It's official - Cerberus buys Chrysler

wtd44 · June 2007

And think of the gas it will guzzle...

andys120 · June 2007

I like how they've designed it's body...starkly close to the old muscle car from almost 40 years ago.

A little too close if you ask me. They copied the old Challenger, more than designed a new one.
I suspect that the new one will suffer from the same atrocious build quality and poor weight distribution as the old.

qbrozen · June 2007

That sounds about right. I'd probably like to see it start a bit south of $25k, though. Like $22,995 maybe for a 3.5 liter version with power windows, locks, AC, CD, and cruise all standard. A loaded up 6-cyl would then come in around $30k. A loaded up V8 around $35k. And the SRT8 around $40k.

That would be pretty much in line with their other vehicles.

KCRam · June 2007

A little too close if you ask me. They copied the old Challenger, more than designed a new one.

See "Ford Mustang sales numbers after recent retro redesign"

kcram - Pickups Host

andys120 · June 2007

Point taken but the Mustang really was restyled rather than a straight copy of the old one.

As a former Mustang guy if they can't make an up- to-date GT out of these things instead of the old style live axle, nose heavy Pony/Muscle car I am not interested. It's the 21st Century fer cryin' out loud.

iluvmysephia1 · June 2007

Challenger designers barely made any noticeable body style changes from the old Challenger.

But the car, especially in that orange, looks great IMO. I liked the old Challenger and I like the new one, too. I know that what you see in a concept doesn't all make it to production and also they could tweak the body in ways we don't see yet, too. But I think it looks powerful and bold and almost a direct knock-off of the Challenger of old.

It would be welcome against an American backdrop of drab looking Civic's, Accord's, Camry's and pickup trucks.

british_rover · June 2007

They weren't supposed to make a 6 cyl version.

davethecarnut · June 2007

"Point taken but the Mustang really was restyled rather than a straight copy of the old one"

So is the Challenger. It shares the same design cues of the original, like the Mustang, but it's a whole new animal.

Cerberus will batter the union hard. You'll read about someone finding Gettelfinger hanging from a noose in his office. Okay, that was harsh, but these "businessmen" will fight to get their way or they will sell Chrysler piece by piece.

qbrozen · June 2007

whatever their original intentions, though, it would be silly not to. Its tough to make a business case at this pricepoint for a whole new body that will only sell a couple thousand cars a year. The 6-cyl version is absolutely necessary to defer the tooling costs.

urnews · June 2007

The new Challenger doesn't do a thing for me. The heydays of muscle cars has long since passed.

volvomax · June 2007

Oh really??
Gee, thats new to the people who bought all those Mustangs.
Not to mention all the other high performance cars that are selling well these days.
Look at all the high powered japanese cars,the modern muscle cars, you can't throw a stick without hitting a modded Civic or Eclipse, or Toyota.

I think the Challenger looks nicer than the Camaro,even nicer than the Mustang.
I don't doubt it will do well.

urnews · June 2007

Gee, thats new to the people who bought all those Mustangs.
All Mustangs are sporty cars. Not all Mustangs are muscle cars. I didn't say the muscle cars were dead, just that their heyday had passed. Very, very few modded Civics, Eclipses, Toyotas, etc. are muscle cars, in my humble opinion.

wtd44 · June 2007

With the downturn in sales of the Chrysler 300, I wonder if the market will really support the Challenger...
Let me be quick to say, I WANT Chrysler Corporation to stay in business. With Daimler done and gone, the future may be bright, indeed, for the "pentastar" folks.

volvomax · June 2007

Don't know where you live,but virtually every Mustang I see is a GT.
Plus,LOTS of hi HP rice rockets.
Rice rockets do count. ALl muscle cars were,were regular sedans and coupes w/ hi HP engines.
Whether they are V8's or Turbo 4's doesn't matter.

jchan2 · June 2007

Base V6 Automatic Mustangs around where I live. A lot of people are buying the car for the image of performance and not necessarily the actual performance.

I don't see a lot of rice rockets either though...

KCRam · July 2007

The "New" Chrysler's Intro Party - Detroit News

Looks like Chrysler is really happy about the divorce... enough to throw a multi-million dollar nationwide bash!

kcram - Pickups Host

wtd44 · July 2007

If Cerberus can keep the CAFE wolves at bay, there just might be a chance for survival.

iluvmysephia1 · July 2007

of the fact that the new world order Chrysler is American-owned and operated once again. It is cool-very, very cool.

Tell ya what-one new Dodge I'm gonna watch with baited breath is the new Hornet. I like it in early internet article-looks. Gonna be built for Chrysler by Chery of China, but there is very little news coming out of this new agreement for several weeks.

iluvmysephia1 · July 2007

deep breath again. Cerberus and Chery of China are agreeing and signing on a Dodge Hornet-build deal. Good news in my view. Apparently the signing was yesterday in China. Here's a link for more information.

http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSN0342408720070703

harrychezt · July 2007

Nice looking, TOO SMALL, for me(same for Mini).

What is it 151 or so inches long, or 12 feet, 7-8 inches long?
The xB has 158, 2.4L 29-30MPG...and nearly 14 feet long(nearly PT Cruiser sized, MPG, but More room, More HP, if you go base model engine vs xB engine prior to turbo charging it, aftermarket). 150HP vs 158... not much, but it's something extra.
I like the Hornets looks better.
Here's the deal: Make it repalce the current PT Cruiser(same size, maybe the 173HP GEMA engine in it), I'll put it on the top of the "to look @ to buy"list. If it is "toy sized", no.
Smallest vehicles people here get are maybe the Yaris( it is nearly 170 inches long, and close to compact size, in interior volume).
People here , my neighborhood, won't even consider driving a VW Rabbit, due to it "being small"(164+ inches in length).

They think our tC is "small", and "borderline acceptable"( I see one Cobalt here, and they get the" you bought something this small" attitude, also, for some reason).

I did read sub-compacts and compacts for Dodge(maybe Chrysler?) on detnews this past week.
There's hope.. compact I would drive.
Subcompact the size of the Versa 5 door, maybe.
Anything smaller(in length) than a Kia Rio? No thanks.

take care/not offense.

iluvmysephia1 · July 2007

harry, I saw a SmartForSomeone on the street today in my little Arizona town. Now, if the guy is one of these retirees(the driver was gray-haired)that just wants to putt around town in that thing, OK. But I would not take it out on I-10 and point it towards Tucson. No way. Looked absolutely tiny!

My '08 Lancer GTS looks like a Lincoln Towncar compared to the SmartFor.

gagrice · July 2007

They are tiny for sure. I wonder if it is a Canadian visitor. The Smart car is VERY popular in BC. They get an honest 75 MPG on diesel. They are also very safe. I have some crash test links somewhere. I would be hesitant to take it on a long trip. Great little runabout with super parking abilities.

wtd44 · July 2007

...is, an enclosed vehicle to otherwise fill the niche of the motorcycle. Chrysler was supposed to be coming out next year with a Smart car. Is that still on? Will Cerberus give that the nod?

stever · July 2007

Good question - the smartusa website says that "the smart remains a vital member of the Mercedes Car Group, a Daimler Chrysler Company", but that was written in relation to their former joint venture with Swatch. I suspect that smart will remain a member of the Mercedes Car Group - someone over in the smart fortwo discussion probably knows.

volvomax · July 2007

Smart has nothing to do w/ Chrysler.
Mercedes is importing the Smart Cars.
Penske Automotive will sell them in the US.

stever · July 2007

When do these guys finally split up the DaimlerChrysler name and stuff anyway? Or are they going to keep running together since Daimler still owns 20% of Chrysler?

volvomax · July 2007

The deal w/ Cerberus should close this quarter according to Daimler.
Interesting that they are not going back to the old name Daimler-Benz AG.
New name will be Daimler AG.

lemko · July 2007

...with its all too-important midsize offerings - the Chrysler Sebring and the Dodge Avenger. I was at the Carlisle All-Mopar show this past Saturday. Chrysler had a place where you could test-drive some of its new vehicle and the demonstrators practically had to beg people to drive the Sebring and Avenger sedans. The other cars were far more popular - the Dodge Ram 1500 truck, the Chrysler 300-C, the Chrysler Sebring convertible, the Chrysler Aspen SUV, the Dodge Charger R/T, and the four-door Wrangler. The Dodge Caliber got a rather lukewarm response.

qbrozen · July 2007

i'm surprised nobody wanted to drive the Avenger. When I spent several hours at a Dodge dealership working on my sis's Caliber deal (which, by the way, i think is a very neat little car), lots of people stopped in the showroom just to look over the Avenger sitting in there. It drew much more attention than the decked out Nitro sitting next to it.

wtd44 · July 2007

The Sebring, although a popular ragtop in this area, doesn't get good marks from CR Magazine relative to its Japanese name brand competitors. I think Cerberus needs to get something into that segment that tests well.

fezo · July 2007

Yeah, I owned an Sebring several years back and it was a perfectly ordinary car for six months of the year and a hoot the other six. Comfortable, a killer stereo with the Infinity system and enough room to move four people who either like each other a lot or at least are related.....

If you could make that a fun car to drive with the top UP you would really have something.

wtd44 · July 2007

...that Cerberus has also recently purchased the Remington Arms company. Maybe we will get a chance to buy a Chrysler version of a James Bond Aston Martin! :shades:

qbrozen · July 2007

maybe its so they can put a bullet in Chrysler if it keeps bleeding money. ;b

wtd44 · July 2007

You may be right!

asyed1 · July 2007

CERBERUS STINKS :They kicked magna the only canadian bidder, bringing back the U.G.L.Y PENTESTAR LOGO And are now planning TO SEPARATE CHRYSLER DODGE AND JEEP.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Just think instead of the winged logo which looks great on the new town and country there will be a 19th century Thing on it

American financial companies have to ruin every thing.
Especially Cerberus

Chrysler dodge jeep make the company one of the big 3 .If there was only Chrysler it wouldn't be as good

asyed1 · July 2007

http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2007/112_0708_chrysler_sale/
proff they are taking away chrysler .Now I may be reapating myself but:

CERBERUS STINKS :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

qbrozen · July 2007

Maybe its too early for me ... i need a translator.

What are you saying? Cerberus took Chrysler? Yeah, its a done deal. Been a done deal for a little while now.

Separate Chrysler Dodge and Jeep? In what way? They are separated in that they are 3 different badges. Do you mean they are selling one or more of the badges? If so, where did you read this?

KCRam · July 2007

Cerberus bought Chrysler Corporation, which is all three brands, plus Chrysler Financial. They didn't buy just the Chrysler nameplate of cars and light trucks.

kcram - Pickups Host

fezo · July 2007

I am sorry to see the return of the pentestar and the re-retirement of the current logo. I now have visions of 83 Fifth Avenues in my head and it ain't a pretty sight...

wtd44 · July 2007

Just give Cerberus a chance. The pentastar is the fabulous motif of Chrysler past, and it connects the historic to the current. Let it be. It's going to be okay. Take a deep breath and envision a three headed dog standing at the gates of Hell...

iluvmysephia1 · July 2007

but when I imagined those dogs at the gates of hell all I saw was...

Babwa Waa-waaaa! Lady, when are you going to retire? Where's the talent there, anyway?

I think the whole cast of The View could just as easily work the counter at Subway and their collective talent levels would do more for humanity overall than that show produces...when it's all said and done.

gagrice · July 2007

Is that show still on TV. I threw mine out. No cable TV only Internet. That is bad enough.

m6vx · July 2007

I am sorry to see the return of the pentestar and the re-retirement of the current logo. I now have visions of 83 Fifth Avenues in my head and it ain't a pretty sight...

The Chrysler wing emblem will stay on all Chrysler vehicles. I believe the pentastar will be the corporate logo -- on letterhead/brochures/etc.

fezo · July 2007

Oh, I hope that's correct. That I could live with no problem.

It will be very interesting to see what happens with the company. When is the last time we had a big car company here that wasn't controlled by stockholders? Fird before Henry took it public?

iluvmysephia1 · July 2007

Cerberus is three main things, in no particular order of importance.

1) How many people and with what factories is Cerberus going to plow along with in 2008-2009?

2) The development of the Dodge Hornet and Chery Motors of China's job of producing it right for a demanding American buying public.

3) The development of the Dodge Challenger and it's overall weight and engine/tranny/hp/torque output and build quality.

I thought I liked the Dodge Caliber for a bit but that train has since sailed. Having a rig like the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS has made any other rig on the market senseless to me, though, now. Rock on.

qbrozen · July 2007

I thought I liked the Dodge Caliber for a bit but that train has since sailed. Having a rig like the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS has made any other rig on the market senseless to me, though, now.

Well, maybe senseless for your needs, but certainly not for someone who wants the extra cargo capacity of a Caliber.

stickguy · July 2007

could the grand plan be to get a jump on the Chinese production market? Hey, someone is going to do it, and back in the 70's/80's the big three had various oddballs here that were badge jobs made in Japan, Korea, and even England, so why not?

KCRam · July 2007

Chrysler/UAW Talks Begin - Detroit Free Press

Cerberus should close on the deal by the end of this month, and Chrysler will be private by the time the new UAW deal is signed.

kcram - Pickups Host

fezo · July 2007

Chrysler offers lifetime powertrain warranties

british_rover · July 2007

non-transferable though.

It's official - Cerberus buys Chrysler

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles