Stellantis’ current situation isn’t great. From production stoppages to big changes for new vehicle intros and potentially selling off brands in the portfolio, it seems like the automaker’s management is scrambling to figure things out. As the company’s management doesn’t seem to know what to do, we asked our readers what cars from Chrysler’s past they think Stellantis should bring back to right the ship. These were your best answers.
These Are The Cars Stellantis Should Bring Back To Save Itself
Your answers ranged from K-cars and big sedans to Mitsubishi rebadges and Mexican Rams
A Simple K-Car-Like Model
The answer has always been the Dodge Aries K-car. Give us a box and keep it simple. Bring back all three body styles (coupe, sedan, and wagon)
Suggested by: Autojunkie
Anything On Alfa Romeo’s Giorgio Platform
The Giorgio platform should have been Stellantis’ savior. They already had, and squandered, their best shot.
But no, keep producing generic hybrid crossover models that all compete with eachother. Because that works.
Suggested by: Cuy Orvis-Marrufo via Facebook
Play To Each Brand’s Strengths
I know CUVs are all the rage, but with Stellantis’ volume i believe if they play to each brand’s strengths, they could make a modern compact sedan work:
Fiat - Basic Economy car for Southern/Eastern Europe, Africa, Middle east and India. Petrol power (maybe 125hp and 125 torques) for countries without a stable electric grid, PHEV/EV for the rest.
Opel - Northern Europe/UK/China, slightly upmarket from Fiat but PHEV/EV only.
Dodge - Same as Opel, but for North America only
Lancia - Entry level Luxury EV to compete with Audi A4. Sell in Europe only because few people outside of Europe remember Lancia
Alfa Romeo - High end PHEV/EVsports sedan, take aim at the 3-series, worldwide distribution.
With each marque having its own market niche and geographic distribution, there will be minimal cannibalization of sales between brands.
Suggested by: Earthbound Misfit I
Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Hear me out.
While never a great car, it was a great seller for many years at a time when most brands had an affordable 4 seat convertible.
Nowadays there’s hardly any offerings in this market. While yes people have migrated to cuvs, there’s still plenty of people who would like a convertible that is easier to daily than a mustang/miata which are among the only sub-50k convertibles on the market now.
It isn’t an enthusiast roadster, more of a normal everyday sedan with an open roof. Anyone who misses the Sebring, the Camry Solara, etc would be a great candidate.
This person actually makes a good point. There are hardly any convertibles left on the market, and sedan-based convertibles are even rarer. Unless you spend big money, you won’t find any attainable drop tops that can actually hold four people and their luggage comfortably.
Suggested by: Nate Kuhn via Facebook
Cheap Ram Models From Mexico
I don’t pretend to know the cost of federalizing the Ram 700, but it looks like a Laramie Crew Cab is like $24k USD in Mexico, so I assume there’s a way to get something semi-affordable and go steal some Maverick sales.
Ram even sells a midsize pickup in Mexico called the Ram 1200 that starts at the equivalent of just over $22,000.
Suggested by: Maymar
The K-Car, Caravan And Small Trucks
They need another K car. The K cars saved Chrysler back in the 80s, and it’s exactly what they need now. I’ll also never understand why they killed off the 200, Charger, Challenger, and Grand Caravan. Sure they were old cars, but they still sold pretty well and at least the Grand Caravan was reasonably priced. They also need to bring the smaller Ram trucks here.
Small pickup trucks have exploded in popularity. The Ranger, Maverick, Tacoma, Frontier, and Colorado sell very well and I don’t understand why they don’t just bring one or two smaller Rams to the US market. There is so much they could do that they aren’t doing. If they want to turn themselves around, they need to put in the effort.
Suggested by: Gibby Silva via Facebook
A New Mitsubishi Partnership For Diamond Star Motors
I think they should dust off the old partnership with Mitsubishi and make a whole new generation of DSM cars (Eclipse/Talon/Laser/Galant VR4). Small, nimble, tunable, AWD, turbo coupes/hatches/sedans... it’s a market that doesn’t have a lot of competition at the moment. And maybe it could hold off the death spiral for both brands.
Suggested by: Ryan J
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Cherokee that looks and drives like a smaller Grand Cherokee and does not exceed $40,000 or $300/month lease.
Suggested by: James Bratek via Facebook
The Obvious Answer: The Dodge Neon
In a classic hit ’em where they’re not move, I suggest a simple, friendly, utilitarian sedan that can be easily used, easily serviced and easily disposed of when the time comes to set it free. The kind of car that just isn’t around anymore. Like ... the Dodge Neon.
Suggested by: jrjmobile
LH Sedans
I’m tempted to say the Viper, but a low-volume car won’t save anyone. Something like the first LH—a nice-looking, practical family sedan (minus the Autostick transmission) might do it.
Suggested by: Joe Stricker via Facebook
Dodge Caravan
Ignoring for a minute the wonderful job they’ve been doing recently of killing vehicles off before their replacements were ready and thus taking themselves out of buyers minds for entire segments....
They should have never killed the Grand Caravan. 30 years of building the nameplate synonymous with the minivan to kill it off for lineup simplification (and leaving Dodge with one fewer model). Only then to kill the T&C a few years later to bring back the Pacifica nameplate for some goddamn reason.
Suggested by: Bags
Dodge Intrepid
Hear me out...the Intrepid. A cheap, volume seller mid size sedan. Give it a 2L turbo and AWD, maybe a top end hybrid, but keep it simple. Give it really good infotainment as standard, appliance on wheels spec. Keep it around $25k starting, and it would print money.
Suggested by: Aaron Lien via Facebook
A Cheap Car And Truck, Price Cuts On Jeeps And The Ram Classic
Hellcat everything! lol but in reality a sub $30k compact truck, reduce the tech and price on wranglers, and a compact car. Just cut your losses with the hornet. Pump out ram classics with the hemi for fleet users. The Guilia platform was amazing. That car drove sooooooo well. I would badge engineer a lower cost Chrysler version, maybe rename it a 300 something.
Suggested by: Z Vr Ba via Facebook