Marchionne Interview Reveals Product Bonanza For Chrysler, Fiat, Dodge And Alfa. Lancia Is SOL.

by Derek Kreindler

May 23rd, 2012 11:24 AM

marchionne interview reveals product bonanza for chrysler fiat dodge and alfa

An interview in July’s Automobile magazine has Sergio Marchionne putting to rest a number of future product plans for Chrysler, among them, the definitive fate of the minivan.

Speculation has been brewing over which of the current minivan twins will live on, and which will be come a crossover. Sergio himself claims that “the owner of the minivan is Dodge”, and that the new Grand Caravan will be a more exciting vehicle, despite retaining the classic minivan features. The Town & Country will become a Mercedes R-Class type vehicle that will be more European luxury than updated Chrysler Pacifica. A range of 4-cylinder and V6 engines as well as front and all-wheel drive will be available for both vehicles when they launch around 2015.

The next Chrysler 200 will be based on the same architecture as the Dodge Dart (i.e. the Alfa Giulietta platform) and be sized roughly in line with the Audi A4. A sedan, coupe and convertible will all be available, with 4 and 6-cylinder options. Chrysler will continue to provide vehicles for Lancia, but the brand’s future seems dim, with Marchionne expressing little interest in investing resources into Lancia. The Chrysler 100 hatch will take a while to appear – Automobile cites a launch date of 2016, which seems like far too long.

Jeep is considered by Marchionne to be one of the two

#AlfaRomeo #Chrysler #Fiat #SergioMarchionne

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-Cole- on May 23, 2012

There already was a Grand Wagoneer. (it wasn't called that, I forget what it was called) (discontinued)

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- Wheeljack on May 23, 2012
  
  You're thinking of the Commander. The problem with the Commander was poor packaging. They used the same wheelbase as the Grand Cherokee and tried to shoehorn a 3rd row in there....it was for extremely limber children only. The Durango (and presumably the future Wagoneer) has a longer wheelbase and is therefore a more useful package...one that seems to be selling ok as well.
  
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- RedStapler on May 24, 2012
  
  @Wheeljack IIRC Marchionne called the Commander "Unfit for human consumption".
  
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Blowfish on May 24, 2012

SOL in medical terms = space occupying lesion, so it will be much more unpalatable than simply out of luck!

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