AD #3034 – Jeep Wagoneer Revealed; Dongfeng Adopts Multi-Supplier AV System; Tesla Has the Lowest Battery Costs
March 11th, 2021 at 11:51am
Listen to “AD #3034 – Jeep Wagoneer Revealed; Dongfeng Adopts Multi-Supplier AV System; Tesla Has the Lowest Battery Costs” on Spreaker.
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Runtime: 12:10
0:07 Canoo Shows Off EV Pickup Concept
1:27 Jeep Reveals New Wagoneer & Grand Wagoneer
3:42 Incentives Drive Down Toyota Mirai Price
5:42 Dongfeng Adopts Multi-Supplier L2 System
6:40 Infiniti Details New QX60 AWD System
8:33 Tesla Has the Lowest Battery Costs
9:33 What’s With All the Logo Changes?
10:17 The Story Behind Our Regular Screwdriver Question
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CANOO THROWS HAT IN EV PICKUP GAME
The electric pickup segment is already jam packed and now it’s getting even more crowded. EV startup Canoo unveiled a small cab-forward truck based on its EV platform. As you can see, it looks similar to its pod-like vehicle its already revealed, except with a bed on the back. It’s available with dual motors or a single motor in the rear and it cranks out 600 horsepower and 550 lb.ft. of torque with the dual motors. It has a payload capacity of 1,800 pounds and over 200 miles of range. But the company didn’t reveal what test cycle that’s based on or the size of the battery. But this pickup is pretty versatile. The six-foot long bed features a pull-out extender that adds an extra two feet of length. The sides of the bed also have fold-down tables built into it. The sides feature a hidden step for easier access to the bed. And the bed comes with dividers, to help keep items separated. It has a front cargo storage area, that includes a fold down work table with electrical outlets. And the truck can be converted into a camper. Canoo will begin taking pre-orders for the pickup in the second quarter of the year but deliveries won’t start until early 2023.
JEEP REVEALS ALL-NEW WAGONEER & GRAND WAGONEER
Jeep is finally providing details about the all-new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, which start getting delivered in the 2nd half of this year. The full-size SUVs ride on a heavily modified version of the Ram 1500 chassis and includes changes like a fully independent rear suspension. Both vehicles are the same size, but there’s some minor styling cues and a lot of content differences that set them apart. We think the biggest visual cue is the treatment of the hood, just above the grille. On the Grand Wagoneer it kind of tucks under a bit, which hides the lettering of the vehicle name. But you’ll notice other differences in the grille, lighting accents and even the wheel designs. Under the hood, the Wagoneer comes standard with a 5.7L V8 with 48-volt tech that produces over 390 horsepower and is mated to an 8-speed. The Grand Wagoneer also features an 8-speed auto, but is powered by a 471 horsepower 6.4L V8. When properly equipped either setup can tow up to 10,000 pounds. Now let’s move to the interior, where you really get to see the luxuriousness of these vehicles shine through, especially the Grand Wagoneer. Highlights include real Walnut wood, aluminum and fine leather accents and coverings. To make sure that no one gets bored inside the vehicle, there’s up to 75 inches of total screen area, which even includes a 10.25 inch display just for the passenger. Ok, price time. The Wagoneer starts out at just below $60-grand, including destination, while the Grand Wagoneer starts at about $89,000, but it’s easy to push that price tag well over $100-grand. Jeep has been moving more upscale for a while now, but I can’t wait to see how people react to that kind of price from the brand. Will it be like reactions to the $60,000 Kia K900? Let us know what you think.
TOYOTA MIRAI INCENTIVES DRIVE PRICE WAY DOWN
Let’s stick with pricing for a moment because it’s possible to get a Toyota Mirai right now for well under $20-grand. Sounds too good to be true, but here’s how it works out. The base XLE trim starts at $50,495, including destination charges. But from now until the end of March, Toyota is offering a $20,000 incentive for anyone that uses Toyota Financing, which includes zero interest for up to 72 months. That only gets us part of the way. The federal tax credit for a fuel cell is up to $8,000, while California is also giving out another $4,500 bucks. That brings the price of the XLE to $17,995. And if that wasn’t enough, Toyota gives out a three year $15,000 fuel credit as well. So, what’s the catch? There’s two. This only applies to the U.S. and the Mirai is only sold in California.
We’ve got a great Autoline After Hours coming up this afternoon with Mike O’Brien who used to run product planning in North America for Toyota and Hyundai. So how do automakers actually go about figuring out which segments they need to be in? We’re going to take you inside the product development process. So join John and Gary for an insider’s view of how automakers think.
DONGFENG ADOPTS MULTI-SUPPLIER L2 SYSTEM
In China Dongfeng is coming out with a pretty good Level 2 system that was developed by ZF, working together with Mobileye and Hella. Mobileye supplies the camera system, while Hella makes the short range radar, and ZF does everything else. The system provides a 360 degree view of what’s going on around the car. And that, in turn, allows for functions such as adaptive cruise control with automated lane changes, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition and automated garage parking. Importantly, the system meets the EU’s NCAP goals for 2025. ZF calls it coAssist L2+, and claims it’s the most affordable L2 system available. We believe it. It’s going on the Dongfeng Aeolus Yixuan, a compact sedan that sells for under $15,000.
INFINITI DETAILS NEW QX60 AWD SYSTEM
We usually don’t report on teaser images that automakers dribble out one after the other, because all they’re trying to do is use the media to give them more coverage. But Infiniti put out this video of a camouflaged QX60 with a reasonable amount of information about its all-wheel drive system. Instead of using electromagnetic coupling to engage the rear wheels, it uses sensors to predict when to engage the rear axle. Electromagnetic coupling requires the wheels to slip before it engages. And while that happens really fast, Infiniti’s predictive system provides instant response. By monitoring road conditions, it can engage all-wheel-drive before it’s needed. And it can direct 50% of the power to the rear. But the system also uses the brakes for side-to-side torque vectoring. The best we’ve driven so far is Magna’s e4 system, which eliminates the mechanical differential and uses electric motors. And that gives you instant torque vectoring.
TESLA HAS THE LOWEST BATTERY COSTS
Tesla is the leader in EVs and here’s another area where it has a leg up on its competition. According to a new report from Cairn Energy Research Advisors, Tesla pays an average of $142 per kWh for battery cells purchased from its three suppliers; LG Chem, Panasonic and CATL. By comparison, GM pays $169 per kWh, while the industry average is $186 per kWh. Cairn also estimates that Tesla’s battery packs cost an average of $187 per kWh. GM’s cost $207 per kWh, while the industry average is $246 per kWh. Cairn says Tesla will remain the leader through 2030 but it also predicts that GM will close that gap and get close in price with Tesla by the end of the decade.
WHAT’S WITH ALL THE LOGO CHANGES?
All of a sudden automakers all around the world seem to have decided it was time to get a new logo. Cadillac redesigned its logo as it goes all electric. And then General Motors decided it needed a change, too. Peugeot changed its logo last week, so Renault changed its logo this week. Kia came up with a new one, so did Volkswagen, and BMW decided it had to jump on the bandwagon. And just for good measure, Opel and Vauxhaul decided it was time for an update. All automotive logos evolve over time, but it’s amazing to see how many automakers have changed their logos over the last year or so.
YOUNGER PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT A REGULAR SCREWDRIVER IS
Here’s the story behind yesterday’s screwdriver question. Lambo2015 wrote to say he “was replacing my transmission filter/fluid and as with most new cars the fluid fill is a rubber plug on the side of the transmission only accessible from under the car. I was getting some assistance from a young man in his early 20s. I asked him for a regular screwdriver so I could remove the plug. Granted I know the proper term should be either flathead or Phillips, but I was raised that a flat head was standard or regular, so I have a bad habit of just calling it a regular. He brought me a Phillips.” Lambo says this started a debate with family and friends. The end result? He found that most everyone under 30 years old said Phillips or asked what is a regular? Those over 30 mostly said flathead is a regular. I’ll say I had not heard of a flathead being called a regular and probably would have asked. Lambo finishes with “In the end I realized I’m old. Something I thought was common knowledge is apparently very confusing to others.” Well, not to our viewers. We were blown away by all the responses and people overwhelmingly said flathead.
But that’s a wrap for today. Thanks for watching
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Comments (41)
March 11th, 2021 at 12:12 pm
What happened to the 100 dollars per kilowatt hour battery; I thought even though it wasn’t there yet, it was close. It doesn’t look like it’s very close according to today’s reporting.
March 11th, 2021 at 12:27 pm
Toyota needs ZEV credits so it gives away car. If you follow Edmund’s longterm Clarity Hydrogen longterm there was plenty of down time for fueling while waiting in line and changing tanks or refueling them. The repair cost is out of car world expensive!
March 11th, 2021 at 12:38 pm
Wow, Sean that weight caught us both by surprise ! 6400lbs for the top J.W. We both thought Max. would be 5100lbs. Stay warm Michigan ! Go Gordie Howe Bridge !
March 11th, 2021 at 12:45 pm
Have you guys not heard of Atlis Trucks. they are the only 3/4 and 1 ton electric trucks I have heard off. The 1 ton has a 35000 towing rating.
Perfect for horse trailers and work trucks.
March 11th, 2021 at 12:49 pm
A true full size SUV from the Chrysler side of FCA…I mean Stellantis (eye rolls), is long over do and the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer look really impressive. It looks like Jeep really put some work in to making this vehicle stand out! That eye popping price on the loaded GW, through, has me scratching my head. Maybe, maaaaybe if it had a Chrysler badge and was going head to head with Lincoln or Cadillac, but a Jeep? As great as Jeeps are, IMHO, they more premium then true luxury and as great as these two appear, that is Ranger Rover and Ranger Rover Sport kind of money. While I do agree that these two may be the first Jeep vehicles to honestly be compared to and cross shopped with the Land Rover Discovery, but the RR and RR Sport maybe a bit out of their territory. That being said, demand for these two will exceed supply and Jeep/Stellantis will make a lot of money with these to vehicles. The sad this is, how ever, Jeep will sell more of these, then Maserati will sell of their Levante SUV! One last thing, if GM and Ford can do while selling different versions of the full size SUV’s under different brands, why couldn’t Stellantis do the same? To compliment the Wagoneers, couldn’t they also do a Dodge and/or Ram, along with a Chrysler off of this same platform? Talk about a ready made cash cow (said with no intended disrespect to Cows)! Just a thought. When competition is good, the consumer wins!
March 11th, 2021 at 12:56 pm
Several people on the news on the internet have challenged those dollar numbers of battery costs of Cairn Energy all are lower and those numbers maybe historic in a fast changing time
March 11th, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Sean – Most of Autoline viewers refer to standard screwdriver as Flathead. Perhaps most of the Autoline viewers are older. Fits me. LOL
March 11th, 2021 at 12:59 pm
That’s a pretty good price for the Marai. Unfortunately, there are only about 20 places in the world where you can fuel it.
March 11th, 2021 at 1:03 pm
Flathead or Phillips?
I used to live in Japan and they call it -(minus) or +(plus) which is way easier to remember or figure out, and I like that.
When you ask for a screw driver, you just say, give me a plus or give me a minus.
March 11th, 2021 at 1:26 pm
with battery powered vehicles you have range anxiety so with self driving vehicles do you have crash anxiety ??
March 11th, 2021 at 2:27 pm
I did find the screwdriver debate to be very much age related. I even went as far as having to google regular screwdriver to prove my point to all the younger folks that swore a Phillip’s was regular. Some said the same thing mentioned in the comments here that regular didn’t tell em anything and they would insist on more clarification
Google backed me up though, stating flat head was most common and became standard or often referred to as regular even though today Phillips is more common. I just had no idea that over the years it changed.
March 11th, 2021 at 2:36 pm
wmb – the main reason FCA doesn’t make sister versions of their vehicles like Ford and GM do is because they would be sold from the same showroom. All FCA dealerships carry all of the FCA brands, with only a very few exceptions. The Tahoe/Yukon twins provide a comparable product for two different retail channels. Not many Chevrolet dealerships also sell GMC. Same with Ford and Lincoln. FCA only has one sales channel.
March 11th, 2021 at 2:39 pm
The Canoo pickup is interesting, but I would want to know a lot more about it before making a reservation. Price would be at the top of the list. It is unique styling. I think it looks futuristic, and a little retro in the manner of a Forward Control Jeep or Ford Econoline pickup of many years ago.
March 11th, 2021 at 2:49 pm
Toyota so desperate to game the California and Federal E credit system they practically give away the lease and take a loss on their FOOLCELL Mirai.i wonder how many will be leased this year last year was just over 1000 units.
Teslas Battery CELL cost is going to be around $75 / kWh when the 4680 cells are mass produced ,as divulged during Tesla battery day, that brings the their drivetrain cost to ICE levels,at that price Tesla can deliver cars at almost the price of a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic.
March 11th, 2021 at 3:14 pm
The picture of the various screwdriver types had it right. That’s a slot head, not a flat head. Flat head is a type of screw, not the driver, and can be slot, Phillips, Allen, Roberson, Torx, Posi-drive, and on and on. Those describe the type of screwdriver necessary to engage them.
Can’t wrap my head around $100K SUVs. If they had full stage five autonomy, maybe.
March 11th, 2021 at 3:35 pm
No one sells car-height wagons in the US, because “no one wants them,” but there must be a huge pent up demand for electric pickup trucks, since there will be about 8 of them in a couple years.
March 11th, 2021 at 3:39 pm
5 Maybe the top trim Grand Wagoneer should be called Imperial.
March 11th, 2021 at 3:45 pm
The Wagoneers look great, except for the goofy bright DLO trim execution on the Grand version. The GM competitors are barely a year old, yet need updates already. And the Ford/Lincoln entries better have an update soon, lest history will repeat itself (recall how they let their segment-defining entries wilt on the vine with an overly long cycle length and a just a few half-hearted freshening).
It’ll be interesting to see how Jeep markets the Wagoneers along side the new Grand Cherokee L. I look forward to a road test comparison between these siblings, as well as a comparison to the Yukon/‘Lade, Exped/‘Gator, and others.
Price? Your COVID stimulus check won’t cover the D&D charge ($2000 per one of the local Detroit newspapers). Yikes!
March 11th, 2021 at 3:45 pm
14 As long as there is no place to fuel them, there will continue to be little market for fuel cell cars.
EVs have a similar problem, but, obviously, much smaller than with hydrogen cars. I stopped by the soon-to-open Tesla store near me to see if they’d have any public use fast chargers, and they won’t. If they did, I’d be a genuine prospect. They have the 30-40 mile/hour chargers, but just for their own use.
March 11th, 2021 at 4:06 pm
Florida has a proposed bill for a punitive surcharge for EVs, which in 2025, will be equivalent to the state gas tax for 24,456 miles of a 30 mpg car. It would be equal to the gas tax for 16,300 miles in a 20 mpg vehicle, a gas hog by today’s standards.
March 11th, 2021 at 4:06 pm
@19 – I suppose Elon is no longer promoting an egalitarian EV future, but is promoting a proprietary Tesla future.
March 11th, 2021 at 4:13 pm
@20 – State governments are addicted a drug, called gas tax. I predict we will soon hear how EVs need to be taxed more than ICEs because the heavier EVs are causing quicker degradations of our roads. I recognize road maintenance projects need to be supported, but we are about to embark on a new wave of creative taxation that will more than compensate for the lost gas tax.
March 11th, 2021 at 4:28 pm
If the Florida law passes, as seems likely, a 4000 pound Model 3 driven average miles will pay more Florida tax than a 6000 pound Suburban. At some point, road tax should be charged according to distance driven, with vehicles bracketed by weight, but it will be hard to agree on how to do that.
March 11th, 2021 at 4:33 pm
23 You should be required to turn in your mileage each year with your plate renewal and charged a per mile fee. Not only prevent rolling back odometers but seems the fairest way to divvy of the taxes
March 11th, 2021 at 4:41 pm
Reading odometers would work, and newer cars probably keep track of miles in computers. Cheating would be possible with about any system, but easier with some than others.
March 11th, 2021 at 4:43 pm
Sean,
When will the traditional automakers challenge these new EV entrants that clearly do not meet consumer expected safety standards?
If I were an OEM, I’d be quick to point out that vehicle makes from the likes of Bollinger, Canoo, and Aptera are not the competing apples-to-apples on safety…
March 11th, 2021 at 4:55 pm
26 They will need to meet the federal safety standards, but still, where is the market? I know a number of pickup drivers, most of whom would be better off with a van or cat, but I don’t hear any of them saying they want an electric pickup.
March 11th, 2021 at 7:11 pm
Hi, speaking of Jeeps, does anyone know why Jeep offers a RHD Wrangler for the US market? Who buys these as they are already available in many RHD markets. https://www.jeep.com/bmo.wrangler.2021.html#/build/exterior/90210/CUJ202110JLUL74A/2TA/APA,PW7,X9,EC1,DFT,DLK,Z1D,SDA,TQL,WF9,A7,UAA,22A
March 11th, 2021 at 8:28 pm
I had been thinking that Chrysler needs a high end SUV to compete with the Escalade and Navigator. (At least Dodge has the Durango.). It seems like these new Jeeps fall in that category, but I’m wondering if this has been a big missed opportunity to expand Chrysler’s line.
March 11th, 2021 at 8:31 pm
12.) @ GM Veteran: This is true that the FCA side does business out of the same stores, but the GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave are sold out of the same store. The funny thing is, they are both billed as premium vehicles too! One more premium them the other obviously, yet they don’t over lap or directly compete with the other. The same is true with the Grand Cherokee and the Durango, along with the Land Rover Discovery Sport and the Ranger Rover Evoque! IMHO, FCA and now Stellantis, is leaving a lot of money on the table, by not selling all weather, AWD versions of their car based Jeep CUV/Crossovers, under at least the badges of Dodge and/or Ram and Chrysler. I don’t mean badge engineering, but much like JLR has done with their E-Pace/Discovery Sport/Evoque and their F-Pace/Valor. While the Land and Range Rovers each have equal, but distinct off road credentials, their Jaguar platform mates do the road biased, all weather job as good as, if not better then most! Why couldn’t Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler do the same? We all know that most CUV/SUV/Crossovers never venture off road and that most Jeep vehicles do not carry serious hardware to go rock climbing or play in the mud and sand. Yet they, like most buyers make their purchase to project a certain image. So a person who wants to project an outdoorsy image like that associated with a Jeep, many not care for the hot rod look and sound of a Dodge, or the sharper edges more accustom to a Chrysler. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t build a Dodge or Chrysler CUV from the bones of Jeep’s Crossovers. Outside of the Grand Cherokee and the Wagoneers, NONE of Jeep’s CUV’s have anything that resemble high out put horsepower or true luxury! What would be wrong with taking the architectures of the Renegade, Campass and Cherokee, redesigning them and giving them either more power or max luxury, to do duty as either a Dodge or Chrysler? This way, even in the same showroom, they will still appeal to a different buyer and not directly compete with each other. The 300 and Charger share showroom space, yet go after different buyers! I mean BMW sells coupe versions of the X1, X3, X5 and soon the X7, in the same showroom and buyers don’t seem to care they are the same vehicle and will pay a premium for the coupes too. There would be very little new engineering work needed for the Dodge and Chrysler versions. The only real cost would be the money needed to differentiate the styling of the vehicles. Just a thought.
March 11th, 2021 at 8:59 pm
28 Durango has a somewhat different market from GC, being stretched, and a with different styling. There is now a GC L, about the same stretch as the Durango, but for more money. I don’t know how it is selling.
Checking sales numbers for E-Pace and F-Pace, I wonder if making them makes sense, unless sales are better in the rest of the world than in the US. The year 2000 US sales were about 10,000 for F-Pace and 3700 for E-Pace.
Do the “coupe” versions of any of these Euro brand CUVs sell in any numbers? I don’t see many of them. If they’d lower them and sell them RWD, they be more appealing to me. Why, why do most of them have mandatory 4wd, at least in the US market, when even the boxy versions are available with rwd? I’m talking about X3 and GLC available with rwd, while X4 and GLC “coupe” have mandatory 4wd. Maybe the bigger ones are that way too.
March 12th, 2021 at 7:10 am
29. The E and F-Pace may not sale in the big numbers, as compared to their Land and Ranger Rover counterparts. Yet, they are the best selling vehicles in the Jaguar line up! They add to JLR’s economy of scale and do not directly compete with the more profitable vehicles and Land Rover and provide more stylish alternatives to the same platforms. The same is true with the four door coupes at BMW, Mercedes and Audi, with only a little investment and they charge more for them! This is even though they sit next to a more practical version of the same vehicle, in the same showroom. Here is my point, if Jeep is going to be the volume brand on the Chrysler side of Stellandtis, i don’t see how Dodge/Ram/Chrysler couldn’t mimic the type of sales that Jaguar has done by using Land Rover’s platforms. Especially if the styling differences are more then just cosmetic. Lower the Dodge’s suspensions and give them real firepower under the hood and better handling. Make the Chrysler’s real lookers and drown them in luxury appointments. Follow the recipe that has worked for the 300 and Charger! Even if they only add another 50-75K to each model line that Jeep currently offers (which I doubt, it would probably by much, much more), it would be providing needed product the brands that have been starved of investment years. While I do not think that the Grand Cherokee and the new L, should be shared with their sister brands (a different FWD/AWD product should be in that space), I can’t see where Dodge/Ram and Chrysler versions of the Wagoneers would not be profitable for Stellantis!
March 12th, 2021 at 7:31 am
To older people like me, who remember Chrysler as a near-luxury brand, a Chrysler version of the Wagoneer would be a perfect fit, better than Jeep. My first car was a 1957 Chrysler, which competed with Buick and Oldsmobile, back when those brands were semi-prestigious to own.
March 12th, 2021 at 8:15 am
I’m just surprised that there is that much demand for 80k+ SUVs. I mean I get that anyone that has more than 2 kids, you’re almost required to buy something with a third row but these prices are crazy, especially for young families. Car sales keep falling and I expect at some point the only cars left will be sportscars. Even the luxury and limos are transitioning over to SUVs. As these prices keep climbing I guess it will make the EVs closer in price.
March 12th, 2021 at 8:44 am
That Grand Wagoneer has a nice interior indeed. More attractive (to me) than its rather stodgy exterior, but at least it represents a coherent style.
31 I wonder if a Chrysler version might try for a fresher, more modern look? Range Rover is showing how it can be done. Incidentally, my father still raves about the Imperial’s trunk.
32 At these prices, and aside from infrastructure, I think it’s only cell supply limiting the introduction of “outsize” EVs (seeing a big US car in a European setting can be amusing).
While Tesla’s somewhat odd Model X isn’t exactly flying off the line, I expect EVs to become much more popular in the high-price and high-weight domain.
1 Chuck – Regarding purported battery costs, I’d really like a closer look at that report. Is it US-centric? Making no mention of VW and the main cell suppliers seems off, just like predictions for 2030.
March 12th, 2021 at 9:04 am
33 My ’57 Chrysler was a Saratoga, and it had a big trunk, but I suspect an Imperial trunk would have been even bigger. It addition to the back seat, some extra length of the Imperial probably went into the trunk.
32 There is a new, perfect vehicle for people with more than two kids, the 2021 Toyota Sienna. It is a hybrid, getting 36 mpg overall in both EPA ratings and CR’s overall result. The Sienna has more room than a Ford Explorer that uses almost twice as much gas, and is even available with 4wd, for those who want it.
The thing that could slow down the SUV/pickup truck craze, would be if people started caring about fuel efficiency. Gas prices are now near 2018-2019 levels, which could change vehicle buying patterns, at least a little.
https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_gas_price
Click 3Y and 5Y above the chart to see more.
March 12th, 2021 at 9:10 am
33 They seem to be “building inventory” for a soon-to-open Tesla store near me, and there are several Model Xs sitting in the lot, probably as many as 3s and Ss. There are no Ys. I suspect the Ys are sold as soon as they are built, like C8 Corvettes.
March 12th, 2021 at 9:35 am
To be transparent, I was pulling the 50-70K numbers out of the air, but, IMHO, their is an opportunity that Stellantis can take advantage of. If the SRT, REDEYE and H’Cat trims at Dodge has taught us anything, horsepower selling, even if the platform it’s strapped to is over 20 years old! What other sub compact and compact CUV/Crossovers are there on the market today, that market to horsepower, especially like that of the Charger?! While I could never see a Renegade with the R/T or SRT glued to the back, I might be interested in a Dodge of that class and size! The Ford Puma ST in Europe is considered the new hot hatch of our day across the pond. Again, one might not be interested in a lux’d up Compass, but a stylish Chrysler CUV, maybe? As long as they stay in their lane and not try to price it to compete with an Aura, X1 or a GLA, I think they could do well. The new Wagoneers show what the Chrysler side of Stellantis can do with luxury if they put their minds to it. Would they drop that type of bling in a version of the Compass, for a Chrysler product? I don’t think so, but if they did, for about the price of an Equinox (the Equinox is a bit more pricey then an Escape, CX-5, the current Tuscan, Sportsmen, etc.)? I think they may have something special.
March 12th, 2021 at 9:55 am
There is an SRT Hellcat Durango, MSRP of ~$81K. I don’t know how many they sell, but they must sell enough to make it worthwhile to build it, even if the volume is low.
I’d like to see Chrysler revived as a near luxury brand. The 300 fits there, but it is getting really old. A properly done version of the next generation Durango could make a good Chrysler, if there is a next generation.
March 12th, 2021 at 5:41 pm
8. Wrong, but keep up the positive comments about alternative fuel vehicles.
March 14th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
One more thing about screw drivers. I believe that the “flat” screw driver was invented first or so it would seem to me looking at older vehicles and equipment. Therefore, i would say that the “regular or standard screw driver” should go with the first or original design for a screw driver. Can anyone confirm that the flat screw driver was invented first?