Chrysler's future product for Oz

Clyde Campbell, Chrysler Australia's MD, backs Sergio Marchionne's sentiments. According to Campbell, the global CEO for both Fiat and Chrysler has told his underlings that if they bring a new platform to him -- and it's not RHD-capable -- they would want to have a really good reason.

Campbell, a former employee of Mercedes-Benz, has adopted the German company's method of convincing the parent company to build vehicles in right-hand drive: Recruit support from other RHD markets such as the UK and Japan to mount a business case. The problem with that is that RHD is no longer a legislative requirement to register cars in those two countries, but it is in Australia.

So right-hand drive remains an issue for Chrysler. Take for instance the Jeep Compass and the Chrysler 200. Both the new compact SUV, which has assumed the looks of the larger Grand Cherokee, and the Sebring replacement are currently unconfirmed starters for right-hand drive markets.

"At this stage [the mid-sized Chrysler 200 is] definitely not available in right-hand drive," explained Dean Bonthorne, Chrysler Australia's Senior Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications.

"It's something that we'd definitely like to include in the Chrysler range -- there's no doubt about it -- but at the moment it's just not available. Like a lot of the left-hand drive models, we'll continue to monitor it [and] continue to make our presence felt at the factory -- and hopefully we'll see it in the range in the future."

Bonthorne is more upbeat about the year ahead for the Jeep brand in Australia -- 2011 marking the 70th anniversary for the offroad marque.

"[Jeep] is where our focus is. It's the 70th anniversary; we're starting off with the new Grand Cherokee and then we've got heavily updated Wrangler with all-new interior and diesel engine... There's Patriot that has a major facelift. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the Compass might be able to make it to Australia; we're just awaiting confirmation on that one -- then follow it up with diesel.

Of the three Chrysler brands in Australia (Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep), it was Jeep that performed best in sales last year. For the full year 2010, Jeep sold close to 6000 units, a 42.5 per cent gain on sales in 2009. By contrast, both Chrysler and Dodge each sold under 2000 units for 2010 and both brands suffered a sales slump against 2009.

Dodge lost the mid-sized Avenger, which wasn't selling in adequate numbers anyway, plus the Caliber is struggling (just 120 sales in 2010, versus 296 in 2009). Even the Nitro, which started off with such a bang, has seen sales dwindle (from 1194 in 2009 to 569 in 2010). Only the Journey is at least holding its own -- more than doubling sales in last year's improving market (up from 603 for 2009 to 1228 in 2010).

Just as well then that the stronger-selling Journey is earmarked for an update this year.

"Journey's getting a major overhaul later in 2011," Bonthorne confirmed.

Asked what went wrong with Avenger, an attractively styled car that was reasonably well priced and should have provided a tempting alternative to some of the blander offerings in the medium car segment, Bonthorne was characteristically forthright.

"We believe it was that we only had the option of initially one powertrain available to us -- which was the 2.4-litre four-cylinder. It wasn't an ideal combination of engine [with that body]. Had we had, for example, the Pentastar V6 it would have been a vastly different scenario.

"It had great aggressive styling -- everyone loved the look of it -- and the idea of the Dodge brand being a genuine alternative to Camry and the like, but under the bonnet just didn't meet up with the expectations that the styling delivered at that time."

Bonthorne doesn't believe that the Dodge brand is damaged in Australia and upcoming new product could well boost the whole brand perception here.

"For Dodge there's a huge amount of activity happening internationally... with Charger and Challenger, the new Durango, updated Journey and Grand Caravan. Over the last six and the six months coming, in America, Dodge is going to be one of the big boomers in terms of new vehicles...

"We're continuing to fight the battle to get certain models available in right-hand drive. For us that's going to start with the new Journey, which... should be quarter three, quarter four, 2011."

Bonthorne doesn't have much to say about the Chrysler brand, specifically. There's a new 300C coming next year, but what is perhaps most intriguing is his mention of a B-Segment entrant (our VFACTS light car segment) from the American brand.

"We haven't got firm information that we're able to share at this stage, but we started at the C Segment [small cars] with our brands, but there's definitely going to be some B Segment vehicles coming.

"Filling all the gaps, if you look across the segments that are currently available, there are some glaring omissions -- and so they've been methodically targeted and vehicles developed to fill those gaps. Watch this space in short.

"It's not as if anything's going to happen this year or next year, but 2013 and beyond there's a heap of stuff coming.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site