It’s all but official. Chrysler is about to be cancelled.
This can be inferred by the recently disclosed decision to “put on hold until further notice” the new Chrysler models that aren’t coming. A leaked email from within Chrysler to a supplier – of parts for the new models that aren’t coming – reads as follows:
“The C6X (CA) program has been put on hold until further notice. Therefore, any spending associated with this program should be suspended immediately. Please contact [redacted] at [redacted]@stellantis.com if you have any questions.”
The C6X was supposed to be the first of a new line of devices to fill up the currently all-but-empty Chrysler dealer lots around the country. The only new vehicle they’ve had to offer buyers since 2023 – the last year you could buy a new 300 sedan – is the Pacifica minivan. It’s hard to maintain a brand on that basis.
But that’s all there is – and soon (apparently) there will be no more.
It’s probably a good thing. In the manner of letting go when an elderly or terminally ill person passes. It is sad, of course – but the inevitability of the thing provides a degree of both comfort and closure. Put another way, deluding oneself into believing the end isn’t inevitable makes the end – when it comes – more traumatic.
When Stellantis – the parent company of Chrysler as well as Dodge and Jeep and Ram – decided to play Climate Change Kabuki and cancelled models with engines like the 300 and the Dodge Charger/Challenger it was based upon – in favor of battery powered devices, it sealed the fate of both Chrysler and Dodge. The former CEO of Stellantis – Carlos Tavares – thought he was being both politically correct and financially sensible in that Chrysler and Dodge were having to pay huge sums to Elon Musk (Tesla) for “carbon credits” to offset the dearth of devices in the lineups of these two brands. The V8 300 and Charger were especially burdensome – in terms of regulatory compliance costs.
It cost Stellantis a great deal of money to offer these models. The millions that had to be spent buying “carbon credits” to appease the federal regulatory apparat for the sin of producing V8-powered muscle machines the federal apparat does not want produced – and so punishes, via environmental extortion – had to be recovered somehow. Stellantis tried to do by folding the cost of buying those “carbon credits” into the sticker price of vehicles like the 300 and Charger/Challenger.
This was a combination of craven, short-sighted and suicidal.
Short-sighted, because passing along the compliance costs assured sales of these models would wane – not because people didn’t want these models but because they were becoming increasingly unaffordable. There are only so many people who can afford a $50,000 V8 Charger – which (if you didn’t have to pay compliance costs) would cost much less than that.
Craven – because Stellantis could have done the ballsy thing and explained to the public why models like the 300 and Charger/Challenger had become so expensive. There is nothing intrinsically expensive about a big sedan (or coupe) with a big V8 engine. If anything, such vehicles are intrinsically inexpensive – because they are intrinsically simple, especially relative to a device. (People are of course told that devices are “simple,” having fewer parts – but this is disingenuous because while the number of parts may be lower their complexity is much greater.)
Evidence in support of this is right there in the rearview. Americans – working class and middle class Americans – used to commonly own big sedans (and wagons) with V8 engines, establishing as fact that they were once – and could be, again – affordable.
It is compliance costs that have made them unaffordable.
Why not explain this fact to people – so as to arouse their anger at the regulatory apparat that is making what were once regularly (and affectionately) styled American cars rich people’s cars? Observe that the only remaining rear-drive big cars with V8s are six figure luxury brand cars – such as those made by BMW and Mercedes-Benz – because rich people can afford to pay the compliance costs.
Rather than spend all those millions on compliance costs – and pass along those costs to buyers, who increasingly cannot afford to pay them – Stellantis could have spent the money on media/public relations blitz. Saturation ads on TV and online explaining what compliance costs are – and that Chrysler and Dodge were being bled white by that insufferable plate-lipped Albino and his “carbon credits” grift.
VW ought to have done the same but didn’t when it was accused of “noncompliance” back in 2016. Instead, it agreed to spend millions on ads – promoting devices made by its rivals, among other servile apologias. It agreed to sell devices instead of cars its buyers wanted. And that’s why VW is about to go the way of Chrysler. And probably Dodge, too.
Which brings us to suicidal.
The decision to cancel models that had intrinsic appeal – and that could have been made much more appealing, by lowering what they cost to sell by fighting the compliance regime that made them expensive to sell – in favor of more devices for which there is no market being precisely that. And more than that – as regards Chrysler and Dodge particularly, for they are (were) brands esteemed precisely because their vehicles were a thumb-in-the-eye to the pushing of devices.
Chrysler – and Dodge – not selling ballsy American cars with big V8s is like McDonald’s deciding to stop selling hamburgers in favor of soy patties with vegan mayonnaise.
And that’s why Chrysler’s done. Probably Dodge, too.
It’s all very sad – because unlike the passing of an elderly or terminally ill person, this passing isn’t natural. It is a kind of “died suddenly” – the departed having been both young and healthy prior to departure.
Hopefully, other brands that haven’t yet signed their own death warrants will face the existential threat and realize they will never comply their way out of this.
And man the Hell up – before it’s too late.
. . .
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Maybe it is time to move to China. At least there are no stupid people there and they enjoy much more personal liberty than the retarded / parasitic / demented Idiocracy West.
Dodge and Chrysler were deliberately being killed off the day Obama stole Chrysler and handed it over to Fiat along with 3 billion of taxpayer dollars. They were incredible cash cows for the Euro-peon parasites over the years. They did last longer than anyone thought they would.
That Springsteen song was 40 YEARS AGO!
it aint cummn back ever.
“…Stellantis could have done the ballsy thing and explained to the public why models like the 300 and Charger/Challenger had become so expensive…”
They didn’t even need to do that, they have lobbyists.
Lobbyist:
Chooses which nostril to blow load into.
[ Stellantis could have spent the money on media/public relations blitz. Saturation ads on TV and online explaining what compliance costs are – and that Chrysler and Dodge were being bled white by that insufferable plate-lipped Albino and his “carbon credits” grift.]
First and foremost,,, The American collective could give a rats hiney. Most today can’t afford food much less a car,,, even a car with an engine. Inflation caused by corpgov funding wars and bullshit green energy and 10 percent for Big Joe have eroded the dollar to a fourth world currency.
DEI has made what’s left of manufacturing a bad joke. State and local governments are avoiding any required spending,,, by spending what they don’t steal on DEI and other useless causes.
LA fires,,, Maui Fires. Intense hurricanes all supercharged by corpgovs new DEW toys so firms like Blackrock and ilk can come in and scoop up property for pennies.
Our new hero Elon scoops up billions in the carbon tax global warming joke. Anyone with more than one brain cell can look at a temperature chart covering the last 400 million years and see we are in a serious, serious cooling trend while our beloved and lame corpgov is removing all forms of fuels we could use as fuel for heat in its war on carbon,,, a necessary element for all life.
We cannot build anything less expensive because the money has been destroyed. Inflation always out paces income. Be ready to go broke! Zelenski just purchased a million dollar home complete with bunker on Billionaire Island using our extorted taxes and thanks you!
Con-gress?
One of their last bills is waging war on the ICC if they arrest our ‘real’ president in Tel Aviv.
The billions corpgove gave Ukraine and Israhell could have been used to fill that reservoir in LA / provide relief for those in North Carolina. The billions I believe Trump will spend in a war with Iran would also be better spent here at home. Maybe splurge a little and fix some infrastructure here at home?
Speaking of scum politicians Gov. Newscum and Pocohontas both have sites up taking donation for the victims in the California fires. Both Websites link up to a Democratic Superpac site according to Martin Armstrong.
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/corruption/dems-profiting-on-california-tragedy/
58 standing ovations. . .
I prefer Sackashitwea…But, yeah.
“ And man the Hell up – before it’s too late.”
Good luck with that. DEI_BS has ensured real men, not effeminate soy boy metrosexuals, succeed in modern American business. I for one have no sympathy for Stellantis. Tho I do feel bad for no -executive white collar, blue collar, and suppliers.
I shouldn’t post anything whilst loopy on cold medicine. Effeminate soy boys move up, not real men. Sorry.
When you are told what to do and you do it, you are not free to do what you want. You are a slave.
After being punished, beaten into submission, the morale should improve.
I’d rather be a free man in my grave
Than to live as a puppet or a slave
The harder they come
The harder they fall
One and all – Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come
“ Rather than spend all those millions on compliance costs – and pass along those costs to buyers, who increasingly cannot afford to pay them – Stellantis could have spent the money on media/public relations blitz. Saturation ads on TV and online explaining what compliance costs are – and that Chrysler and Dodge were being bled white by that insufferable plate-lipped Albino and his “carbon credits” grift.” – Eric
Exactly! The automakers should have taken out full page ads in all the major newspapers and magazines, maybe even run an ad during the Stupor Bowl, explaining why vehicles were so much more expensive and adding a tag line asking people to call/write their Clowngress critter to put a stop to it. Woukd have stopped this BS dead in its tracks if enough people did that, but the manufacturers gelded themselves instead, now it’s probably too late to reverse the tide.
Even if I was dumb/wealthy enough to pony up the big bucks for a brand new vehicle the truth is they really do not appeal to me.. at all. These led Christmas lights plastic clad futuristic looking goof-mobiles really turn me off.
Yesterday I rode up north to purchase a 2000 Nissan Frontier XE 4×4 x-cab from an elderly couple who had it parked under a carport since new. 88k miles manual shift. It is in beautiful condition looks and drives like new. Paid $7650 cash. Normally I would think that was too much money but this thing is nice and I am actually thrilled to be able to get it. Eric talking good about his Frontier really motivated me to go look at it.
The fact is, Chrysler hasn’t made anything I would be interested in, in a very long time.
Sad maybe, but not really much of a loss for me.
Sounds like you got a great deal, especially with very low miles for the year model.
Congrats on that new Fronty, AMC Guy!
It’s basically the same as my ’02 except mine’s not a 4×4. These are great trucks and with just 88k on yours, you have 200k to go before you might need to get into the engine to replace something. The only thingI don’t like about mine is that it does not have a limited slip axle and so it’s pathetic on any kind of slick surface, even wet grass!
Thanks guys. So you do think the price was fair?
Drove it the hour and a half home on clean roads and was nice but haven’t tried winter conditions yet. Actually have not even engaged the four wheel drive to see if it works. The old couple seemed so sweet and honest that my wife and I just took it for a small test drive came back and paid them. Service records including recent timing belt kit installed by their long time mechanic help put me at ease.
Hi AMC,
You got a deal! If you look around, you’ll find that similar vintage Frontys with 150k-plus in good shape sell for around $4,500 or even more. I’m glad you found this one – and that you paid what you did!
Thanks Eric! Your endorsement is very helpful.
I woke up this morning second guessing a little because we don’t necessarily need another vehicle at the moment. Went out in the garage and looked at it today and felt better again. 🙂
Hi Burn it Down.
I don’t think we should let it go because if we enter into the long night things will be a lot worse than they are now. Just look at England where they threaten the parents of children whose children have been raped by illegal aliens but do virtually nothing to the rapists. I suspect we’re going to need someone like Charles Martel sooner than we think if we don’t get a handle on things.
People tell me that tariffs won’t work, but when the jobs disappear and the “natives” and junkies strip a building so badly it can never be refurbished, the skilled trades and institutional knowledge from engineering to custom fabrication are lost and move away and whoever is left goes onto welfare.
Then when some multi national opens up shop in that location but only hires illegal aliens and pays them wages so low the city gives them free accommodation, tell me is this better or worse than tariffs?
Comment should have been below Burn It Down’s.
“ I don’t think we should let it go“
“. . . the skilled trades and institutional knowledge from engineering to custom fabrication are lost and move away ” . . .
Landru,
I think that let it go comment more or less pertained to my own mental state. It’s been hard watching Chrysler die a slow agonizing death. I left Chrysler in 2008 and have been gone for 16 years but I still remember the buzz of the mid 90s – 2000 era like it was yesterday. Those were thrilling times to be working in the industry as an engineer.
With respect to your second comment, it is too late. I have moved to the other side of the country. I’ve given up automotive engineering as I don’t see anything there worth investing the remainder of my life into. I refuse to be part of the apparatus willingly erecting the ADAS control / surveillance grid to the detriment of its customers.
The institutional knowledge at Chrysler has long been corrupted beginning with the Daimler merger that had the end result of forcing Chrysler to use higher cost Mercedes parts often with lower quality than the what was being replaced. And for this privilege, Chrysler was fleeced of its balance sheet cash both at the time of the original merger and later on by internal write downs and technology transfer charges.
The younger engineers were trained not to think of what costs are per unit sold but rather about how reuse of more expensive part from Mercedes was for the good of the company as a whole. To hell with whether it was better for the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep customer.
My mentors were either driven out by Daimler management or retired as soon as they could to escape.
It only got worse during the Cerberus and FCA era.
What was left is a culture that no longer knows how to innovate, and has no idea of how to satisfy customer wants and needs.
So the comment about letting it go was a self reflection that no matter how I long for Chrysler to be what it once was, it never will be.
I watched civil aviation go from what it was in 1980 to some worthless milltard DEI homosexuals chihuahua pissing on mechanics toolboxes and part time janitor in a bear costume. I retired.
The USA is slowly (then suddenly) becoming Cuba. The Orangeman might put a halt to this or more likely slow it for a while but inevitability we will fall. Look at California, the idiot majority of them are fully on board with climate change hoax. No one will speak out. Now they lost their house to sinecure incompetency of the state and it’s the climate’s fault. I dislike insurance companies with a passion, but you can’t blame them for pulling out after watching this state water miss-management in action. They saw it coming.
Sidebar; just got back from a trip and rented via upgrade a Chrysler 300 internal combustion V6. Great car for rental, room, power fun to drive. Went through a rental company called Fox/Eurocar (never heard of them before). They are OK. Hertz counter was empty. What are the Rental companies going to do to survive? (Or not.) EV’s are not even remotely practical for rentals let alone no one wants to rent them. Hertz will be gone by the end of 2025 is my prediction.
Cool, now we get to walk fom the airport to our final destination.
Let’s not forget how Stellantis fucked up Jeep by overpricing and over-complicating a product that initially had appeal due to it’s simplicity, affordability and utility.
Jeep is the next dead man walking. *YAWN*
From the county farm
Another man done gone
I didn’t know his name
He had a long chain on
He killed another man
I don’t know where he gone
— Vera Hall, Another Man Done Gone
Even a dyed-in-the-wool Mopar guy like Uncle Tony has taken to Schadenfreude over this unfolding and unmitigated disaster.
This rant is a riot…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ0x8uXrf84&t=1s
He said ‘Fratzonic’ — LOL!
Believe it or not, this all happened because of a typo. It was supposed to be Fartzonic.
This would have changed everything. 🙂
Colorado State Patrol has two primary vehicles: Dodge Chargers and Dodge Durangos. The Durangos are being replaced by Ford Excursions. What will replace the Chargers when they reach EOL? The county sheriffs drive F150s, will that turbo 6 be enough oomph to chase down speeders?
Long term, I think there will be purpose-built vehicles for CSP and other law enforcers. Oshkosh, Grumman, AM General and Textron will be happy to build to a national standard vehicle, one that runs on diesel or gasoline or CNG (as specified, since government will “need” to have an exception from EV mandates). Maybe they’ll buy a Ford or GM engine factory -heck, maybe just buy the River Rouge Plant, one assembly line under one roof for all the country. It just takes money, right? Could even come standard with restraining hooks and straps in the back to haul your ass off to debtor’s prison.
That was already attempted with Carbon Motors 10 years ago.
Very sad. It’s not like the 300 and the Pacifica weren’t selling even with the C02 compliance markups. Chrysler is killing the goose 🪿 that lays the golden egg. This makes no sense.
Unless youre the CEO doin the deed and making bank for killing a company.
Spent 14 years of my life at Chrysler and was there through the DaimlerChrysler and hellish Cerberus eras as the company was methodically bled dry by the financial ghouls.
I witnessed the buildings I had worked in being turned over to the city of Detroit. I’ve literally seen them stripped by the natives of copper wiring and copper roofing . They were stripped of anything else valuable as scrap. I’ve seen the buildings then left to rot out in the open lacking a roof and windows.
Wonder how long it will be until that pattern repeats itself at the Auburn Hills Headquarters building? The building is 5.4 million square feet of office space, test and development laboratories, and prototype manufacturing all under one roof. It is the second or third largest building in the United States depending on which sources you believe.
Who needs or can financially maintain a building of that size in this day and age after the COVIDpocalypse?
It’s time to let it go. We had a good run and it sure was fun while it lasted. This too shall pass.
I’m beginning to think Las Vegas, with its destruction of the past, has the right idea. At least when it comes to commercial space, why pretend that architecture has to be permanent? A building that once suited the business model but no longer does so isn’t all that valuable. Any buyer will have to spend a lot of money trying to retrofit it to their way of doing things.
There’s a building nearby that has been for sale pretty much since it was built. It’s in a nice location, on the edge of a strip mall with a green space on the side and bike path. I don’t believe it has ever been occupied. I used to imagine having my business in that building, as fools often do. I could imagine all the people I’d employ there, what they’d do and where they’d do it. But the business failed to get traction and so the building still sits empty.
At one point some kids broke out all the windows and the wood beams are water stained. The local community college was going to set up a computer training center in it so it got partially fixed up, but then COVID hit and that all came to a halt. At least the shell is tight now.
Without a tenant or prospective buyer, the prudent move would be to bulldoze the building and sell the land underneath so that someone can build what they need. Clinging to the past, especially when needs change, doesn’t make sense unless there’s some very compelling reason to hold on to it. Just being old isn’t enough of a reason.
All valid point RK
However, I don’t think you appreciate the scale of such a building as the Chrysler Tech Center. Loot at it on Google maps.
5.4 Million Square Feet. 500 acres. It has its own ride and steering test track. The demolition costs alone would be staggering.
It is an albatross in an age where TPTB think AI is going to do everything for free.
Oh I’ve been past it. My cousin’s husband worked there. Amazing building, on par with the old steel mills of my hometown, but clean.
While we trip over bums everywhere in town after town full of empty “rentals” and even more pending sales.
It feels kinda nice to not be one a those “losers”.
In fact it feels great because I must be better than them.
In fact fuck those homeless “arsonists” to death on sight.
In fact theyre just subhuman animal inbred rubble crawlin Gazans so kill em all for not slaving for RTX like good boys.
Greasy slope.
Hi Burn it Down.
I don’t think we should let it go because if we enter into the long night things will be a lot worse than they are now. Just look at England where they threaten the parents of children whose children have been raped by illegal aliens but do virtually nothing to the rapists. I suspect we’re going to need someone like Charles Martel sooner than we think if we don’t get a handle on things.
People tell me that tariffs won’t work, but when the jobs disappear and the “natives” and junkies strip a building so badly it can never be refurbished, the skilled trades and institutional knowledge from engineering to custom fabrication are lost and move away and whoever is left goes onto welfare.
Then when some multi national opens up shop in that location but only hires illegal aliens and pays them wages so low the city gives them free accommodation, tell me is this better or worse than tariffs?