That’s the Dodge Hornet concept car from last year. It’s supposed to become the subcompact that Chrysler is working with Chery to produce.

I was just kidding. I thought that hideous looking thing was a photoshop job.

picard234 In another note, I would like to know who dreamed of that strange thing in the picture for this article. Looks like somebody ate some bad pizza before bed…

That's the Dodge Hornet concept car from last year. It's supposed to become the subcompact that Chrysler is working with Chery to produce.

For every anecdote like that, there’s probably another equal and opposite. There’s an old lady down the street from my parents still tooling around in her Reliant, the only car I can ever remember her owning. The thing still looks new.

In another note, I would like to know who dreamed of that strange thing in the picture for this article. Looks like somebody ate some bad pizza before bed…

Inside, I’ll take a well-thought out but somewhat spartan interior. I’ll gladly take quality over a bunch of dumb gimmicks like a fridge in the glovebox and speakers that fold out of the tailgate. I’ll take Recaro buckets, a good stereo with iPod integration (not just an aux-in line, thanks!), and easily visible gauges.

I’ll take it for 17 or 18 grand, too, thanks.

Get on it chrysler.

We pay for stuff we don’t want, because it comes with the things we do want. We can make up our minds more quickly, and be shuffled through the deal instead of being stymied with an overload of choices. It makes the supply chain simpler. etc.

Too true. I remember last time I went car shopping (a while ago now) some of the Toyota’s I looked at were available in only 3-5 colours.

When I was in university, I took a few business coursea and ‘mass-customization’ was a pretty consistent theme. What happened to that?

Makes me wish I as ordering a 69 Charger (27 colours, plus a 99 paint code just in case you couldn’d live with any of the other choices).

The trend has been the exact opposite. For the sake of efficiency, choices have been drastically limited over time. In 1965 you could custom order from GM a dizzying array of body panels, powertrains, colors, interior fabrics and many individual options. The Chevrolet brand alone had five passenger car platforms, except for Corvette, in three trim levels, 2 and 4 door sedans, 2 and 4 door hardtops, convertible, 2 and 3 row station wagons, 15 paint colors plus two-tones, cloth and vinyl in six colors, five transmissions, a dozen or more engines, etc.

Now, you can order your Cobalt in fantastic colors such as white, black, beige, and three shades of gray, with dark gray or somewhat lighter gray interior, and you’ve even got your choice of two wheelcover designs!

Oh, and you have to have leather and “premium” sound to get heated seats.

Wow! I didn’t know that Chrysler outsourced their PR work to North Korea! Doesn’t the above quote sound strikingly familiar to the usual garbage published by the DPRK?

“The Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea is moving on all fronts to engage our peace-loving comrades and harness their insights, inspirations and dreams as we move quickly to develop and refine new technologies and products.”

The trend has been the exact opposite. For the sake of efficiency, choices have been drastically limited over time. In 1965 you could custom order from GM a dizzying array of body panels, powertrains, colors, interior fabrics and many individual options. The Chevrolet brand alone had five passenger car platforms, except for Corvette, in three trim levels, 2 and 4 door sedans, 2 and 4 door hardtops, convertible, 2 and 3 row station wagons, 15 paint colors plus two-tones, cloth and vinyl in six colors, five transmissions, a dozen or more engines, etc.

How about a transmission that can last longer than 60,000 miles?

They’ve already done that. The 41TE automatic in my ‘03 Dodge Caravan is working just fine at 81,000 miles (knock on wood). I did have to install two new speed sensors last month, but aside from that it’s been trouble-free.

Am I the only one who reads this as: “Well, we’re out of ideas. You guys got anything?”

On the other hand, since their own (and Ford’s, and GM’s) efforts to figure out what people want to buy have failed, I guess asking people isn’t too bad of idea!

That’s not gonna happen anytime soon, though, and it sure won’t be Chrysler that does it.

I suppose if they had good product design from the start they wouldn’t have to try and do things like this.

Keep dreaming guys.

-ted