Interesting article on MSN this morning here (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Dispatch/market-dispatches.aspx?post=1337558&_blg=1,1337558). Looks like Fiat's "master plan" doesn't just include killing off the Avenger, but the entire Dodge car division. I imagine they'll keep the Ram trucks and minivans and sell them as a stand-alone enitity the same way GM sells their GMC trucks.

I guess it's time to forget about the redesigned Charger or drop-top Challenger, Dodge will soon take it's place in history beside Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Studebaker, Pontiac and Saturn.

:kap:

Yeah, I am actually looking forward to what Fiat brings to the US. Only time will tell.

UPDATE/CORRECTION:

The alarmist MSN headline reads "Fiat to kill Dodge" but in the text of the actual WSJ article to which they are referring, it says that Dodge will reposition itself as the "muscle and truck" division, keeping only the Charger, Challenger and Ram trucks. Still means the death of the Avenger and Caliber of course, but with every American's unnatural obsession with foreign cars these days, it makes more sense from a financial standpoint for Fiat to sell... well, Fiats and Alfas over here.

We will just have to sit back and see what they come out with :4-dontknow:

We will just have to sit back and see what they come out with :4-dontknow:

I'm waiting, but will it be to late???

Hopefully nothing that looks like a Smart car!! Blue ate one of those for lunch! :D

Hopefully nothing that looks like a Smart car!! Blue ate one of those for lunch! :D


LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 20 characters)LMAO again

~Mark & Ali

IS BLUE OK ?????????????????????????????????????????:4-dontknow:

Hopefully nothing that looks like a stupid car!! Blue ate one of those for lunch! :D

*fixed that for ya :smiley_thumbs_up:

Well, although it sucks that Dodge is basically geting out of the car game, at least they're putting themselves in a position to finally give themselves a unique identity again.

I mean let's face it, as much as we like these cars 'round here, not too many people are cross-shopping the Avenger with the Camry, or the Caliber with the Scion. Dodge tried to break into every segment (compact, midsize, full-size, trucks, etc) and have really only had success in two of those -- full-size and trucks. By dropping everything but those two, they are in a position to become a unique, possibly even heavily sought after, niche market. Will they sell as many cars as Ford or Toyota? No, but that can be OK. Fiat has Fiat, Alfa, Chrysler, Ferrari, and whatever else they own, and together they will make the bottom line.

Dodge can really play this to their advantage. Their marketing department can focus on the whole "testosterone" angle. You want a teenie-weenie little econobox? Well sir, there are plenty of them out there. But if you want good old tire-smokin' American horsepower, well sir you want a Dodge! (I'm sure their ad agency can come up with something a little more eloquent, but you get the idea lol!)

My dodge will never die. With an end comes a new beginning. Project MMS coming soon.:4-sunshine:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2009/10/620000533/1 http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2009/10/620000499/1 i'm gonna miss it, but i wanna say that i love my avenger and hopefully some the new stuff will be in the same price range, i will admit that the idea of owning an Alfa Romero has a certain appeal to it. but i am sad to see the avenger go.

Pfff, if I want to know which toaster or washing machine to buy, I'll read Consumer Reports. I take anything they say about cars with a grain of salt -- make that an entire salt shaker of salt. This is the same magazine that rated the Toyota Matrix near the top of their reliability study a couple of years ago and the Pontiac Vibe toward the bottom. They're the SAME car built on the SAME assembly line by the SAME people using the SAME parts! The only difference is the front grille and rear bumper. What, the Pontiac emblem falls off sooner than the Toyota emblem or something?

The strength of Dodge has always been the truck and performance division. Not a huge shock here. I wonder if they will kill off Chrysler as well, they might keep them to sell the Fiat stuff.