When will Chrysler give it up?

[carl_w]

How can the 300C be dynamically poor when it's basically the previous generation E-Class?

Americana isn't really my thing, but at the price they're selling for it's hard to argue. A few years back you could get a Sebring Convertible with wood and white leather (cow horns optional) and a 2.7 V6 for the price of an Astra.

[Tyson1980]

st cars. Truly terrible..

Had one for a rental. Felt dangerous just sitting in it...

icing on the cake was when I had to ring the rental agency on how to remove the fuel cap....

Thing eventually fell off

[Negative Creep]

Tyson1980 said:

st cars. Truly terrible..

Had one for a rental. Felt dangerous just sitting in it...

Yeah, what a complete deathtrap

[trashbat]

LuS1fer said:

If you adopt a historical perspective, you will see that the one market place Fiat and Lancia constantly failed in was the large executive market. The Fiat 132s were dire, the Thema was overshadowed by the Saab and Alfa and even their people carriers only achieved the status of taxis. Alfa were rather more successful with the 164/166 but currently have nothing.

There's a 169 or whatever you want to call it (Giulian?) in the 2011 FGA five minute plan, after disappearing off the face of the earth for a while. Believe it when you see it though.

The other things to say are that (1) apparently the FIAT-rebadged Dodge Journey (Freemont?) is doing very well, especially in Italy, and (2) FIAT ownership of Chrysler is largely about FGA re-entering America. Yes, there's some economy of scale guff in there and it might even be true, but it's really accessing that market. Supposedly this starts with the Alfa 4C, but again, don't hold your breath.

[martin84]

carl_w said:

How can the 300C be dynamically poor when it's basically the previous generation E-Class?

Because the previous generation E Class was hardly the pinnacle of whats possible. And all Chrysler really did was make it a little bit worse. But i like the 300C, in a world of silver and grey blurry shapes with curved fronts and easily digestable looks, it stands out like a menacing mafia bus.

[odyssey2200]

We sat in a Grand Voyager a few weeks back while out tyre kicking for SWMBO.

WTF is the gear selector lever down by the passengers ankles FFS?

If you are going to make a car RHD, it involves moving ALL the controls not just those that are easy to do.

[Snowboy]

OdramaSwimLaden said:

Vietnam it. Give it up, battle lost, go home......

Technically the US pulled out after the Paris Peace Accords when the war was pretty much classed as a very costly draw.
The South Vietnamese then lost the war all on their own.

Although, History isn't my strong suit, I have been re-educated by a military friend.

[230TE]

trashbat said:

(1) apparently the FIAT-rebadged Dodge Journey (Freemont?) is doing very well, especially in Italy

I saw a couple of those when I was wandering round Turin recently. Looks exactly like a Chrysler product but with Fiat badges. Gives Fiat a new MPV in the range to replace the Croma for minimal development cost, but it isn't exactly beautiful to look at. And the Croma wasn't a volume seller even in Italy. I hope Fiat know what they are doing here.

[trashbat]

230TE said:

I saw a couple of those when I was wandering round Turin recently. Looks exactly like a Chrysler product but with Fiat badges. Gives Fiat a new MPV in the range to replace the Croma for minimal development cost, but it isn't exactly beautiful to look at. And the Croma wasn't a volume seller even in Italy. I hope Fiat know what they are doing here.

I was told this by an Italian chap when discussing Alfa's future; he said they're surprisingly popular (bit like the Panda) and turning out to have been a savvy idea. Not keen on either it or the Chrysler tie-up myself but if it helps FGA's bottom line and thus improves the future of Alfa et al, fine.

[Roo]

trashbat said:

230TE said:

I saw a couple of those when I was wandering round Turin recently. Looks exactly like a Chrysler product but with Fiat badges. Gives Fiat a new MPV in the range to replace the Croma for minimal development cost, but it isn't exactly beautiful to look at. And the Croma wasn't a volume seller even in Italy. I hope Fiat know what they are doing here.

I was told this by an Italian chap when discussing Alfa's future; he said they're surprisingly popular (bit like the Panda) and turning out to have been a savvy idea. Not keen on either it or the Chrysler tie-up myself but if it helps FGA's bottom line and thus improves the future of Alfa et al, fine.

At least it will help shift them. You could hardly give them away here.

[Spanna]

I've been in an SRT-8 300C. I found it brilliant. 425 horses of Hemi madness. Lovely seats and spacious interior, 5 up, cruising well above 100 it felt at home.

Can't speak for absolutely anything else in the range though, but that felt a very well built, comfortable cruiser.

[odyssey2200]

Spanna said:

I've been in an SRT-8 300C. I found it brilliant. 425 horses of Hemi madness. Lovely seats and spacious interior, 5 up, cruising well above 100 it felt at home.

.

With a dash & trim made by Tupper Wear

[KDIcarmad]

They already have twice!
Still some one always save them!
Basically Chrysler's is the always in trouble and just about escapes or is saved by an outside forced.

[LuS1fer]

odyssey2200 said:

With a dash & trim made by Tupper Wear

Tupperware

[odyssey2200]

LuS1fer said:

odyssey2200 said:

With a dash & trim made by Tupper Wear

Tupperware

I bow to your superior product knowledge.

[trashbat]

230TE said:

I saw a couple of those when I was wandering round Turin recently. Looks exactly like a Chrysler product but with Fiat badges. Gives Fiat a new MPV in the range to replace the Croma for minimal development cost, but it isn't exactly beautiful to look at. And the Croma wasn't a volume seller even in Italy. I hope Fiat know what they are doing here.

I had a read around after I posted my previous reply: 20,000 ordered in two months apparently, which isn't too shoddy. It replaces the Ulysses though, not the Croma.