And so goes Chrysler

I'm guess that I am one of the few people who remember that, not so long ago, it was the Chrysler arm of DiamlerChrysler that was profitable and was carrying its other-shores counterpart.

And now that Chrysler is hurting, the folks on the other continent are more than happy to discuss selling. Et tu, Dieter?

Anyway, in today's post at Penny Arcade, Tycho, when commenting on Sony's hostility towards its own consumer base, had this to say:

They're completely severed from their customers.

And the same could be said of Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge.

For some deranged reason, CJD is clinging to the belief that consumers want fucking titanically immense pickup trucks, minivans the size of condos, and cars that make the 1961 Lincoln Continental look smallish.

I mean, it doesn't take a genius to stand up and LOOK AROUND.

Hmmm... that new Mini Cooper thing that BMW has out... It's been around for a few years now, and its still so popular that you can't walk into a dealership and drive one away.

Oh, look! VW has rebadged the Golf back to the "Rabbit" and in the scant 8 months that it's been on the market, it (like the Mini) does not offer immediate gratification as standard.

Those silly looking hybrid vehicles by Toyota and Honda are still selling like hotcakes...

And Chrysler sees the future of its company tethered to oversized fuel INefficient 4-cylinder engines and V6s and the testosterone laden HEMI.

Granted, I want a Dodge Challenger with a HEMI as much as the next guy, but that one car is NOT going to save a company. Especially not one that continues to crank out the large & unweildly Caravan and the supremely UGLY Durango. And that Jeep Liberty? COME ON! They KILLED the Cherokee line for that ugly thing?

The Neon was killed by the PT Cruiser. And the PT Cruiser is on the outs. There is no car that you can look to as being "uniquely Chrysler".

And there is not one single CJD product that's fuel efficient. And don't say the PT Cruiser! It's NOT. Compare it to the VW Rabbit, the Mini Cooper, the Honda Civic, even the VW Passat Wagon and you'll see (very quickly) what a JOKE the Chrysler 4-Cylinder is. A manual transmission PT Cruiser gets 21 city, 27 highway... an AUTOMATIC VW Passat gets 22 city, 31 highway.

Not to mention the fact that consumers get a LOT more bang for their buck on most other autos than on CJD vehicles.

Please, Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge... WAKE UP. You already killed my beloved Plymouth badge. Let's not see the whole MoPar line die.