having one of those. 30 mpg, I would then probably replace my other vehicles and just have mini-vans, and a truck for heavy hauling. Then everything else would be just for fun or a backup vehicle :)

I haven’t looked at the Caliber personally. I would be interested in the room inside, comfort, for the kids in back, type thing. Nope I’m stuck with mini-vans for family outings down the road, small cars for commutes, and the truck for everything else :)

Did I read something about a small Cummins Diesel 3.0? in the works? Put a 3.0 in the mini-vans, coupled to a hybrid electric drive and that would work in the mini-vans, Durango, Jeep Cherokee, Dakota pickup? If they build a 2.0 Turbo Diesel, that would work in the Caliber, Avenger, small, mid-size car segment. Cummins does a great with diesels let them continue to work with dodge.

Here is a link for small diesel’s they are building in China. We could use a plant like this in the US.

http://www.cummins.com/cmi/content.jsp?siteId=1&langId=1033&dataId=2957&newsInfo=true&menuId=4

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By: ScottB

ScottB — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:23:19 +0000

Personally, I think there is plenty of room for the Caliber in the line-up along with a more sedan-like variation to replace the Neon. I don’t see it as an either/or proposition. Can Chrysler have TOO many fuel efficient vehicles right now? I don’t think so. If they can produce the Caliber, the Compass and the Patriot off the same line, why not a fourth? If Jeep can market two derivatives, Dodge certainly should be able to. The more the merrier in the compact vehicle space.

By: Bob Taylor

Bob Taylor — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:38:21 +0000

The reason for the Neon being cut was at least partly an engineering issue. While the Neon could have continued being made in Toluca along with the PT Cruiser it did not fit in with production equipment and processes used on newer cars in other facilities. The Caliber is built in a modern plant on a new platform. Had they updated the design to allow updated manufacturing techniques it might have worked out but the Germans were calling the shots and the only new development seemingly allowed then was for big cars.

The timing probably seemed, at the time, about right for a small SUV look-alike with decent mileage. I’m not real fond of the Caliber but it does have it’s place and it gets better mileage than anything else the company makes right now. If they had sold a 2.0L 5-speed in the first place I might have considered one then. Too late now…