Fiat Chrysler ending car production in U.S.

[NWCorona]

Source: USA Today

The company may be called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, but by early next year, it won't be making automobiles in the U.S. Instead, Fiat Chrysler's U.S. plants will be focusing entirely on pickups and SUVs for the Ram and Jeep brands

Fiat Chrysler is winding down production of the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart and will primarily produce Jeep SUVs and Ram pickups in the U.S. The company's remaining car models will be made in Mexico, Canada or other foreign nations.

Ending passenger car production in the U.S. is part of CEO Sergio Marchionne's multibillion-dollar plan to increase profit margins to match competitors. It's a bet that recognizes the growing popularity of SUVs in America, low gas prices and lower cost of producing vehicles in Mexico.

"By the time we finish with this, hopefully, all of our production assets in the United States — if you exclude Canada and Mexico from the fold — all those U.S. plants will be producing either Jeeps or Ram," Marchionne said Wednesday during a conference call with Wall Street analysts after the automaker reported second-quarter earnings.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/07/28/fiat-chrysler-ending-car-production-us/87649136/?fb_action_ids=10106626719527878&fb_action_types=og.comments

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As a car guy. This is sad stuff.

[ansible]

1. Great, as if they weren't already unreliable enough as it is

Chrysler cars are some of the worst and most unreliable cars ever made in human history.

[madokie]

3. Always have been

[snooper2]

9. used to be true- Times change- My 2003 Dakota has never failed me

Looking at getting a gently used Grand Caravan- They are SWEET these days...

Also, was looking at Honda and their quality has gone down over the past decade. Then look at Nissan- We were looking at a Nissan Rogue and they put some POS CVT transmission in it...

Look at the reviews- 100% piece of shit..we are talking 2011-2012-2013 models here...

[closeupready]

2. But they are actually investing billions more and hiring thousands at

plants in the US so as to ramp up SUV production, where their profits are growing. And the UAW signed off on it during their labor dispute last year.

[NWCorona]

4. I understand the challenges Chrysler was facing in finding a production partner

As a vintage Hemi head. I'm still sad. It really doesn't matter anymore as most cars share production platforms anyway.

[closeupready]

10. Understood - me, too. Though considering how close to death Chrysler was

prior to Fiat's buyout and how many jobs he saved and local economies he helped, you kind of feel like if Fiat's guy wants to move in a different direction, he probably knows what he's talking about. Or at least that's how I feel, especially considering the UAW implicitly consented to the potential of seeing such developments come to pass.

Cheers.

[NWCorona]

12. Yeah its been a tough ride for for Chrysler.

I actually own a 1959 Abarth so I was happy when Fiat took over.

Have a good one!

[tonyt53]

6. They are keeping the by far most profitable product lines here.

The Fiat 500 has been made in Mexico all along. The Dart shares a lot of the same drive train components, and the sales of the Dart are dismal. The 200 is going away and the 300 has some support by not a lot of sales. Most of the jobs are staying here and those product lines will increase in production too. Be a net gain for the US within a couple of years.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. The only car I've ever bought new was a Plymouth Valiant.

Related (warning - autoplay video):

Earnings

Ford's darkest day in 5 years

by Matt Egan @mattmegan5
July 28, 2016: 12:58 PM ET

Ford just waved a caution flag on American car sales. ... The No. 2 U.S. auto maker warned on Thursday of a growing list of global risks and suggested the previously-roaring American market may have peaked.

"We are seeing signs of a maturing U.S. recovery," Ford CEO Mark Fields told analysts during a conference call.

Wall Street doesn't like the sound of that. Ford (F) stock plunged 8%, on track for its worst day since at least January 2011. The stock is now down 10% this year.

Ford's second-quarter profits were dented by expensive incentives to lure customers -- an industrywide trend the company believes will continue.

[NWCorona]

13. My partner had a 64 Valiant with the push button transmission

It was a great car and the slant six was bullet proof

[mahatmakanejeeves]

16. That's what I had, the 225. I had a '73 four-door.

Three on the tree. Can't recall if it was synchronized back into first. Floor-mounted transmission not available in the four-door sedan. Two-door coupe did have that option.

I think the inline six was available as a 170 ci too. Yeah, I can look that up.

Best wishes.

[angrychair]

7. Those that don't learn from history.....

This is a along the same lines of how the auto industry got in trouble several years ago. Gas prices were low and "Americans like big cars" so they had focused on pumping out trucks and SUVs and gas prices shot up and sales collapsed and they couldn't adjust and so goes history.

We really are just that stupid....

[NWCorona]

8. Yes some are

I'm definitely seeing more behemoths on the road.

[Angel Martin]

11. even if fuel prices don't go up

average family incomes are falling, so the demand for bigger more expensive vehicles will fall

[ChairmanAgnostic]

14. had a 09 quad cab 1500.

The electrical system freaked out. (12,000)
The brake calipers broke on every wheel. (27,000)
The water pump gave out. (54,000)
the shocks were dead after 50,000. (50,000)
a tie rod in the back suspension broke. (37,000)

There were a host of other problems, too. AC, Electrical again, brakes again, and more. Got rid of it last month with only 54,000 on it. All of them gentle miles.

It was a POS. No more Dodgey products for me.

[Ford_Prefect]

15. One more off-shoring adventure driven by tax loopholes and stagnant US wages. Bye Bye MOPAR.