Chryslers grandson wants to save the brand

[ning]

I could never understand why Dodge/Ram didn't build a Tahoe/Suburban/Expedition/Excursion. Whenever I looked at their trucks they seemed to have great interiors, and I think they could've ridden the wave of popularity of those bigger SUVs and taken quite a bit of market share.

I'm not suggesting they go there now but 25-30 years ago would've been perfect timing.

 

[Renze]

I did try to talk my wife into a Fiat 500 Abarth, just as a second (fifth?) vehicle for her to tool around town. She took one look at the thing and said, "no way am I putting our kids in that tiny death trap." Tires as small as you'd find on the average American wheelbarrow don't help with it's overall appeal, here.

Over here, its a girls car. Easy to park, looks "cute" and yes, those wheelbarrow tires are cheap to replace. Oh, and girls cars have an appeal on older women at retirement age too... which is good because they can afford them new so girls can afford them used, as their first car.

The 1st gen Renault Twingo was targeted at young urban women, but the French manufacturer found out most were sold to older women age 55+ whose children were already grown up.

Renault Twingo - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

When you talk about death traps, a Toyota Aygo/Peugeot 1007/Citroën C1 is one. My sister had one, and when sitting in the rear seat with a truck rolling up from behind, feeling the truck engine vibrations, knowing theres only a foot between the rear bumper and the back of your head, it feels like partaking traffic being naked sitting on a skateboard...

Toyota Aygo - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Blue Mule]

I could never understand why Dodge/Ram didn't build a Tahoe/Suburban/Expedition/Excursion. Whenever I looked at their trucks they seemed to have great interiors, and I think they could've ridden the wave of popularity of those bigger SUVs and taken quite a bit of market share.

I'm not suggesting they go there now but 25-30 years ago would've been perfect timing.

Several times over the years I've seen renders of a new Ramcharger based on the 1500 platform. I think that could have sold very very well if they went about it correctly. I mean, you can't swing a stick without hitting a Tahoe/Suburban. People, especially women without kids, absolutely love massive SUVs.

 

[Renze]

People, especially women without kids, absolutely love massive SUVs.

Here its the other way around: the minivan is out of fashion, women with kids love SUVs

 

[ruffdog]

Here its the other way around: the minivan is out of fashion, women with kids love SUVs

We have both. Plenty of vans and SUVs dropping kids off at schools.

 

[Renze]

We have both. Plenty of vans and SUVs dropping kids off at schools.

Chrysler sales in Holland, since 1983:

Voyager: 34.430 (sold 1988-2014)
Pacifica: 45 (sold 2014-2025)

The minivan is dead here, and thereby so is Chrysler.

Chrysler verkoopcijfers auto's Nederland

De Nederlandse verkoopcijfers van het merk Chrysler en alle...

www.autoweek.nl

 

[Hay Dude]

I could never understand why Dodge/Ram didn't build a Tahoe/Suburban/Expedition/Excursion. Whenever I looked at their trucks they seemed to have great interiors, and I think they could've ridden the wave of popularity of those bigger SUVs and taken quite a bit of market share.

I'm not suggesting they go there now but 25-30 years ago would've been perfect timing.

Well, they did have the Ramcharger.

Yeah thats a good point. I like a Dodge Durango Citadel, but it’s not big enough to be in that class.
I have always thought they would re-introduce the Ramcharger like Ford did with the Bronco.

 

[paulsharvey]

Really Durango started as a SUV of the Dakota, a small to mid sized truck. Then it kinda morphed into a Ram based vehicle, and then into its own more car like version. I actually think the Durnago (atleast 10 years ago) was an excellent all around vehicle. It towed and hauled well, and even with the 3rd row of seats up, it had a couple feet of room. I dont know there is a large market for 7 or 8 passenger vehicles anymore.

I am curious, though, the Durango 5.7L AWD, are they a RWD that sends power to the front, or are they a FWD vehicle that also sends power to the back? The whole 4WD vs AWD lines have really gotten blurry nowadays. My work Explorer is "4wd" but its really an AWD, all the time, with the modes that change how quickly it sends power to the rears for extra traction. The Mavericks are listed as AWD as well, and they are FWD primarily. I really prefer a knob or switch that is 2 Hi, 4 Hi, 4 Lo, and N, over slippery, Muddy, icy, trail, and your guessing what that means.

 

[ruffdog]

"The next-gen Durango will move to the same STLA Large platform that underpins the 2024 Dodge Charger and the electric 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S. We expect the Durango to lead with combustion engines, specifically the Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 in 420- and 540-hp tunes plus a base engine—either the well-worn Pentastar V-6 or the corporate 2.0-liter turbo-four."

 

[jyoutz]

Several times over the years I've seen renders of a new Ramcharger based on the 1500 platform. I think that could have sold very very well if they went about it correctly. I mean, you can't swing a stick without hitting a Tahoe/Suburban. People, especially women without kids, absolutely love massive SUVs.

This is also true in the rural U.S. women use these 4x4 large SUVs for family purposes instead of minivans because the large SUVs can handle rural road conditions better.