FCA Brand Set Up

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 08/22/2015 at 07:55 • Filed to: FCA

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Since it has become increasingly evident that FCA is having trouble with the positioning for each brand, I thought I would lend a hand. I’m unqualified, unsolicited, and have had many state my intelligence as, “equal to the current thermometer reading...in Celsius.” I think I’ve got this folks!

To start off with, unlike most, I do believe Maserati will hit its cap of 75,000 units in global sales. The upcoming Levante SUV and updated lineup will do wonders as long as they don’t go downmarket. This means that no Chrysler materials (tech is fine though) should ever be found in Maseratis. Maserati and Ferrari should share a unique parts bin. Alfa can use Chrysler parts and dip into the Ferrari bin for the QV models. Technology can be shared across all brands as long as displays and branding are done well (Uconnect works in an F12 as long as the display looks up market). No one will be upset with GranTurismo gear in a California T, but Dart switches in a Ghibli? Hell no!

Here is my plan, Alfa takes on the lower end of the luxury game going as far as they can without engines above forced induced six-cylinders. Maserati will only use forced induced six-cylinders and up. This means M3/4 is fair game for Alfa, but RS7 performance is for Maserati. Let me get into the proposed line-ups for these two brands since this will get confusing quickly.

Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo Giulietta: Rival A3, CLA, 2-series

Alfa Romeo Giulia: Rival A4/5, C-class, 3/4-series

Alfa Romeo Giuliana: Rival A7, CLS, 6-series GC, Panamera

Alfa Romeo Compact SUV: Size and priced in between Q3/Q5, GLA/GLC, X1/X3, Macan

Alfa Romeo Compact 3-row SUV (extended wheelbase): Size and priced against Q5, GLC, X3

Alfa Romeo 4C and 4C Spyder: Rival Cayman GT4, Boxster Spyder, but with GT3/Exotic experience

Alfa Romeo 6C and 6C Spyder: Rival 911 GT3 but at price 15% less

Maserati

Maserati Ghibli: Start at mid-equipped A6, E-Class, 5-series

Maserati Quattroporte: Start at mid-equipped A8, S-class SWB, 7-series,

Maserati Levante: Start at mid-equipped Q7, GLE, X5, Cayenne

Maserati Levante 3-row SUV (extended wheelbase): Start above Q7, GLE, X5, Cayenne

Maserati Alfieri Coupe/Cabrio: F-type, 911. (Like a 2-seater GranTurismo, let 6C be the hardcore sports car)

Maserati GranTurismo Coupe/Cabrio: S-Class Coupe, theoretical 8-series and A9

This allows Alfa and Maserati to work together in order to cover the ridiculously varied lineups of the Germans. The only missing vehicle, a truck-based 3-row SUV, would be covered by the top range of the Jeep Wagoneer. That allows Jeep room to go against the QX80, Range Rover, GLS, and Escalade. Pretty much landing in that same niche as the Land Cruiser.

To avoid each other as models get bigger, keep Alfa on the coupe styled rooflines and Maserati on the traditional sedan side (mostly in reference to the midsize sedan overlap). My suggestion is that Dodge and Chrysler create a similar relationship, perhaps something as follows:

Dodge

Dodge Dart: Replace with Compact Hatchback

Dodge Charger: RWD Midsize Sedan alternative, priced at upper-level Fusion, Accord, Sonata

Dodge Journey (w/ opt 3rd row): Rival Escape, CR-V, Rogue (but more “rugged” appearance)

Dodge Durango: Rival Explorer, Pilot, Sorento

Dodge Truck-Based SUV: Rival Tahoe/Suburban, Expedition

Dodge Barracuda: New small sports car. Rival Mustang, Camaro, next G37

Dodge Challenger: Go does not downsize like Charger. Touring Coupe to fit four adults. Redneck GranTurismo.

Dodge Viper: Keeps on viping with current pricing. Rival Z06, GTR

Keep Dodge as the rugged, muscle appearance at mainstream pricings. The Viper is a very special case though. The SRT needs to stay under $90K to start, then go up into the ACR at under $120k. The GTS needs to be the version for the street (with an automatic, and softer suspension at under $100k) and they need to make an auto only Viper GT with the higest output V8 or twin turbo V6 for less than $80k. The GTC program needs to start at under $130k but be an experience and level of customization akin to Rolls or Bentley. The focus should be the vehicles being a handcrafted, American exotic that’s highly personalized, even over Porsche standards. The GTC should be the 2 seater above the Maserati Alfieri and line up pricing against the 4-seater Maserati GranTurismo. (The Maseratis would have convertible options, keeping the Viper as the most sporty option in the price range with largest engine).

Chrysler

Chrysler 100: Sedan version of Dart, but slightly premium. Rival mid-equipped Focus, Civic, Elantra

Chrysler 200: FWD Midsize Sedan. Rival Fusion, Accord, Sonata

Chrysler 300: Stays RWD Fullsize Sedan. Priced mid-equipped Lacrosse, Avalon, Cadenza

Chrysler Hybrid Vehicle and EV: Rival Volt, Prius, Leaf

Chrysler Pacifica: Rival Encore, and subcompact CUVs

Chrysler Hybrid CUV: Rival Bolt, upcoming Kia Hybrid CUV

Chrysler Aspen: Rival Edge, Murano, Santa Fe Sport

Chrysler Town and Country: Rival Sienna, Odyssey, Sedona

The biggest thing with Chrysler is that they need to go Hybrid and PHEV across all models. They need to go Subaru/Volvo in terms of safety tech. Dodge, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Ram can’t keep their marketed identities and push Eco and safety. That means that Chrysler will need to create and cover the fuel economy numbers. I suggest the Hybrid trim falling between the S and C trims by any means necessary. The 300 being the only model to be developed without the intent of possibly going all electric.

FIAT

Fiat 500: Keep on 500ing

Fiat 500L: Do better at 500L-ing

Fiat 500X: Obviously learned from our mistakes. Aim between the GLA, X1, Q3 and this crop of HR-V and CX-3 type subcompact CUVs.

Fiat Sedan: Rival Fiesta, iA, Accent

Fiat 124 Spyder: Rival Miata

FIAT...good luck! I mostly kid. The 500 line is moving the right way. The 500X is working (an Abarth version would give FCA a diet version of the GLA45 AMG to go along with the Hatchback-only SRT Dart I suggested to take on the Focus RS and Golf R). The 500L should be OK with a redesign.

Jeep just needs to keep doing what it’s doing. Three-row Wagoneer above the Grand Cherokee plus one more SUV styled like the Cherokee and they are set. Ram is also good to go, my only suggestion being to create a Denali rivaling subbrand out of the Laramie name.

All this is from the perspective of a man who’s only experience with an FCA Brand was a week in a Chrysler 200. Quick Honesty: That 200 was in the top 5 out of 16 rental cars I have ever driven in the last three years.

Bairclaw > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 08:10

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Well done, sir.

hike > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 08:14

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Not bad. You’re on the right track with what’s planned. The big thing is that the products they are developing are actually competitive. They also need to do a good job branding Alfa. It will really need a big marketing campaign. They can't let it be like Cadillac, with quality products nobody is buying.

Nate-964 > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 08:21

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Wow...very thoughtful. That was really well written and well thought out. Hopefully it gets posted to Jalopnik!

LongbowMkII > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 08:25

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I like my plan better: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/what-should-ha…

#Humble#blessed

Wobbles the Mind > LongbowMkII 08/22/2015 at 08:31

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Well thanks for sharing Sergio!

Wobbles the Mind > Nate-964 08/22/2015 at 08:34

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Thank you! I’m saving this to prove my Exs wrong!

TractorPillow > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 09:42

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overall not bad, but keep my vipers with 10 cylinders please.

notice I am not even complaining about the automatic; although I would never want one.

Wheelerguy > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 10:44

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Lancia: Basically Alfa, but dirtier, grittier, and more retro than even Dodge. Also less expensive.

How, you ask? By killing Lancia dead and gone, and then bringing it back to life after 4 years (the time it may take to develop the New Delta and Beta as well as put a Delta WRC car to the WRC in secret).

ranwhenparked > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 13:03

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I believe the way they’ve been going is something like this. The plan is to “sister” Dodge and Alfa Romeo with a high degree of development sharing, but for Alfa to be clearly the more upscale of the two, as well as to make Maserati into a higher volume, more mainstream luxury player and to take Chrysler out of the near-luxury segment entirely and make it into a entry/midprice brand.

Maserati: luxury cars, targeted at Cadillac, Lincoln, Tesla, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura

Alfa Romeo: premium sports sedans and sports cars, targeted at lower end BMWs and Audis

Chrysler: low/midprice cars, targeted at Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen

Dodge: affordable sports-oriented cars and crossovers, targeted at Mazda and sportier offerings from Subaru, Volkswagen, and the like

Fiat: small cars with quirky design, targeted at MINI, Smart, and Scion

Jeep: SUVs, targeted at Land Rover and certain GMCs

Ram: light trucks and commercial vehicles, also targeted at GMC, as well as Ford and Chevrolet truck lines

Lancia: Ypsilon and maybe some rebadged Chryslers for the Italian market only, for as long as they sell in decent enough numbers to justify, or until FCA Italy decides to just go ahead and buy out the dealer franchises.

Abarth: in-house tuner for Fiat brand

SRT: in-house tuner for Dodge brand

MrPseudonym > Wobbles the Mind 08/22/2015 at 13:45

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...they need to make an auto only Viper GT with the higest output V8 or twin turbo V6 for less than $80k.

No.

davedave1111 > Wobbles the Mind 12/27/2015 at 10:21

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The problem with branding Chryslers as upmarket is that here in Europe they’re seen as being just ahead of Dacia in prestige terms, and just behind them in terms of overall quality. Apart from the odd Jeep, the only car Chrysler has sold here in any numbers in the past decade is the Grand Voyager, and that was pushed out the door as a cheaper alternative to every other MPV on the market.

Dodge is basically unknown here, so at least doesn’t have negative branding to overcome. FCA could do something good with some basic, redneck muscle cars under the Dodge brand. Dump everything but those onto other brands - mainly Fiat - and keep the Hellcats and Vipers cheap and cheerful.

The elephant in the room here is Lancia. It never made any sense in the Fiat stable, because it competes with Alfa/Maserati.

Vítor > davedave1111 12/27/2015 at 12:42

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Lancia could be a lifestyle brand. Build a RWD Fulvia to compete against the BMW 2-Series coupe.

Keep the 4C where it is, so there could be some space to create a new Stratos to compete with between the 4C and 6C, against the 6-cylinder new Boxter and Cayman.

Keep the Maserati Ghbili like it is now with 450 hp max so it could compete with the BMW 550i, Audi S6 and etc while a Lancia Thema would compete against the M5, E63 AMG, XFR-S and etc.

Also build a new Delta Intregrale so it could compete with the Golf R, BMW M135i, Mercedes A45 AMG and Audi RS3

davedave1111 > Vítor 12/27/2015 at 13:17

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The problem is that while you could do that, it doesn’t really make business sense. It’s why Lancia’s all-but dead. I’d love to see a revival, but I just can’t see it happening under Fiat ownership. I was really hoping VAG would buy it and make it the junior brand to Lambo, but that seems unlikely now.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Wobbles the Mind 12/27/2015 at 13:21

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....ooor keep dodge the cheap performance brand, make alfa the expensive performance brand, give Chrysler SOMETHING to sell, keep Ferrari and maser where they are, and bring the punto here.

that'd be MUCH easier

Cé hé sin > Wobbles the Mind 12/27/2015 at 14:57

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Fiat have done what you suggest!

Kind of.

Here’s a Punto, which is a Fiesta rival. Sadly nobody buys them, even in Italy.

Want to step up one? Here’s the new Tipo. Not quirky though, just cheap. Yes, Turkish plates. They’re made there.