The automakers' month from Hell

Joe Sherlock has the gory details. The news about Chrysler is especially depressing:

The Dodge Durango was off 67 percent, Chrysler Aspen down 49% and Jeep Commander dropped 68%. And Chrysler's cars led the slump, falling 49%, while trucks slid "only" 30%. Poor car sales relative to gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks indicate just how dismal Chrysler's non-truck offerings really are. These data forecast a Chrysler Death Spiral. Chapter 11 may be just around the next turn. Dead man's curve, maybe?

We had a couple of Chryslers when I was growing up - a 1978 Dodge Diplomat, and a 1984 Plymouth Reliant wagon (with fake wood on the sides!). My wife and I were driven to our wedding reception in a Chrysler 300 - a car I absolutely love, as long as I don't have to pay for the gas. It's a shame, seeing this great company caught so unprepared for the $4-per-gallon era. (Ford and GM, at least, have foreign subsidiaries building good small cars.)

I was surprised to see that sales of the Chevy Aveo and Toyota Yaris were noticeably down. But note that the Honda Fit - generally considered the best subcompact on the American market, by a wide margin - was up 101%. When the right small car comes around at the right time, Americans will buy it.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at July 5, 2008 08:26 PM