Chrysler CEO: NITRO “It needs to be replaced,”

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Decision on Nitro-Liberty replacement


01/10/2011
Chrysler is near a decision on the replacement for the lightly regarded Dodge Nitro and Jeep Liberty SUVs, built at the company's Toledo North Assembly plant, Marchionne said.

“It's the most significant hole in our product portfolio,” said Marchionne, referring to the mid-sized SUV segment. The Nitro and Liberty, which trail segment leaders such as the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, were among the few vehicles that were not revamped in the 2011 product offensive.

Referring to the Nitro, he said: “It needs to be replaced,” but not necessarily by a Dodge-brand SUV. Chrysler is conducting customer clinics on replacement vehicles and has it about 80 percent right, Marchionne said.

“Give us about 40 days” to make a decision, he said.

Read more: Jeep to revive Grand Wagoneer name for 7-seat SUV - AutoWeek Magazine

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Toledo built products get attention at auto show
Monday, January 10, 2011

Video: Toledo built products get attention at auto show | 13abc.com

The auto world is in Detroit and several Toledo built products are getting plenty of attention. 13abc's Lissa Guyton talked with the head of Chrysler about the future of the Toledo Jeep plants.

The head of Chrysler, Sergio Marcchione, says the Toledo plants are a big part of the company's future. And although he wouldn't talk specifics, it is clear there is new work coming to Toledo at some point.

Sergio Marcchione says the Toledo North assembly plant where they build Liberty's and Nitro's is underutilized and he plans to change that soon. "It is my sincere hope and ambition to try to get more than one shift out of Toledo in a relatively short time frame, but I prefer to leave the unveiling to the right time," says Marcchione.

And there are some changes to the Liberty, including a new model -- the Jet, which is about to go into production in Toledo. The head of Jeep says the goal is to help the rugged brand appeal to a broader audience.

President and CEO of Jeep, Mike Manley, says, "For the first time there is smoked glass and there is a darker grill. The feeling is much more premium."

The Dodge Nitro is built on the same platform as the Liberty and it also got a bit of a makeover this year. According to the head of Dodge, those changes have helped quadruple sales. And the head of Chrysler, Sergio Marcchione, is a firm believer in the Toledo built product.

Marcchione says new designs for Liberty and Nitro are crucial for long term success of the products. He says, "We're working our buns off to get that done as quickly as possible. That is probably the most significant hole right now in our product portfolio, as far as competitiveness."

And what about the workhorse of the Jeep line-up? There are a couple new looks for the iconic Wrangler from body colored hard tops to a new interior in some models. "Great new features -- steering wheel with button controls for the cruise control and the audio and we have lockable bins everywhere," says Marcchione.

According to the head of Jeep, sales are up worldwide by 24 percent and the Toledo built Wrangler had the second highest sales increase. Marcchione did talk about paying back Chrysler's government loans. He says he'd like to do that this year. That will be done in part through an initial public offering of Chrysler stock.

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Dodge Nitro Production Figures

December 2010 2,532

December 2009 1,178

Calendar Year

2010 27,562

2009 16,066