Just because auto manufacturers have gone "all in" on EVs does not mean their customers will respond and purchase EVs. Some companies have a big surprise coming to them.
Exactly and who can afford them? The prices for vehicles have gone out of control! I bought my 1997 Dodge Intrepid in 2005 for $1,800 That thing ran forever! Bought a 2004 Dodge Neon in 2010 had that for 11 years never broke down on me I bought it for 10,995 drove it in the ground with 250,000 miles and now we're stuck with 38 $40,000 base bottom vehicles get out of here it's ridiculous!
Like it or not electric vehicles of one sort or another are the future. We are literally burning up all of our petroleum and the Earth isn't making any more. It will eventually run out or become prohibitively expensive (it already costs $125 to fill up my F250 diesel). Hydrogen is a stupid fuel because of its inherent inefficiencies. And do you really want a 10,000 psi tank filled with explosive fuel in your vehicle? Turning our corn into ethanol is stupid because that starves people. What's left? Car companies that do not invest into EV technology are going to eventually become extinct and I would argue that it is already happening.
There's goes the mini-van? Damn it man! This will be great' hear me out. Who remembers Bud Light the B*tt hurt fight? They will be crying to come back when the money fades away then they come back like a retired 80's Rock Band only to give out free tickets and parts, discounts, service, extd. warrantees, keychains, MOPAR T-Shirts, hats and stickers got to push the merch you know. Not to mention that all these "red eyed demon hellcats" are becoming more extinct the way they're getting torn up by officer Byrd but hey makes them more expensive one by one so get your parts and pieces now soon they'll be melted into a Peugeot tomorrow. Another 20 years and they'll be collector items just like the "General Lee" hated but loved? Stellantis what can I say? I think dylan is looking for work?
I spent 12 years at Chrysler as an IT/Network contractor and it is just sickening to see what has happened to this once great company. First with Daimler, then Fiat and now Stellantis. They have bled the company dry of money and lost talent who fled to GM and Ford. I knew it was the beginning of the end a few years ago when they closed the amazing Walter P Chrysler Museum at the Chrysler Technology Center. Oh and Daimler is pronounced Dime-ler.
If Lee Iacocca was in charge of Chrysler today, NONE of that would have happened. Plymouth would still be alive, and garbage from Fiat bring rebadged as Dodge (Hornet) wouldn't be a thing. If Iacocca could see what has happened, he would vomit! 🤮
Chrysler vehicles have been hot garbage since the early 60's.. Daimler and Fiat didn't do anything Chrysler hadn't already done to cannibalize itself, including the Jeep brand which Chrysler even managed to ruin not long after its acquisition.
@@Drmcclungmy uncle had an early seventies mid-size Dodge or Plymouth with 160000 miles and it ran like a new car but he was a fanatic and did absolutely every bit of maintenance that was supposed to be done. A mechanic told me those cars can last almost forever if you do that but nobody does that.
It started well before the Daimler takeover. Chrysler was on life support throughout the '70s and had very little or no budget for engineering. The K-car saved their ass. Daimler helped them with the LX platform. Before that, Chrysler was all FWD K-car derived or LH cars. Some of their other most notable cars were Mitsubishi (Diamond-Star) derived with little or no domestic input. So yeah, it's been in the works for some time..
Yes BUT, Daimler-Chrysler was considered a merger. Chrysler brands controlled their products in the US with support from Daimler. When Fiat took over, they continued to allow Chrysler brands to control their own products. Stellantis however is in total control over the products and fate of Chrysler brands.
The world is moving past us old Mopar guys. Not much you can do about it. We were just extremely lucky to get the Charger and Challenger back for another 15 year run. So sad.
Not just you guys but all of us v8 domestic owners ! Truck and cars unfortunately i had a 16 scat pack challenger 6 speed manual now own a 6 speed 5.0 mustang and a v8 full size truck die hard v8 guy now look at all new trucks and cars. No v8 option it is sad
I'm not a Mopar guy, but have owned several OLD style Darts, 74 Charger 70 Road runner and a 84 Reliant. The quality has gone down so much I would not purchase anything Stellantis has anything to do with.
We should count ourselves lucky that Chrysler for so long was able to make the glorious 300C (the American V-8 version) -- one of the finest automobiles ever made. Let Mercedes snobs look down their noses. The 300 was everything a muscular American luxury car ought to be -- and you could keep in good repair for a reasonable price, something that just isn't possible with the German makes. I'm on my second, and I guess I am going to be driving it a long, long, long time.
I wish they would have developed a practical alternative fuel that burns cleanly, so that no catalytic converter is required. No catalytic converter means less global warming.
And I was called pretty nasty names for calling them out. Especially by the Mopar fan boys. It was over the day they started making Hemi's in Mexico and really over when they cancelled the Pentastar. Arguably the finest engine ever made that they purposely ruined with the 2016 "upgrade."
Stellantis has a lot of auto brands under their umbrella. While I have heard of all of them, most of them are brands that I'd never consider because they are only tiny niche brands in the US. But if Stellantis is going to stop supporting the Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Ram brands, then why did they buy them? And, rather than kill off their iconic models, why not sell the company off so that someone else can utilize the brand recognition?
Stellantis didn’t buy the Chrysler brands. It inherited them. Stellantis was only created in 2021 when Fiat and Peugot merged. At the time of the merger, the Chrysler brands were part of Fiat. Fiat bought Chrysler out of bankruptcy in 2014.
@@thadlm2698 Yes it’s crazy.. all by design. They want you leasing them. You will own nothing and be happy thing is happening in real time.. they even tell you when you go in to “purchase” that it makes more sense to lease. 99% people i know dont own a car.. they all on a lease..cheaper monthly payments..
All STELLANTIS ready wanted was JEEP and DODGE TRUCKS…which they renamed RAM. Everything ELSE was EXPENDABLE. That’s why they’ve discontinued all Dodge vehicles- Journey, Caravan, Challenger, Charger…which Only leaves the Durango, and an Alfa-based Hornet. Then they dropped the Chrysler 300…leaving only the Pacifica…which means… 1) They plan to PHASE OUT ALL CHRYSLER PRODUCTS but RAM & JEEP, or 2) They plan to REPLACE ALL AMERICAN CHRYSLER PRODUCTS, with Badge-Engineered Versions of FIAT, ALFA,CITROEN, and PEUGEOT vehicles…which will SINK lLIKE LEAD BALLOONS in this country, due to their historically POOR CONSTRUCTION. Either way, the once-mighty CHRYSLER CORPORATION is DEAD…FOREVER !! Good Bye, PLYMOUTH,DODGE, DeSOTO, CHRYSLER, & IMPERIAL…We will Miss You !! Good Bye,Slant 6’s, HEMI V-8s, 340s, 440’s & 426 HEMIs…DE SOTO FIREDOME 8s, FIREFLITES and ADVENTURERS, CHRYSLER 300s, NEW YORKERS, and NEWPORTS, IMPERIAL CUSTOMS, CROWNS and LeBARONS, PLYMOUTH FURYS, GTXs, BARRACUDAS, PROWLERS,and BELVEDERE/SATELLITES , DODGE POLARAS, VIPERS, DARTS CUSTOM ROYALS, CHARGERS and CHALLENGERS… GONE FOREVER…WE’LL MISS YOU !!
Maybe if they built Jeeps with engines didn't that blow up at 60-70 K miles they would have a better brand. My Rubicon has blown up twice and now I am waiting for an engine replacement and am being told it may take 5-6 months. Great works Stellantis, you ruined one of the best brands in the US by not understanding the US market and customers.
I think the merger between Chrysler corporation and Mercedes-Benz Daimler has got to be the worst in history honestly they drained Chrysler beyond belief they really did.
The exec's at Chrysler had "Golden parachutes" via Daimler to help hide the takeover. My dad worked with Kerkorian in the '90's...trust me "Ma Mopar" brass had no problem trying to screw the shareholders, milk the Mopar fan/simps. I don't hate Mopar, I own 6 vintage ones
I dunno about that. Before that merger can anyone remember any products they produced? Nobody really cared about the LH platform except rental fleets and government motor pools. And of those products the reliability/build quality scores were absolutely atrocious. The Daimler merger did bring improved QA/QC as well as utilizing Mercedes parts bins for some Chrysler products.
@@tbirdboy Not really if anything it made it worse the neon the PT cruiser all sorts of cars were slated to get standard ABS inside impact airbags and Daimler said no So no not really they're not a good company I don't know how they're still in business!
When Daimler purchased Chrysler, Chrysler had 22 billion cash which Daimler got & spent on there products, then sold what was left to Cerberus, a finance company. That is when Sergio Marchio ? of Fiat bought Chrysler & paid off the loan from the Federal Govt in 2 years. I did some research on Daimler & they did the same thing to another company. Took all there cash, & then sold it. That's the way to make money.
The problem with Stellantis in North America is that they are mostly focused (or have become that way) on niche markets. The only exception being RAM. Jeep has been successful recently but is still considered a niche market and interest in buying $75k Jeeps is waning very fast. So basically they have cornered themselves into a lower production, high margin vehicle lineup with brands that have no justification for being there.
I disagree. The Compass and Wrangler sales are not niche numbers, those are full fledged volume numbers. 2018-2021 they sold 200k/year. The problem is they are wasting money by spreading over so many brands. They need to forget their 10 year plan and consolidate. In N.A. We don’t need Alfa or Fiat. Ram needs to go back under Dodge with Jeep as the off roading brand (mid range-> high end) and Chrysler as the luxury brand. Enough with the “european styling,” Americans want an American design-blocky and rugged Dodge not a rebrandin Tonale with swoopy lines. They just seem to make this a lot harder than it needs to be.
I blame Lee i acocca for not giving Bob Lutz the top Job st Chrysler Corporation and instead giving it to a GM guy who was focused on getting a big bonus for selling it to Daimler.
Amen to that! And then not including Bob Lutz in the merger (he was the ONLY Chrysler board member that spoke German fluently and spent a lot of time in Europe with BMW!) was a prime example of the pettiness of Bob Eaton!
@@easternecho1622 and then he got angry when the board members pushed him out kicking and screaming and he (iacocca) Hired a GM guy from Opel instead of passing the torch over to the president (Lutz) and then forged a alliance with Kirk Kerkorian to take over Chrysler with their stocks, forcing the GM guy to panic and allowing his buddies in Stuttgart to finesse Chrysler Corporation into a backhanded hostile takeover. So Yes, Lee iacocca did save it and then killed it, just my observation.
Stellantis is also pulling out of the Geneva Auto show in Switzerland on Feb 26- March 3. So, it does appear to be a worldwide decision. But it sure does look like Stellantis is trying to kill of the American brands. Totally agree. They don't understand the American market.
Stellantis is Peugeot. The French hate performance. Fiat wanted to kill off the HEMI engine, but wiser heads prevailed, as the Italians do like performance. No such luck with the French though. Remember the fantastic Citroen DS/ID? Putting a little sewing machine 4 in that car should have been a capital offense.
I have to break this to you, but Chrysler Corporation effectively died in 1975, or at least suffered a fatal heart attack. The Iacocca years, it was a shell of its former self, and the Eaton tenure was total surrender. After that, the foreign ownership just ate the carcass of what was left.
Chrysler had so much money in the late 90s that it was rumored that they might buy GM, They literally saved Mercedes Benz in the Daimler Chrysler merger because they had more cash than Daimler. They died after they fiat took control in 2014
Lee Iacocca saved Chrysler from going under! He nixed the slow selling larger models, brought about the K car (Dodge Aries/ Plymouth Reliant), reinvented the LeBaron, and introduced the Dodge Caravan/ Plymouth Voyager/ Chrysler Town & Country. All the above became massive successes, and let Chrysler cruise through the 80's and 90's. Just before retiring, Iacocca introduced the "cab forward" sedans which also became hot sellers. After he retired, things went south.
I forgot, so many are restoring K cars, cab forward and mini vans! You hardly see any Viper or Prowler anymore. And don't forget about the Fifth Avenues. Sorry, but everything Lee Iacocca did at Chrysler with his imported Ford sycophants was badge engineered junk. I owned one once, bought his huckster b s " if you find a better car, buy it", which I did after my Dodge continued to vapor lock, burn oil, rust out and the paint kept falling off. You know it was bad when the zone representative told me, after 20 plus times getting the car repaired unsuccessfully and three Attorney General complaints to never buy another Chrysler product. I happily obliged.
It's not that they want to get rid of V8 Hemi engines and gas powered vehicles, it's that they are basically being forced to. They are being fined into oblivion because of every ICE vehicle they sell. They failed to meet EPA efficiency standards because those standards are unrealistic. This is also why they've been switching to hybrid vehicles and not EVs, because they know all electric is not realistic for everyone. All electric is an option, but they aren't going to get rid of the ICE completely because they know people would rather drive a car that will still move when the batteries run out.
Hybreds are no answer when they get older there very expensive battaries will not be replaced and poor people will just drive them on the gas engines, Which are small and under powered. thats only if they function without the battary. I agree that the auto makers would rather stick to ICE vehicles but the eviliists have other plans for us. If they succeed your new car will be the least of your problems. Call me nuts if you want, but this dark time is coming and fast. I wouldn't want any new vehicle even if i could afford it. I just hope i can get diesel fuel for my mechanically injected dodge 5.9 cumins.
I think Stellantis is seeing how well all the other makes are doing, I think some sort of Hybrids are what is needed. I wonder if they could develop a smaller system like the Ramcharger, that is what i would like. No drivetrain. Just a small motor to charge the generator to charge the battery, & the battery power the drive rain. Just my thoughts
@@keither7731 That would be Gas/diesel over electric, where an ICE electric generator powers the electric motor. Basically like a freight train, which aren't very fuel efficient. An added battery turns that into a hybrid to increase the fuel efficiency and you don't need a ton of battery for a hybrid. For hybrids it is better to have something like a normal ICE drivetrain but with the added electric motors in the transmission and/or differentials. People just need to be aware that transmissions and differentials have oil that needs to be changed, not as often as engine oil, but more often then you likely do now. An electric motor inside the transmission, which is common on hybrids, means you should be changing that fluid more often than your ICE equivalent vehicle.
@@markseehawer3762 The 'evillists.' I love it. But yes, the evillists are on the march in California, where the California Air Resources Board is looking at giving local cities the power to ban gas-powered cars. I don't think it has anything to do with pollution. I think it's because they want us all to be driving centrally-monitored, centrally controlled cars linked to road-usage monitoring systems. Cars give us freedom. That threatens them. I think I will be driving my V-8 Chrysler 300 as long as the nuts and bolts hold together and I can still get gas.
Unfortunately Chrysler Corp. has had a tough time keeping it's head above water. I have owned many Dodge pickups and cars and several Chrysler cars and all have been good. The Europeans that bought Chrysler Dodge Jeep do not really understand American consumers. So now at this point yes it Looks like the grave has been dug.
Very interesting topic! I too agree there are many questions. I find it VERY odd that you cancel two cars and leave the consumer with no replacement. They are still cancelling the Durango after 2024 with no scheduled replacement or prototype concept for us to see. They take the V8 out of the Wagoneer…you can still get a V8 in the GM options. They haven’t discussed a Dodge based Ramcharger return on the Wagoneer platform. They’re still making two different Ram truck bodies. The 1500 is a newer body and the 2500/3500/4500 is the older body with the newer 1500 interior. It’s a sad time to be a MOPAR diehard.
I worked at Chrysler from 71-86. It was a roller-coaster ride. I was layed off as much as working. It has morphed so much in recent years, it's really sad to see.
GM bought Saab and killed it & Stellantis will do the same eventually. Dodge was never known for quality & the only cars they could sell were it's Hemi powered cars for knuckle draggers doing burn outs. Going full EV is guaranteed to end the brand because no one wants the stupid things to begin with..
Prior to the merger PSA wanted to buy Jeep. The deal was dead on arrival. So they worked on merging with the sole goal of obtaining the Jeep brand. They dont care about the rest. (Just my opinion from reading all the press releases around the deal.)
That's all Daimler wanted. The cars & passenger vehicles they viewed as crap, didn't care about pick ups, but Chrysler was the most profitable per unit sold on the planet in the mid-'90's. Took them under 3 years after taking over to turn it 180 degrees, lol
How Chrysler will survive for 2 years only selling the Pacifica is beyond me. I bought a used Pacifica in January 2023 and I love it. My dealer only sells C and J because other nearby dealers sell all four brands. It's a strange setup. My de as ler recently started selling Moke of America EV's. Not practical road cars for Michigan weather. I wish I had a crystal ball...
I blame American shareholders who will do anything to make a buck. The executive position leaders do not care about the American worker or brand. They’re just in it to collect their bonus checks and go ruin the next business. I don’t see Japanese or German companies doing the same business practices.
@@TheSunnyMaloni AMEN, AMEN, AMEN! You are exactly right about American shareholders and CEOs - the shareholders only care about their dividends and their company's quarterly profits, and how much higher they are, and the CEOs will do anything to get their bonus or even a Golden Parachute, after destroying the company.
As someone that works for a dealership, I can confirm they have no clue how the North American car market works. And unfortunately we won’t see the Hemi again, as it won’t fit the corporate cafe standard that’s being implemented this year.
I don't think that the RAM or Jeep brands are going anywhere, they are the drivers for a lot of Stellantis' profitability in NA. They did get rid of some of the Jeep vehicles (the Renegade is a piece of junk). Part of leaving the auto shows for Stellantis I believe is a cost cutting move. I am not sure how much they contribute to sales for Stellantis or any other OEM. They might be a bit of a dinosaur concept with so much being done virtually nowadays.
It USED to be you have an array of vehicles from those that introduce new buyers all the way up to luxury NOW they couldn’t give 2 cents about ANY vehicle that is not profitable ~ There ONLY concern is with the well heeled consumer…. The ONLY reason I went to the international auto show ( in Detroit ) last year was in HOPE to see some NEW PRODUCTS… Specifically a NEW Ram DAKOTA that they HAD BEEN procrastinating about bringing back for the last 5 years…. And each time NOTHING …. I did end up looking at that hornet and it’s top version was ok , at least I didn’t bump my head while entering and exiting it as with the Cherokee but other than that I had NO other interest in what was offered with this company…. Also i noticed that there prices for what they were offering was more expensive than competitor ( foreign brands ) I’ve heard people saying they want to move away from the general market up to the luxury market…. IS THAT even possible ?
I think Jeep is safe because there sold overseas. As far as Ram goes it does make a ton of money, so I would assume it's safe. Dodge and Chrysler could be combined into one brand and sell minivans and SUV's. Actually, Chrysler could be a Dodge or Ram luxury model sold as a premium trim level. They did this with the Imperial brand in the 1960's and 70's.
Ram made money because of the Hemi and the Cummins diesel. Both are gone now. There is no V8 option at all for their full size trucks. They have never had a decent V6. It is the end of Ram; Chevy/GMC will pick up most of the sales because Hemi people emphatically do not want Ford's boosted mouse-motors, or OHC engines. The LT just got a lot of new converts.
@@scottysgarage4393 LOL the Hemi is available or standard (depending on trim) in the 1500 and the Hemi and Cummins are the only engines you can get in the 2500 and 3500.
@@danmorgan3096 Hemi production just ended. An inline six will be the replacement option for Rams. The Cummins was supposed to be discontinued at the same time but I admit I haven't checked to see if 2025 still options them.
@@danmorgan3096 And? 2024 is a done deal for the industry. As I said, the Hemi is gone. The last has been made. The big Cummins may hang around a bit longer but its days are numbered. That you are behind on your knowledge is not my fault, nor does it change the facts.
I'd love to have something like a challenger with a stick shift and V8, but at about 3/4 the size and weight of the now discontinued one. the size and weight (4200 lbs for the RT) is ridiculous.
Dodge/Chrylser/Jeep/Fiat consistently score the lowest in reliability. This is inexcusable. They dig their own graves. Meanwhile, they overpriced their products. They simply don't care about being competitive and successful.
As a long time MOPAR customer, this bit of news, pardon my french, Pisses me off! I've loved Chrysler, Dodge products for the past 30 years or more and currently have a Dodge in my garage, and I love it! I am not now or ever will be an EV fan! I don't trust them, like them or ever intend to own one! As far as I'm concerned, my philosophy is INTERNAL COMBUSTION....THE ULTIMATE ACCESORY!!!!!!!!!! So shove it STELLANTIS!!!
FCA did a better job running these brands. Chrysler brand is toast. Dodge may live on with vehicles like Durango and a home for minivans. Killing Charger/Challenger without an adequate replacement doesn't send a good message. Jeep-Ram will, one way or another, live on. Stellantis is second most profitable automaker now focused on margins instead of volume. It's CEO did this on Europe and earned large products. Opel could end up in the US selling the best Stellantis EU products. A merger is possible with either Renault or Ford
I have no special insight into this matter any more than the next person but if I was to make a guess, I'd say that yes, the days are indeed numbered for Chrysler and Dodge. And the reasons I say that two-fold. One, the "conglomerate" will want to merge and combine operations as much as possible to increase profitability and two, I think that in fact, they do understand the American car buying public a lot more than we think. It's us old fossils who don't. I'm an old car guy from way back and I've watched the evolution of the business for 50 years and from my perspective at least, I haven't encountered more than a handful of people in the last 15-20 years who have an ounce of brand loyalty at all and when they do, it's to one of the Japanese makers. The facts are that the segments of the car buying public who give a damn about brand names, particularly the Chrysler brand, which has it's own very checkered history with the public, and anything like what we would call muscle cars is very small and continuing to dwindle.
I am sad to see any American brands go down but Jeep and Ram have been keeping the "Chrysler" products afloat for many years. Most of what has been produced by the Plymouth, Dodge and Chrysler nameplates has been total junk for several years. Rather than making the investment in trying to turn around those brands they are slowly killing them and focusing on the profitable Jeep and Ram brands. From a business standpoint, it makes total sense.
This also could be in response to other economic pressures - basically, people aren't going to auto shows much anymore - car nuts are and motor journalists / content creators but if there's not much interesting or if the venue is filled with vehicles they've already reviewed or shown before not a big reason to show up. I'll likely go to my nearest one even though I've purchased a new car last year and not really in the market but I think I'm in the minority. The trend is also to have several manufacturers and brands on a single campus - they could be different dealerships but you can walk from store to store - that used to be the reason why you went to an auto show was to look at the different brands or where inventory was depleted - not really the case anymore.
Today's cars are not really cars at all, they are rolling computers, and car guys just are not into rolling computers. And I am talking about modern gas cars, not just electrics.
@scotty_in_ohio "people aren't going to auto shows much anymore" Chicago's 2023 auto show had an attendance of over 300,000 people, a significant increase from the year before.
When GM did the same exact thing with legendary Swedish automaker Saab, nobody batted an eye. Saabs were (and still are) universally loved here in Northern Europe, but the Americans simply didn't care. Funny how the tables have turned. This being said, I'm a huge fan of the Chrysler 300. It's one hell of a car that looks a lot more expensive than it is. I'd buy one if they came out with a new generation. I hope Chrysler survives so we can continue getting cars like that.
I'm a little heartbroken that Mopar is taking this path I'm looking to buy a new truck and my whole family was surprised when I started looking at different brands other than ram seeing I only owned mopar since 1990
1950s and 1960s are the good years for Chrysler Corporation. In the 1950s they have DeSoto from 1928 to 1961, Imperial from 1955 to 1970 without the Chrysler nameplate, Plymouth from 1928 to 2001. And now Chrysler (1924-2024?) and Dodge (1914-2024?) could be demise their brands in the near future. My favorite cars of Chrysler Corporation are: 1953 Chrysler New Yorker DeLuxe V-8, 2 door Newport Hardtop with 2 speed Powerflite transmission, 1954 DeSoto Firedome V-8, 2 door Sportsman hardtop with 2 speed Powerflite transmission, 1954 Chrysler Imperial, 2 door Newport hardtop, 1956 Chrysler New Yorker DeLuxe, 2 door Newport hardtop with 3 tone paint job, 1957 Chrysler New Yorker, 2 door Newport hardtop with 4 headlights, 1957 DeSoto Adventure 2 door hardtop with 4 headlights as standard equipment, and even 1967 Plymouth Sports Fury, 2 door “cantilever” hardtop. Plymouth Fury does built 2 door cantilever hardtop from 1965 through early 1968. Today, Chrysler Corporation is the thing of the past.😢
I can imagine a day when Chrysler and Dodge products are no longer on the market, RAM & JEEP will survive. Mergers are in our future, I wouldn't even rule out a GM / FORD pairing.
@@GoogleDoesEvil IMO, the more likely candidates for merger and or acquisition are; JEEP, RAM, MAZDA, NISSAN and SUBARU. At some point, auto manufacturers will become hybrids. A combination of Tech / Motor Vehicle production. Autonomous, Hybrid and Electric transportation IS the future and some companies are going to be profitable in those segments while others won't.
Chrysler had an ugly ducking that became a golden goose in the AMC Eagle. “The original American Subaru Outback” Chrysler bought AMC in 1987 and discontinued the Eagle in 1988. I’d be so happy to have a compact-ish 4x4 crossover with locking diffs and high ground clearance. Watching some of these new SUVs (that all look like a baby’s tennis shoe) perform the roller test is just downright embarrassing. The ground clearance of the original Cherokee was sooooo satisfying. Nowadays, all SUVs and crossovers, you get in them like a minivan. 6” of ground clearance is “acceptable”. I miss older SUVs that you sat in the same position as a Corvette or a 300ZX, but you had a foot of ground clearance.
i wont buy anything MOPAR until Stellantis knocks its crap off. really probably wont buy MOPAR until Stellantis is out of the picture completely. i currently own a 1999 300M in showroom condition with 83,000 miles that spent its life in moms garage in southern Arizona. also a 2006 town and country that just hit 227,000 miles that's mostly original except for the consumable parts that go bad on cars. water pump, fuel pump, brakes, tires, etcetera. my daily driver is a subaru forester which im quite happy with and will more than likely buy another in the future. I've always been a dodge/chrysler/jeep guy since child hood. i can honestly say I've owned over 80 cars in my 60 years I've owned all the manufacturers including some that are now extinct. Chrysler corp has always been my favorite though. thanks for the video. i also just subscribed.
Look the sales are way down because they are over priced and have a history of quality and reliability issues! People are not going to pay these crazy high prices on products that are inferior to other brands. My company uses Ram trucks so I know from experience they have had lots of reliability issues.
Stelantis does not understand the NA market. They think they can charge outrageous prices for substandard products. It's the first time ever after purchasing NA cars my whole life that i've been considering buying Toyota. If I'm going to spend over $50k for a vehicle it won't be on the worst company for reliability. In the past they charged value prices for value cars and it was a great niche market. I'm not spending BMW prices for Stellantis products sorry not happening. I don't want a plug -in hybrid and certainly not an all electric. Toyota offers mild hybrid vehicles with more features for CHEAPER than Stellantis all gas vehicles which is insane.
Dodge doesn’t make cars that are terribly compatible with the values of most upcoming younger buyers, many of whom no longer care at all about performance or street-cred. They care about cost, safety, and fuel consumption. These are not necessarily areas where Dodge shines. Meanwhile, older customers may like performance cars, but they may choose to keep familiar vehicles longer and they certainly aren’t going to be around forever. This sets up Dodge for a crisis down the road as younger buyers increasingly forgo Dodge completely.
We need to protect our North American Brands of Chrysler products. As reported Stellantis has taken over Chrysler affecting the Auto Shows with no Chrysler products. Thanks for the update. I did not know Stellantis took over Chrysler.
Add to this the PRICE GOUGING by many of the dealers and 5 of the top 10 SLOWEST Selling vehicles in North America are DODGE. Which can't help them either.
Yes there Dodge Hornet already looking bad. Discontinue of so many things like the Hemi, Charger, Challenger a bad sign. This is America not Europe. We like our cars big, loud and proud.
Diamler bought Chrysler and siphoned a lot of its money and sent it over to Germany to help Mercedes at the time, Fiat bought Chrysler for it's engine technologies , now Stellantis has reduced what's left to a shell of it's former self. I drive by the Chrysler (Stellantis) Building in Auburn Hills Michigan every day on my way to work, had family that worked for Chrysler, and we all own Ram trucks , Chrysler cars, and Jeeps. We have done our part, but I think the writings on the wall unfortunately for the end of Chrysler vehicles. Look at how late to the party they are with a electric vehicle and the EV party is about over. Look around Detroit, GM and Ford are curtailing production drastically because the mainstream market just isn't there really . Tesla rules the roost, and the smaller Niche companies who have lower production numbers like Rivian, (who I have done some work for) Polestar and Lucid can cope with financially much better than the big 2 and Euro 1. God I hate to call Chrysler that, but that's who they are now.
At this point Stellantis is just repeating history like when Chrysler bought American Motors just for the Jeep brand alone while leaving the other brands in the dust.
FCA/Stellantis has been very good to the car guy, and I appreciate that. However, their entire fleets, unfortunately, get the worst overall MPG. They just don't have much that can help balance things out to keep the V8s, That said, the root causes are the EPA and Biden's fascist mandates. As for the auto shows, I went to the San Diego International Auto Show, and while Stelantis was there, it wasn't a big effort compared to Ford and GM. 1 Ram, 1 Charger, 1 Hornet, 1 Wrangler, 1 Grand Cherokee and 2 Mini Vans. That said, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Mazda, Buick and Lincoln didn't even show up. Regarding EVs, there's Tesla and then everyone else. EV fans love the Tesla brand, but everyone else's EV sales are terrible. Out of the top 25 vehicles sold in America (2023), only 2 EVs made it, which were the Model Y and 3. ICE Trucks and SUVs Dominate. Mass EV adoption may happen in certain countries, but not in America. Millions live in apartment complexes, along with millions who park their vehicles on the streets in front of their residence. In the end, we're a very diverse and split country. Lastly, regarding EVs, those $7,500 subsidies are starting to dry up, and the early EV adoption phase has been coming to an end, and the Federal EV mileage tax (per mile driven) still has to be implemented that was past in Biden's infrastructure bill. And then there's state EV taxes that have been rolling out. And then there's the EV insurance rates that have been eye opening of late. So the EV honeymoon may be coming to an end, though Tesla will be fine. OK, I'm done blathering.
Wouldn't the Durango be a model, not a brand? Same with the Hornet, Charger, etc. Your point that Stellantis doesn't understand the American market is a sound one. Stellantis raised the MSRPs on their cars, more than most manufacturers, at a time when the market couldn't bear it and their vehicles are beginning to rot on the lots. It's such a shame, especially for the Charger and Challenger fans, like me, that would buy one if they weren't so ridiculously overpriced.
The situation at Chrysler and Dodge is eerily similar to how AMC died after doing business with Renault. However each American Stellantis brand has a model that proves the public is still interested. Chrysler Pacifica is #1 in segment and broke all time sales record in 2023 Dodge Durango broke all time sales record in 2023 for current generation (2011-present) Dodge Charger and Challenger remain strong sellers to very end; replacement in pre-production. Ram and Jeep are volume sellers despite overpricing. It would be stupid to kill these. If anything, it may appear that FCA was grossly mismanaged as a company and starved their own brands of product.
Stay the hell away from battery popping electrics. Bring back something on the Neon line , something the regular working guy can afford . Not that many want 100K+ car or truck. So over priced and so stupid .
I agree with you. Any auto show I’ve ever been to Chrysler always had the best show. They always had rides for ram trucks or jeeps, and goodie bags of shirts or backpacks. They always used to stand out, compared to the other brands by far. It’s pretty sad to see them leave. I myself purchased a 23 ram 1500 Laramie this year because of all the memories I’ve had from going to auto shows and riding in those trucks. Sad to see the hemi go and the downfall of the brand.
F@$# stellantis. I know dodge/chrysler dont have an outstanding line-up of cars, but they still offer decent vehicles. Id be more inclined to buy a newer one if i could afford it, but i cant. Still rocking my almost 20 year old rigs. :)
The big mistake that was made when Chrysler was owned part by the UAW and Fiat. The UAW should have never given up their interest in the company. Big big big mistake!!! It's so sad that an American car company being taken over by some foreign car company was an atrocity that should have never happened.
Stellantis has cancelled several Chrysler and Dodge models including the Caravan. They say they are planning to electric the Charger and Challenger which ended production in 2023. They Chrysler 300 was also killed in 2023. Also, they have not come out with any new models. It has people wondering will Stllantis kill the Chrysler and Dodge brands
Americans won’t buy and aren’t buying rebadged Fiats and Peugeots as Dodge and Chrysler products. Hornets and Renegades? Nope. And I am a former Dodge owner.
Total insanity to stop production of half or more of your current models when their replacements are several months away from being delivered. I can understand not participating in auto shows though with the embarrassment that all you have new to display is the same concept vehicles that made the circuit 2 years ago.
In the 1990s Chrysler, flush with money, agreed to a "merger of equals" with MB. At that point, Chrysler's piggy bank was raided by MB and whatever independence they had was lost. No money, no power. It is amazing that Chrysler lasted this long, mostly due to Ram trucks and Jeep. Now those aren't doing very well either.
I feel that Stellantis is not moving away from showing off stuff at the auto shows, I think this is part of a turnaround for the company. Dodge and Chrysler, unlike Jeep and Ram trucks, have not had any updates to their vehicles and the old architecture is getting harder and harder to upkeep. Also, what I remember hearing a while ago, from future plans for the Chrysler group, before the Stellantis merger, there was focus on the Jeep and Ram truck brands being the bread and butter for the Chrysler group. This is just a time where Chrysler and Dodge are getting ready to turn over a new leaf and add new products to their portfolio.
Don’t think so,maybe downsize,there’s talk of cutting Lancia,the auto industry is going through very tough times,what with EV’s being pushed by politics...........the American buyers are changing with the times,the younger want changes.
Same as Dodge. They’ve already killed off the Charger and the Challenger, possibly the Dart. Dodge might as well go under. The quality is crap for the get-go.
Smart people predicted a steep dropoff in demand for fully electric vehicles some time ago. It would come when all of the "early adopters" had been saturated. The early adopters are individuals who have "off-street" parking and access to charging, e.g., single-family homeowners and renters of same. That clientele has been used up and it's a tough sell to individuals and families that don't have easy access to those things. Note that sales of hybrids (for which, other than "plug-ins", you don't need off-street charging) has remained strong but sales of Stellantis/Dodge's only competitor in that segment, the Hornet, have been underwhelming. The competition in small hatchback/SUV's is fierce, with both the Japanese and Koreans having better offerings.
Great channel. I didnt know about Dodge pulling out of the auto shows, but I have been talking about the disaster that Mopar was in 2023. Am actually doing an episode, year in review type thing, and man...2023 sucked for Mopar fans. Part of me thinks, its better to go the way of Pontiac and Mercury than become who knows what corpo-EV trash.
Chrysler not been American owned since 1998 make this no surprise. Their products are consistently at the bottom of quality indexes. The brands have a little or no positive image in most of North America and globally. They have many brands to cover for the 'loss'.
The CAFE standards killed the loved Mopar brands. 2024 CAFE requires manufacturer fleet fuel average of 40.9 mpg, with each year raising 10% with 2029 49.3 mpg. This number includes trucks and if you look at how any manufacturer will achieve such numbers it's through electrification. Gm and Ford are shells of themselves from past and sell little bubble SUVs that look the same. The car buying Americans may not want electrics, but the government is forcing manufacturers hand by CAFE. It's going to be a s%$# show. The internal combustion vehicles left are going to subsidize the electrics and cover CAFE fines for being in "not efficient" enough. I would not be surprised if we see a Chrysler Pacifica hybrid priced cheaper than a standard ICE Pacifica, and it won't be because they lowered prices on the hybrid Pacifica.
They need to fold Ram back into Dodge and use Dodge as a mainline brand. Chrysler should be the luxury brand with premium products. Jeep should focus on 4x4 SUVs only. They could bring back Plymouth as electric vehicle brand.
I seen the thumb nail and had this to share: When they spun the Dodge pick ups off to be Rams I knew that was so they could bankrupt the Dodge name and likely write off a crap load of debt.
Chrysler's been on life support for over 40 years. You'd think America would be able to support 3 major car manufacturers - something is wrong with the way American car companies are managed.
Chrysler will be gone by 2030. They only offer two cars now, the Pacifica and the 300, if I’m correct. The bad reputation and quality control killed it. I don’t think Dodge will be gone too soon - they’d be smart to market Dodge as a sports car brand. RAM and Jeep are not going anywhere. I’d imagine they make tons of money on those brands.
2023 was the last year for the 300. Pacifica minivan is all that remains for the Chrysler brand. Stellantis wants the Chrysler brand to go all-electric starting with the "Airflow". That will be the end for them.
The "300" is toast as of 2023! You are right about Chrysler "quality". Since the recession in 1958, Chrysler has the reputation of having the WORST build quality. I still remember their products on the showroom floor with wrinkled headliners and the "putty" not cleaned off the front and rear glass when they sealed the windshield and rear window. Also Mopar products usually were starting to rust and had rattles and squeaks when they rolled off the assembly line. This is the reason I would NEVER buy a NEW Chrysler product, however I have purchased USED Valiants as "Winter beaters" because they are SO CHEAP!!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Chrysler stopped caring a long time ago. They have failed to innovate, and they hedged their bets on the old-fashioned gas-guzzling vehicles that appeal to a smaller and smaller segment of the American market. When they tried to make volume sales vehicles (the 200, Dodge Dart, Jeep Renegade, etc.) they were horrendously unreliable - when people can get a ford or a Chevy for a similar price, unless they’re illogically loyal, they’re going to get something decent for their money. Not to mention that Kia and Hyundai, the once really cheap brands, are a lot better than they used to be and are selling like hotcakes. So much so, that they’ve had money to invest in hybrid technology and Electric vehicles. Chrysler and its sister brand Dodge, are going to have to go electric to stay relevant, but if they go all in and screw up, that will be the last nail in their coffin. I personally think hybrid technology and EVs are a good mix, not going full electric; they will necessarily be more expensive, and it will be a problem for many to pay really high prices for a vehicle from what is perceived as a value brand. I mean, look at the Wagoneer, horribly expensive, and nobody is buying them.
Sometimes it’s over when it’s over - I had to laugh when you said ‘Chrysler products won’t be seen’ which ones the PT cruiser or the cirrus ? 😂 let’s be real ; this is all self inflicted 😮
I've thought this as well. Ever since Dodge cancelled the Charger, Challenger, and the 300 with nothing to replace them except 100,000 dollar EV dreams that was NEVER going to happen. That's a net loss of over 5 billion a year in revenues. The Charger was the best selling 4 door sedan in the world, to absolutely Nothing. What does Chrysler sell now, ONE MINI VAN made in Mexico, and 80,000 dollar Jeeps? Good luck with that.
I was a Chryco fan for most of my life. My first car was a 1965 Plymouth Valiant My first new car was a 1984 Dodge Shelby Charger. Loved that lil sporty car Then I bought a 1989 Dodge Daytona CS with the 2.5 l turbo and 5 speed. A clean quick for its day car. But I wound up buying a 1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z with the 2.2 l. Intercooled turbo and 5 speed... Loved everything about that car. My all time favorite car and not just a Chryco is the Dodge Viper, any variant but especially the GTS coupe.... Bought many of them in the Gran Turismo video game series.😂 But since it all became a Frenchy/Italian brand, I nolonger have that Mopar love I use to have.😢
Just because auto manufacturers have gone "all in" on EVs does not mean their customers will respond and purchase EVs. Some companies have a big surprise coming to them.
Exactly and who can afford them? The prices for vehicles have gone out of control! I bought my 1997 Dodge Intrepid in 2005 for $1,800 That thing ran forever! Bought a 2004 Dodge Neon in 2010 had that for 11 years never broke down on me I bought it for 10,995 drove it in the ground with 250,000 miles and now we're stuck with 38 $40,000 base bottom vehicles get out of here it's ridiculous!
Like it or not electric vehicles of one sort or another are the future. We are literally burning up all of our petroleum and the Earth isn't making any more. It will eventually run out or become prohibitively expensive (it already costs $125 to fill up my F250 diesel). Hydrogen is a stupid fuel because of its inherent inefficiencies. And do you really want a 10,000 psi tank filled with explosive fuel in your vehicle? Turning our corn into ethanol is stupid because that starves people. What's left? Car companies that do not invest into EV technology are going to eventually become extinct and I would argue that it is already happening.
There's goes the mini-van? Damn it man!
This will be great' hear me out. Who remembers Bud Light the B*tt hurt fight? They will be crying to come back when the money fades away then they come back like a retired 80's Rock Band only to give out free tickets and parts, discounts, service, extd. warrantees, keychains, MOPAR T-Shirts, hats and stickers got to push the merch you know.
Not to mention that all these "red eyed demon hellcats" are becoming more extinct the way they're getting torn up by officer Byrd but hey makes them more expensive one by one so get your parts and pieces now soon they'll be melted into a Peugeot tomorrow.
Another 20 years and they'll be collector items just like the "General Lee" hated but loved?
Stellantis what can I say? I think dylan is looking for work?
Facts indeed
@@Teenagegoogoomuk truth
We lost the chrysler corporation a LONG time ago
Would have been gone a lot longer ago if Iacocca hadn’t come along
I spent 12 years at Chrysler as an IT/Network contractor and it is just sickening to see what has happened to this once great company. First with Daimler, then Fiat and now Stellantis. They have bled the company dry of money and lost talent who fled to GM and Ford. I knew it was the beginning of the end a few years ago when they closed the amazing Walter P Chrysler Museum at the Chrysler Technology Center. Oh and Daimler is pronounced Dime-ler.
If Lee Iacocca was in charge of Chrysler today, NONE of that would have happened.
Plymouth would still be alive, and garbage from Fiat bring rebadged as Dodge (Hornet) wouldn't be a thing.
If Iacocca could see what has happened, he would vomit! 🤮
Chrysler vehicles have been hot garbage since the early 60's.. Daimler and Fiat didn't do anything Chrysler hadn't already done to cannibalize itself, including the Jeep brand which Chrysler even managed to ruin not long after its acquisition.
@@Drmcclungmy uncle had an early seventies mid-size Dodge or Plymouth with 160000 miles and it ran like a new car but he was a fanatic and did absolutely every bit of maintenance that was supposed to be done. A mechanic told me those cars can last almost forever if you do that but nobody does that.
@@yossarian6799 lol
It started well before the Daimler takeover. Chrysler was on life support throughout the '70s and had very little or no budget for engineering. The K-car saved their ass. Daimler helped them with the LX platform. Before that, Chrysler was all FWD K-car derived or LH cars. Some of their other most notable cars were Mitsubishi (Diamond-Star) derived with little or no domestic input. So yeah, it's been in the works for some time..
Chrysler has not been owned by US owners since the sale to Daimler.
It was owned by Cerebus in between Daimler and Fiat. They are an American Company.
Chrysler is foreign now. It was leaked that Stelantis wants to get rid of the brand.
Correct@@lisam4503
Yes BUT, Daimler-Chrysler was considered a merger. Chrysler brands controlled their products in the US with support from Daimler. When Fiat took over, they continued to allow Chrysler brands to control their own products. Stellantis however is in total control over the products and fate of Chrysler brands.
It was supposed to be a merger with Daimler but it became a hostile takeover. Remember Dieter Zetsche? You got everything wrong! @@VAFZone
The world is moving past us old Mopar guys. Not much you can do about it. We were just extremely lucky to get the Charger and Challenger back for another 15 year run. So sad.
Not just you guys but all of us v8 domestic owners ! Truck and cars unfortunately i had a 16 scat pack challenger 6 speed manual now own a 6 speed 5.0 mustang and a v8 full size truck die hard v8 guy now look at all new trucks and cars. No v8 option it is sad
😢
I'm not a Mopar guy, but have owned several OLD style Darts, 74 Charger 70 Road runner and a 84 Reliant. The quality has gone down so much I would not purchase anything Stellantis has anything to do with.
It moved past us when they started making Hemi's in Mexico. Believe me.
We should count ourselves lucky that Chrysler for so long was able to make the glorious 300C (the American V-8 version) -- one of the finest automobiles ever made. Let Mercedes snobs look down their noses. The 300 was everything a muscular American luxury car ought to be -- and you could keep in good repair for a reasonable price, something that just isn't possible with the German makes. I'm on my second, and I guess I am going to be driving it a long, long, long time.
Going electric is NOT the answer!!!!!!
Why
@@larryjolicoeur7169
Easy… just ask the CEO of Ford how her trek in a Ford Lightening went…
It actually is, clean air is a good thing. The Dodge Stelantis doesn’t want this demographic any more
@@phileasler5401 lol
I wish they would have developed a practical alternative fuel that burns cleanly, so that no catalytic converter is required. No catalytic converter means less global warming.
I've said years ago that Stellantis was absolutely going to kill off Dodge! Since the purchase they've only done everything to do just that! 😡
I was sad when they removed the Plymouth brand but I didn’t suspect back then that Dodge and Chrysler would be killed off too.
You might to blame Biden, not Stellantis, for killing off ICE performance cars.
And I was called pretty nasty names for calling them out. Especially by the Mopar fan boys. It was over the day they started making Hemi's in Mexico and really over when they cancelled the Pentastar. Arguably the finest engine ever made that they purposely ruined with the 2016 "upgrade."
Like Chrysler hasn't been on the verge of death for almost 50 years now.
Stellantis has a lot of auto brands under their umbrella. While I have heard of all of them, most of them are brands that I'd never consider because they are only tiny niche brands in the US. But if Stellantis is going to stop supporting the Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Ram brands, then why did they buy them? And, rather than kill off their iconic models, why not sell the company off so that someone else can utilize the brand recognition?
Great questions.
Imagine paying $70-100k and more for a Dodge, Ram or Jeep vehicle…sheer lunacy.
Stellantis didn’t buy the Chrysler brands. It inherited them. Stellantis was only created in 2021 when Fiat and Peugot merged. At the time of the merger, the Chrysler brands were part of Fiat. Fiat bought Chrysler out of bankruptcy in 2014.
@@thadlm2698 Yes it’s crazy.. all by design. They want you leasing them. You will own nothing and be happy thing is happening in real time.. they even tell you when you go in to “purchase” that it makes more sense to lease. 99% people i know dont own a car.. they all on a lease..cheaper monthly payments..
All STELLANTIS ready wanted was JEEP and DODGE TRUCKS…which they renamed RAM.
Everything ELSE was EXPENDABLE. That’s why they’ve discontinued all Dodge vehicles-
Journey, Caravan, Challenger, Charger…which Only leaves the Durango, and an Alfa-based
Hornet. Then they dropped the Chrysler 300…leaving only the Pacifica…which means…
1) They plan to PHASE OUT ALL CHRYSLER PRODUCTS but RAM & JEEP, or
2) They plan to REPLACE ALL AMERICAN CHRYSLER PRODUCTS, with Badge-Engineered
Versions of FIAT, ALFA,CITROEN, and PEUGEOT vehicles…which will SINK lLIKE LEAD BALLOONS in this country, due to their historically POOR CONSTRUCTION.
Either way, the once-mighty CHRYSLER CORPORATION is DEAD…FOREVER !!
Good Bye, PLYMOUTH,DODGE, DeSOTO, CHRYSLER, & IMPERIAL…We will Miss You !!
Good Bye,Slant 6’s, HEMI V-8s, 340s, 440’s & 426 HEMIs…DE SOTO FIREDOME 8s, FIREFLITES and ADVENTURERS, CHRYSLER 300s, NEW YORKERS, and NEWPORTS, IMPERIAL CUSTOMS, CROWNS and LeBARONS, PLYMOUTH
FURYS, GTXs, BARRACUDAS, PROWLERS,and BELVEDERE/SATELLITES ,
DODGE POLARAS, VIPERS, DARTS CUSTOM ROYALS, CHARGERS and CHALLENGERS…
GONE FOREVER…WE’LL MISS YOU !!
Maybe if they built Jeeps with engines didn't that blow up at 60-70 K miles they would have a better brand. My Rubicon has blown up twice and now I am waiting for an engine replacement and am being told it may take 5-6 months. Great works Stellantis, you ruined one of the best brands in the US by not understanding the US market and customers.
This is just 1 of the reasons I switched to all foreign vehicles.
BULL,KEEP BELIEVES THAT GARBAGE,
@@ericplatt7085 Chrysler IS now a foreign car. It is a French car, and French cars are junk.
I have 3 vintage Jeeps. My 4.0 powered Wrangler, I-6 CJ7 and a 4.0 XJ.
I don't want a V-6 Jeep.
@@jamesbosworth4191 well I'm driving nissan and Subaru. They have been much more dependable than any American vehicles I have owned
I think the merger between Chrysler corporation and Mercedes-Benz Daimler has got to be the worst in history honestly they drained Chrysler beyond belief they really did.
The exec's at Chrysler had "Golden parachutes" via Daimler to help hide the takeover. My dad worked with Kerkorian in the '90's...trust me "Ma Mopar" brass had no problem trying to screw the shareholders, milk the Mopar fan/simps. I don't hate Mopar, I own 6 vintage ones
I dunno about that. Before that merger can anyone remember any products they produced? Nobody really cared about the LH platform except rental fleets and government motor pools.
And of those products the reliability/build quality scores were absolutely atrocious. The Daimler merger did bring improved QA/QC as well as utilizing Mercedes parts bins for some Chrysler products.
@@tbirdboy Not really if anything it made it worse the neon the PT cruiser all sorts of cars were slated to get standard ABS inside impact airbags and Daimler said no So no not really they're not a good company I don't know how they're still in business!
@@peachyclean93They saved Dodge/Chrysler
When Daimler purchased Chrysler, Chrysler had 22 billion cash which Daimler got & spent on there products, then sold what was left to Cerberus, a finance company. That is when Sergio Marchio ? of Fiat bought Chrysler & paid off the loan from the Federal Govt in 2 years. I did some research on Daimler & they did the same thing to another company. Took all there cash, & then sold it. That's the way to make money.
The problem with Stellantis in North America is that they are mostly focused (or have become that way) on niche markets. The only exception being RAM. Jeep has been successful recently but is still considered a niche market and interest in buying $75k Jeeps is waning very fast. So basically they have cornered themselves into a lower production, high margin vehicle lineup with brands that have no justification for being there.
I disagree. The Compass and Wrangler sales are not niche numbers, those are full fledged volume numbers. 2018-2021 they sold 200k/year. The problem is they are wasting money by spreading over so many brands. They need to forget their 10 year plan and consolidate. In N.A. We don’t need Alfa or Fiat. Ram needs to go back under Dodge with Jeep as the off roading brand (mid range-> high end) and Chrysler as the luxury brand. Enough with the “european styling,” Americans want an American design-blocky and rugged Dodge not a rebrandin Tonale with swoopy lines. They just seem to make this a lot harder than it needs to be.
I blame Lee i acocca for not giving Bob Lutz the top Job st Chrysler Corporation and instead giving it to a GM guy who was focused on getting a big bonus for selling it to Daimler.
I absolutely agree!
110%
Amen to that! And then not including Bob Lutz in the merger (he was the ONLY Chrysler board member that spoke German fluently and spent a lot of time in Europe with BMW!) was a prime example of the pettiness of Bob Eaton!
Bob Lutz is a conceited jerk
@@easternecho1622 and then he got angry when the board members pushed him out kicking and screaming and he (iacocca) Hired a GM guy from Opel instead of passing the torch over to the president (Lutz) and then forged a alliance with Kirk Kerkorian to take over Chrysler with their stocks, forcing the GM guy to panic and allowing his buddies in Stuttgart to finesse Chrysler Corporation into a backhanded hostile takeover. So Yes, Lee iacocca did save it and then killed it, just my observation.
Stellantis is also pulling out of the Geneva Auto show in Switzerland on Feb 26- March 3. So, it does appear to be a worldwide decision. But it sure does look like Stellantis is trying to kill of the American brands. Totally agree. They don't understand the American market.
Stellantis is Peugeot. The French hate performance. Fiat wanted to kill off the HEMI engine, but wiser heads prevailed, as the Italians do like performance. No such luck with the French though. Remember the fantastic Citroen DS/ID? Putting a little sewing machine 4 in that car should have been a capital offense.
It seems that, that company doesn't give a shit about nobody.
I have to break this to you, but Chrysler Corporation effectively died in 1975, or at least suffered a fatal heart attack. The Iacocca years, it was a shell of its former self, and the Eaton tenure was total surrender. After that, the foreign ownership just ate the carcass of what was left.
Chrysler had so much money in the late 90s that it was rumored that they might buy GM, They literally saved Mercedes Benz in the Daimler Chrysler merger because they had more cash than Daimler. They died after they fiat took control in 2014
I have a friend who sold at a Chrysler dealership for decades. She said, “Daimler raped us.”
Lee Iacocca saved Chrysler from going under!
He nixed the slow selling larger models, brought about the K car (Dodge Aries/ Plymouth Reliant), reinvented the LeBaron, and introduced the Dodge Caravan/ Plymouth Voyager/ Chrysler Town & Country.
All the above became massive successes, and let Chrysler cruise through the 80's and 90's.
Just before retiring, Iacocca introduced the "cab forward" sedans which also became hot sellers.
After he retired, things went south.
I forgot, so many are restoring K cars, cab forward and mini vans! You hardly see any Viper or Prowler anymore. And don't forget about the Fifth Avenues. Sorry, but everything Lee Iacocca did at Chrysler with his imported Ford sycophants was badge engineered junk. I owned one once, bought his huckster b s " if you find a better car, buy it", which I did after my Dodge continued to vapor lock, burn oil, rust out and the paint kept falling off. You know it was bad when the zone representative told me, after 20 plus times getting the car repaired unsuccessfully and three Attorney General complaints to never buy another Chrysler product. I happily obliged.
@@Timbrock1000 things went south because he hired Bob Eaton from GM instead of giving the job to Bob Lutz.
It's not that they want to get rid of V8 Hemi engines and gas powered vehicles, it's that they are basically being forced to. They are being fined into oblivion because of every ICE vehicle they sell. They failed to meet EPA efficiency standards because those standards are unrealistic. This is also why they've been switching to hybrid vehicles and not EVs, because they know all electric is not realistic for everyone. All electric is an option, but they aren't going to get rid of the ICE completely because they know people would rather drive a car that will still move when the batteries run out.
Hybreds are no answer when they get older there very expensive battaries will not be replaced and poor people will just drive them on the gas engines, Which are small and under powered. thats only if they function without the battary. I agree that the auto makers would rather stick to ICE vehicles but the eviliists have other plans for us. If they succeed your new car will be the least of your problems. Call me nuts if you want, but this dark time is coming and fast. I wouldn't want any new vehicle even if i could afford it. I just hope i can get diesel fuel for my mechanically injected dodge 5.9 cumins.
I think Stellantis is seeing how well all the other makes are doing, I think some sort of Hybrids are what is needed. I wonder if they could develop a smaller system like the Ramcharger, that is what i would like. No drivetrain. Just a small motor to charge the generator to charge the battery, & the battery power the drive rain. Just my thoughts
@@keither7731 That would be Gas/diesel over electric, where an ICE electric generator powers the electric motor. Basically like a freight train, which aren't very fuel efficient. An added battery turns that into a hybrid to increase the fuel efficiency and you don't need a ton of battery for a hybrid. For hybrids it is better to have something like a normal ICE drivetrain but with the added electric motors in the transmission and/or differentials. People just need to be aware that transmissions and differentials have oil that needs to be changed, not as often as engine oil, but more often then you likely do now. An electric motor inside the transmission, which is common on hybrids, means you should be changing that fluid more often than your ICE equivalent vehicle.
I’ll keep driving my 99 dodge Ram over an EV. I make good money and I can finance a nice vehicle but it’ll never be an EV.
@@markseehawer3762 The 'evillists.' I love it. But yes, the evillists are on the march in California, where the California Air Resources Board is looking at giving local cities the power to ban gas-powered cars. I don't think it has anything to do with pollution. I think it's because they want us all to be driving centrally-monitored, centrally controlled cars linked to road-usage monitoring systems. Cars give us freedom. That threatens them. I think I will be driving my V-8 Chrysler 300 as long as the nuts and bolts hold together and I can still get gas.
Unfortunately Chrysler Corp. has had a tough time keeping it's head above water. I have owned many Dodge pickups and cars and several Chrysler cars and all have been good. The Europeans that bought Chrysler Dodge Jeep do not really understand American consumers. So now at this point yes it Looks like the grave has been dug.
@magmomwise: It will be like when the grave was dug for PACKARD and shortly after STUDEBAKER!!
All the chickens come home to roost. The American car companies did the same to alot of car brands around the world.
better to be the fu*ker than the fu*kee. We have lost our balls.
Very interesting topic! I too agree there are many questions. I find it VERY odd that you cancel two cars and leave the consumer with no replacement. They are still cancelling the Durango after 2024 with no scheduled replacement or prototype concept for us to see. They take the V8 out of the Wagoneer…you can still get a V8 in the GM options. They haven’t discussed a Dodge based Ramcharger return on the Wagoneer platform.
They’re still making two different Ram truck bodies. The 1500 is a newer body and the 2500/3500/4500 is the older body with the newer 1500 interior.
It’s a sad time to be a MOPAR diehard.
They have teased a ramcharger but dodge is no longer merged with ram they are both separate now
Also, Stellantis is seeking a buyer for the Chrysler Tech Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The future of Chrysler looks pretty bleak.
I worked at Chrysler from 71-86. It was a roller-coaster ride. I was layed off as much as working. It has morphed so much in recent years, it's really sad to see.
Sounds like not much has changed, actually. Fighting bankruptcy since 76...
GM bought Saab and killed it & Stellantis will do the same eventually. Dodge was never known for quality & the only cars they could sell were it's Hemi powered cars for knuckle draggers doing burn outs. Going full EV is guaranteed to end the brand because no one wants the stupid things to begin with..
Prior to the merger PSA wanted to buy Jeep. The deal was dead on arrival. So they worked on merging with the sole goal of obtaining the Jeep brand. They dont care about the rest.
(Just my opinion from reading all the press releases around the deal.)
Jeep & Ram are desirable for Stellantis. I don't think Stellantis cares about Dodge & Chrysler.
That's all Daimler wanted. The cars & passenger vehicles they viewed as crap, didn't care about pick ups, but Chrysler was the most profitable per unit sold on the planet in the mid-'90's. Took them under 3 years after taking over to turn it 180 degrees, lol
It's gone full circle. Chrysler did the same thing to AMC. YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!
How Chrysler will survive for 2 years only selling the Pacifica is beyond me. I bought a used Pacifica in January 2023 and I love it. My dealer only sells C and J because other nearby dealers sell all four brands. It's a strange setup. My de as ler recently started selling Moke of America EV's. Not practical road cars for Michigan weather. I wish I had a crystal ball...
There is plenty of info about big picture plans you just have to look for it. Main stream media does not have what your looking for.
Sounds like Sears and Kmart
That what happen when foreign companies buy American brand
Possibly would've been better if they merged with GM?
@@SSinister_Grin GM would have killed their makes off as well. Corporate egos and such.
I blame American shareholders who will do anything to make a buck. The executive position leaders do not care about the American worker or brand. They’re just in it to collect their bonus checks and go ruin the next business. I don’t see Japanese or German companies doing the same business practices.
@@TheSunnyMaloni AMEN, AMEN, AMEN! You are exactly right about American shareholders and CEOs - the shareholders only care about their dividends and their company's quarterly profits, and how much higher they are, and the CEOs will do anything to get their bonus or even a Golden Parachute, after destroying the company.
The UAW should have taken over the company and made it an employee-owned cooperative company. Many of these are very successful.
I think Chrysler and Dodge will be gone, then Jeep and Ram will be the only brands left.
100%. And most of Jeep is re-hashed Fiats
Agree won't get rid of jeep and ram. Too big of moneymakers
@@tommerry2814 But the lack of quality & cheapening (Tavares was Ghosn's right hand) will...
That’s because no one’s dumb enough to buy those brands.
Back to the "Sub prime pool" and Santander loans @wturner777
Mopar or No Car
It looks like no car now.
As someone that works for a dealership, I can confirm they have no clue how the North American car market works. And unfortunately we won’t see the Hemi again, as it won’t fit the corporate cafe standard that’s being implemented this year.
Sad!
It also won't fit in Stellantis's French ideals.
I don't think that the RAM or Jeep brands are going anywhere, they are the drivers for a lot of Stellantis' profitability in NA. They did get rid of some of the Jeep vehicles (the Renegade is a piece of junk).
Part of leaving the auto shows for Stellantis I believe is a cost cutting move. I am not sure how much they contribute to sales for Stellantis or any other OEM. They might be a bit of a dinosaur concept with so much being done virtually nowadays.
It USED to be you have an array of vehicles from those that introduce new buyers all the way up to luxury NOW they couldn’t give 2 cents about ANY vehicle that is not profitable ~ There ONLY concern is with the well heeled consumer…. The ONLY reason I went to the international auto show ( in Detroit ) last year was in HOPE to see some NEW PRODUCTS… Specifically a NEW Ram DAKOTA that they HAD BEEN procrastinating about bringing back for the last 5 years…. And each time NOTHING …. I did end up looking at that hornet and it’s top version was ok , at least I didn’t bump my head while entering and exiting it as with the Cherokee but other than that I had NO other interest in what was offered with this company…. Also i noticed that there prices for what they were offering was more expensive than competitor ( foreign brands ) I’ve heard people saying they want to move away from the general market up to the luxury market…. IS THAT even possible ?
I agree Jeep and Ram will survive and actually can thrive with better leadership.
I think Jeep is safe because there sold overseas. As far as Ram goes it does make a ton of money, so I would assume it's safe. Dodge and Chrysler could be combined into one brand and sell minivans and SUV's. Actually, Chrysler could be a Dodge or Ram luxury model sold as a premium trim level. They did this with the Imperial brand in the 1960's and 70's.
Ram made money because of the Hemi and the Cummins diesel. Both are gone now. There is no V8 option at all for their full size trucks. They have never had a decent V6. It is the end of Ram; Chevy/GMC will pick up most of the sales because Hemi people emphatically do not want Ford's boosted mouse-motors, or OHC engines. The LT just got a lot of new converts.
@@scottysgarage4393 LOL the Hemi is available or standard (depending on trim) in the 1500 and the Hemi and Cummins are the only engines you can get in the 2500 and 3500.
@@danmorgan3096 Hemi production just ended. An inline six will be the replacement option for Rams. The Cummins was supposed to be discontinued at the same time but I admit I haven't checked to see if 2025 still options them.
@@scottysgarage4393 my statement is based on Ram's website for 2024 model year trucks. Hemi and Cummins are still around for 2024.
@@danmorgan3096 And? 2024 is a done deal for the industry. As I said, the Hemi is gone. The last has been made. The big Cummins may hang around a bit longer but its days are numbered. That you are behind on your knowledge is not my fault, nor does it change the facts.
I'd love to have something like a challenger with a stick shift and V8, but at about 3/4 the size and weight of the now discontinued one. the size and weight (4200 lbs for the RT) is ridiculous.
Everything lee iacocca did for mopar went in the bin. So sad
Dodge/Chrylser/Jeep/Fiat consistently score the lowest in reliability. This is inexcusable. They dig their own graves. Meanwhile, they overpriced their products. They simply don't care about being competitive and successful.
As a long time MOPAR customer, this bit of news, pardon my french, Pisses me off! I've loved Chrysler, Dodge products for the past 30 years or more and currently have a Dodge in my garage, and I love it! I am not now or ever will be an EV fan! I don't trust them, like them or ever intend to own one! As far as I'm concerned, my philosophy is INTERNAL COMBUSTION....THE ULTIMATE ACCESORY!!!!!!!!!! So shove it STELLANTIS!!!
Great video. I’m glad somebody is addressing this issue on TH-cam. Keep it up.
Appreciate that!
@@VAFZone 👌👍
FCA did a better job running these brands. Chrysler brand is toast. Dodge may live on with vehicles like Durango and a home for minivans. Killing Charger/Challenger without an adequate replacement doesn't send a good message.
Jeep-Ram will, one way or another, live on. Stellantis is second most profitable automaker now focused on margins instead of volume. It's CEO did this on Europe and earned large products. Opel could end up in the US selling the best Stellantis EU products.
A merger is possible with either Renault or Ford
You tell me how Jeep and RAM are going to survive. RAM and JEEP are NOT selling, with 120 days supply of vehicles rotting away on dealer's lots!!
I have no special insight into this matter any more than the next person but if I was to make a guess, I'd say that yes, the days are indeed numbered for Chrysler and Dodge. And the reasons I say that two-fold.
One, the "conglomerate" will want to merge and combine operations as much as possible to increase profitability and two, I think that in fact, they do understand the American car buying public a lot more than we think. It's us old fossils who don't.
I'm an old car guy from way back and I've watched the evolution of the business for 50 years and from my perspective at least, I haven't encountered more than a handful of people in the last 15-20 years who have an ounce of brand loyalty at all and when they do, it's to one of the Japanese makers.
The facts are that the segments of the car buying public who give a damn about brand names, particularly the Chrysler brand, which has it's own very checkered history with the public, and anything like what we would call muscle cars is very small and continuing to dwindle.
I am sad to see any American brands go down but Jeep and Ram have been keeping the "Chrysler" products afloat for many years. Most of what has been produced by the Plymouth, Dodge and Chrysler nameplates has been total junk for several years. Rather than making the investment in trying to turn around those brands they are slowly killing them and focusing on the profitable Jeep and Ram brands. From a business standpoint, it makes total sense.
This also could be in response to other economic pressures - basically, people aren't going to auto shows much anymore - car nuts are and motor journalists / content creators but if there's not much interesting or if the venue is filled with vehicles they've already reviewed or shown before not a big reason to show up. I'll likely go to my nearest one even though I've purchased a new car last year and not really in the market but I think I'm in the minority. The trend is also to have several manufacturers and brands on a single campus - they could be different dealerships but you can walk from store to store - that used to be the reason why you went to an auto show was to look at the different brands or where inventory was depleted - not really the case anymore.
Today's cars are not really cars at all, they are rolling computers, and car guys just are not into rolling computers. And I am talking about modern gas cars, not just electrics.
@scotty_in_ohio "people aren't going to auto shows much anymore"
Chicago's 2023 auto show had an attendance of over 300,000 people, a significant increase from the year before.
As someone who traveled with Ram and Jeep for auto shows for the past 5 years this will be a crazy year
The power grid wouldn’t last if every car manufacturers are switching all electric vehicles
When GM did the same exact thing with legendary Swedish automaker Saab, nobody batted an eye. Saabs were (and still are) universally loved here in Northern Europe, but the Americans simply didn't care. Funny how the tables have turned. This being said, I'm a huge fan of the Chrysler 300. It's one hell of a car that looks a lot more expensive than it is. I'd buy one if they came out with a new generation. I hope Chrysler survives so we can continue getting cars like that.
It's a pity they didn't make a RHD Charger. 😢
I'm a little heartbroken that Mopar is taking this path I'm looking to buy a new truck and my whole family was surprised when I started looking at different brands other than ram seeing I only owned mopar since 1990
It sure looks to me like they are going to let dodge and chrysler wither on the vine. They will keep jeep and ram
Maybe it is the same thing, like before GM has had no clue about the European car market and almost ruined OPEL brand.
I believe so. Neither Daimler, FIAT, nor PSA have invested anything in new product worthwhile at Chrysler. It makes me sick
1950s and 1960s are the good years for Chrysler Corporation. In the 1950s they have DeSoto from 1928 to 1961, Imperial from 1955 to 1970 without the Chrysler nameplate, Plymouth from 1928 to 2001. And now Chrysler (1924-2024?) and Dodge (1914-2024?) could be demise their brands in the near future. My favorite cars of Chrysler Corporation are: 1953 Chrysler New Yorker DeLuxe V-8, 2 door Newport Hardtop with 2 speed Powerflite transmission, 1954 DeSoto Firedome V-8, 2 door Sportsman hardtop with 2 speed Powerflite transmission, 1954 Chrysler Imperial, 2 door Newport hardtop, 1956 Chrysler New Yorker DeLuxe, 2 door Newport hardtop with 3 tone paint job, 1957 Chrysler New Yorker, 2 door Newport hardtop with 4 headlights, 1957 DeSoto Adventure 2 door hardtop with 4 headlights as standard equipment, and even 1967 Plymouth Sports Fury, 2 door “cantilever” hardtop. Plymouth Fury does built 2 door cantilever hardtop from 1965 through early 1968. Today, Chrysler Corporation is the thing of the past.😢
Love those old Mopars!
I can imagine a day when Chrysler and Dodge products are no longer on the market, RAM & JEEP will survive. Mergers are in our future, I wouldn't even rule out a GM / FORD pairing.
Ford's styling is super ugly, at least GM makes nice looking cars.
@@GoogleDoesEvil IMO, the more likely candidates for merger and or acquisition are; JEEP, RAM, MAZDA, NISSAN and SUBARU. At some point, auto manufacturers will become hybrids. A combination of Tech / Motor Vehicle production. Autonomous, Hybrid and Electric transportation IS the future and some companies are going to be profitable in those segments while others won't.
Chrysler had an ugly ducking that became a golden goose in the AMC Eagle. “The original American Subaru Outback”
Chrysler bought AMC in 1987 and discontinued the Eagle in 1988.
I’d be so happy to have a compact-ish 4x4 crossover with locking diffs and high ground clearance. Watching some of these new SUVs (that all look like a baby’s tennis shoe) perform the roller test is just downright embarrassing.
The ground clearance of the original Cherokee was sooooo satisfying.
Nowadays, all SUVs and crossovers, you get in them like a minivan. 6” of ground clearance is “acceptable”.
I miss older SUVs that you sat in the same position as a Corvette or a 300ZX, but you had a foot of ground clearance.
i wont buy anything MOPAR until Stellantis knocks its crap off. really probably wont buy MOPAR until Stellantis is out of the picture completely. i currently own a 1999 300M in showroom condition with 83,000 miles that spent its life in moms garage in southern Arizona. also a 2006 town and country that just hit 227,000 miles that's mostly original except for the consumable parts that go bad on cars. water pump, fuel pump, brakes, tires, etcetera. my daily driver is a subaru forester which im quite happy with and will more than likely buy another in the future. I've always been a dodge/chrysler/jeep guy since child hood. i can honestly say I've owned over 80 cars in my 60 years I've owned all the manufacturers including some that are now extinct. Chrysler corp has always been my favorite though. thanks for the video. i also just subscribed.
Well said!
Look the sales are way down because they are over priced and have a history of quality and reliability issues! People are not going to pay these crazy high prices on products that are inferior to other brands. My company uses Ram trucks so I know from experience they have had lots of reliability issues.
Stelantis does not understand the NA market. They think they can charge outrageous prices for substandard products. It's the first time ever after purchasing NA cars my whole life that i've been considering buying Toyota. If I'm going to spend over $50k for a vehicle it won't be on the worst company for reliability. In the past they charged value prices for value cars and it was a great niche market. I'm not spending BMW prices for Stellantis products sorry not happening. I don't want a plug -in hybrid and certainly not an all electric. Toyota offers mild hybrid vehicles with more features for CHEAPER than Stellantis all gas vehicles which is insane.
$50K is the avg cost of a new car, today.
@@mixedbyfiatcat Yes nobody said it wasn't.
I'm so glad I got my 2022 Challenger R/T when I did.
Poor Walter P.how many times has Walter rolled over in his grave 🪦🪦🫤🫤
--Revolving at several hundred RPM.
Dodge doesn’t make cars that are terribly compatible with the values of most upcoming younger buyers, many of whom no longer care at all about performance or street-cred. They care about cost, safety, and fuel consumption. These are not necessarily areas where Dodge shines. Meanwhile, older customers may like performance cars, but they may choose to keep familiar vehicles longer and they certainly aren’t going to be around forever. This sets up Dodge for a crisis down the road as younger buyers increasingly forgo Dodge completely.
NO ELECTRIC CARS!
We need to protect our North American Brands of Chrysler products. As reported Stellantis has taken over Chrysler affecting the Auto Shows with no Chrysler products. Thanks for the update. I did not know Stellantis took over Chrysler.
Add to this the PRICE GOUGING by many of the dealers and 5 of the top 10 SLOWEST Selling vehicles in North America are DODGE. Which can't help them either.
Yes there Dodge Hornet already looking bad. Discontinue of so many things like the Hemi, Charger, Challenger a bad sign. This is America not Europe. We like our cars big, loud and proud.
Diamler bought Chrysler and siphoned a lot of its money and sent it over to Germany to help Mercedes at the time, Fiat bought Chrysler for it's engine technologies , now Stellantis has reduced what's left to a shell of it's former self. I drive by the Chrysler (Stellantis) Building in Auburn Hills Michigan every day on my way to work, had family that worked for Chrysler, and we all own Ram trucks , Chrysler cars, and Jeeps. We have done our part, but I think the writings on the wall unfortunately for the end of Chrysler vehicles. Look at how late to the party they are with a electric vehicle and the EV party is about over. Look around Detroit, GM and Ford are curtailing production drastically because the mainstream market just isn't there really . Tesla rules the roost, and the smaller Niche companies who have lower production numbers like Rivian, (who I have done some work for) Polestar and Lucid can cope with financially much better than the big 2 and Euro 1. God I hate to call Chrysler that, but that's who they are now.
There will be a huge shakeup in the EV market, which is already happening. Brands like Rivian will not survive.
Huge battery plants being built Kokomo Indiana. Alliance between Stellantis and Samsung.😊
Tesla isn't even doing very well right now.
At this point Stellantis is just repeating history like when Chrysler bought American Motors just for the Jeep brand alone while leaving the other brands in the dust.
FCA/Stellantis has been very good to the car guy, and I appreciate that. However, their entire fleets, unfortunately, get the worst overall MPG. They just don't have much that can help balance things out to keep the V8s, That said, the root causes are the EPA and Biden's fascist mandates.
As for the auto shows, I went to the San Diego International Auto Show, and while Stelantis was there, it wasn't a big effort compared to Ford and GM. 1 Ram, 1 Charger, 1 Hornet, 1 Wrangler, 1 Grand Cherokee and 2 Mini Vans. That said, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Mazda, Buick and Lincoln didn't even show up.
Regarding EVs, there's Tesla and then everyone else. EV fans love the Tesla brand, but everyone else's EV sales are terrible. Out of the top 25 vehicles sold in America (2023), only 2 EVs made it, which were the Model Y and 3. ICE Trucks and SUVs Dominate. Mass EV adoption may happen in certain countries, but not in America. Millions live in apartment complexes, along with millions who park their vehicles on the streets in front of their residence. In the end, we're a very diverse and split country.
Lastly, regarding EVs, those $7,500 subsidies are starting to dry up, and the early EV adoption phase has been coming to an end, and the Federal EV mileage tax (per mile driven) still has to be implemented that was past in Biden's infrastructure bill. And then there's state EV taxes that have been rolling out. And then there's the EV insurance rates that have been eye opening of late. So the EV honeymoon may be coming to an end, though Tesla will be fine.
OK, I'm done blathering.
Yeah, they ran the v8 wave as long as possible.
Wouldn't the Durango be a model, not a brand? Same with the Hornet, Charger, etc. Your point that Stellantis doesn't understand the American market is a sound one. Stellantis raised the MSRPs on their cars, more than most manufacturers, at a time when the market couldn't bear it and their vehicles are beginning to rot on the lots. It's such a shame, especially for the Charger and Challenger fans, like me, that would buy one if they weren't so ridiculously overpriced.
Yes John, you are correct.......Durango, Hornet, Charger, Challenger are Models. Chrysler, Dodge are the car brands.
The price of my 69 dodge just sky rocketed.
The situation at Chrysler and Dodge is eerily similar to how AMC died after doing business with Renault. However each American Stellantis brand has a model that proves the public is still interested.
Chrysler Pacifica is #1 in segment and broke all time sales record in 2023
Dodge Durango broke all time sales record in 2023 for current generation (2011-present)
Dodge Charger and Challenger remain strong sellers to very end; replacement in pre-production.
Ram and Jeep are volume sellers despite overpricing. It would be stupid to kill these.
If anything, it may appear that FCA was grossly mismanaged as a company and starved their own brands of product.
Stay the hell away from battery popping electrics. Bring back something on the Neon line , something the regular working guy can afford . Not that many want 100K+ car or truck. So over priced and so stupid .
A new Neon would be sick!
They are killing the company. Eventually they will go bankrupt
No one is buying Alfa Romeo and Fiat products whatsoever, including Maserati, no one is buying those trash vehicles.
I would miss the Pacifica, but everyone else could kick rocks. Jeep / Ram have priced themselves out of relevance.
I agree with you. Any auto show I’ve ever been to Chrysler always had the best show. They always had rides for ram trucks or jeeps, and goodie bags of shirts or backpacks. They always used to stand out, compared to the other brands by far. It’s pretty sad to see them leave. I myself purchased a 23 ram 1500 Laramie this year because of all the memories I’ve had from going to auto shows and riding in those trucks. Sad to see the hemi go and the downfall of the brand.
F@$# stellantis. I know dodge/chrysler dont have an outstanding line-up of cars, but they still offer decent vehicles. Id be more inclined to buy a newer one if i could afford it, but i cant. Still rocking my almost 20 year old rigs. :)
The big mistake that was made when Chrysler was owned part by the UAW and Fiat. The UAW should have never given up their interest in the company. Big big big mistake!!! It's so sad that an American car company being taken over by some foreign car company was an atrocity that should have never happened.
Stellantis must have hired Eddie Lampert as a consultant to handle the Chrysler brands.
(For those who don't know who Eddie Lampert is, look him up.)
RIP Sears
I went to the international auto show in Atlanta last year and there weren't many manufacturers there at all. It was nothing like previous years.
Stellantis has cancelled several Chrysler and Dodge models including the Caravan. They say they are planning to electric the Charger and Challenger which ended production in 2023. They Chrysler 300 was also killed in 2023. Also, they have not come out with any new models. It has people wondering will Stllantis kill the Chrysler and Dodge brands
An electric Charger and Challenger will be a financial disaster.They will not sell enough of them to make any money.
Americans won’t buy and aren’t buying rebadged Fiats and Peugeots as Dodge and Chrysler products. Hornets and Renegades? Nope. And I am a former Dodge owner.
@@stevenpollard5171 I agree. Americans don't like Italian cars. Chrysler became Italian after they merged with Fiat
Total insanity to stop production of half or more of your current models when their replacements are several months away from being delivered. I can understand not participating in auto shows though with the embarrassment that all you have new to display is the same concept vehicles that made the circuit 2 years ago.
@@davinp Nobody likes Italians.
In the 1990s Chrysler, flush with money, agreed to a "merger of equals" with MB. At that point, Chrysler's piggy bank was raided by MB and whatever independence they had was lost. No money, no power. It is amazing that Chrysler lasted this long, mostly due to Ram trucks and Jeep. Now those aren't doing very well either.
I feel that Stellantis is not moving away from showing off stuff at the auto shows, I think this is part of a turnaround for the company. Dodge and Chrysler, unlike Jeep and Ram trucks, have not had any updates to their vehicles and the old architecture is getting harder and harder to upkeep. Also, what I remember hearing a while ago, from future plans for the Chrysler group, before the Stellantis merger, there was focus on the Jeep and Ram truck brands being the bread and butter for the Chrysler group. This is just a time where Chrysler and Dodge are getting ready to turn over a new leaf and add new products to their portfolio.
Don’t think so,maybe downsize,there’s talk of cutting Lancia,the auto industry is going through very tough times,what with EV’s
being pushed by politics...........the American buyers are changing with the times,the younger want changes.
Wouldn't be a surprise to see Chrysler disappear entirely. Kind of crazy that nothing has been added to the Chrysler nameplate in nearly a decade.
Same as Dodge. They’ve already killed off the Charger and the Challenger, possibly the Dart. Dodge might as well go under. The quality is crap for the get-go.
@@wturner777 won't argue the terrible quality part. But isn't there a successor to the charger and challenger?
@@tokuzumi1 Good question. As far as Stellantis, I don’t know.
Dodge Ram and Jeep ALL should be solely AMERICAN OWNED.
If Stellantis want to sell all electric they will be broke in a few months. EVs have been a cycle that is no longer [has it ever] been viable
Smart people predicted a steep dropoff in demand for fully electric vehicles some time ago. It would come when all of the "early adopters" had been saturated. The early adopters are individuals who have "off-street" parking and access to charging, e.g., single-family homeowners and renters of same. That clientele has been used up and it's a tough sell to individuals and families that don't have easy access to those things. Note that sales of hybrids (for which, other than "plug-ins", you don't need off-street charging) has remained strong but sales of Stellantis/Dodge's only competitor in that segment, the Hornet, have been underwhelming. The competition in small hatchback/SUV's is fierce, with both the Japanese and Koreans having better offerings.
Great channel. I didnt know about Dodge pulling out of the auto shows, but I have been talking about the disaster that Mopar was in 2023. Am actually doing an episode, year in review type thing, and man...2023 sucked for Mopar fans.
Part of me thinks, its better to go the way of Pontiac and Mercury than become who knows what corpo-EV trash.
Thanks Alex!
Chrysler not been American owned since 1998 make this no surprise. Their products are consistently at the bottom of quality indexes. The brands have a little or no positive image in most of North America and globally. They have many brands to cover for the 'loss'.
The CAFE standards killed the loved Mopar brands. 2024 CAFE requires manufacturer fleet fuel average of 40.9 mpg, with each year raising 10% with 2029 49.3 mpg. This number includes trucks and if you look at how any manufacturer will achieve such numbers it's through electrification. Gm and Ford are shells of themselves from past and sell little bubble SUVs that look the same. The car buying Americans may not want electrics, but the government is forcing manufacturers hand by CAFE. It's going to be a s%$# show. The internal combustion vehicles left are going to subsidize the electrics and cover CAFE fines for being in "not efficient" enough. I would not be surprised if we see a Chrysler Pacifica hybrid priced cheaper than a standard ICE Pacifica, and it won't be because they lowered prices on the hybrid Pacifica.
They need to fold Ram back into Dodge and use Dodge as a mainline brand. Chrysler should be the luxury brand with premium products. Jeep should focus on 4x4 SUVs only. They could bring back Plymouth as electric vehicle brand.
I agree. That would be smart marketing.
I seen the thumb nail and had this to share:
When they spun the Dodge pick ups off to be Rams I knew that was so they could bankrupt the Dodge name and likely write off a crap load of debt.
The thing is ford and gm don’t know what the American buyers want either
This was the plan all along.
Chrysler's been on life support for over 40 years. You'd think America would be able to support 3 major car manufacturers - something is wrong with the way American car companies are managed.
This is what happens when corporate is headed by rainbo warriors. The round-peg-goes-in-a-square-holers can only destroy.
No more Spacious Mini Vans? ☹
On my fifth Dodge Caravan. They always were great for me!
Chrysler will be gone by 2030. They only offer two cars now, the Pacifica and the 300, if I’m correct. The bad reputation and quality control killed it. I don’t think Dodge will be gone too soon - they’d be smart to market Dodge as a sports car brand. RAM and Jeep are not going anywhere. I’d imagine they make tons of money on those brands.
2023 was the last year for the 300. Pacifica minivan is all that remains for the Chrysler brand. Stellantis wants the Chrysler brand to go all-electric starting with the "Airflow". That will be the end for them.
The "300" is toast as of 2023! You are right about Chrysler "quality". Since the recession in 1958, Chrysler has the reputation of having the WORST build quality. I still remember their products on the showroom floor with wrinkled headliners and the "putty" not cleaned off the front and rear glass when they sealed the windshield and rear window. Also Mopar products usually were starting to rust and had rattles and squeaks when they rolled off the assembly line. This is the reason I would NEVER buy a NEW Chrysler product, however I have purchased USED Valiants as "Winter beaters" because they are SO CHEAP!!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Chrysler stopped caring a long time ago. They have failed to innovate, and they hedged their bets on the old-fashioned gas-guzzling vehicles that appeal to a smaller and smaller segment of the American market. When they tried to make volume sales vehicles (the 200, Dodge Dart, Jeep Renegade, etc.) they were horrendously unreliable - when people can get a ford or a Chevy for a similar price, unless they’re illogically loyal, they’re going to get something decent for their money. Not to mention that Kia and Hyundai, the once really cheap brands, are a lot better than they used to be and are selling like hotcakes. So much so, that they’ve had money to invest in hybrid technology and Electric vehicles. Chrysler and its sister brand Dodge, are going to have to go electric to stay relevant, but if they go all in and screw up, that will be the last nail in their coffin. I personally think hybrid technology and EVs are a good mix, not going full electric; they will necessarily be more expensive, and it will be a problem for many to pay really high prices for a vehicle from what is perceived as a value brand. I mean, look at the Wagoneer, horribly expensive, and nobody is buying them.
Sometimes it’s over when it’s over - I had to laugh when you said ‘Chrysler products won’t be seen’ which ones the PT cruiser or the cirrus ? 😂 let’s be real ; this is all self inflicted 😮
I've thought this as well. Ever since Dodge cancelled the Charger, Challenger, and the 300 with nothing to replace them except 100,000 dollar EV dreams that was NEVER going to happen. That's a net loss of over 5 billion a year in revenues. The Charger was the best selling 4 door sedan in the world, to absolutely Nothing. What does Chrysler sell now, ONE MINI VAN made in Mexico, and 80,000 dollar Jeeps? Good luck with that.
I was a Chryco fan for most of my life.
My first car was a 1965 Plymouth Valiant
My first new car was a 1984 Dodge Shelby Charger. Loved that lil sporty car
Then I bought a 1989 Dodge Daytona CS with the 2.5 l turbo and 5 speed. A clean quick for its day car.
But I wound up buying a 1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z with the 2.2 l. Intercooled turbo and 5 speed... Loved everything about that car.
My all time favorite car and not just a Chryco is the Dodge Viper, any variant but especially the GTS coupe.... Bought many of them in the Gran Turismo video game series.😂
But since it all became a Frenchy/Italian brand, I nolonger have that Mopar love I use to have.😢
--And don't forget the Dodge Dart!
All car manufactures can build all the ev's they want. I will not own one nor will i ever own one.
Chrysler went from being the classy chick until 1998 when it became the party girl being passed around from guy to guy.