Chrysler to build Dodge Demon....on FWD Chinese platform

[Jeff V.]

Sigh. They get a chance at doing a cool car like the Solstice or MX5, and then promptly fuck it up by putting it on some Chinese econo-platform.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/13/wron ... -platform/

Chrysler (no matter who owns them) has a habit of doing knockout concepts and first gen cars, and then completely fucking up the follow through.

[vr4]

like how they completely leave the s2k out of the article.

we all know chrysler products suck and the company is retarded. im not suprised by this

[Scopata_Fuori]

I'd rather them dredge up some old K-car chassis to use as the platform, rather than the MADE IN CHINA frame.

Just the beginning, and China will have our car market too, as well as our manufacturing jobs. Only they'll have to export them all to India, where our helpdesk and service jobs are going, other than the 'want fries with that' variety...

[Jeff V.]

On a serious note, the MX-5 and S2k are right now...

As are the Solstice and Sky, which outsell both of those

Combined

[Chris95RT]

Not that I can really respond to this, but it makes good business sense overall.

They just invested a lot into those off shore firms, and need some sort of way to bring it over. Plus making the car makes a good idea, as they're going to lack a car in that segment, and they need something.

Also, it should be relativity cheap to produce, but I dunno what to say about the quality.


Then again I have a fever of 100+ and ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[Jeff V.]

Ford and Toyota don't have such a car, and they're not hurting because of it.

I think Chrysler is trying to drum up some excitement, which is good.

However, they're going about it all wrong.

[Alan92rttt]

I don't know what their fascination is with FWD cars.


But its it keeps the look and it decently built it might do well. Hell if the employee discount is decent I might trade the SL in on one.

[Zentelis]

[quote=""Gatecrasher""]However, they're going about it all wrong.[/quote]
Looks like the group that took over didn't learn from daimler's mistakes.
Amazing.

Incidentally, one of the big Chinese car manufacturers did another presentation at the big show in Detroit..they've been trying to come over here for years. Looks like they finally found a way to do it.
"he he, we sneak in under silly Chrysler body panels!"
Hell, for all we know, it's a tactic to make it easier for Chinese cars to come into this country under all the import laws. "If they're sub-contracting for an American company, it will be easier to get their own stuff over here later."

But if the next Charger incarnation has "Made in China" stamped underneath, I'll riot. You thought I flipped when they put a Ram front-end on the thing? Wait'll they turn it into a rice-burner.

[i3igpete]

chery amulet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kQGAK550LE

Jiangling Landwind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Ts94rjr4M

Brilliance BS6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F06LjugtIUo

doing really great so far in china... i think cerberus just commited suicide.

[alienviking]

[quote=""Scopata_Fuori""]Only they'll have to export them all to India, where our helpdesk and service jobs are going, other than the 'want fries with that' variety...[/quote]

Actually not going to India anymore for the most part.. workers in India now demands to be paid! Imagine that! Time to move on to the next country!

[i3igpete]

that, and i've heard stories of some consulting firms in india doing shitty work, and saying "not our problem" after the contract runs out.

[I am Me N U r U]

[quote=""i3igpete""]chery amulet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kQGAK550LE

Jiangling Landwind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Ts94rjr4M

Brilliance BS6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F06LjugtIUo

doing really great so far in china... i think cerberus just commited suicide.[/quote]

That's disturbing

[Chris95RT]

[quote=""i3igpete""]chery amulet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kQGAK550LE

Jiangling Landwind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Ts94rjr4M

Brilliance BS6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F06LjugtIUo

doing really great so far in china... i think cerberus just commited suicide.[/quote]

You have to be pretty silly if you think that its going to be the same car in those videos being sold here under the Dodge name. I think its a good idea to improve manufacturing and standards in developing countries.

[Wolf_Zero]

Screw questions about build quality and chrysler's motives behind this move. Your biggest concern should be whether or not you will be able to fit in the bloody thing, cause last I checked the chineses were some tiny ass people. Hell they even have shorter ceilings in their buildings because they're so small.

[Chris95RT]

[quote=""Wolf_Zero""]Screw questions about build quality and chrysler's motives behind this move. Your biggest concern should be whether or not you will be able to fit in the bloody thing, cause last I checked the chineses were some tiny ass people. Hell they even have shorter ceilings in their buildings because they're so small.[/quote]

Poor Mike, hes the first person to come to mind. Sorry Mike!

[i3igpete]

[quote=""Chris95RT""]You have to be pretty silly if you think that its going to be the same car in those videos being sold here under the Dodge name. I think its a good idea to improve manufacturing and standards in developing countries.[/quote]

that's all engineering. something that chrysler just farmed out. when you adopt a platform, you adopt their basic unibody design. if they had to redesign the body (as they should), then it would be a new platform altogether.

[Chris95RT]

You're right its all engineering... those cars have to adhere to the same crash standards that we have over here. Anything less than four and the car doesn't get sold, those cars you see in the picture are a product of no regulation on safety in China. Those tests you see are for European crash regulations, not Chinese (as there are none currently in China afaik).

When they come over here, you better bet before they're sold Chrysler will help them out with a more advanced engineering platform regarding design/development/manufacturing as much as they can so that products like that aren't produced and sent over here.

[Scopata_Fuori]

As if American engineering wasn't world class. We still set the standards.

Doesn't mean our standards don't get beat, but that's progress fueled by competition, which is a good situation.