Chrysler Considers Imperial, New Ride for Rappers

[HEMEEE]

Chrysler Considers Imperial, New Ride for Rappers
-- May 8

The Chrysler 300 turned heads and won critical praise with its muscular front end and low-cut roof, making it a favorite of hip-hoppers, star athletes and anyone who wants to say "check me out.''

DaimlerChrysler AG now is considering going a step further with the Imperial, an automotive name with a grand tradition dating to 1926. Chrysler euthanized it after poor sales proved the last Imperial, sold from 1990 to 1993, grossly unqualified to compete against Cadillac or Lincoln, never mind Lexus and BMW.

That model, conceived by former Chairman Lee Iacocca, was a feeble attempt to palm off a stretched, chrome-slathered, front- wheel-drive family sedan as a high-priced status symbol. Chrysler didn't have the $1 billion or so it would have needed to engineer a proper rear-wheel-drive chassis.
A new Imperial, if the company goes ahead with it, would be different. The 1998 acquisition of Chrysler Corp. by Daimler-Benz AG helped spur development of the new chassis, first used two years ago for the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum full-size sedans. Both models are reinforced with components such as a transmission and suspension borrowed from Mercedes.

Room at the Top?
"The success led us to the question of what could be the ultimate Chrysler,'' said Steve Bartoli, Chrysler's vice president of global marketing. "Can we make a business case, and is there enough room to have a car above the 300 in the Chrysler line?''

Chrysler exhibited an Imperial prototype in Detroit in January at the North American International Auto Show. In chatrooms and in focus groups, Imperial provoked gushing praise and vicious slurs -- a result Bartoli said pleases him. "We want our designs to be polarizing,'' he said.

"From certain angles I think it's striking,'' said Wes Brown, a partner at Los Angeles, California-based Iceology, a consumer-research firm. "From others, I see where they were influenced by Rolls Royce and Bentley. The 300 has lots of Bentley in it, but it isn't as blatant.''

To this eye a few of Imperial's lines, especially around the trunk, appear bulbous and cartoonishly disproportioned. (Think lovechild from a forbidden tryst of Wonder Woman and 50 Cent.) I also reacted negatively at first to the 300 and to the groundbreaking 1985 Ford Taurus. Both cars grew on me, as they did on many who were initially skeptical.

No Boring Cars, Please
Chrysler, for better or worse, seems determined to hold firm on its oft-stated commitment to avoid bland design. The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a vehicle that draws the eye, whether you like it or not. Chrysler's minivan may be the exception, and rightly so, since owners of people movers expect their vehicles to be functional, not jazzy.

A new Imperial, priced at $50,000 or more, would be mechanically similar to the 300, perhaps with an enlarged and more powerful Hemi V-8 engine, and with larger proportions and glitzier appointments.

A critical question for DaimlerChrysler executives will be whether buyers who are cross-shopping Cadillac, Lexus and other luxury brands are willing to enter Chrysler dealerships, which are known for less-expensive models.

Failed Phaeton
Volkswagen AG fell into a trap trying to push its Volkswagen brand too far upscale with the $67,000 Phaeton luxury sedan, the brainchild of the automaker's chairman, Ferdinand Piech. The handsome Phaeton won lots of critical praise -- but most shoppers considering Mercedes and BMW weren't about to visit showrooms full of Jettas and Beetles. VW discontinued the model last November, closing out a mistake that analysts said may have cost the German automaker $1 billion.

Chrysler executives aren't sure they can convince top brass at headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, that the Imperial can earn a worthwhile return. On April 27, DaimlerChrysler posted a smaller-than-expected 4 percent increase in first-quarter profit and its shares fell 3.9 percent on concern that Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche's reorganization of the automaker is failing to boost earnings.

Chrysler Group's first-quarter operating profit fell to 119 million euros ($151.3 million) from 252 million euros due to the cost of financial incentives to prop up sales in the U.S. Though DaimlerChrysler is better off financially than General Motors Corp. or Ford Motor Co., it can't afford a big blunder.

If Chrysler decides to take the plunge on Imperial -- the decision probably will come in the next six months -- the benefit could be more meaningful than extra profit from one new model. A high-end car in the lineup might strengthen prices in less- expensive ones.

"My gut tells me they're going to do it,'' Brown said. Chrysler, thrilled by the hit of the 300, has a strong incentive to proceed with Imperial. I say, go for it.

Doron Levin (Bloomberg)

[TheSRTSaint]

I could not agree more... Where do I send my deposit?

[B D HEMI]

I for one would consider the new imperial concept car if chrysler doesn't stray away too much from the "show" version ! I love the interior which looks simple yet very elegant, something lexus has fallen short on in it's latest gs /is models.
cheers

[Mopar Crazy]

I am of the group that says it looks too much like a Rolls Royce. Notice the article said that the 300 has similar looks to the Bentley, not a direct copy. Well, my opinion is that the Imperial is a direct copy of the Rolls. Why disrespect the history of the Imperial, let alone Chrysler design, with a copy of another vehicle, albeit, a $400,000 Rolls. Make it have it's own look, and I'll ge interested.

[FirstChrysler]

Originally Posted by HEMEEE

The handsome Phaeton won lots of critical praise -- but most shoppers considering Mercedes and BMW weren't about to visit showrooms full of Jettas and Beetles. VW discontinued the model last November, closing out a mistake that analysts said may have cost the German automaker $1 billion.

It failed because you don't just get respect, you have to earn it. It doesn't matter how great the car is, by itself it was just too much too soon. Take Cadillac. They are just now coming out with $100,000 cars, because their reputation has finally taken them to that point (after all these years with the new edge styling). Cadillac can come out with a Phaeton, but VW couldn't (and it doesn't matter that you can but a Cobalt or an STS-V at the same dealer).

Is Chrysler there? Not yet. The 300C has given them clout to claw up the market ladder though. So there may be room for the Imperial in the bracket above the 300C. But to do so they have to make the Chryler brand name bigger. That is, no more stripped down 2.7l 300s. All Chrysler brand vehicles have to be upscale models to lift up the brand status. Otherwise, they will never make it up into the higher brackets (just like VW).

[Redman]

Dont even have to make any money on it - but they will -- the idea behind any "halo" vehicle is that it boosts the brand's price structure for their entire lineup 10-15%. Not small potatoes year, after year, after year, eh?
(When will GM & Ford learn? )

[skeletonizer]

Originally Posted by FirstChrysler

It failed because you don't just get respect, you have to earn it. It doesn't matter how great the car is, by itself it was just too much too soon. Take Cadillac. They are just now coming out with $100,000 cars, because their reputation has finally taken them to that point (after all these years with the new edge styling). Cadillac can come out with a Phaeton, but VW couldn't (and it doesn't matter that you can but a Cobalt or an STS-V at the same dealer).

Is Chrysler there? Not yet. The 300C has given them clout to claw up the market ladder though. So there may be room for the Imperial in the bracket above the 300C. But to do so they have to make the Chryler brand name bigger. That is, no more stripped down 2.7l 300s. All Chrysler brand vehicles have to be upscale models to lift up the brand status. Otherwise, they will never make it up into the higher brackets (just like VW).

I agree. The solution might be to make "Imperial" it's own brand again. Only five star dealers like the SRT's.

[artichoke]

Originally Posted by skeletonizer

I agree. The solution might be to make "Imperial" it's own brand again.

That would be too expensive to set up new dealerships to sell a single car. Chrysler is doing OK in the $45K bracket, they could try $60K for the much larger Imperial, anyway $55K should be safe as long as it's a great car.

Originally Posted by skeletonizer

Only five star dealers like the SRT's.

Two questions:

1. How do you know this?

2. What's all this about five star dealers? Around here most every dealer is a five star dealer. The one that isn't could not stay in business if he weren't just as good. Five star is probably something that requires dealers to pay money to Chrysler for the title, and it doesn't ensure better ethics or anything else. Or maybe it means that the dealer must make his inventory available online and other procedural things.

I'm sure it is not very important. Someone please show me where I'm wrong. I bought my car from a five star dealer because that's who gave me the best deal, but I would have just as happily bought from a non five star dealer.

The non-five star dealer around here is in Rye, NY. That's about as upscale as one can possibly get.

[skeletonizer]

Originally Posted by artichoke

That would be too expensive to set up new dealerships to sell a single car. Chrysler is doing OK in the $45K bracket, they could try $60K for the much larger Imperial, anyway $55K should be safe as long as it's a great car.


Two questions:

1. How do you know this?

2. What's all this about five star dealers? Around here most every dealer is a five star dealer. The one that isn't could not stay in business if he weren't just as good. Five star is probably something that requires dealers to pay money to Chrysler for the title, and it doesn't ensure better ethics or anything else. Or maybe it means that the dealer must make his inventory available online and other procedural things.

I'm sure it is not very important. Someone please show me where I'm wrong. I bought my car from a five star dealer because that's who gave me the best deal, but I would have just as happily bought from a non five star dealer.

The non-five star dealer around here is in Rye, NY. That's about as upscale as one can possibly get.

Well lets get something straight right now. I don't "know" anything.

I don't think they would need a new dealer network to launch an exclusive brand such as "Imperial". Just don't put a "Chrysler" badge on the car. Hang an "Imperial" sign out front. For those who care about exclusivity but are ignorant of the facts this would probly sell them cars. For us, none of it matters, we buy cars for different reasons.

As far as the five star thing, I went to the dealer closest to my home (not five star) and inquired about an SRT8 last year. I was told that they only sold them through their five star dealers. Is this true? I don't know. I drove 100 miles to another dealer and bought mine last month.

[srtdan]

i was gonna buy a srt8 magnum at the same dealer i bought my dodge daytona truck.they hads srt8's n srt 10's too.but i bought a srt 300c insted,hence why im on this board