Chrysler news

1 van model likely Chrysler considers reducing choices Chris Vander Doelen, Windsor Star Published:”Saturday, February 09, 2008 Chrysler LLC’s plans to cut the number of dealers in the United States and consolidate models could mean building only one minivan model, rather than two, in Windsor.

Jim Press, co-president of Chrysler, said Friday the company wants to sharply reduce its American dealership count — it is still adding stores in Canada — which remains bloated from the higher market share it enjoyed decades ago. COMBINE DEALERSHIPS Email to a friend Printer friendly Font: * * * * Chrysler, like Ford and General Motors, is trying to combine unprofitable dealerships which are located too close together into larger stores which sell more vehicles and make money.

That means that the hundreds of stand-alone Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep dealerships in the United States will have to consolidate into three-brand stores over time. That, in turn, means there will be much less demand for overlapping “brand engineered” products, Press said Friday. The company can no longer afford to build near-duplicate models of its cars and simply to satisfy a desire for separate brands among dealers who should be combined anyway, he said.

That suggests an end to building such overlapping models as the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUVs, or both the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring mid-sized sedans. It could also mean combining the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Town & Country. Press said Chrysler spent $200 million launching its two new minivan brands last year — available in five separate trim levels — when it should have spent only $100 million.