Nardelli is assembling a new team at Chrysler. But as readers comment to the article, are these older guys what Chrysler really needs? And will these big egos really be able to work together and get anything accomplished?
I would agree. Chrysler had a pretty good head start on where they needed to be in the 1990s after Iacoca worked on the problem. Specifically their partnership with Mitsubishi produced the respected 2.2 L turbo four, gee with gas back at $2.75 what happened to that idea? Instead Chrysler revived the 5.7 L hemi engine in 5,000 pound trucks and the 4,000 pound Chrylser 300 and Dodge Charger.
I would say Chrysler needs to
Once and for all improve their dealerships which have never been equal to Ford or GM or anyone else in terms of esthetics or personnel.
Get serious about small cars with quality. Chrysler is famous for great engines in cars that literally fall apart with doors that don’t shut adn rattles aplenty. Like Toyota they need to work with suppliers to improve the tactile feel of switches et al, not drive the suppliers out of business with more low cost demands. Stop bulding cheap small throw away cars like the NEON. A sign in a Honda dealership compared five year car values and NEON was dead last in a field of a dozen. Tear apart a BMW Mini or a Mazda 3 series and learn what constitutes a quality small car.
Produce the Dodge Demon as a symbol of what the new Chrysler might do. Tell the world you can compete with Miata, and that a 500 bhp Corvette is not what America needs now.
Most world cars have been a bust, will the Dodge Journey be any different? Good luck guys, but I think this is the last chance for Chrysler.
Professor Elam 
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