Posted on September 22, 2009 at 2:15 PM
No one can accuse Fiat SpA of not aiming high.
The Italian automaker, which took control of Chrysler Group LLC earlier this year as part of a post-restructuring global alliance, hopes that a revamped Chrysler brand can compete with premium domestic brands Cadillac and Lincoln.
That would mark a significant repositioning of Chrysler, which has been drifting downscale in recent decades. It is part of a broader vision Fiat has for the U.S. brands it recently acquired, with Dodge set to focus on sporty vehicles that will appeal to middle-America and Jeep keeping its tough, off-roading personality. The Dodge and Jeep goals seem much more reachable than what Chrysler brand CEO Peter Fong envisions for his unit, telling Automotive News
he wants the nameplate to be "a notch above Lincoln, a notch above Cadillac."
As Autoblog notes, former-parent Daimler AG had similar aspirations for Chrysler. The brand's 300 sedan was a mild success, but Pacifica was a bomb and the Sebring that followed "put to bed any hopes and prayers for an upscale Chrysler brand." With Fiat already admitting it has been slow to ramp up new product design at Chrysler, it seems unlikely there will be a quick turnaround.
However, speed is not of the essence. As Toyota Motor Corp. proved with Lexus and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. with Acura, a slow and steady ascent can be an effective way to climb the luxury ladder. Dreaming of a luxury future is great. But Chrysler and Fiat execs need to focus on designing and manufacturing a quality product that will bring buyers to the showroom if they are to have any hope of making Chrysler a success, and worry about luxury tomorrow.
LINK:
Fiat targets luxury for Chrysler brand (Corporate Dealmaker)
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