Chrysler Needs to CREATE a Market as did Honda

Practicality isn't in the same realm as a real sports car.

I agree wholeheartedly on that one, but the auto companies have all decided
that people that have enough money to spend on a sports car that isn't
practical must have a ton of money.

The other thing missing is a pure, clutch-driven manual transmission coupled
to a powerful V6 or V8. Somehow the car companies got it into their stupid
heads that clutches only belong on 1500 cc 4 bangers. I don't want some
power-ass-sissyed manual transmission wannabe, I want the real thing.

And, speaking of clutches, since when did it become accepted for 4x4's to
have automatic transmissions? Where did that come from?

Getting back to the ideal vehicle though, I am not convinced that power
accessories add a whole lot to the cost to manufacture, but I guess you need
something to option. I would draw the line at power windows, though, I
would be pretty leery of a new vehicle that had manual cranks - that's a
safety issue really, you don't want drivers screwing with a crank while
driving
down the road. And A/C is a must-have as well. But I'd be happy to drop
the rest of it.

Ted

 

Who says they were going for a "real sports car?" A Plymouth Roadrunner
was *not* a sports car. Neither was the original Charger. They were
muscle cars, which (IMO) are infinitely preferable to "real sports cars"
(Alfa-Romeo, MG, Miata, etc.) anyway, because they combine performance
and a reasonable amount of practicality. The pracitcality may be a
little compromised (ever seen the trunk on a Barracuda?) but its not
completely gone.

Preach on, brother! Pure heaven was the first time I shifted a Chrysler
A-833 4-speed behind a big block. After driving 2-liter FWD 5 speeds
and hating every minute, it was an eye-opening experience to have a
buttery-smooth yet PRECISE shifter, and an engine with GOBS of torque.

I drive crank-window cars all the time. What's the big deal with turning
a crank, you don't have to take your eyes off the road or even move
much! And lots of modern cars have crank-open sunroofs. I do like the
basics- power steering, A/C. I hate power brakes, but try to find a car
without them today. Non-powered disk brakes have by far the best pedal
feel of any braking system I've ever driven. Power windows are nice in
some instances too- I find them most useful in my '69 Convertible since
I can lower or raise the windows and the top while parked at a red
light, rather than having to lean over and reach for cranks. But who
needs electric seat warmers, circulating-liquid seat coolers, seat
position memory, and all that other crud? Its nice to OFFER it, but why
package it so that those of us who don't want it arent' stuck with it.

 

...you've forgotten the meaning of the Super Bee name. To be true to the
heritage, they'd need to call it "Super EllExx".

Most everybopdy who has added to this thread makes valid points. The simply
fact is: There's no one car that satisfies every consumer. That's what
capitalism is all about! A base Gen-1 Neon, Shadow America, Omni America -
or a Yugo - were closest to what the original poster was hoping for. (and,
man, was that base '95 Neon quick!) They, to varying degrees, all sold OK.
But most people would prefer to spend more to get more. That's why Consumer
Distorts years ago stopped testing base / stripper cars - they finally
figured out that nobody buys 'em that way.

As far as creating a market, you'd have to say Chrysler has been as good at
that as Honda - just a few e.g.: the '68 Road Runner, 1984 minivan, LeBaron
ragtop, the PT Cruiser, and, to some extent, the new LXs. And no one can
argue that AMC didn't create a new segment with the Cherokee.

For whatever the reasons, nobody, exc. possibly VW, sells a decent diesel
passenger vehicle here. The CRD Liberty is a bad joke, I'm very disappointed
in that deal.

Rick

 

All of those were very small, cheap, not-very-well-built cars.
Poverty-spec transportation. I think what's being bemoaned here is the
lack of a choice to spend money on durability and practicality rather than
on gadgets and marketeers' masturbations.