Chrysler Plans All-Hybrid Lineup and Foreign Expansion. Maybe.
Ex-Toyota and current Chrysler president Jim Press says every car his new employer makes— or will make once the automaker starts/finishes their long-promised model cull– will be a hybrid. Eventually. Meanwhile, Popular Mechanics claims the Prez' promise was "the first by a major auto executive that openly embraces hybrid technology as an across-the board sea change.” Nope. As we reported previously, Toyota executive vice president Kazuo Okamoto predicted Synergy Drive would become ToMoCo’s default drivetrain. Anyway, we've heard nothing about/from Chrysler's semi-independent "ENVI" hybrid development team since the Detroit Auto Show's awkward concept cars. And speaking of champagne dreams and caviar wishes, Press said Chrysler plans to build and sell as many Chrysler-branded products overseas as are currently sold in the U.S. (roughly 2.7m units). Again, no idea of what, when or where. Why? Because they like you.
Glenn is a baby-boomer, born in 1954. Along with his wife, he makes his home in Connecticut. Employed in the public sector as an Information Tedchnology Specialist, Glenn has long been a car fan. Past rides have included heavy iron such as a 1967 GTO, to a V8 T-Bird. In between those high-horsepower cars, he's owned a pair of BMW 320i's. Now, with a daily commute of 40 miles, his concession to MPG dictates the ownership of a 2006 Honda Civic coupe which, while fun to drive, is a modest car for a pistonhead. As an avid reader, Glenn enjoys TTAC, along with many other auto-realated sites, and the occasional good book. As an avid electronic junkie, Glenn holds an Advanced Class amateur ("ham") radio license, and is into many things electronic. From a satellite radio and portable GPS unit in the cars, to a modest home theater system and radio-intercom in his home, if it's run by the movement of electrons, he's interested. :-)
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If this happens, I'm imagining a lot of Chrystler dealerships who aren't properly equipped/trained to fix the nightmares that will head back into the lot... Unless, of course, they lease every bit of machinery out from a manufacturer who knows what they are doing with this hybrid stuff... Or, they have a hidden department that has been working on hybrids in secret... Or, they pull a GM-esque "Hybrid" by throwing on a supersized starter and an extra battery on an otherwise normal engine, basically allowing instant start-stop...
I hear Packard and Hudson will also be selling hybrids around the same time. I hope the money was worth it Jim Press.
Chrysler's announcements about its product plans for the distant future sound more and more like an episode of "Pinky and the Brain." At least Pinky gets close to taking over the world. Chrysler can't fight its way out of a paper bag.
"Why? Because they like you." - M - O - U - S - E