Bye Bye Pentastar

[bluefury361]

IMHO, it stopped being Chrysler when Daimler Benz acquired the company in 1998. Chrysler became DB's ***** and now Fiat will have a turn.

I think chryslers, (as I know and love), dimise came long before then. Nothing Chrysler produced since the mid 70's has really impressed me, but then I'm an old school car guy who lived the glory days.

There is nothing on the metric car list produced by Chrysler that I would concider, even if I were in the market. The magic's gone.

I wish Fiat luck and hope they will, at least a little, respect the heritage of Walter P.

 

[bpsmopar]

As a Chrysler dealer for over 43 years I am extremely dissappointed with the removal of the Pentastar AGAIN! It is our iconic symbol of American & Canadian
longivity through a few tough times over the last 50 years. It never dates itself, it's balanced, destintive, & recognized world wide. I only care about Norh America
& it's success & the name Fiat in front of Chrysler does not ring true just yet with dealers who have invested millions to market the Chrysler product.
Which name has better & more name recognition here? Fix It Again Tony........

 

[saforwardlook]

Maybe I should revise my previous post to just say that while management and ownership changes have occurred over time, I find that the engineering attitude and pursuit of excellence still are alive at Chrysler engineering today, and Walter P would be fine with that. The bean counters and managers will still come and go. Many there now still remember the past too, and some of their products still carry that spirit. Many there today participate in the Woodward Dream Cruise and other car shows there, including at the engineering center in Auburn Hills. It could have been much worse.

 

[Fratzog]

The Pentastar will live on as long as old car guys like us choose to keep it alive. The logo represents a time and place that has passed but still fondly remembered and appreciated. As stated above Fiat is not likely to ditch Mopar any time soon. That can remain a symbol of our heritage.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

IMHO, it stopped being Chrysler when Daimler Benz acquired the company in 1998. Chrysler became DB's ***** and now Fiat will have a turn.

Daimler raped Chrysler and of course another long résumé CEO hit the lottery. Didn't actually help the co. when in charge and certainly did not give two shits about his job only making himself rich beyond all imagination, yes if there is a god I hope he rots in hell. Fiat entered the deal with Chrysler much the same as every car guys hero Lee Iaccoca did a company in trouble at a intersection out or up. Daimler stole all the money gutted the rest has the least knowledge of the us market of any of the German auto makers, not that any of them are much good at it for better or worse the majority of the us market are a bunch of lackeys following whatever GM and Toyota tell them they need like onstar and onboard WiFi because those have proved to be invaluable. Fiat and Chrysler are a decent fit until Sergio steps down and the next non car guy greedy f@#$ CEO steps in to line his pockets of the previous CEO's hard work, and it will happen again, that's how Chrysler was born.

 

[1978 NYB]

Many great points of discussion given on this thread....

1. We all care about the Pentastar, its heritage and history, and Walter P.

2. It'll all survive as long as we keep it alive and hand it off the next generation.

3. I too as some here, was able to enjoy Mopar's during the heyday....like it was yesterday.

4. And I'll be wrenching, driving, and enjoying my C-bodies until I stop breathing!

5. I hope they don't change the Pentastar on the building!!!

 

[bluefury361]

every car guys hero Lee Iaccoca QUOTE]

Lee Iaccoca is a bean counter. He is not a hero and definitely not a car guy. He pulled off a great "slight of hand" deal that saved Chrysler...... and made himself a very wealthy man.

But anytime he dabbled in the product itself, including his tenior at Ford, the product suffered. He stood to come out on top weather Chrysler was saved or not.

He's one hell of a businessman ...... but not a car guy and not a hero in my book.

 

[polara71]

every car guys hero Lee Iaccoca QUOTE]

Lee Iaccoca is a bean counter. He is not a hero and definitely not a car guy. He pulled off a great "slight of hand" deal that saved Chrysler...... and made himself a very wealthy man.

But anytime he dabbled in the product itself, including his tenior at Ford, the product suffered. He stood to come out on top weather Chrysler was saved or not.

He's one hell of a businessman ...... but not a car guy and not a hero in my book.

Didnt he have a strong influence on the Mustang?

 

[bluefury361]

Didnt he have a strong influence on the Mustang?

I had a very good friend, (since passed), that was one of the 5 Ford engineers assigned to create the Mustang prototype. Acording to him Lee Ioccoca, then president, came into the design area to view the first prototype car ...... walked around it once, opened the door and climed into the back seat, (he was a pretty big guy), got out and said "add two inches to it. And left.
That was lee's contribution to the actual design. But to here Ioccoca say it ..... It was all his baby.
He had a huge ego and sense of self importance, (I've met him and heard him speak).

 

[bluefury361]

Don't get me wrong. Lee Ioccoca had a huge impact on the conceptual part of the Mustang but he relied on Fords designers and engineeners to creat the image he thought he had found a niche for. He used his very convincing sales talents to convince Mc namera to fund the project.without Iaccoca there likely would not have been a Mustang.

It just bothers me that most people thing the Mustang design and actual creation was Iaccoca's doing. He had little to do with that area but did little or nothing to give credit where credit is due.

He deserves respect, but he's not a hero.

 

[polara71]

He deserves respect, but he's not a hero.

I am not sure about that Will, If not for Uncle Lee, Chrysler would have suffered certain death in the early 80's. Dont you think he bought another thirty years for the name, even if only to be gobbled up or given away

 

[F Preston]

Chrysler left me in the late seventies, I have no respect for anything they produced after that time.

 

[Big_John]

I am not sure about that Will, If not for Uncle Lee, Chrysler would have suffered certain death in the early 80's. Dont you think he bought another thirty years for the name, even if only to be gobbled up or given away

I agree with Will and I agree with just what you've said.

Lee was a very good businessman. Leave it at that though.... a businessman that took over a company that was on the rocks. He was just what Chrysler needed at the time and it's very likely that Chrysler owes its survival to him.

He wasn't a designer or an engineer... he was a businessman.

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

I am not sure about that Will, If not for Uncle Lee, Chrysler would have suffered certain death in the early 80's. Dont you think he bought another thirty years for the name, even if only to be gobbled up or given away

I like the thought of Chryslers death back in the early 80s.
Would have saved us all the ugly **** from front wheel drive k-cars to Minivans.
Die with pride, V8 and rear wheel drive.

 

[polara71]

I like the thought of Chryslers death back in the early 80s.
Would have saved us all the ugly **** from front wheel drive k-cars to Minivans.
Die with pride, V8 and rear wheel drive.

There was stuff out there in each decade that Chrysler built that I like, including the K. Where would pick up trucks be if it wasnt for Ram in 1994, or Mini Vans? No, I am glad they continued, I am in the minority and think that Chrysler could have done better without the current CEO.

 

[bluefury361]

Where would pick up trucks be if it wasnt for Ram in 1994, or Mini Vans? QUOTE]

To be perfectly candid, I think Ford has been the trend setter in trucks and vans since the late 70's, more so then any other company. FoMoCo has remained fairly healthy throughout all of the Chrysler and GM debackles.
Still today they are they are operated by the founding family. And the healthest of the original "big 3" auto companies.

 

[Big_John]

Ford didn't take the government cheese either.

 

[Fratzog]

I'm pretty sure Chrysler led the way with mini-vans. As written above K cars were the right car for the times. My dad had one of the fwd Chargers and I had a Dodge Omni both cars with the 2.2. Those motors gave good mileage and were basically indestructible. The fwd was really good in our winters. Comparing those cars to our old cars is not a valid comparison. Apples and oranges. The modern Charger is nothing like the previous version and I admit when they first came out I was one of the first to criticize Chrysler for using the Charger name on a 4 door. Times change and now we use an 07 and 13 as daily drivers. Best cars we've ever owned for commuting purposes.

 

[commando1]

I try to see it as that the Chrysler handed over to FIAT was not the Chrysler that we fell in love with. Now WE are MoPaR, not the company's.

Posted via Topify on Android

 

[patrick66]

But Patrick, the Air Force is still the Air Force. Fiat is trying to distance themselves from what Chrysler was, they dont want the heritage just a foot in the American door

In many ways, the military is trying to distance itself from what IT is supposed to be. Remember the recent and ridiculous US Navy ads, with the PC tagline "A global force for good"...It's not just FIAT.