There are rumors that Fiat plans to bring several lines to America. It has already brought over the Fiat 500, opening dealerships for the single model. I think this was a major misstep. First off, I think it is foolish to bring brands to America once they have proven as failures. Second, the new car market is contracting; it cannot be financially profitable to open new distribution and establish a brand along with a model from what is essentially scratch. Americans are just coming around to appreciating what Chrysler Group has to offer, and Fiat had the opportunity to enhance the line up by peppering in some badge engineered European  models.

The Fiat 500 would have made a fantastic addition to the Chrysler line-up. It would have eliminated the need for a new dealer network, and it would have brought the hatch to America under a brand people are more likely to trust more than Fiat. Obviously the name would become a major concern considering the Fiat 500 is well respected globally and Chrysler has sedans named 200 and 300. The solution: chop off a zero and cut it in half. In America, the Fiat 500 ought to be known as the Chrysler Twenty Five. Along with that, the sporty Abarth 500 would become the SRT Twenty Five.

Fiat has said that they will be dropping the Dodge Caravan in favor of a large crossover and sticking with the Town & Country. If Chrysler wants to be taken serious as a luxury player, it would do the very opposite; drop the T&C in favor of a seven seat crossover, something to go toe-to-toe with the Enclave, and the upcoming Infiniti JX35. The market is looking for more full size, luxury crossovers. With Chrysler’s interiors finally up to snuff, and a winning engine with plenty of tranny options,  people will all together forget the disaster that was the Chrysler Pacifica. As to what it would be called, I am not sure what number fits into the new three digit nomenclature, perhaps 700 would be, seeing that Chrysler brought a new van concept called the 700C to a 2012 auto show.

The Chrysler Imperial concept needs to come to life as the Chrysler 500. It would be the flagship sedan that brand could stake its name on, and finally have a stable of cars lead by a flagship worthy of that fantastic new winged emblem. I think it also leaves room for the next generation of the 300 to become svelte.

Chrysler has the opportunity to create an XTS and MKS competitor called the 400. Large FWD sedans are becoming the domestic luxury signature, rather than shy away from it, I think Chrysler ought to embrace it. Such a sedan would find a home with America’s growing senior population, as well as with the livery market. Not to mention the fact that it would obviously share some architecture with the aforementioned seven seat large crossover. Perhaps they can adopt a raked, coupe styling much like the CC and the next generation Toyota Avalon. Add in the the 9 speed Fiat transmission, and it could be an all time best seller. The badge engineered Dodge model could also serve the rental and fleet markets, enough to justify it.

These are my opening suggestions for Chrysler. I will outline what my ideas for the other Chrysler Group lines in separate posts. Oh yeah, the next generation of cars should have the emblem on the hood not on the grill.

Toyota

Toyota already supplies engines and other components for Lotus models, and has for some time. There have been leaks that Toyota has plans to bring the Supra back, and having the Lotus team develop it could take the new Supra to stratospheric heights. Not to mention a global reach and dealer network to sell and service the cars. The parts bin, oh the parts bin; of course much of it would have to be tuned and modified for Lotus use, but there sure are plenty of options to start with. After all, the initial rumors were that Dany Bahar wanted to expand the range using many Toyota engines, for starters the V8 currently nestled in the IS-F. Maybe the good folks at Lotus Engineering, the consultancy side of Lotus that is actually profitable, could be solely in charge of handling the F range of models, maybe even find a way to make the ISF reasonable price-wise.

All in all, shacking up with Toyota would serve both parties. Toyota would have a performance automaker to fill out their ever-so-beige line up, that could act as their exclusive tuning arm, and Lotus get access to a parts bin and a capital rich sugar daddy that never wants the fun to stop.

Jaguar Land Rover
Perhaps Lotus ought to join its British brethren under a unified banner, right? Jaguar could sure use the support in terms of sporting up their cars, and they have the right kind of clientele walking through their doors as is stands. They do not have the massive cache of parts to choose from like Toyota, but they have the right feel. Jaguar has pulled itself out from mediocrity into significance; perhaps it can do the same for Lotus. The general vibe coming from the Jaguar Land Rover camp is so electric that it could pass that along to Lotus and bring it up from the dumps as well.

The Jaguar Land Rover tie up would create a global premium brand that could compete with the best of them. But the development costs could outweigh the benefits.

Hyundai

Hyundai…again? Yes. They have a few V8s in their stable, and some really potent 4 bangers that could find a nice home in some new Lotus’s. Naturally this may seem less exciting than getting hitched to Jaguar Land Rover and less likely and less practical than Toyota, but I feel like a Hyundai-Lotus mash-up could grow both brands equally. Hyundai is awfully ambitious with some of its models, Lotus would just enhance what they offer.
I mentioned previously that I believed that Hyundai ought to buy up the Saab name plate after the existing brand dies. They would use the Saab name to outfit their current upscale Genesis, Genesis Coupe and Equus. If they indeed buy Saab and Lotus, they could package them together to dealers and create a premium car brand that really is nothing like anything out there and anything Hyundai could create by itself.

I like Lotus, but frankly if they do not find someone to acquire them and end up like Saab, I wouldn’t much care.

Bavarian Motor Works (BMW)

There had been rumors swirling that BMW was in talks with Saab to provide them with some diesel engines. I believe picking up Saab could really enhance the bottom line of the existing BMW portfolio; they would gain an established brand with a cult following that could slot below their existing BMW models and alongside the MINI brand. I could even see some utility in packaging MINI with the Saab dealers, increasing the points of sale and maintenance for MINI without having to dilute the BMW dealer’s exclusive status with a bunch of punks running around buying MINIs and sipping on their soy lattes in the customer lounge with the 7 series owners.

There have been rumors that BMW is interested in creating more front wheel drive offerings for existing markets, and this might be the way to do so without taking away from the brands sterling rear wheel drive stable. They could offer the brand the right amount of technology and get access to a customer base that previously viewed BMW owners as bunch of pretentious Ari Gold types. The existing MINI architecture could be further utilized without MINI overkill and smaller displacement gas and diesel turbo motors could be dropped right in. To me, this makes good sense to buyers and I believe there is a good business case here.

Hyundai

It is no secret; Hyundai is coming up in the world. Once a brand not even worthy of rental car duty, it has skyrocketed to the forefront creating reliable stylish cars with a long warranty that people actually want to buy. In fact, a few years ago I could never recommend one to anyone, but in the last six months I advised my mother to buy the new Kia Optima. The brand is going places with their near luxury Buick competitor, The Azera and the GS rival Genesis; the sporty rear wheel drive Genesis Coupe and the luxo barge we know as the Equus. The brand faces a serious dilemma, however: Can they create a luxury car with a spendy price tag and attract buyers from the established marquees such as Lexus, Infiniti and Acura? Hyundai is doing its best to separate the customer base for the finer autos; certain vehicles are brought to a potential customer homes rather than them coming down to the lot to cavort with Accent buyers, but it stands to reason that if they are serious about attracting the higher echelons of society, they will have to form a luxury brand much like Toyota, Nissan and Honda all did. Mazda considered such a venture, and turned it down thinking they could attract customers with the Millennia, but that was clearly a failure in terms of being a long term luxury best seller.

This may seem like crazy talk, but acquiring just the Saab nameplate could serve Hyundai because it would get a name people recognize that they don’t associate with the once value only brand, whose name still resides on the side of heavy machinery and shipping containers . While I always viewed Saab as a sucker car or near luxury brand simply because they lacked a rear drive offering, it would be easy slap that name on the Genesis (9-7) and the Equus (9-9) and have a premium name on a classy rear drive sedan. The signature Saab grill may finally give a face to the brand without one. I believe a Saab branded Equus at its existing price tag would be much more palatable to the luxury car buying public. Hyundai would still need to take Saab up market, but it is a much easier sell than a $70,000 flying H if you ask me.

In either case, the Saab name would soldier on and a major automaker would pocket some cash. If either one of these comes true I want a free car of my choice!