Chrysler to Launch New Fuel-Efficient Car in 2009. Or Not.
In a not-so-stunning piece of preemptive PR– before the July sales data hits the fan– Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli has told his troops that more fuel-efficient vehicles are on their way. The Detroit News reports Nardelli's four-wheeled fuel-sipping cavalry could arrive as early as next year, "possibly including an unexpected model to debut next year." Less specifically, "You very well could see some new platforms, some new vehicles out next year," Nardelli told reporters at a dealership dedication. The aggressively conservative head of the ailing American automaker also took the opportunity to introduce a new euphemism. "We continue to reprioritize our capital," Boot 'Em Bob reassured. "To make sure we are responding to one of the most significant changes we see in consumer buying preferences to downsize and look for fuel efficiency." Will a previously-conjectured partnership with Italy's Fiat or India's Tata Motors or Japan's Nissan or France's Renault or the UK's Ultima [just kidding] deliver this much-needed Chrysler product or products? To quote a Disney movie I can't recall, Mmmmmmm. Could be. Or better yet, Bob himself: "Partnerships with other automakers could be part of those new product introductions." So now you know. Ish.
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I noticed on some of the other cars what appeared to be a corporate logo pasted in. The Chrysler logo was straight vertically but the car was doing one of those "blurry poster turns". Man, the automakers need to address little details like that. Hopefully they put the a/c control knobs on in the right order too? Hook up the brake and clutch pedals to the right parts of the car? VBG!
Hey Dinu That is the funniest thing!!! LOL!!!! Great find!! What a bunch of Marooooonssss!!!! It's no wonder our car industry is in such dire straits!
Hmm.. the link seems to have disappeared. Anyways... it was the H100 truck that has a Hyundai badge on it http://www.dodge.com.mx/frGen2Hoja.asp?Hoja=_dcn/dcn_fr_modelo.asp?ClaveGen=ATOS09
For lack of a more eloquent (and less vulgar) adjective, I'll preface my comment with this- The Dodge Neon SUCKED! With that said, they were idiots to discontinue it thinking a 5-door small wagon/crossover-ish vehicle would be a suitable replacement. That was one of my first thoughts when I read about the Caliber replacing the Neon several years ago. I bet that Tata, the Indian automaker, still has all the stampings and equipment to build the CityRover that was sold in the UK. Actually, I should say OFFERED for sale in the UK, after the death of MGR, there was a shipyard full of them abandoned...maybe they're still there? I wonder if a Chrysler badge would fit over the Rover one? Or just use a butter knife to pry it off... I'm being sarcastic, obviously, but it just occured to me that there are some parallels between MG/Rover and Chrysler....and the stories may end much the same...