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Car Forum / Chrysler Cars / November 2007Chrysler cuts product & jobs
Not unexpected if they are to survive and I personally am not surprised at the Magnum and Pacifica being cut. Just the wrong package. Hopefully Chrysler will get back to the lovely cars they built in the 90s, with the latest technology of course. I like the mechanical technology in the Caliber and Compass lines, but I just can't accept the styling. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071101.wchryslerannc 1101/BNStory/Business > Chrysler will eliminate a shift at its Brampton plant as part of a plan to > wipe out 8,500 to 10,000 jobs in North America and eliminate some models as > new, private equity owner Cerberus Capital Management LP expands a > restructuring plan already under way at the no. 3 Detroit auto maker. The > auto maker's revised plan will now see a total of 13,000 jobs lost in North > America. > Chrysler said Thursday it will end production of the Dodge Magnum station > wagon in Brampton, Ont., and the Chrysler Pacifica crossover utility vehicle > in Windsor, Ont., but will maintain three shifts in Windsor. > > Shifts will be also eliminated at Chrysler factories in Detroit, Sterling > Heights, Mich. Toledo, Ohio and Belvidere, Ill. > > Two parts plants in Windsor will close as a result of the Pacifica > discontinuation and others will be hurt by the cutbacks at the U.S. > facilities, Mr. Hargrove said. > Hopefully Chrysler will get back to the lovely cars they built > in the 90s, with the latest technology of course. I want them to bring back the 300N concept car they showed on the auto-show circuit back in 2000. I suppose it's too late - it was based on the LH platform (which could have handled RWD). Maybe they still have the tools and dies for the LH platform ? They could then do away with all the (EXPENSIVE) mercedes parts. > Not unexpected if they are to survive and I personally am not surprised > at the Magnum and Pacifica being cut. Just the wrong package. Accuracy question: Are they actually discontinuiing the Pacifica and Magnum altogether, or are they just stopping production at Brampton? There's a difference. The Pacifica isn't selling all that badly, and I have to say that the 4.0L version is an outstanding vehicle to drive. Chrysler created another market segment with the Pacifica, but lost out to crap like the Murano because it looked sportier and had a more potent engine earlier on. The 4.0 solved the power problem for the Pacifica, but it may have been too little too late. The Magnum may still be my favorite of the LX vehicles, although the Charger looks better and better every time I see one. At first I thought it was just an ugly box like the 300, but its got some really greaceful lines, especially the hood, grille, and "C" pillar/rear qauarter area. The rear end is too simple, and the "greenouse" too short, but other than that its very nice. They still should have called it "Monaco" or "Polara" or "Coronet," though. > > Not unexpected if they are to survive and I personally am not surprised > > at the Magnum and Pacifica being cut. Just the wrong package. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > There's a difference. The Pacifica isn't selling all that badly, and I > have to say that the 4.0L version is an outstanding vehicle to drive. It even got a pretty good rating from Consumker Reports (below-average reliability kept them from recommending it though). > Chrysler created another market segment with the Pacifica, but lost out > to crap like the Murano because it looked sportier and had a more potent > engine earlier on. The 4.0 solved the power problem for the Pacifica, > but it may have been too little too late. It's also quite big -- as long as a Town & Country, for example. Yet it only seats 6, not the 7-8 other vehicles that size seat. That probably hurt it. > The Magnum may still be my favorite of the LX vehicles, although the > Charger looks better and better every time I see one. The headlights are still a weak area, and the C-pillar always makes me think of Richard Nixon -- hunched-up shoulders. >At first I thought > it was just an ugly box like the 300, but its got some really greaceful > lines, especially the hood, grille, and "C" pillar/rear qauarter area. > The rear end is too simple, and the "greenouse" too short, but other > than that its very nice. They still should have called it "Monaco" or > "Polara" or "Coronet," though. Yeah, and Avenger could be Coronet or even Dart. >>The Pacifica isn't selling all that badly, and I >>have to say that the 4.0L version is an outstanding vehicle to drive. > > It even got a pretty good rating from Consumker Reports (below-average > reliability kept them from recommending it though). You know my opinion on that rag. If they give it a low rating, its just as likely to mean its superb. >>The Magnum may still be my favorite of the LX vehicles, although the >>Charger looks better and better every time I see one. > > The headlights are still a weak area, and the C-pillar always makes me > think of Richard Nixon -- hunched-up shoulders. Those aren't shoulders, they're hips... and cars are female :-) I say that's one of the strong points of the styling because it (FINALLY!!) brings back at least one element of the beautiful "coke bottle" lines that were common on the '68-'72 B-bodies, and probably reached the highest level of grace on the '71 Satellite/GTX. The new Charger "squares" the hips off a little too much, but its a step in the right direction. At least its not a rounded vitamin pill. IMO, marrying the coke-bottle side profile with the taller greenouse from the LH cars would have been a good combination. I still don't care for the high beltline and gun-turret slit windows that are the common styling trend now. > The headlights are still a weak area When that stops being the case, it'll be time for the last of the hardheaded holdouts to admit that Chrysler really and truly is gone forever. ;-) > > The headlights are still a weak area > > When that stops being the case, it'll be time for the last of the > hardheaded holdouts to admit that Chrysler really and truly is gone > forever. ;-) Hey, Daniel, you got a mention in the latest issue of The Star, the MBCA magazine (at least your web site did). > Not unexpected if they are to survive and I personally am not surprised > at the Magnum and Pacifica being cut. Just the wrong package. > Hopefully Chrysler will get back to the lovely cars they built in the > 90s, with the latest technology of course. I always thought the Magnum was the best-looking of the LX cars. If only it had the 300's interior. > I like the mechanical technology in the Caliber and Compass lines, but I > just can't accept the styling. Yeah. Rumor was the Compass was going to be dropped too. And Commander. > http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071101.wchrysler... > 1101/BNStory/Business [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > discontinuation and others will be hurt by the cutbacks at the U.S. > > facilities, Mr. Hargrove said. > Not unexpected if they are to survive and I personally am not surprised > at the Magnum and Pacifica being cut. Just the wrong package. > Hopefully Chrysler will get back to the lovely cars they built in the > 90s, with the latest technology of course. I think we all were expecting this but do not forget that there will be a LOT of families and children out there who will be having a pretty grim Christmas. The only good part about it is that they didn't wait until the middle of December before making the announcement, when these people had already spent their money on presents. This way the employees will have a little time to prepare, hopefully some can pick up seasonal work to help build a cushion. I would expect to see most of them off the payroll by end of month December, though, and looking for a job in January really sucks. And to top it off the housing market has taken a big dump, so a lot of these folks may not be able to sell out and move somewhere else. My guess is it will be years before Chrysler is hiring again. Ted > I think we all were expecting this but do not forget that there will be a > LOT [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > a big dump, so a lot of these folks may not be able to sell out and > move somewhere else. Yes very unfortunate, but better they don't waste money on Xmas presents. In Canada the housing market is OK and they have other employment opportunities. > My guess is it will be years before Chrysler is hiring again. I'm sure Chrysler's new owner wants to keep employment lower. If the Canadian employees are willing to travel a bit or move they may get a job at the new Toyota plant now being built on Ontario. >:) The Pacifica employees are in the Windsor van plant aren't they? Where will the Journey be built? It seems to be targeting the space left by the heavy clumsy Pacifica, the nice short van and poor visibility RWD Magnum. > In article <newscache$kycxqj$56...@news.ipinc.net>, > [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > left by the heavy clumsy Pacifica, the nice short van and poor > visibility RWD Magnum. The Journey is aimed at those who bought the short-wheelbase minivans, according to reports. It's based on the Avenger/Sebring platform, so I guess it'll be built alongside them. |
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