| Consumer Reports recently gave the Dodge | | | | After admitting the flaws on the Nitro and |
| Nitro and the Chrysler Sebring poor scores. | | | | the Sebring, Bob Lee said that they are |
| For the Chrysler Sebring and the Dodge | | | | already in the process of overhauling their |
| Avenger, Consumer Reports stated that they | | | | product development system. The company |
| are not competitive with most family sedans. | | | | hopes that with the revamping of their |
| For the Dodge Nitro, Consumer Reports says | | | | current system, the blunder with the Nitro |
| that it has "some nice features, but | | | | and the Sebring will not happen again. This |
| unimpressive overall". | | | | is especially important to the auto |
| | | | manufacturer since they are on the verge of |
| This, of course, stirred a hornet's nest | | | | turning around their awful performance in the |
| inside the Chrysler Group. A top executive | | | | car market. |
| for the car manufacturer recently admitted to | | | | |
| its employees that the Chrysler Group | | | | Frank Klegon, Chrysler's product development |
| apparently misjudged the market in the | | | | chief, said that: "We're certainly not |
| development of the Chrysler Sebring and the | | | | satisfied with where we are. We have to get |
| Dodge Nitro. | | | | better." Klegon also outlined a number of |
| | | | actions that they will take to improve their |
| Bob Lee, the head of powertrain engineering | | | | current system. |
| for the American car manufacturer, said that | | | | |
| there are many people inside Chrysler who are | | | | The company said that they will be focusing |
| "outraged" at the blunder given to the Nitro | | | | on sourcing more parts or materials from |
| and the Sebring. He said that Chrysler's | | | | low-cost countries and will invest more on |
| Chief Executive Officer Tom LaSorda and Chief | | | | the interior of their vehicles. Aside from |
| Operating Officer Eric Ridenour are "quite | | | | that, the Chrysler Group will also establish |
| upset and agree the company missed where the | | | | design studios which will help them better |
| market was to end up versus our projection." | | | | design the interior as well as the exterior |
| | | | of their future car models. These design |
| The Sebring and the Nitro failed miserably | | | | studios will complement their engine |
| since Chrysler underestimated their | | | | development team which will produce more |
| competitors which are already established | | | | fuel-efficient engines probably with a help |
| brands such as Toyota. The company is also | | | | from the Chrysler cold air intake system |
| reported to set too low standards in some | | | | among many others. |
| areas of the two vehicles released last year. | | | | |
| Fuel economy, interior quality and noise and | | | | The company also hired the ASI Consulting |
| vibration reduction are things that Chrysler | | | | Group which will help them to understand |
| needs to improve on the Sebring and the Nitro | | | | consumers better. The company has already |
| to make them competitive in the market. | | | | worked for Hyundai. According to Klegon, the |
| | | | think tank was hired to help them "make a |
| "As a result of these embarrassing 'misses,' | | | | cultural change to move that needle to be |
| there are extremely aggressive actions being | | | | proactive". Klegon added that: "We're taking |
| taken on many of the existing products - and | | | | this on as an extreme change in the way we do |
| also the yet to be introduced products to get | | | | predictive quality from the standpoint of |
| us at least to the middle of the competitive | | | | customers. It's embedded in our vehicle teams |
| pack in very short order," says Lee. | | | | and it's embedded in our components team. |
| | | | |