The cars that Chrysler is counting on

[Fireball]

Guess what, Fiat just announced here in Europe that no more Chrysler or Dodge whatsoever after 2010. All models will be named Fiat or Lancia End of an era.

[PatS....]

Guess what, Fiat just announced here in Europe that no more Chrysler or Dodge whatsoever after 2010. All models will be named Fiat or Lancia End of an era.

I wonder how long until the Chrysler name disappears from North America? I think the Dodge name is safe, but who knows.

[blueskies]

I wonder how long until the Chrysler name disappears from North America? I think the Dodge name is safe, but who knows.

From what I've read, the Dodge trucks are going to be rebadged as Ram Trucks, losing the Dodge name altogether.

Pete

[PatS....]

Sad

[james curl]

I guess that in 2012 or 2013 they will take their rusty junk and go home like they have every time before. Can we forget the X19, if only it didn't rust into it would have been a great sport car.

[Frank Elder]

Thats alright....we know what they are:)The first 73 charger I bought was really cool in 79, but it wasn't a hemi or a cool challenger, but it was still a mopar.

As long as you can buy a mopar, its the same.....:mad: we were robbed by Daimler now it's time for Fiat to pour the meat to us.

Mistiubishi was sad enough and 1.7 liter VW engines,[i think] let's face it, our brand died a long time ago.

The King is dead long live the King!

Thanks Lee for trying

My very first car was a 1976 Dodge coronet, maroon metallic more door. The top was maroon, the paint was maroon, and finally the interior was a velvet...you guessed it, maroon.

A360 lean burn engine with an automatic filled the package. It wasn't fast or economical, but I miss it!

You guys can package it anyway you want, it's been gone a long time.

[Norm's Coupe]

Personally, I'm not going to lose any sleep over whether the Chrysler or Dodge name will live on. Wouldn't do any good anyway because Fiat will do what Fiat wants to do.

Regardless of the outcome, some of the manufacturing plants will remain open in the US and Canada, maintaining at least some of the jobs people have currently. We have to remember. If Fiat had not bought Chrysler, those jobs would have disappeared altogether. To further help keep cost down, they will also have to keep buying from North American suppliers, thus helping those companies maintain their production and keeping those jobs, and so on. So.....that's the bright side of the whole deal. The name on the hood doesn't matter.

[B-Watson]

This from the ALLPAR site from a google...hey...is that 'our' B-Watson?! Bill?

The Horizon as a "world car" (by Bill Watson)

Chrysler initially got a toe-hold in Simca when they bought Ford's 25% interest in 1957. But the Horizon went into production in the U.S. market in the summer of 1977, and Chrysler did not sell their European operation to Peugeot (cars) and Renault (trucks) until a year later in 1978.

The Horizon was meant to be Chrysler's world car, but the car only got as far as Poissy and Detroit. It did not even get to Ryton-on-Dunsmore in the U.K. as Chrysler let Chrysler U.K. tool a completely different vehicle. The Horizon was designed and engineered in France with torsion bar suspension, but Detroit re-engineered it with MacPerson struts for the North American market.

The Volkswagen 1.7-litre engine with a Chrysler-made head was used from the 1978 model year through 1983. 1983 was also the first year of the Peugeot-built 1.6-litre engine, and was last used in 1986. But I believe the Peugeot engine was, indeed, a Peugeot engine and not a Simca unit. The Simca engine was noted for high maintenance, needing such things as having the head retorqued after a few thousand miles. That is something a Japanese car owner would be used to, but no owner of a Chrysler, Ford or GM product would tolerate that back then.

Peugeot built the Horizon in Europe until about 1982, selling it initially as the Talbot Simca Horizon. The 1979 Talbot Simca Horizon even had the pentastar in the grille for a few months.

Chrysler Australia was sold to Mitsubishi in 1981. Chrysler in the U.S. at one point owned 30% or so of Mitsubishi, plus had a 50% interest in Diamond-Star Motors, a joint venture with Mitsubishi. But, in both cases, the need to break the connection was strictly financial. Chrysler needed the money. Chrysler, however, continued to work with Mitsubishi developing the Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring. The Colt was dropped as it was considered a potential rival for the Neon. When the Neon was first introduced, the 4-door sedan sold for less than the 4-door Colt.

Yup, that are I!

There is quite a bit of my slant on things on Allpar. Have some more stuff to add - 1930's serial numbers, stuff on the early 1980's Imperial, and history of Chrysler from 1972 to 1998. Just need more time. Have to figure out how to make money but not have to work to get it!

In the case of Chrysler Australia, it was not sold OUT to the Japanese, it was sold OFF to the Japanese. Just as Europe was sold to a French company, Turkey to a Turkish group, South Africa to an S.A. group, Brazil to a German company, etc. Basically, Chrysler needed cash and whoever wanted to give Chrysler cash for any of their foreign operations, fine. Which is how Chrysler by 1983 only had plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Chrysler never recovered from that. Fiat might be able to help Chrysler get back into foreign markets.

Bill

Vancouver, BC