[NWbyNW]

+

So with the merger underway there are obviously many questions. Some people are truly worried for their favorite car brands. Others are truly optimistic about the future and still others have now completely forgotten Chrysler and Dodge and are done with all the drama. But what about you? What are your thoughts with this merger and what do you think it will mean for our favorite brands?

Is this the absolute end of Chrysler now? Will we never see a new fully Chrysler sedan? Will we be on life support with rebadges from Opel or a French product? Will Chrysler be able to make a new exciting 200 or 300? Will Chrysler just be completely shuttered in this smattering of new brands? There are now more mouths to feed than ever. What about Dodge and it's future lineup? Are muscle cars gone? Performance a thing of the past? What about the hot selling Caravan that still to this day dominates the minivan market? What will happen to our favorite brands?

So many questions. So what do you speculate will happen? What are your worst fears or what is the best possible outcome? Share all your feelings now about this big news.​

 

[voiceofstl]

Fiat and Opel has good platforms. GM got the malibu and Impala platforms from Opel. Just like GM the key is good american built drivetrains.
If chrysler is allowed to reegineer the eruo platform to american needs that it may be a winner

 

[AmbassadorSST]

I simply think selling Citroen and Peugeot vehicles in the US market is an uphill battle as evidenced by Fiats and Alfas struggles in the US market.

Ideally Chrysler and Dodge would get the Peugeot, Citroen, and Opel platforms but get to design the vehicles for American tastes.

 

[djsamuel]

I prefer to look at it as a potential new beginning for Chrysler. I don't expect any obvious changes to Dodge, except for using shared technologies and economies of scale for some new models and redesigns.

 

[jimboy]

Sorry guys, and moderators, but do we really need another "death of dodge and chrysler " thread on this board? Either we will get some new Chryslers, and Dodges and Lancias and Alfas, or we won't, and we will all find some other vehicle to drool over. BUT UNTIL THEN, can we please just NOT do this all over again. The market has changed, we haven't, accept it and move along until the market swings back our way. And like others here have mentioned, there are still good Chrysler's and Dodge's available for sale, so buy whats available now, before it goes.

 

[DC-93]

Agreed. Lets see what actually happens instead of constantly coming up "what if" scenarios!!

If some have all this spare time, perhaps they should volunteer at a local soup kitchen.

 

[page2171]

Sorry guys, and moderators, but do we really need another "death of dodge and chrysler " thread on this board? Either we will get some new Chryslers, and Dodges and Lancias and Alfas, or we won't, and we will all find some other vehicle to drool over. BUT UNTIL THEN, can we please just NOT do this all over again. The market has changed, we haven't, accept it and move along until the market swings back our way. And like others here have mentioned, there are still good Chrysler's and Dodge's available for sale, so buy whats available now, before it goes.

Nobody has mentioned Chrysler or Dodge dying in this thread except for you. Most of the posts have even been mostly positive. If the topic doesn't interest you, maybe just ignore it.

 

[NWbyNW]

I am completely torn! I am apprehensive due to past merges Chrysler has had. But I am also optimistic. I would like to hope more funds go to the American divisions of Chrysler and Dodge. They really need some fresh new product. If there can be some global platforms the brands can use, then allow the brand's to build them up in-house (So French cars are French, American cars are America) it will allow all parties to be happy. I would love to believe we can see some new sedan's, a hatchback, a wagon, and some new SUV/CUVs for people who like those! I truly hope for the best.

 

[jimboy]

Nobody has mentioned Chrysler or Dodge dying in this thread except for you. Most of the posts have even been mostly positive. If the topic doesn't interest you, maybe just ignore it.

I'm sorry, maybe you should read the very first message. I qoute, " Is this the absolute end of Chrysler now...Will Chrysler be completely shuttered....What about Dodge....." Maybe you should read the first post before picking a fight.

 

[page2171]

I'm sorry, maybe you should read the very first message. I qoute, " Is this the absolute end of Chrysler now...Will Chrysler be completely shuttered....What about Dodge....." Maybe you should read the first post before picking a fight.

The thread title has the word "speculation" in it. If you want to talk about facts, maybe you should avoid speculation threads.

 

[purplepassengerpete]

FCA/PSA are creating a global scale for the decades to come. ...it is what it is

 

[CivoLee]

If Chrysler gets turned into 80% PSA badge jobs, I'm OK with that. Their emphasis on style/design is better suited to them than Dodge and it's more in keeping with Chrysler's roots than the "people mover" idea FCA had in mind for them.

My ideal lineup:

- Chrysler 300
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Chrysler Atlantica (from DS7 Crossback)
- Chrysler 200 (from Peugeot 508 Fastback)
- Chrysler 100/100 Skylight (from DS3/DS3 Cabrio)
- Chrysler Sebring (from Opel Cascada)*

Of course there'll be more crossovers than I want since that's what people have convinced themselves they need, but as long as those models are there I'm good...

*Buick has pulled the plug on the Cascada, but I don't know if Opel have...

 

[Tony K]

Sorry guys, and moderators, but do we really need another "death of dodge and chrysler " thread on this board? Either we will get some new Chryslers, and Dodges and Lancias and Alfas, or we won't, and we will all find some other vehicle to drool over. BUT UNTIL THEN, can we please just NOT do this all over again. The market has changed, we haven't, accept it and move along until the market swings back our way. And like others here have mentioned, there are still good Chrysler's and Dodge's available for sale, so buy whats available now, before it goes.

You chose to comment, adding to your own aggravation potential.

If Chrysler gets turned into 80% PSA badge jobs, I'm OK with that. Their emphasis on style/design is better suited to them than Dodge and it's more in keeping with Chrysler's roots than the "people mover" idea FCA had in mind for them.

My ideal lineup:

- Chrysler 300
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Chrysler Atlantica (from DS7 Crossback)
- Chrysler 200 (from Peugeot 508 Fastback)
- Chrysler 100/100 Skylight (from DS3/DS3 Cabrio)
- Chrysler Sebring (from Opel Cascada)*

Of course there'll be more crossovers than I want since that's what people have convinced themselves they need, but as long as those models are there I'm good...

*Buick has pulled the plug on the Cascada, but I don't know if Opel have...

Probably possible, given the mix, and what FCA-US can support given current production capacity, and Mr. Tavares' penchant for fixing things instead of discarding them. Except it's a question what becomes of 300. My guess is Tavares is a good reader of "tea leaves" and elects to retain and improve 300 with an eye to having a top U.S. domestic large sedan in the Buick mode. Eventually, the 300 may become FWD-AWD, but I think the first course of action now is the LX modifications used by Maserati or the Giorgio Global (if they aren't the same thing), but done with reasonably priced, yet good quality, components.

As for Dodge, similar thought process.

My take on Tavares: he was trying to merge Nissan with Chrysler back when. Tavares has a "first, fix-it if possible" mentality (enter Opel), so I think while French-branded vehicles may one day reach the NA market north of the Rio Grande, it won't be before he's satisfied Chrysler and Dodge are whole, or near enough, or are no longer salvageable. I believe he has all the tools at his disposal to achieve the former.

 

[humdrum]

I have always wondered if FCA had Alfa and Chrysler work in parallel to develop a Chrysler version of the Giulia QV for North America. Either as a 200 replacement or completely separate model but with a Chrysler of perhaps Dodge nameplate. This would have been a hedge against the sales failure of the Alfa in the North American Market.

A highly maneuverable, powerful, Chrysler just might have taken hold here in North America. If priced reasonably. Just my opinion.

 

[humdrum]

I see in the future more electrified vehicles being added to Chrysler. A 300 competitor for the Tesla S. maybe. A choice between a full electric 300, and a Hemi/Hybrid. Sounds interesting to me. These could be steps in the right direction. Thinking out of the box. I would hope that designers and engineers would be willing to have vision and explore what could potentially be exciting new products that better address the new exigencies of climate and transportation needs for the next 25 years.

 

[Tony K]

I have always wondered if FCA had Alfa and Chrysler work in parallel to develop a Chrysler version of the Giulia QV for North America. Either as a 200 replacement or completely separate model but with a Chrysler of perhaps Dodge nameplate. This would have been a hedge against the sales failure of the Alfa in the North American Market.

A highly maneuverable, powerful, Chrysler just might have taken hold here in North America. If priced reasonably. Just my opinion.

Possibly a Chrysler 200, and a Dodge Avenger, but not necessarily as a hedge, nor as a vehicle on the level of a QV, and not necessarily parallel development. That's not to say the folks in Detroit didn't want to do it, or that there wasn't someone playing with that design beyond the confines of a normal 200/Avenger, say a Ralph Gilles type.

 

[JavelinAMX]

.

Then ...

From what entity does the follow-up Chrysler 300 come? Vauxhall ( Insignia )? FCA ?

Quite early, I realize.

It would have to be rather convincing to USA/Canadian Americans to have any sort of success. Not sure an existing Alfa would cut it - they're not normally that sedate ... or better put : Sedate with a convincing edge.

A Badged package would be a sell-out and could easily stumble out of the gate leaving the company in an already established weak position.

Using the Insignia would at least give the impression that the Company was working behind the scenes to make something happen.

300C, though, might only live on in the history books.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH-MYCSjvRM


Yes, I'm aware it's quite early yet ...

.

 

[sickboy]

There will probably be negligible change. Not in the states anyway. No real reason to bring over brands to try and crack markets. Plant utilization is there key goal, isn’t it? The us seems to be getting its ducks in a row, but the eu is struggling. the ability to consolidate manufacturing there (eu, and other non u.s. countries) would be the goal imo.
There are many more perks to being a bigger fish too, but i see this as less of who’s going to swallow up who and who’s left standing, but more of how can we better stack our Tetris blocks together

 

[Zagnut27]

There could very well be culling of the brands as time goes on, who knows? Lots of times with mergers/acquisitions there is streamlining of resources and facilities, but it depends on location and amount of overlap. I'm not getting the impression, at least right now, that that's going to be much of a concern. Prior to finalizing a deal, they would have to at least have some idea of how to combine and consolidate because they did mention how much money they thought they would be able to save. And as others have mentioned already, I don't believe that Mr.Tavares is of the slash and burn mentality.

As I said before, we're going to have to see how this plays out over time to see how they are able to combine the two entities. I'm hoping for positive outcomes, and have no reason to not be optimistic at this point.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

I'm done. We (Chrysler and Dodge fans) have been fed a steady diet of rumors, speculation, and paint & decal packages for many years now.

I will not believe a single new or replacement vehicle is coming for either brand until we see it with our own eyes.

Show me the product.