[Bob LIchty]

Yesterday, Fiat (owners of Chrysler) annouced that they will be dropping Dodge. So now Dodge joins, Plymouth, Oldsmobile, soon Pontiac as long lost great American brand icons.

Fiat claims there new line of products will "honor Dodge's hi-performance and rugged truck image". Cant you just see the new Fiat Hemi Charger?

No one is going to miss Saturn too much, but what car is next...Mercury? Buick? GMC trucks?

I guess the Italians have no clue what an icon Dodge is. I doubt I'll be buying a new Fiatized Chrysler anyway, they closed the best dealership within 30 miles of here. Our town has lost two Chevy dealerships, soon a Pontiac dealership, Chrysler, Olds, and next year Dodge. This is actually true the only auto dealer left in our town of 80,000 people is a very good Ford/Mercury/Lincoln dealership.

[Jay Wolf]

It look like that they are dropping dodge totally from the European market and dropping several models from the US Market in favor of Fiat built cars.

but Dodge in US will still be here for at least a while.

[Dave@Moon]

Here's a link to a well-detailed story about what's going to be announced next Wednesday: Michigan Technology News, the online source for Michigan's technology business

Basically if it's front wheel drive or four wheel drive and not a Dodge truck or Jeep SUV, it has 2 years left to live (except for Chrysler T&C that still lives, the Caravan is apparently doomed). In all that time the newest vehicle they'll be jettisoning will be the Caliber/Patriot, which will be a 6 year old design in 2012.

It seems a very reasonable course of action to me. Hopefully Chrysler will make it 2012 so it can work. At an 8% market share in this market, that's not going to happen however.

[Bluesky636]

Sure am glad I'm a true-blue oval Ford guy.

[Bob LIchty]

Dave your article seems a lot more reasonable. Seems like idiocy to drop Dodge totally. The article I found was on MSN yesterday and I doubt it was written by a car guy. Did you read in you article they "don't" intend to market the neat little Fiat 500 as a Fiat but just the 500. The only fun car Fiat makes, gets great reviews overseas and they are not going to use their own name on it. I guess I will never have a future in marketing at an Italian automaker.

[Peter Gariepy]

Recently bought a new Ford Focus. Feel better about my decision every day.

[john2dameron]

After GM manage decided to axe Oldsmobile, the oldest surviving brand in the U.S., choosing instead to keep Pontiac (and you see where that went) I am not surprised at ANYTHING the auto industry does. I guess that proves that an education only educates you; it does not make raise your intelligence level.

[talarico8447]

Years ago people should of took the term "Buy American' a little more seriously. Now look at our Automobile history slowly going down the drain. Some how the general public was tricked into thinking foreign cars were better.

[bkazmer]

We're supposed to be car guys, right? The 500 is named after a much earlier model, but that doesn't have much history here, especially to younger buyers. I suppose they could go with the "cinquecento" script to see how badly the name gets butcherd (or Topolino with a cute litle mouse - no). I have not heard if the Abarth version (another name with a good history little known in the US) will make it here - the turbo is a pocket rocket.

Alfa Romeo is due in 2012, and a FIAT/Lancia/Alfa platform is supposed to be the basis for a new middle sized Chrysler about then.

I think Fiat is introducing some car design and engine technology (especially diesel) that Chrysler can use. It's wise to leave Dodge as a truck brand, and maybe on the LX platform is there is a successor vehicle.

[keiser31]

Originally Posted by talarico8447

Years ago people should of took the term "Buy American' a little more seriously. Now look at our Automobile history slowly going down the drain. Some how the general public was tricked into thinking foreign cars were better.

I don't know about being tricked into thinking foreign cars are better...maybe just being tricked into thinking that we should import them from the beginning (I know, we export lots, too). That was the beginning of the end as far as my own opinion goes. There will never be a point where Dodge bites the dust for me, personally because I never plan on buying any new car ever and as long as I have my two '31s, I will be all Dodge all the time, anyway. I do feel sad about Dodge going away since my life and my father's life revolved around the Chrysler Corporation for so many years. talarico8447...I am with you all the way about the buy American part.