CHRYSLER PASSES HONDA IN SALES FOR SEPTEMBER!

[divideandconquer]

A Brazillion pundits said it was impossible but "whoop there it is". I thought this would happen in December after Chrysler's big product offensive but the Chrysler miracle is already in passing gear. Honda's chances of passing Mopar back look bleak because they don't have very many new products on the way. In fact the whole Japanese car industry all of a sudden looks beleaguered. On one side, the Japanese have the South Koreans tearing into their market share like wild hyenas on a wildebeast and on the other side, newly resurgent GM and Ford have actually started building arguably the best new fuel efficient compacts (Honda has already delayed it's new Civic to make it more competitive in gas mileage)(New Chevy commercials show the Chevy Cruze hunting today's Civics like a predator and Chevy dealers are putting Hondas on the their lots for comparison purposes). Just over the horizon VW is coming into the US on a mission to destroy any profitability Toyota and Honda have and to buy as much market share as possible on their quest to be numero uno in the world. Then after that are more new Korean cars, more new Ford and Chevy world cars and even Americanized Dodge versions of the highly acclaimed Alfa Romeo Guilietta with new super fuel efficient multiair gas and diesel engines, as well as actual Alfa's. Down the road the Chinese will do something as well and it won't be good for the Japanese.

With a little help from it's competitors, Chrysler has a good shot at passing a troubled Toyota early as next year!

<http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/01/by-the-numbers-sept-2010-couldnt-wait-until-after-paris-edi/#comments>

[LisaM]

1. Excellent!

Buy Michigan!

[Codeine]

2. Buy UAW!

:party:

[high density]

3. What big product offensive?

It looks like the same old tired designs to me: Boxy sheet metal and interiors that look ten+ years older than they are. Nearly all of them come with a fuel economy- and performance-sucking four speed automatic while their competitors moved to five and six speeds years ago.

[divideandconquer]

4. Actually Mopar has 8 speeds and even 9 speeds on the way

The new minivans and midsizes get more efficient V6's than Honda and Toyota with 6 speed transmissions. 300's and Chargers get optional ZF 8 speeds over the proven Mercedes 5 speeds and will be able to get 30 mpg in a full size car. The wildly popular in Europe, Fiat Cinquecento minicar debuts Multiair engine technology that leaves the Japanese in the dust. Fiat even has a version slightly down the road that gets comparable mpg to a Prius without being a hybrid.

[FarCenter]

7. Fleet sales are big for Chrysler

How many Honda rental cars do you see?

[divideandconquer]

8. Expect the new Dodge Charger to take over the lucrative police car business

Honda relies on leases and this might kill them like it put Nissan out of business(bailed out and taken over by Renault) if their residuals collapse like is happening to Toyota Camry right now (over 200 day supply on lots).

Also Chrysler has a strong player in the very profitable full size pickup truck market, Honda has the failed Ridgline, Toyota the failed Tundra. The Dodge Ram is so good, Nissan and Hyundai wanted to buy them and put their badges on them, Chairman Marchionne wisely refused.

[liberal N proud]

5. That's been a long time

And with few or no new models.

WOW!

[divideandconquer]

6. It all comes down to good management, Sergio vs Nardelli, no comparison

Sergio Marchionne is the best manager the car business has seen in decades. Just read this letter to Italian FIAT employees.
<http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=8589>