By Frank Williams
March 26, 2008 -
Rumors are flying that Chrysler is in talks with a second Chinese manufacturer. They already have an agreement with Chery to rebadge subcompacts for Mexico and South American markets markets and develop a subcompact for the U.S. (all under the Dodge brand). Now Reuters says they're looking into an alliance with Great Wall. Great Wall builds small SUVs, a small CUV and pickup trucks with some of the coolest model names going: the Wingle (say "Great Wall Wingle" fast three times) and the Socool. Obviously, Chrysler doesn't need more SUVs or CUVs. However, Chrysler hasn't had a small pickup since the rebadged Mitsubishi pickup they sold in the previous century. With sales of the Dakota "midsized" pickup in the cesspool, and big truck sales circling the toilet, they could be looking at Great Wall to provide a small truck– a vehicle Chery can't supply. So if the rumors turn out to be true (and inside sources say they are), the next small Dodge truck could come from the People's Republic of China. And pave the way for… the end of domestic car production.
Subscribe to Newsletter12 Responses to “ Chrysler Sitting on the Great Wall? ”
Pages: [1] 2 » Show All Reverse Order
Pages: [1] 2 » Show All Reverse Order
Leave a Reply 
Back to Top
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blinklist
Furl
Netscape
Google
NewsVine
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Technorati
YahooMyWeb
Windows Live
POWERED
March 26th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
“And pave the way for… the end of domestic car production.”
How do you know? Seriously. What would it take to ship all the tooling over to China, and give up some of the most modern factories in the business? Hell, they can’t even get their tooling from Plastech, for God’s sake and they own it! It makes sense for them to build a small pickup there instead of risking the capital here where it’s a lot more expensive and you have to provide union guarantees. They can always bring it stateside if it’s a success with the next generation.
March 26th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I bet Cerberus has an ace up their sleeve and they know and have known since the beginning exactly what they plan on doing with Chrysler. They knew that before they bought them!
Would they really make a large purchase like that without having a plan?
March 26th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I will be looking forward to this.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
That’ll get the kids to soccer practice.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
While the styling is a stolen mashup, this truck by far has the coolest name ever.
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2007/05/22/the-coolest-chinese-pick-up-truck/
March 26th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I don’t know how this is surprising?
Ceberus is outsourcing nothing new. GM in a way is outsourcing with re-badged Opels and Holdens.
Ford with re-badged Mazdas and Volvos.
Soon they will be selling Chryslers at Walmart.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:10 am
I’ve been saying from the start that Cerberus’ plan has got to be straight from the Modern MBA Gospel: Outsource manufacturing to China, et. al. and be a “design, marketing and service leader”.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:03 am
Well - if the cars look like this, and cost 1/4 of what the Bentley costs:
http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/geelygt.jpg
http://www.chinacartimes.com/wp-content/geelygt-front.jpg
March 27th, 2008 at 4:34 am
Imagine your son coming home with all clothes ripped in pieces, with blood pouring in streams from his forehead and mother grabbing her skull in hands and shrieking in awe, Oh my God, Oh my god!As if this didn`t break her heart enough, you finish the scene with declaring…mom,, I am gay. well, chrysler`s coming out to WallStreet, wait a minute… to GreatWall is worse than that. We have a history repeating here itself in slow-motion. As if electronics industry didn`t teach us a lesson, now we are destined to repeat it. Here we go again..Magnavox of car industry, RCA of horsepower and Prology of manufacturing. Frank, you can call me the fucked flamer, but imagine me as this mother..whose heart is being ripped out, in slow motion, by announcements like this, one by one, the last colours of the love for American banner, or what it meant to me …are being washed out by the bleacher of imports . America, you are breaking my heart, and not because of love, but because of lack of it..to your own manufacturing.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:14 am
That truck looks like an Isuzu D-Max/Chevy Colorado ripoff from the front fender to the back…
Things will get ugly if launched in US