New owners, new focus: Chrysler seriously looks at alternatives
Earlier this week, we reported about Chrysler's new ENVI project and the appointment of Lou Rhodes as the engineering group's new President. We now have some more information about the project and its objective to develop new electric and hybrid vehicle technology. ENVI is the name of a new engineering division set up in Chrysler's Detroit headquarters, which CEO Bob Nardelli says will be focusing "on the development of a new generation of environmentally responsible Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles."
Chrysler already has two hybrid models ready for launch in 2009, a Dodge Durango and a Chrysler Aspen, that use a hybrid system developed in partnership with GM and BMW. However, officials at Chrysler see pure electric or full-hybrid powertrains as the future and not the current practice of converting existing vehicles to hybrid.
Chrysler is also lacking main rivals GM and Ford, which have already displayed a new generation of plug-in hybrid concepts, but the creation of the ENVI is definitely a step in the right direction.
[Source: Autoweek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Petey 10:10AM (9/15/2007)
Wait a minute... they are still making the Aspen?
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Kumar 10:19AM (9/15/2007)
I'm your focus group Chrysler. My family had chryslers ever since my grandfather worked on the line. Last year I bought an outback, and will probably stick with subie since they'll beat you to market with diesels. My bro got a saab 9-3combi.
On the list, do a subie style overhaul of the B9 to the sebring/avenger, and introduce a wagon, preferably awd.
'Flatten' the jeep commander by a foot or to, and make it less cartoonishly suv-like, add diesel and you'll have a sweet power wagon that will toe it up against ford's entry next year.
Bring back the shortened version of the outgoing minivan, but clad in new paneling a-la PT Cruiser. Slap a diesel in it, and that will be good to go too.
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66coronet 9:01AM (9/16/2007)
Kumar @ Sep 15th 2007 10:19AM
I'm your focus group Chrysler. My family had chryslers ever since my grandfather worked on the line. Last year I bought an outback, and will probably stick with subie since they'll beat you to market with diesels. My bro got a saab 9-3combi. {Beat Chrysler to the market in diesels? What about the grand cherokee crd, Ram, sprinter crd. If you look at UK market, the wrangler is all diesel except rubicon. Same with grand cherokee except the SRT 6.1L hemi. Commander only offers CRD. VW2.0Lcrd is offered in caliber, compass, patriot, avenger, sebring & soon journey. VM2.8Lcrd is still used in the nitro & liberty & wrangler & voyager van.} http://www.jeep.co.uk/jeep/vehicle.aspx?ID=270,2
http://www.chrysler.co.uk/grand_voyager/models.html
http://www.dodge.co.uk/nitro/models.html
On the list, do a subie style overhaul of the B9 to the sebring/avenger, and introduce a wagon, preferably awd.
{Have you seen the dodge Journey. It has the dodge avenger nose with a minivan body and an interior similar to the pacifica. 2x2x2. In Europe you will be able to get it with the VW2.0Lcrd like the sebring/avenger.}
http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/dodge/journey.html
'Flatten' the jeep commander by a foot or to, and make it less cartoonishly suv-like, add diesel and you'll have a sweet power wagon that will toe it up against ford's entry next year. {Sounds like the liberty/cherokee. http://www.jeep.co.uk/jeep/versions.aspx?ID=444,3,, }
Bring back the shortened version of the outgoing minivan, but clad in new paneling a-la PT Cruiser. Slap a diesel in it, and that will be good to go too.
{From what I know, the short mini van is being replaced with the JC49 dodge journey (test vehicle called dodge crew) and the replacement of the pt cruiser was suppose to be the JZ49 (journey's basic platform) which is using the VW 2.0Lcrd.} http://www.allpar.com/trucks/JC49.html
Chris 11:17AM (9/15/2007)
Maybe don't have 5 Jeeps that compete in the exact same price bracket against each other? That might save some costs.
Oh, and don't build crap like the Durano/Aspen/Commander to begin with. Put some effort into the interiors and powertrains.
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Frank 4:34PM (9/15/2007)
What's crappy about the Durango? When it came out the buff magazines rated it above the Toyota Sequoia in comparison tests. Is the Toyota Sequoia crappy too? If you mean gas mileage ok, they don't get great mileage, but how do they compare to other vehicles IN THE SAME CLASS?
You might not like certain vehicles because they are not for you. But that doesn't mean they are "crappy".
KKop 11:37AM (9/15/2007)
"Chrysler is also lacking main rivals GM and Ford..."
Can someone please start proofreading this drivel? Get a language!
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kballs 1:19PM (9/15/2007)
Shouldn't it have been "lagging"? "Lacking" is certainly not the word, because they definitely have rivals in GM and Ford.
Avinash machado 12:19PM (9/15/2007)
Kill the Compass and I mean now.
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Barney 12:47PM (9/15/2007)
If Chrysler is to make the ENVI an envy, they have to improve on quality. People are getting tired of being told how the quality is improving and yet it remains lackluster. The ENVI program had better be more then an ad campaign. Chrysler is not in a position to pull a bluff.
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kballs 1:27PM (9/15/2007)
I think on the SUV/Jeep side of things, electric drivetrains will provide a lot of benefits: higher efficiency and MPG, and better off-road ability (better low-speed torque and control, more suspension articulation options, no limitations of solid axles and differentials too close to the ground, better traction without laggy, harsh, high-friction torque transferring, etc.). The US military is researching such drivetrains and vehicles to replace its Hummers, and the prototypes have beat the Hummers by far in both MPG and off-road capability.
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whofan 3:29PM (9/15/2007)
Chrysler has been good luck for me. I`ve had good experiences from the Chrysler products I`ve owned. I hope good things to come for this company.
Everyone used to brag up Diamler Benz about how good of a company they were. At the time of the merger or take over of Chrysler I though Creat things were to come out of Chrysler. The Chrysler product line up back in 1998 was more coherent than it is now. Chrysler need a Neon replacement and Plymouth back.
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66coronet 9:01AM (9/16/2007)
What I thought would have been smarter choice over the durango & Aspen would have been Caravan & cargo caravan & town and country & (over seas market) voyager & cargo voyager. The cargo hybrid minivan would complement the sprinter hybrid. Expecially if they used the VW2.0Lcrd with the hybrid system. Or for most customers the 2.4L. Since no V-6 in Europe.
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