Carmaker of Munchkinland

Solution looking for a problem

Wow, if Fiat and Chrysler had gotten together a few years ago and were selling these last summer well, who knows? If Chrysler (a brand of Fiat) retools and gets these things on the road in a few years from now well, who knows? That's the rub, who knows?

Chrysler, the smallest third, made all the money they could with what they had selling SUVs when that was still socially acceptable. Ford and GM did too and still try as do the eco-benevolent Japanese like Toyota (Sequoia, Tundra, Land Cruiser) and Honda (Ridgeline, Pilot). Gas prices shot up, the ass fell out of the banking industry and here we are. The four million less people buying cars this year from last either cannot get financing or just aren't interested. If they were, however, would they rush to buy very small fuel-efficient cars?

Please recall the depth of last summer's "gas crisis" and car buying zeitgeist. Selling off your SUV in favor of a new fuel-efficient car wasn't the smart play. The savings in fuel didn't offset the whack you took on the SUV trade-in value. If you were going to buy a new car anyway it was probably a good idea, but there wasn't an organic demand for small cars. Gas prices are now half what they were, what is the chance people want small cars? Obama can, is trying and probably will incentivize the shit out of fuel-efficient vehicles which can only help our friends at Firysler... someday. Until then, the 12 billion taxpayer dollars committed to Chrysler is a down payment on the next few years of its corporate welfare.