ORIGINAL: Jeremiah 29:11
Let's play the "what if" game.
What if by the time Chrysler is sold off and they have made 30K cars and they are made in North America and now Toyota takes over.
I would think those few (30K) would be very valuable, especially if someone like Toyota took over the rest of the future Dodge Challengers.
Can you imagine a Dodge Challenger made my Toyota? I was just getting used to the Germans making it and now I may own a Japanese Dodge Challenger.
A pocket rocket Dodge Challenger for race drifting. That some how doesn't conjure up good thoughts in my head. Where is the American Muscle?
Sorry, I went too far ahead in time but it is a possibility.
That is about the only thing that would make me loose my interest in the Challenger. I have never been convinced of Toyota's quality, in fact, I've been convinced of quite the opposite. I really, really, really, really, really hate Toyota, I have for years and that will never change. I like Honda and Nissan just fine, but I hate Toyota.
I would like to see Chrysler being freed of Daimler since I am convinced that they both don't know what they are doing and they have no value nor appreciation for how Chrysler helped Mercedes out during their difficult years. Mercedes deserves no credit for any success that Chrysler has had since many of Chrysler's successful ideas would have been made anyways with the less expensive, roughly equal quality parts made by Chrysler and would have looked better. Also Mercedes and their arrogance has stopped Chrysler from making a lot of innovative technology that would blow everyone away just because they envy the fact that Chrysler is more talented than they are.
There have been a couple of companies that have been discussed for merging with Chrysler: GM, Ford, and Renault-Nissan.
GM: It would either be a great success or a great failure. Lutz (currently at the top of GM) was responsible for a lot of good looking products such as the Intrepid. I'd love to see his touch be returned to Chrysler's line-up. Chrysler has what GM needs. Potentially the best V6s, innovative spirit, a segment maker, competitive in the car department, divisions with the right marketing segments to compete directly with all the Japanese. They just need Lutz's touch to make it work.
Ford: Ford has the potential of being extremely competitive again, they just lack the powertrains and something called styling in order to do it. Chrysler has the V6 and V8 engines and transmissions that Ford needs to pull this off. Chrysler needs Ford's inventory of class leading platforms from all the companies they own and some of the best interior, and a super reliable I4. Ford's ownership of Mazda could do amazing things to Chrysler's V6 line-up. Chrysler's platforms were good but now no thanks to Daimler, they are stuck using over priced MB platforms or Mitsubishi.
Renault-Nissan: I really don't see the angle for this idea. They have the same strengths (good V6s and V8s, styling) and weaknesses (needing better I4s, bad interior). The only thing I can see is Nissan would benefit from having Chrysler's 6-speed autos over their CVTs, but they don't get it that CVTs are a bad idea, and Nissan has good platforms but they are also expensive.