Karl on Cars
Chrysler
June 2, 2009
I know it just happened yesterday, but today's Talk Back Tuesday will not focus on GM going into
bankruptcy. Instead, I'm going to focus on Chrysler coming out of
bankruptcy, which it is on the brink of accomplishing.
Like most folks I've been suitably impressed by the apparent speed at which Chrysler processed its bankruptcy filing. Obama wanted it done in 30 days. Chrysler wanted it done in 30 days. Even Fiat wanted it done in 30 days. It appears everyone got what they wanted.
But it's really Fiat that made out in this deal. People keep saying Fiat "bought" Chrysler, but how much money did the Italian automaker pay for the Pentastar? That's right -- NOTHING!
Instead, Fiat was simply willing to take on the task of fixing Chrysler. Ironically, that made them the highest bidder in this sale, as every other automaker basically said "no thanks" and ran the other way.
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- Karl Brauer June 2, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Chrysler, Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Fiat-Chrysler Merger Bankruptcy
May 5, 2009
If you believe some of the headlines you might think the Chrysler/Fiat Merger is the best thing since relaxed credit standards and subprime home financing.
The supposed advantages of the merger are pretty obvious. Chrysler gets some much-needed small car entries that don't suck, and Fiat gets instant access to the Chrysler dealer network.
A no-lose proposition, right? Right?
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- Karl Brauer May 5, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Chrysler, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Chrysler Fiat Merger
December 30, 2008
If you've read Thomas Friedman's latest rantings
in The New York Times you already know the only way to save the world from multiple calamities is to kill the SUV -- ASAP -- through taxation. In this week's op-ed piece he calls for gas taxes, carbon taxes, and whatever else it takes to "permanently change consumer demand."
Funny, but I'm just old-fashioned enough to think the proper way to change consumer demand is through free-market forces, but I know that's an unpopular philosophy these days.
For the record, it was not too little government regulation that caused the current housing and credit meltdown but too much. Tell banks to give everyone a loan without considering the risk (because the government will pick up the tab on any defaults) and guess what? Banks gave out too many bad loans! Obviously the only way out of this mess is more government intervention...
But that's a topic for another day. For now let's focus on Friedman's insistence that Americans must be force-fed small, fuel-efficient cars whether they want/need them or not.
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- Karl Brauer December 30, 2008, 3:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Hybrid Vehicles, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Kill The Chrsyler Aspen Hybrid SUV
July 29, 2008
To say the automotive industry is experiencing some turbulence right now would be like saying the nation's voters aren't completely aligned regarding the country's future leadership.
All three domestic manufacturers are following the standard "tough market" protocol -- slash workers, slash production, slash forecasts. They're also scrambling to remake a business and product plan based on small, fuel-efficient cars rather than large, gas-swilling trucks.
Finally, they are re-evaluating which brands are worth their time and trouble. Those that don't make the cut are put on the auction block, such as Jaguar and Land Rover. Others are likely to be killed outright, joining Plymouth and Oldsmobile in that big "Dead Brands" junkyard in the sky.
This raises an interesting question -- specifically, what will happen to Chrysler?
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- Karl Brauer July 29, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Chrysler, Lease
May 28, 2008
I know what you're thinking: "Karl, how can a vehicle that was never 'cool' to begin with actually jump the shark?"
First of all, if you've ever fully utilized a minivan's capabilities (and if you've got a wisp of self confidence) you already know that minivans are very cool. But Chrysler invented the segment, has made the most money from the segment, and is now going to suffer the most from a shrinking segment. Ford and GM have already bailed out while Chrysler appears committed to the category it invented, which makes sense.
But although the company is still in there swinging, most experts would agree Chrysler no longer offers a class-leading product. Why? What happened to take Chrysler's minivan crown away, and when did it happen?
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- Karl Brauer May 28, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cars that Jumped the Shark, Chrysler, Dodge
May 20, 2008
You may have already heard this, but BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter engine took home the International Engine of the Year award for 2008. If you've experienced this powertrain you know that title is well and properly earned, as the 3.0-liter's combination of horsepower, torque and even fuel efficiency make it one of the best engines in history.
But that got me thinking: What are the best engines in the history of the automobile? There are no internationally recognized test parameters to answer this question, so it's basically a judgement call. With that said, here are the 10 engines I would place in the annals of "Best Engines of All Time."
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- Karl Brauer May 20, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Porsche, Vehicle Awards
May 13, 2008
"Gas prices are skyrocketing! There's no end in sight!! Who knows how high they'll go?!!!"
The above statements may or may not be true, but Chrysler is hoping enough of you feel this way to fall for their latest marketing scheme: Let's Refuel America!
The Edmunds data department confirmed last week that, for the most part, this "deal" isn't all it's cracked up to be (surprise!). But here's a story that pulls all the important numbers together and, in simple terms, says to avoid the "Let's Refuel America!" boondoggle and just take the good, old reliable incentive cash. You'll come out much better.
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- Karl Brauer May 13, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Talk Back Tuesday
November 27, 2007
Auburn Hills has been liberated, and Chrysler is once again a domestic car company. Not only is it a domestic car company, but a privately held one that should, in theory, be more nimble than its crosstown, Motor City rivals. While the German Occupation brought with it the hope of increased engineering prowess (a hope that was realized in some measure with the LX cars), the company lost much of its sense of design and innovation -- along with about $30 billion in value. I'd like to believe private equity plus Chrysler brand equity (Challenger, Charger, Jeep, 300, Ram, etc.) provides plenty of potential, there's lots of work to be done. Obviously cost cuts and downsizing will be a primary objective of the new owners, but recent rumors suggest everything is up for discussion -- including no more Dodge cars. Chrysler would produce all the cars, Dodge would sell only trucks, and Jeep would do...well, Jeeps.
That's one of the many rumors swirling around about Chrysler LLC's future, but if I were in charge this is what I'd do:
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- Karl Brauer November 27, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
November 5, 2007
Sometimes I forget that Chrysler is the "premium" division of Chrysler LLC. Then I drive a modern Chrysler product and I know why I forget. The last Sebring I drove didn't exactly inspire thoughts of luxury. Fisher Price? Yes. Dolce & Gabbana? No.
So now I get my first seat time in a new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country. Like the new Grand Caravan I drove a few months ago, the Chrysler Town & Country has loads of kid-friendly gadgets, and the overall design seems quite sound in terms of accommodating family travel. But that interior quality...
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- Karl Brauer November 5, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Chrysler
June 8, 2007
Timing is everything, and in this case the timing of the latest Ward's "Interior of the Year" announcement strikes two ironic chords with me. First because it's a day after I picked on J.D. Power's latest award announcement, and second because it comes right after driving the new 2008 Chrysler Sebring convertible. See, the Sebring, along with the Dodge Caliber, were mentioned as wining categories in the "Interior of the Year" competition, which strikes me as, well...complete and utter nonsense. I bashed the Caliber's interior quality after first sitting in one last year, and if you were to ask me what new model has the worst interior of the year, the Caliber would likely be the first vehicle to pop into my mind. And now, after driving the Sebring convertible last night, this model would be right on the Caliber's heels. So, if I was questioning J.D. Power's Initial Quality Survey yesterday I guess I have to flat out denounce these "Ward's Awards."
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- Karl Brauer June 8, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Dodge
February 12, 2007
I've often thought the LX cars (Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Magnum) were exceptional deals simply because they feel more robust than their stickers would indicate. This comes largely from the connection between these models and Mercedes' own E-Class, from which various items are shared. Yes, they aren't actually platform mates and yes, what is shared comes from the previous
-generation E-Class. But let's face it, even a 10-year-old M-B platform is going to have better ride/handling qualites than the bulk of brand new $20,000-$30,000 family sedans on the market. Put simply, while the cars cost about half what an E-Class costs (a 2007 E350 starts at $50K), I feel you're getting far more than 50 percent of the car when you pay $28,000 for a 300 Touring.
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- Karl Brauer February 12, 2007, 7:07 AM
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- Chrysler
January 7, 2007
It occurs to me as I stand here at the Chrysler press conference that the term "minivan" will never die, despite the stigma the term may carry. Why? Because Chrysler is too proud of their success in this market. During the conference that introduced the new 2008's Tom LaSorda repeatedly referenced the company's sucess in the MINIVAN market...
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- Karl Brauer January 7, 2007, 9:13 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Chrysler
December 11, 2006
You may have heard this already, but Chrysler recently sacked its Sales and Marketing Vice President, Joe Eberhardt. The level of unsold Chrysler inventory sitting on dealer lots is threatening to alter tectonic plate activity under the North American continent, and some -- okay, I -- have suggested Chrysler simply "give 2007 a miss" in terms of model production. They could literally just let the 2006 leftovers cover sales for a few more weeks, and then start producing 2008s in January. They are already taking this approach with a few models, including the Viper...
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- Karl Brauer December 11, 2006, 10:30 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Jeep
October 19, 2006
If putting "Daytona" on a Charger with 10 extra horsepower and a stripe kit was a waste of a great vehicle name, putting "Aspen" on a re-badged Dodge Durango is an unwanted revival of a highly questionable name. The word "Aspen" in and of itself isn't bad (beats the hell of Vitara or Aveo or Ascender), and you could even give Chrysler credit on being well ahead of the pack on using "rugged, off-road nature/place" names to sell vehicles. Aspen pre-dates Explorer, Expedition, Denali, Murano, Outlander, Ranier, Tahoe, Murano and all the others by a couple decades. But when Chrysler first used "Aspen," they attached the name to a rather crap-tastic compact sedan/wagaon/coupe during the Dark Ages of the American automobile...
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- Karl Brauer October 19, 2006, 8:38 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler
October 10, 2006
Drove the new Chrysler Sebring last weekend, and for the first time the curse of the rental car became crystal clear to me. Not because the Sebring comes off as an obvious rental car, but because it made me realize that -- in today's ultra-competitive market -- supplying fleets and rental car companies can be hazardous to your company's long-term bottom line. Some people try to defend the value of fleet sales, even if they negatively impact resale value and brand image. I mean, these companies need to buy cars from somebody, so why fight it? Take the guaranteed business and be happy about it, right? But driving the all-new Sebring raised another point that hadn't previously occurred to me -- one that now seems painfully obvious. A point that goes way beyond depreciation and image control.
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- Karl Brauer October 10, 2006, 10:44 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
October 4, 2006
I drove the 2007 Chrysler Pacifica home last night. This year it gets a new 4.0-liter V6 that makes 253 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. We had one of these in our long-term fleet
back in 2004, and the obvious weak spot was the over-burdened, under-refined 3.5-liter engine. But that engine still made 250 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque, so this 4.0-liter doesn't look that much stronger, at least on paper...
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- Karl Brauer October 4, 2006, 8:53 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler
July 21, 2006
I admit it -- I somewhat pooh-poohed the whole "Stow-N-Go" thing when Chrysler first introduced it. I still don't think I've forgiven that company for dragging its feet on fold-flat, third-row seats (the lame excuses regarding "cabin noise" and "interior packaging" were pretty hard to take). These guys created the minivan, and the way I see they largely threw their advantage away by essentially being the last
to incorporate this feature into their vans. Anyway, they finally got back on the reservation with stowable third-row seats, and then they quickly followed it up with "Stow-N-Go," but part of me was like, "too little, too late guys." Minivan owners regularly need to alter the third-row area between people and cargo, but the second row is pretty consistent in its primarily passenger purpose...
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- Karl Brauer July 21, 2006, 8:20 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler
January 8, 2006
Let's get the fact that the Chrysler Imperial Concept looks like a Rolls-Royce Phantom out of the way first: It looks like a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Okay, now to the heart of the matter: This thing is impressive. It's a bit smoother overall than the 300, which is exactly what I would do to the 300 if it were up to me. The interior is beautiful...
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- Karl Brauer January 8, 2006, 1:10 PM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Chrysler
