Chrysler has an R&D problem. I don't know if it's a lack of talent (doubtful) or a lack of budget (more likely), but Chrysler R&D has gone missing.
Since Daimler took the reigns, Chrysler innovation has gone AWOL. Daimler took all their R&D to Germany, Cerberus just didn't care, and Fiat is in no financial position to give anything back to Chrysler, given the state of their at-home economy.
That leaves Chrysler to outsource all their innovation.
Chrysler doesn't have the capability to cast aluminum engine blocks in any meaningful volume on their own. In 2013, a major automaker has to *outsource* the casting of their aluminum blocks to a supplier in Mexico? This isn't high tech stuff. Some of the Pentastar castings are done in Trenton, the rest are contracted to Mexico. All the 4 cylinder castings were contracted to JL French in Wisconsin... who was promptly bought out by a Mexican conglomerate and moved to Mexico.
Chrysler transmission development is gone. All the new transmissions are coming from ZF (autos) or Fiat (dual clutch). Not that ZF makes a poor transmission, quite the contrary, but it is less profitable to buy your transmissions than it is to develop and produce your own. The European luxury marques can get away with it because their transaction prices and profit margins are much more lucrative. If you don't have the budget to develop you own transmissions anymore... well, you still need a transmission. Have to buy them from someone.
Does Chrysler even make a direct-injection engine? Something with a turbocharger? There was big talk about the Pentastar: Smaller 2.8L and 3.0L versions, direct-injection, turbocharging. None of that has come to fruition. Where is any form of powertrain innovation? The Pentastar engine is good, but it's early 2000's tech. In the past 10 years, the Koreans have leapfrogged Chrysler in the powertrain department. Especially worrisome since their last 4 cylinder, the one Chrysler is still using, was co-developed with them. Diesels you say? Purchased from a company that is half-owned by General Motors. I'm sure the General doesn't mind collecting that check.
Where is a competitive mid-size sedan? For all the talk of the lukewarm reception of the new Malibu, at least it gets included in the comparison tests. The Sebring/200 hasn't been in a magazine since the name change. I just had to go look at the Dodge website to see they were still selling the Avenger.
Where is the small car savior? The Dart is a dud. People are buying small cars! Ford, Chevrolet, and Honda are all reporting good sales. The Dart has been out long enough to straighten out the supply mix and get iron on the dealer's lots. Where are the sales?
Full-size trucks. While Ford and GM are duking it out over power and fuel economy on powerful V8 and turbo V6 trucks, Dodge (sorry... Ram) introduces an uber-expensive... naturally aspirated V6? It got them a few day's press, but their mix will still be 75% V8.
Speaking of Ram... adding brands while the rest of the world is shedding them? Make Ram it's own brand, then sell them out of the same Dodge dealers? Be so cheap when you change the brand that you don't update all the logos in the interior because retooling would cost too much (airbags and dash trim still said Dodge while the rest of the vehicle was logo'd Ram)? Make SRT it's own brand... again, to be sold in the same Dodge and Chrysler dealers they were sold at before.
About the only thing Chrysler has done right is Jeep... until they showed pictures of the new Cherokee.
Chrysler still has a long, LONG ways to go. Hopefully they keep turning a profit and aren't dragged down too bad by Fiat's lack of profit.
Since Daimler took the reigns, Chrysler innovation has gone AWOL. Daimler took all their R&D to Germany, Cerberus just didn't care, and Fiat is in no financial position to give anything back to Chrysler, given the state of their at-home economy.
That leaves Chrysler to outsource all their innovation.
Chrysler doesn't have the capability to cast aluminum engine blocks in any meaningful volume on their own. In 2013, a major automaker has to *outsource* the casting of their aluminum blocks to a supplier in Mexico? This isn't high tech stuff. Some of the Pentastar castings are done in Trenton, the rest are contracted to Mexico. All the 4 cylinder castings were contracted to JL French in Wisconsin... who was promptly bought out by a Mexican conglomerate and moved to Mexico.
Chrysler transmission development is gone. All the new transmissions are coming from ZF (autos) or Fiat (dual clutch). Not that ZF makes a poor transmission, quite the contrary, but it is less profitable to buy your transmissions than it is to develop and produce your own. The European luxury marques can get away with it because their transaction prices and profit margins are much more lucrative. If you don't have the budget to develop you own transmissions anymore... well, you still need a transmission. Have to buy them from someone.
Does Chrysler even make a direct-injection engine? Something with a turbocharger? There was big talk about the Pentastar: Smaller 2.8L and 3.0L versions, direct-injection, turbocharging. None of that has come to fruition. Where is any form of powertrain innovation? The Pentastar engine is good, but it's early 2000's tech. In the past 10 years, the Koreans have leapfrogged Chrysler in the powertrain department. Especially worrisome since their last 4 cylinder, the one Chrysler is still using, was co-developed with them. Diesels you say? Purchased from a company that is half-owned by General Motors. I'm sure the General doesn't mind collecting that check.
Where is a competitive mid-size sedan? For all the talk of the lukewarm reception of the new Malibu, at least it gets included in the comparison tests. The Sebring/200 hasn't been in a magazine since the name change. I just had to go look at the Dodge website to see they were still selling the Avenger.
Where is the small car savior? The Dart is a dud. People are buying small cars! Ford, Chevrolet, and Honda are all reporting good sales. The Dart has been out long enough to straighten out the supply mix and get iron on the dealer's lots. Where are the sales?
Full-size trucks. While Ford and GM are duking it out over power and fuel economy on powerful V8 and turbo V6 trucks, Dodge (sorry... Ram) introduces an uber-expensive... naturally aspirated V6? It got them a few day's press, but their mix will still be 75% V8.
Speaking of Ram... adding brands while the rest of the world is shedding them? Make Ram it's own brand, then sell them out of the same Dodge dealers? Be so cheap when you change the brand that you don't update all the logos in the interior because retooling would cost too much (airbags and dash trim still said Dodge while the rest of the vehicle was logo'd Ram)? Make SRT it's own brand... again, to be sold in the same Dodge and Chrysler dealers they were sold at before.
About the only thing Chrysler has done right is Jeep... until they showed pictures of the new Cherokee.
Chrysler still has a long, LONG ways to go. Hopefully they keep turning a profit and aren't dragged down too bad by Fiat's lack of profit.
