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