The Hornet returns(?)

[bull]

http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/dodge/hornet.html

Doesn't look anything like my old AMC, but then, it was ugly too.

[Silver R/T]

Interesting looking SUV. Are they gonna bring it over here soon?

[Brock Samson]

they are looking for a partner to help them build it,.. like Volkswagon,, you did know that DCX and volkswagon have entered into a partnership to produce a VW badged minivan baised on the next Gen. Caravan/town and country didn't you?... 

[Silver R/T]

Ive read that they want to sell their plant to China, which would seriously hurt US economy once more

[bull]

they are looking for a partner to help them build it,.. like Volkswagon,, you did know that DCX and volkswagon have entered into a partnership to produce a VW badged minivan baised on the next Gen. Caravan/town and country didn't you?... 

I've pretty much given up trying to figure out all the intricacies of auto production. It's like a soap opera.

[Lowprofile]

I kinda like it. It's a lot better looking then that square looking Honda, or the PT Cruiser [yuk]   

[tipopiola]

To me it looks like a "Dodge mini cooper"  .  Tipopiola

[Lightning]

looks like they're trying to knock off the Scion Xb.....weird.

[blade trinity]

the new Dodge Mini PT Cooper!

[bull]

PT + Cooper = Mini Pooper

[6pkrunner]

The auto industry is in some serious trouble if you haven't noticed and some desparate attempts and partnerships are cropping up to help diffuse R&D costs, which for a car are seriously substantial. All joking aside, the Ford issues and the latest $2 billion added losses to GM for last year are some serious chit. The automotive industy's definition of knee jerk reaction takes anywherre from 3-5 years to go from concept to vehicle so there are going to be some more lean years and more of the above Hornet-like niche vehicles coming out trying to find market share.

[bull]

I'm no car production guru but I think car makers need to revamp the whole system. They need a total of four, self-contained platforms per company. Make the bodies of the cars interchangeable with those platforms and knock out more varieties and smaller numbers of each model of car. There should be a full size 4X4 platform that they put pickups, Vans and SUV bodies on, a full size 2wd platform for 2wd pickups, station wagons, large sedans and coupes, and a smaller 4X4 and 2wd platforms for the smaller stuff. All the parts under the body and below your knees would be the same on each platform to make it totally mainstream, interchangeable and cheap. The bodies could be removed and replaced in less than an hour if you decide you want a pickup instead of an SUV. The whole business needs to be streamlined and interchangeable and the first company to impliment this process, IMO, will survive and thrive.

[6pkrunner]

Well I'm no insider but I think the mad dash to crank out the high-profit SUVs and not forsee that it would be a tthing subject to total collapse depending on oil prices was very naive. I'm cynical enough to firmly believe that all the head CEOs know they are only on top for a few years so they turn their back on long term viability and grab all the performance perks they can with their short term money makers. They are long gone when the house of cards falls.