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Chrysler’s Italian new owner, Fiat, is reconfiguring the American brand’s European dealerships in a transatlantic rebranding that, after four decades, will erase the iconic Ram brand from showroom floors.
Fiat, very keen for Chrysler to make market inroads in Europe, doesn't see Chrysler’s cars as being attractive enough for the rather eclectic (and downsized) tastes of Continental buyers. In fact, the only Chrysler-brand car dealers in Europe will be in Ireland and Britain - ironically, each a right-hand drive market…
Strategically the new dealers will become operational this month (June 2011 and although the naming is Lancia-Chrysler, the products will all be either Lancia or Jeep units, which means an end to Chrysler cars in Europe. Eastern European junior gangsters no longer have easy access to a 300C...
The reconfigured sales network will have 1000 dealers and its flagship launch product will be Lancia’s new Ypsilon hatchback. For a nameplate the world has all but forgotten, it’s an awfully ambitious marketing strategy. The Italians are counting on the Jeep brand to attract adventure and outdoor activity-orientated European buyers, too.
SALES SLUMP
Fiat says the integration (in effect, a decommissioning of the Chrysler car badge) is intended to streamline the Fiat and traditional Chrysler group dealer networks, create economies of scale and improve parts distribution and service turnaround times.
In truth, though, Chrysler delivered only 36 900 vehicles by sea to European markets in 2010, a slump of 27%. With Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne desperately trying to trim European group losses to the equivalent of less than $1.5-billion by 2014, the move is understandable. Under Fiat control, though, Chrysler sales have shrunk to only a quarter of what they were during the American brand's partnership with Mercedes-Benz.
For those dedicated few European dealers who have always delivered the American car dream to a select few customers it has been a hard sell. After four decades, the iconic Ram badge (amongst others) will roam through Europe no more.
Fiat, very keen for Chrysler to make market inroads in Europe, doesn't see Chrysler’s cars as being attractive enough for the rather eclectic (and downsized) tastes of Continental buyers. In fact, the only Chrysler-brand car dealers in Europe will be in Ireland and Britain - ironically, each a right-hand drive market…
Strategically the new dealers will become operational this month (June 2011 and although the naming is Lancia-Chrysler, the products will all be either Lancia or Jeep units, which means an end to Chrysler cars in Europe. Eastern European junior gangsters no longer have easy access to a 300C...
The reconfigured sales network will have 1000 dealers and its flagship launch product will be Lancia’s new Ypsilon hatchback. For a nameplate the world has all but forgotten, it’s an awfully ambitious marketing strategy. The Italians are counting on the Jeep brand to attract adventure and outdoor activity-orientated European buyers, too.
SALES SLUMP
Fiat says the integration (in effect, a decommissioning of the Chrysler car badge) is intended to streamline the Fiat and traditional Chrysler group dealer networks, create economies of scale and improve parts distribution and service turnaround times.
In truth, though, Chrysler delivered only 36 900 vehicles by sea to European markets in 2010, a slump of 27%. With Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne desperately trying to trim European group losses to the equivalent of less than $1.5-billion by 2014, the move is understandable. Under Fiat control, though, Chrysler sales have shrunk to only a quarter of what they were during the American brand's partnership with Mercedes-Benz.
For those dedicated few European dealers who have always delivered the American car dream to a select few customers it has been a hard sell. After four decades, the iconic Ram badge (amongst others) will roam through Europe no more.
