Elk
Dark Enity
Registered: Dec 2001
Location: At large...
Posts: 16591 |
Im still scratching my head trying to figure out just what the hell went wrong with Chrysler. Back in the thirties and forties, they built tough, sturdy cars, that outlasted most. Into the fifties they built cars tough enough to become the choice of many police departments, not to mention millions of fathers who needed a family car, but still wanted something that would get down the road smartly. By the time the sixties rolled around, the Chrysler corporation was building a large line of muscle cars that were damn tough to beat. These cars were beasts, armed with big block horsepower, dazzeling paint schemes, and slam you into the seat torque. In short, Chrysler was building cars that American buyers drooled over. For every hot two door screamer they produced, they also offered a four door version. Usually they came in the police package, or sometimes within a plainly wrapped stationwagon, or a tame looking four door.
If you were making trouble on the streets, the sight of a wedge Coronet, or a hemi Satelite, with the lights flashing away on the roof, would put the fear of god into the heart of many a street racer. A mere Chevy 454 or a Ford 428 didnt stand much of a chance of fleeing the mighty Mopar muscle. Add in a cop radio, and a nasty ticket, or a trip to the station house was a sure thing.
By the time the eighties snuck up on us, goverment regulations put a stop to the muscle machines. Chrysler took it in the shorts so much, that the fed had to bail them out. Combine that with the sloppy engineering Chrysler allowed, and their reputation took a beating. The first generation minivans were crud, and the sour answer to Japans assualt on the U.S. auto market, aka the Reliant K, and it was quite a spell before Chrysler could breath easy again.
Into the nineties and fresh out of the gate came the Viper. Not even the mighty Corvette could compete with it. Chrysler followed up with a line of concept to production cars that really caught the fancy of muscle starved car nuts. And the trend continued.
One car stands out for me. The Charger. Ive actually had a chance to drive a Charger on several occasions. It is a tight, responsive, kick in the butt car. Lots of room, and bloody comfortable. The one I drove had all the amenities one needs to make driving worthwhile. Looks like it makes a damn fine cop cruiser as well. Seems many departments have seen the light. The officers Ive talked to like the Charger, much more than the Mustangs and Camaros once seen on the street.
With all the innovation Chrysler has put down, why the hell are they in such deep doodoo? A good portion of the company was bought out by Fiat. Fiat?? Plainly, it wasnt the cars that kept folks from buying. It was management. Somehow, someway, they figured out how to screw the pooch. And that seems to be the story for so many companies these days. They've lost the know-how competition-wise. And that is a damn shame. American companies taught the world how to make things happen.
Sadly, the students have surpassed the teacher.
If you are going to buy a new car, check out the american lines first. You will be surprised how far they've come in building quality cars and trucks. The "big three" can match the imports lugnut for lugnut. And if you own an american car that is running fine, take care of it. Buy only american made replacement parts, and use american products to keep that ride fit and happy. The only way we're going to dig our way out of this mess is to support what we have damn near lost. American companies.
Image below:
The police package Charger.
This one patrols in Seattle...
Elk has attached this image:
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An American passion...
09-08-2008 12:35 AM
