Could in future FCA give up the brand Chrysler?
- Chrysler brand has met serious difficulties on the US market for several years. It has also disappeared in other regions in favour of Lancia, which itself is endangered. Its global sales decreased from 800 000 units in 2005 down to 400,000 in 2014 and 300,000 in 2016.
- Inovev does not foresee any improvement in 2017. On last March, production of MPV town &Country was stopped. And then FCA announced it will not manufacture any more its 200 sedan in December (100 000 vehicles have been sold in 2016), without planning any successor. Only two models in the Chrysler range will survive in 2017: the 300 sedan, which dates back to 2011 and whose future is uncertain, and the Pacifica minivan launched in March. But this model Pacifica could also be proposed under the Dodge brand, which would significantly hinder the career of Chrysler.
- FCA has developed the brand Jeep, taking advantage of the overall SUV market growth. However it failed to position the brand versus other brands of Chrysler Group. Same positioning problems were also encountered for other brands of the group, such as Lancia.
- And, conversely to GM, FCA has not managed to benefit from the Chinese market growth.
- The aim of FCA is now to increase sales of Dodge and Ram (former pick-up branch of Dodge) without building new plants, which directly threatens the existence of the Chrysler brand.
- Alfa-Romeo seems the FCA group brand which is in the better position to take up the market which would be left by Chrysler.
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