Chrysler to Drop the PT Cruiser After All?
The company-wide shakeup continues over at Chrysler LLC, where recent news has consisted of both product and personnel restructuring.
In a further bid by Chrysler to right the money-losing ship, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the PT Cruiser wagon will be joining its convertible counterpart as a discontinued model after 2009. The PT cut is the latest attempt to slash overlapping or slow-selling models by Chrysler, which has already vowed to cut its Pacifica, Crossfire, and Dodge Magnum models as well.
In addition to trimming the fact in the product line, Chrysler is studying a simplification of its brand portfolio, which may help the bottom line by cutting as many as 1,000 dealers from its network. The potential plan would call for all passenger cars to be sold under the Chrysler name, with pickup and commercial trucks heading to Dodge, While Jeeps and sport utility vehicles would be sold exclusively as Jeep products.
This projected streamlining of the automaker, while by no means imminent, would seem to aid the company financially by reducing the number of competing products within the Chrysler family, while also cutting the number of dealerships needed to effectively sell cars.
Will the once iconic PT Cruiser be missed, and will a trimmed down lineup move Chrysler back to the black? Answer these questions and more in ‘comments’.
+ The Wall Street Journal: Chrysler Considers Slashing Number of Car Dealers
Comments
The Stig
The PT Cruiser won't be missed because no one remembers it now anyway. It hasn't been updated in FOREVER and now they have that Caliber thing to take its place. Sounds like they might have the right idea about seperating cars, trucks, and Jeeps, although a Chrysler Charger sounds weird to me.
Clint
It's a shame Chrysler dropped the ball with the PT Cruiser. Killing it off may make sense, but it's actually still selling fairly well. Its sales are down some 30% from last year, but Chrysler has still moved over 83,000 units this year. That's nothing to sneeze at. In fact, the Caliber has only sold a few thousand more (~86,000 Calibers vs. ~ 83,000 PT Cruisers as of October 2007), which is disappointing because the newer Caliber is supposed to be a far better and more appealing car.
Cutting and restructuring dealers has to be done to be competative, and Cerberus isn't out make any friends with these hard decisions. Chrysler and Dodge absorbed the remnants of the Plymouth line (Voyager, Prowler, Neon, PT Cruiser), so similar restructuring within Crysler isn't without precedent.
Scratch
The PT was cool when it came out, and I enjoyed the one I owned, but it is well past running it's course. Any serious effort to update it would likely destroy everything that made it what it was.
With Dodge's history, I can't see them giving up the car business to go strictly trucks. There is still a place for Dodge as the everyman or performance Chrysler product, while Chrysler remains upmarket. As it stands, the only real overlap in Chrysler's lineup is in SUVs, where it would make sense to kill off all but the Jeeps. The Jeep brand is synonymous with "SUV".
Jeff
No one should miss the Neon Wagon, it's ugly, not unique anymore since there are so frickin many of them, and so many of them are "customized" in ways that cause me physical pain just by looking at them (or from the factory- "woody," anyone?)or listening to them in some of the more unfortunate cases. My only disappointment is that they can't kill all the PT's on the road right now. They have also completely neglected it, revising it once in how many years? I think that a restructuring that's as dramatic as the one they describe could save Chrysler after Daimler raped them, but it isn't going to be an easy road. The Union could cause a lot of problems for them in the mean time, as you need to lay off workers when you're doing badly/no one is buying the cars you build, like that flop of a sebring convertible. Or sedan, for that matter- haven't seen either one on the road yet. I'd love to see the American car makers come back, but right now it just seems like a long shot for years to come. Bright minds can turn almost anything around given time, and hopefully they can restore Chrysler to it's innovative days, way back when they made the first power convertible top and such. Hopefully these guys can pull another Iacocca on Chrysler and save it.
fstst56
I don't think Chrysler told the WSJ that. I believe it came from a dealer. How reliable can that be. Furthermore, Chrysler is reportedly breaking up into 3 divisions. Dodge would produce "trucks". You must remember that the minivan and PT Cruiser are categorized as "trucks", so that would only move them over to the "truck" division. Why break up Chrysler into 3 divisions, Chrysler, Dodge & Jeep? Again, remember that they were purchased prmarily to sell off, so getting rid of 1000 dealers and dividing into 3 separate companies makes sense to them. Where will Jeep end up? Ford maybe? GM already has Hummer.
Ducati Minor
The PT Cruiser is still a good, durable, and affordable hatchback. I find the looks charming, and its reputation well-proven. Sadly, Chrysler did drop the ball with the PT. This was an exciting, fun, and practical little car when it came out. (I was actually in high school at the time.) Chrysler chose to let it age and not update it. The ragtop was just terrible: the PT is not a sports car. It is an economic hatch appealing to regular folks and not hardcore motoring enthusiasts. Besides the fact that the convertible cost and arm and a leg, the rollbar was unpleasant.
Vishus!
I'm worried about Viper. If there aren't enough Cruisers selling to return enough profit --- how do they justify Viper?
Corvette has been subject to GM's bean counters in the past and almost didn't survive to be what it is today. Shockingly GM seems to be moving the Vette more upscale and adding more exclusivity with a potential $100K ZR-1.
My point is that GM (hopefully) is recognizing all cars dont have to be a Cavalier/Cobalt to return a profit. Proportioning supply allows diversity. There are other ways to maximize profit (such as platform parts sharing, etc.)
I don't have, have never had, and probably wouldnt want a PT Cruiser - then again, I don't own a truck --- it doesnt mean there isn't a place for them in the market.
Just look at the HHR - they seem to be selling well. Chevy even added the 2 door panel version. Maybe Chrysler should look to their competition before making such a change. I believe the HHR is even on a Cobalt chassis.
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