"Detroit Disease" Inflicts Chrysler

Chrysler was once admired for its toughness even at a point where the atmosphere is attracting slumping sales and massive losses. Nonetheless, according to some analysts, it seems that Chrysler has lost its protective cloak and eventually been inflicted with the so-called 'Detroit disease'.

Automotive reports are showing that Chrysler will lose $1.5 billion in the third quarter, about more than twice what it had expected beforehand. This loss is brought about by the slow sales of gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs.

According to Tom Appel, editor of Consumer Guide Automotive, "The company has been hit especially hard by the public’s growing desire for smaller, fuel-efficient cars. But the issue may be more one of a perception than a reality."

“I think Chrysler’s being hurt by a general impression that its large and hitherto well-received cars like the Chrysler 300 and the Charger are not very fuel-efficient, and so there’s a bit of a backlash,” Appel added.

Chrysler President and CEO Tom LaSorda said that the company intends to become more competitive internationally with a portfolio of smaller cars. “We’re addressing those issues and moving our product portfolio to a mix that’s more in line with the recent realities and market trends,” LaSorda elaborated.

"But while new products are important, Chrysler, like Ford and GM, needs to do a better job of managing its car and truck inventories with flexible manufacturing processes like those used by Asian manufacturers," said Kevin Reale, research director for AMR Research.

Analysts are also saying that Chrysler lineup has other problems. One problem is its limited offer in the midsize SUV market. On one hand, the sales of Dodge Durango have dropped off abruptly. To circumvent the decline in sales, the automaker is modifying the Chrysler auto parts to set forth a striking lineup.

New Chrysler products that will be launched this year include Sebring sedan, Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot and compact Dodge Caliber. “Dodge is about to launch the mid-size Nitro SUV, so that will help them in the fuel economy perception area, but when it comes to minivans someone has to come up with something new,” Appel added. “The expectation is that the new Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans will be that new thing, but their release is still some time away — they’re not supposed to come out until mid-2008.”

By Sarah McBride.

Know the Chrysler Parts

One of the automobile manufacturers of the West is the company called Chrysler. This American automaker, which was established in 1925, is continuously developing and innovating products and services not only for the North American market, but also for its overseas customers as well. The engineering prowess of this automobile company truly shines in its cars which boasts of well-functioning Chrysler parts.

Before buying a Chrysler vehicle, whether it is a car or a sports utility vehicle, it is important to know what are the parts that make it worthy of all the money being cashed out. These factors will also provide the future customer the knowledge of the vehicle's capabilities. A Chrysler vehicle takes pride in several automotive parts starting from its exterior and into the most intricate interior Chrysler parts.

Safety of a Chrysler vehicle has to be checked. From the millions of deaths every year caused by road accidents, it is only a must that safety features of the vehicles are all tight and secured. Chrysler owners and future users are lucky that the vehicles are equipped with the top of the line safety features starting from the the seat belts. A rear center three-point seat belt is installed inside the vehicle. These trusty belts are tasked to hold occupants securely in place during impacts, which can be a frontal or sides collision. These Chrysler parts have the constant force retraction which gives off controlled manner to decrease belt impact. With that, passengers will have less pain experience because of the belts during accidents. The Chrysler also has the advanced front multi-sage air bags and supplemental front and rear side-curtain air bags for extra protection. Road visibility can also define life and death for passengers, thus this vehicle has been geared with rain sensing wipers and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights.

Moving over to the interior Chrysler parts, this vehicle is fully equipped with the quality parts to achieve optimum performance starting from its engine. This wonder automobile can be geared with either a mighty 2.6-liter V6 engine that equals to 190-horsepower or a 6.1-liter engine that guarantees a 425-horsepower. To carry out the vehicle's powerful internal engine combustion, advanced suspension mounting system is made available. This type of suspension will dramatically reduced road noise and achieve a smoother ride. This five-speed automatic vehicle has the all-wheel-drive (AWD) system which offers maximum driver control. Better acceleration is also guaranteed by the AWD system.

These are just some of the most prized Chrysler parts that owners and future users can boast about. Having been geared with the best auto parts, the Chrysler is sure to perform and exceed the user's expectations.

By Christopher H Thompson.