Newsweek Calls Time on the Eight Cars Chrysler Should Kill

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

GM vs. Toyota over alt. propulsion. Now it's Time vs. Newsweek over crap cars. Not to be outdone by Dan Neil's selection of the 50 Worst Cars of All Time for Time, Newsweek's Keith Naughton got a list of 8 Chryslers That've Outlived their Time. After an excellent article on Chrysler CEO Boot'em Bob Nardelli's speech at the Detroit Athletic Club ("Speaking without cue cards to a room full of automotive reporters, he was heavy on GE-speak, waxing on about his 'vertical learning curve' and 'granularity.'"), Naughton gets out the automotive cyanide. The models Naughton– I mean "industry analysts" would send to the crusher are the TTAC TWAT-winning Chrysler Aspen and Jeep Compass; the Jeep Liberty, Dodge Magnum, Nitro and Dakota; Chrysler Pacifica and Sebring. How many of these will make this year's TWATs? Stay tuned.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • MX5bob MX5bob on Sep 13, 2007
    86er- The next article I have to read about how X domestic manufacturer ought to exit a segment with its tail between its legs, because its current product is uncompetitive, my head’s gonna explode. Yeah, that's become a "no duh" kind of article, although having just driven the Escape Limited, Ford should forget about that segment. Of course, they'll badge engineer a Mercury that nobody buys and in two years the winged messenger will be shot into the automotive sun.
  • Jolietjake Jolietjake on Sep 13, 2007

    I used to drive a Liberty, but I'd take that new Wrnagler over that thing every day and twice on Thursday. I just can't stop looking at that thing and imagining trail running and rock climbing in the mountains... WITH KIDS IN THE BACK SEAT! How sweet would that be!

  • Whuffo Whuffo on Sep 13, 2007

    I've got a Pacifica and other than a few small "fit and finish" issues it's a lot better vehicle than people imagine. If Chrysler would have put forth the marketing effort to let people know what it is and how it differs from minivans / SUVs they'd have sold a lot more of them. But time passes; there's lots of "crossover" vehicles today. Chrysler can let this one go without losing too many sales. I just hope someone else picks up on the "navigation in the speedometer" trick. That's very, very nice.

  • Hank Hank on Sep 14, 2007

    For GEMorris Admittedly, a harder list to make, but these are the 8 Toyota/Lexus/Scion that should be nixed: - Lexus LX suv: it's an overpriced GM worthy badge engineering job. Just buy a Land Cruiser already. - Toyota Sequoia: that Toyota is wasting money on this hog every bit as big a mistake as GM pinning its hopes on the new Yukon/Tahoe a couple years ago. - LS Hybrid: Come back with a "enviro-friendly" luxo barge that doesn't get worse mpg than both my suv and minivan. - Solara: 1st Gen was great, the current looks like it was squeezed out of Rosie's belly button. - Scion XD: I'm supposed to want to be seen in that?! - Lexus GX: Like all the above, I'm sure it's a decent vehicle, built well and well optioned. But this thing is oddly proportioned and every time I (rarely) see one it looks like a stiff breeze will blow it right over. - Matrix: I really like this car, but I don't see it's place in their line-up. Scion makes it redundant. - Tacoma: Needs to become a small truck again. I drive a mid-size 2000 SUV. When I park next to a Tundra I feel like I'm in a Mini. My dad had a 1982 Datsun King Cab 4x4. That truck was right-sized and indestructible. That size makes much more sense as fuel costs and availability increasingly are an issue, and Toyota used to know how to make small, efficient pickups. In other parts of the globe, they still do, in fact. Tighten the belt.

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