bruddah_man_matt

Since the other post was nothing more than a copy/paste job, I thought I'd offer my opinion on the matter. Personally I think the Aspen (pictured below) which is essentially a rebadged Durango is a well thought out vehicle when you think about it and the idea behind it makes sense. But with the Grand Cherokee priced and placed at about the same spot in the market as the Aspen, does the Aspen steal market share?

Not only that, but what happens to the Pacifica crossover? The Aspen is sure to steal some market share from the Pacifica which itself has not been doing too well. I see where Chrysler is going here. The Pacifica for now is supposed to compete with vehicles like the Acura MDX or be looked at as a cheaper alternative to vehicles like the Mercedes R350. The Pacifica like the R350 is more lifted minivan than sport ute so I avoide comparing it to vehicles like the Infiniti FX, Cadillac SRX and BMW X5.

Well with the Pacifica as Chryslers too heavy and underpowered V6 only offering, the Aspen is supposed to go head to head with the two big ballers from Detroit and a few from Japan. The Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX56, Lexus GX470 and LX470, and the Toyota Sequoia and Land Cruiser are all targets the Aspen has it's sights set squarely on. However if you ask me, the Aspen does not have what it takes to tackle the big boys. The upcoming GMT900 Escalade is way too good for the Aspen with an available 400hp 6.2L V8 and a 6 speed automatic transmission, the Aspen while pretty powerful with it's 335hp Hemi and 5 speed automatic is already behind in the game. Not only that, but it's pretty obvious that the Aspen is a rebadged Durango. If you ask me, the Aspen's greatest downfall is that the Durango is such a hit. I'm not sure of it's sales numbers, thanks to great advertising the Durango is quite well known these days even by non car buffs whereas where people knew what a Tahoe was, it's not like they cared. It "didn't have a Hemi" and so it was always thought of as "that Chevy SUV that's a bit smaller than a Suburban" rather than a more affordable Escalade. IMO the Aspen will only sell if Chrysler is deemed cool enough by the time it hits the market. With the 300 out there, I would expect Chrysler to tout the Aspen as "the 300 of large SUVs." Considering that the competition is better (at least in my eyes) the Aspen is going to have to sell based on the Chrysler name which for now, is pretty high up there on the status list with hits like the PT Crusier, 300 and while not a sales success, the different looking and stylish Crossfire.

In the end, I hope DC doesn't pull a GM. Yes they have fewer brands which means less badge engineering, but they've been whoring out platforms quite liberally lately. My thing is that Chrysler thus far has been pretty smart when it comes to badge engineering. It chose to introduce the 300 Sedan and the Magnum wagon, and then the Charger sedan so that the 300 and the Charger didn't kill each other. It also chose to keep the 300 Touring (essentially a Chrysler Magnum will 300 front end sheetmetal) a Euro only model to avoid cannibalizing Magnum sales here in the states. And the Challenger will be a completely new theme in terms of what the other LX cars have been by being a 2 door with a stick shift. However with clones like the Dodge Nitro (rebadged Jeep Liberty) and now the Aspen, I'm beginning to wonder if Chrysler is on the verge of pulling a GM. For the time being I'd say nah, but I'm going to be keeping my eye on Chrysler midsize offerings when they finally redesign them.

dgformula2k

iTrader: (2)

I can't believe they resurrected that crappy nameplate. I guess they are counting on people forgetting about the crappy 70's sedan/wagon. You're right, most will see it for what it is, a Chrysler Durango. But there is precedent here, the original Caddy Escalade was nothing more than a GMC Yukon with a crest and wreath on it. Since the first one, they have gradually made it a little more unique. And from what I hear, the new Esky has its own unique interior finally. So I think the Aspen can succeed if they try to develop it. The question is, wither the Pacifica? I'm guessing its days are numbered. The irony here is that cross-overs are what's hot right now, not V8 powered truck-based SUVs. I would think the smart thing here would be to redesign the Pacifica with more power, lower cost and with a hybrid version. I see the big SUV market crashing. High gas prices are here to stay, unless you offer more efficient alternatives, the business is going elsewhere. I see the big V8 SUV of the future being a luxury vehicle only for most buyers, with DOD technology and hybrid alternatives thrown in.

dgformula2k

iTrader: (2)

I'm a little surprised that the base versions of the Chrysler 300 have sold relatively well. Considering its really just a Charger with better styling, they both come standard with a tepid 200 hp V6. I always thought the 300 was one of Chrysler's most sacred nameplates, up there with the Imperial. The 300 stood for performance and luxury, the top of the line. The 300, IMO, should be Hemi only, with 5.7 and SRT8 versions. None of this base, rental car model crap. Leave that to the lower Dodge brand. You would think DC would position Chrysler after Cadillac and Lincoln, a true luxury marque, instead of a quasi-near luxury brand like Buick. But then again, their more expensive offerings, the Crossfire and Pacifica haven't done well in the marketplace, so I may be wrong about that.

bruddah_man_matt

Well blame Mercedes for Chrysler's position in the market. You can't blame them. For thousands less than an E55 AMG you can get a car with about 70 less hp for for about half the cost in the 300 SRT-8. As for the base versions of the LX cars selling well, that's a no brainer. I knew from the get-go that they'd sell. Design sells. People will pay for a gutless 190hp V6 powered 300 when a 240hp V6 powered Accord will suit their needs why??? because the 300 has "style" and is "different." That's what GM needs to wake up and realize. That's why so many V6 Mustangs are on the road, because they "look cool." Design sells, even if it comes at the cost of 50hp, 500 lbs. and a few thousand dollars.