bailout plan -- new idea (OT)

[George Selby]

At 11:02 PM 12/11/2008, you wrote:
>Jeep has been busy coming up with vehicles nobody wants to buy: the
>Compass, Patriot, and Commander.
>
>The Viper is a halo vehicle and unlike when it first came out,  the
>Vette is much stronger competition, and the Vette doesn't have a
>reputation for killing you if your right foot twitches.  The Crossfire
>was an SLK whose momma dressed him funny, just like the 300M was a
>Merc 320 "Murcianized."
>
>One of Dodge's strengths is in their commercial vehicles; the
>Sprinter, RAM, and Charger (anyone but police departments buying
>Chargers?)  That would be a great way to refocus the company.  Ford is
>getting pretty beat up in those segments; the Sprinter is chewing into
>Econoline sales and Ford hasn't responded.  The Charger is picking up
>sales from the Crown Vic with police departments

Jeep also makes two vehicles that people DO want to buy, namely then 
Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee.  The Jeep Wrangler is an American 
icon, and one people can afford to buy.  No reason to get rid of it 
(and some company in the world will buy Jeep.)  You are correct about 
the Patriot and Compass.  Jeep got away from it's core market, and no 
one wanted these products.

As to the Charger, it's just Dodge's version of the 300.  So while 
you slight the 300 as an Americanized Merc 320, so is the 
Charger.  As to the Sprinter:  again, it's just a rebadged version of 
a Mercedes product.  The RAM sells about 15% of the fullsize pickup 
market, no reason to keep it around when lots more people are buying 
Fords, Chevys and Toyotas.  The Nitro actually isn't a crossover, 
it's a rebadged Jeep Liberty, but neither one is really popular (Jeep 
got away from their selling point - reliable, tough solid front axles 
in the Cherokee.)

So really in my opinion, the only things worthwhile in the entire 
Chrysler spectrum of products are the minivan, the Wrangler and the 
Grand Cherokee.

George Selby