Dodge News: SRT Head Says Dodge Is Sticking Around

[William Maley]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 16, 2013

The rumors of the impending death of Dodge have been swirling around for the past year or so, thanks to products being moved to another brand or becoming their own, and products being dropped off with no word of a replacement. However, SRT CEO Ralph Gilles says Dodge is sticking around.

"Dodge is here to stay! It may get more focused going forward but not killed!," Gilles said on Instagram in response to a question by a user.

The 'more focused' has us wondering though: With the rumors of the Grand Caravan and possibly the Durango being killed off, does this mean Dodge will solely be a car brand?

Source: Instagram, Autoblog

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[G. David Felt]

I can see a quality car only focused company for Dodge. Leave the Mini Van in Chrysler and the SUV's CUV's to Jeep.

[Drew Dowdell]

My Question for Chrysler would be this: What is your Family car brand and does it make sense to separate that from your family SUVs/CUVs and Mini-vans?

[Robert Hall]

RG may not be privy to SM's grand scheme, though.

[G. David Felt]

What else would anyone expect of SRT division but to say that it will be staying around.

Personally, I could see Dodge being the performance division with Chrysler being the family division much like how people wanted Pontiac to be a true performance sub group under GMC/Buick. Yet with SRT filling that roll, it does make one wonder what the real future is for the two brands.

There is room I believe for DODGE to be a SubGroup of Chrysler.

Families go to Chrysler for cars and minivans. If they want excitement, go to a dodge. Pure performance SRT. If you need a 4x4 SUV, then Jeep and RAM for trucks.

I think this makes sense.

[Robert Hall]

What else would anyone expect of SRT division but to say that it will be staying around.

Personally, I could see Dodge being the performance division with Chrysler being the family division much like how people wanted Pontiac to be a true performance sub group under GMC/Buick. Yet with SRT filling that roll, it does make one wonder what the real future is for the two brands.

There is room I believe for DODGE to be a SubGroup of Chrysler.

Families go to Chrysler for cars and minivans. If they want excitement, go to a dodge. Pure performance SRT. If you need a 4x4 SUV, then Jeep and RAM for trucks.

I think this makes sense.

And there is also Fiat and Alfa Romeo in that picture as well.....Fiat for small cars, Alfa Romeo to target VW and Acura cross-shoppers, maybe...

[balthazar]

I don't believe it.

Chrysler said the same thing WRT DeSoto for '61, and 6 weeks later they pulled the plug. The signs were all there; no more top-line series, no more hi-po engines, they even couldn't bother with model names. None of the same people/business climate is the same now as then, but the signs are right there- Viper, Ram & now the Caravan being pulled.... Dodge's time is definitely limited. What's left over (fiat & AR) aren't very compelling alternatives, unfortunately.

[Blake Noble]

What else would anyone expect of SRT division but to say that it will be staying around.

Personally, I could see Dodge being the performance division with Chrysler being the family division much like how people wanted Pontiac to be a true performance sub group under GMC/Buick. Yet with SRT filling that roll, it does make one wonder what the real future is for the two brands.

There is room I believe for DODGE to be a SubGroup of Chrysler.

Families go to Chrysler for cars and minivans. If they want excitement, go to a dodge. Pure performance SRT. If you need a 4x4 SUV, then Jeep and RAM for trucks.

I think this makes sense.

And there is also Fiat and Alfa Romeo in that picture as well.....Fiat for small cars, Alfa Romeo to target VW and Acura cross-shoppers, maybe...

Alfa will be going into waters much deeper than Volkswagen and Acura territory. Marchionne wants Alfa to target BMW buyers.

That said, there's still room for Dodge. Chrysler will go after VW.

Or, to put it another way ...

Fiat: Small cars sold here for CAFE ratings.

Dodge: Budget performance with heritage.

RAM: Truck brand.

Jeep: SUVs and crossovers.

Chrysler/Lancia: Entry-level premium cars with an emphasis on a higher content of luxury and technology than Dodge. Think Oldsmobile, less Buick or Mercury.

SRT: In house tuning division for Chrysler products. Think AMG.

Alfa Romeo: Premium brand.

Maserati: Luxury brand.

Ferrari: Halo brand.

That's nine brands total. With the Mopar (just OEM motor parts), Fiat Professional, and Iveco brands thrown into the mix, the number grows to twelve. For the record, that's still a few brands less than VW Group.

Edited July 26, 2013 by black-knight

[Drew Dowdell]

What else would anyone expect of SRT division but to say that it will be staying around.

Personally, I could see Dodge being the performance division with Chrysler being the family division much like how people wanted Pontiac to be a true performance sub group under GMC/Buick. Yet with SRT filling that roll, it does make one wonder what the real future is for the two brands.

There is room I believe for DODGE to be a SubGroup of Chrysler.

Families go to Chrysler for cars and minivans. If they want excitement, go to a dodge. Pure performance SRT. If you need a 4x4 SUV, then Jeep and RAM for trucks.

I think this makes sense.

And there is also Fiat and Alfa Romeo in that picture as well.....Fiat for small cars, Alfa Romeo to target VW and Acura cross-shoppers, maybe...

Alfa will be going into waters much deeper than Volkswagen and Acura territory. Marchionne wants Alfa to target BMW buyers.

That said, there's still room for Dodge. Chrysler will go after VW.

Or, to put it another way ...

Fiat: Small cars sold here for CAFE ratings.

Dodge: Budget performance with heritage.

RAM: Truck brand.

Jeep: SUVs and crossovers.

Chrysler/Lancia: Entry-level premium cars with an emphasis on a higher content of luxury and technology than Dodge. Think Oldsmobile, less Buick or Mercury.

SRT: In house tuning division for Chrysler products. Think AMG.

Alfa Romeo: Premium brand.

Maserati: Luxury brand.

Ferrari: Halo brand.

That's nine brands total. With the Mopar (just OEM motor parts), Fiat Professional, and Iveco brands thrown into the mix, the number grows to twelve. For the record, that's still a few brands less than VW Group.

Tellingly, there is no where in there that I see the "mundane but fantastically selling family car" fitting. Where does the Camry/Accord/Fusion fighter fit?

[Robert Hall]

What else would anyone expect of SRT division but to say that it will be staying around.

Personally, I could see Dodge being the performance division with Chrysler being the family division much like how people wanted Pontiac to be a true performance sub group under GMC/Buick. Yet with SRT filling that roll, it does make one wonder what the real future is for the two brands.

There is room I believe for DODGE to be a SubGroup of Chrysler.

Families go to Chrysler for cars and minivans. If they want excitement, go to a dodge. Pure performance SRT. If you need a 4x4 SUV, then Jeep and RAM for trucks.

I think this makes sense.

And there is also Fiat and Alfa Romeo in that picture as well.....Fiat for small cars, Alfa Romeo to target VW and Acura cross-shoppers, maybe...

Alfa will be going into waters much deeper than Volkswagen and Acura territory. Marchionne wants Alfa to target BMW buyers.

That said, there's still room for Dodge. Chrysler will go after VW.

Or, to put it another way ...

Fiat: Small cars sold here for CAFE ratings.

Dodge: Budget performance with heritage.

RAM: Truck brand.

Jeep: SUVs and crossovers.

Chrysler/Lancia: Entry-level premium cars with an emphasis on a higher content of luxury and technology than Dodge. Think Oldsmobile, less Buick or Mercury.

SRT: In house tuning division for Chrysler products. Think AMG.

Alfa Romeo: Premium brand.

Maserati: Luxury brand.

Ferrari: Halo brand.

That's nine brands total. With the Mopar (just OEM motor parts), Fiat Professional, and Iveco brands thrown into the mix, the number grows to twelve. For the record, that's still a few brands less than VW Group.

Tellingly, there is no where in there that I see the "mundane but fantastically selling family car" fitting. Where does the Camry/Accord/Fusion fighter fit?

Fiat would be the home for FWD volume models, I would think.

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

The way they are focusing Dodge is what they should have done to Pontiac. The question is.. how much of what they say is true? We have heard this before and the brand was killed( Mercury, Oldsmobile, Pontiac)

[Drew Dowdell]

What else would anyone expect of SRT division but to say that it will be staying around.

Personally, I could see Dodge being the performance division with Chrysler being the family division much like how people wanted Pontiac to be a true performance sub group under GMC/Buick. Yet with SRT filling that roll, it does make one wonder what the real future is for the two brands.

There is room I believe for DODGE to be a SubGroup of Chrysler.

Families go to Chrysler for cars and minivans. If they want excitement, go to a dodge. Pure performance SRT. If you need a 4x4 SUV, then Jeep and RAM for trucks.

I think this makes sense.

And there is also Fiat and Alfa Romeo in that picture as well.....Fiat for small cars, Alfa Romeo to target VW and Acura cross-shoppers, maybe...

Alfa will be going into waters much deeper than Volkswagen and Acura territory. Marchionne wants Alfa to target BMW buyers.

That said, there's still room for Dodge. Chrysler will go after VW.

Or, to put it another way ...

Fiat: Small cars sold here for CAFE ratings.

Dodge: Budget performance with heritage.

RAM: Truck brand.

Jeep: SUVs and crossovers.

Chrysler/Lancia: Entry-level premium cars with an emphasis on a higher content of luxury and technology than Dodge. Think Oldsmobile, less Buick or Mercury.

SRT: In house tuning division for Chrysler products. Think AMG.

Alfa Romeo: Premium brand.

Maserati: Luxury brand.

Ferrari: Halo brand.

That's nine brands total. With the Mopar (just OEM motor parts), Fiat Professional, and Iveco brands thrown into the mix, the number grows to twelve. For the record, that's still a few brands less than VW Group.

Tellingly, there is no where in there that I see the "mundane but fantastically selling family car" fitting. Where does the Camry/Accord/Fusion fighter fit?

Fiat would be the home for FWD volume models, I would think.

I just don't see Fiat building a Camry/Accord/Fusion fighter any time soon.

[Robert Hall]

Fiat would be the home for FWD volume models, I would think.

I just don't see Fiat building a Camry/Accord/Fusion fighter any time soon.

I don't see Dodge having one either, though. Dodge hasn't had a competitive midsize model since.....I can't remember. And esp. if it's going to be a global model, Fiat makes sense as the home for it..

Edited July 26, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar